The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black

Twins Jared and Simon, and their sister Mallory have been forced into moving by their parents recent divorce. The children leave everything they know and move with their mother into their institutionalized aunt’s decaying New England home. Right from the start strange things begin to happen to the family, but when Jared discovers a hidden room and uncovers the secret truth of fairies, things get much worse. One mystery uncovers another as the family is drawn deeper and deeper into a decade’s old secret there is no coming back from.

Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black work together to create an exciting and suspenseful series that shows us that the world of the fey exists right in our own backyards. These books are sprinkled with stunning illustrations from its co-author, Tony DiTerlizzi, that really bring the characters to life. There are five books in the series: The Field Guide, The Seeing Stone, Lucinda’s Secret, The Ironwood Tree, and TheWrath of Mulgrath. Each book is a fairly fast read and offers up just enough of the overarching story line to leave you intrigued and wanting more; so I recommend taking home the first three at least!

Once you finish the Spiderwick Chronicles try their next series Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles. This (much shorter) series follows Nick and Laurie, newly made step-siblings trying to understand each other and the mysteries of the fey of Florida. This series includes: The Nixie’s Song, A Giant Problem, and The Wyrm King. If you’re still craving more awesome fairies and amazing art, don’t forget to check out The Care and Feeding of Sprites. These books and many more can be found at the Virginia Beach Public Library.

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The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

The first in Douglas Adams’ hilarious series, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy follows Arthur Dent’s adventures through space (and occasionally time) with his friend, Ford Prefect, and his towel… naturally.

Arthur’s biggest concern is that his home is about to be demolished and a freeway built in its place. But when he learns that the entire planet is also about to be destroyed to make way for a much bigger, galactic freeway Arthur begins to realize that there's a whole universe issues at hand. After being swept away from utter destruction by his pal Ford, Arthur's adventures finally begin.

Full of witty dialog and comedic irony, these books are reminiscent of Monty Python, Mr. Bean, and other popular British sitcoms. This book (and its follow-ups) are cleverly written and full of unusual and interesting characters, such as Marvin (a brilliant, but deeply depressed robot), Zaphod Beeblebrox (the two two-headed, three-armed, possibly insane president of the galaxy), and Veet Voojagig (a man obsessed with the disappearance of all his ballpoint pens).

I picked up this book at an airport bookstore years ago and by the time we landed I rushed out to buy the next two! This series is superbly written and utterly addicting. It had me shaking with giggles and snorting with suppressed laughter next to a number of marginally concerned airline row-mates.

If you love The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, then be sure to pick up the next book in series, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe(hint: that’s not a reference to distance, but to time). Or if you prefer fantasy over science fiction, try out Terry Pratchett’s Disc World Series with The Color of Magic. These witty reads and more are available at the Virginia Beach Public Library.

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Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol

Anya is a pretty average and she tries hard to be. Her family came to America from Russia when she was five. Since then Anya has worked hard to lose her accent, shun her heritage (including those fattening Russian foods her mom is always making), and blend in to the background. But after dropping down an abandoned well, it’s going to be a whole lot harder for Anya to act normal. Especially since the ghost she met down there hitched a ride out in her backpack. Now she wants to be Anya’s best friend and confidant… forever.

This well-paced, well-drawn graphic novel--written and illustrated by Vera Brosgol--is a great book. It’s a story about a teenage girl dealing with the usual things teenage girls deal with: boys, school, friends, social anxiety, body image, bullies, etc. Add in a creepy dead girl who won’t go away and you've got a great recipe for a book full of drama and chills!

I’m especially fond of the artistic style that Vera Brosgol employs in illustrating Anya’s life. Her use of bold, sweeping lines is graceful and visually appealing. Vera also employs a limited color pallet, which gives the story a dark look but is truly beautiful and is much less overwhelming for the reader.

If you like Anya’s Ghost and are looking for more high-school centered graphic novels, try Drama by Raina Telgemeier or Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge. Or if you want more stories about immigrant children working to fit in, check out American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang. These graphic novels and many more are available at the Virginia Beach Public Library.

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Jacob's New Dress by Sarah and Ian Hoffman

Jacob is a little boy just like everyone else. But when Jacob plays with the dress up clothes at school, he doesn't want to be a firefighter or knight, he wants to wear the princess dress. Some of the kids in his class think he is weird and make fun of Jacob, telling him that, “Boys don’t wear dresses.” But Jacob has a strong support group of teachers and parents who help him feel confident being who he wants to be and wearing what he wants to wear.

I was so excited when I first saw Jacob’s New Dress in the library. It’s such a positive and empowering story about a child who doesn't follow conventional gender norms and the adults who support him in his decisions without forcing their opinions on him. My favorite part of the book is the father’s response when Jacob proudly shows him his new dress.

Jacob learns that what he wears on the outside doesn't change who he is on the inside and that he can be a strong person just by accepting himself the way he is. Children and parents can both learn a lot from Jacob’s positive attitude and the brave way he deals with being different.

If you like Jacob’s New Dress, check out My Princess Boy by Cheryl Kilodavis and the Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch. These titles and many more are available through the Virginia Beach Public Library.

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