The Ultimate Teen Book Guide: Over 700 Great Books (Ultimate Book Guides) [Paperback]

David Almond, in his introduction, calls The Ultimate Teen Book Guide "a kind of travellers guide" to the many novels for teenage readers as recommended by an impressive array of authors, experts, editors and children. In a better way than any other book guide for teens has so far managed to achieve, it offers up a selection of choices in a more than palatable way for a notoriously difficult readership to please.

This is, therefore, not a book to read from cover to cover--more a volume to be dipped into, read at leisure and in digestible bite-size chunks. The various contributors have often delved into their own experiences to highlight a wide range of possible reads for the discerning older reader, and in doing so have achieved an accessibility, and connection, to its target audience that has perhaps eluded some previous, stuffier tomes.

Celia Rees tells potential readers that The Sterkarm Handshake by Susan Price is a great fantasy, Julia Green relishes her slow appreciation of Sonya Hartnett’s Stripes of the Sidestep Wolf, Geraldine McCaughrean describes the splendidly sentimental Discword novel by Terry Pratchett called Monstrous Regiment and Meg Rosoff joins the fanatical following for Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time. Books from contemporary writers, still plying their trade, and modern classics from previous decades all rub shoulders for the attention of readers of the next generation.

Apart from the Book Recommendations, there are special features about specific genres and a number of poll results with headings like The Book you Couldn’t Put Down and the Best Book About Relationships.

No guide like this can ever be all things to all readers, but it’s a hugely impressive endeavour that should make a difference to any teen reader in a quandary about what to read next who picks it up.

(Age 12 and over)--John McLay

"...a magnificent compendium" davidbelbin.com (14th January 2006) "Prepare to be inspired!" The Guardian (30th September 2006) "...fantastic-infectiously enthusiastic" Achockablog (February 2006) "...an indispensable tome for anyone..." The Publishing News (4th November 2005) "...this is a fantastic resource for teenagers of all ages." "A must have reference book for all teenage readers and their families." The Good Book Guide (March 2006)

"A lifetimes passion starts here"

"This book rocks."

"fantastic - infectiously enthusiastic."

"the book is absolutely superb and looks quite wonderful."

Following the success of the Ultimate Book Guide 8-12, people have been crying out for this guide to the best teenage books around. Again this is the only reference you'll ever need - covering everything that might interest teen readers, from those just starting secondary school through to readers looking for something more adult and challenging. The book covers classics through to contemporary young adult titles, best-sellers to cult fiction and graphic novels. We've got personal recommendations from top teen and adult authors including Anthony Horowitz, Meg Cabot, Philip Pullman and Jonathan Coe. Following the format of the previous guide, each entry is cross-referenced to other books that readers are bound to enjoy and there are readers' polls and special features on a variety of topics." Reviews for ULTIMATE BOOK GUIDE 8-12: 'Invaluable' The Sunday Times 'A browser's delight' TES 'A literary treasure trove' The Sunday Telegraph 'Just what I've been looking for - something to help me find great books for my children! ...The format is atractive and easy to use...a really good investment.' Families Magazine (Jan 2007)

Daniel is a freelance writer, translator and editor, Leonie is a librarian in a boys' school and Susan works as a commissioning editor at Egmont. All three are extremely well-connected in the children's book world!