By Danielle Christopher

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

This is a classic for every new generation. When Marilla Cuthbert’s brother, Matthew, returns home to Green Gables with a chatty redheaded orphaned girl, Marilla exclaims, “But we asked for a boy. We have no use for a girl.” It’s not long before the Cuthberts realize how they could have ever done without young Anne of Green Gables–but not for the original reasons they sought an orphan. Anne “confesses” to losing Marilla’s amethyst pin (which she never took) in hopes of being allowed to go to a picnic, and when Anne accidentally dyes her hated carrot-red hair green, Marilla says to Matthew, “One thing’s for certain, no house that Anne’s in will ever be dull.” No book that she’s in will be, either.

Lucy Maud Montgomery is remembered as a Canadian author, best known for her series of novels beginning with Anne of Green Gables, published in 1908.

How to Train your Dragon by J. Bright

The book and movie are a great and rare complement to each other. All young Vikings must prove they are fierce and strong enough to fight dragons. But Hiccup isn’t as brawny as his friends and fails miserably at dragon training. He devises a new secret weapon that can take down the fiercest dragon in the sky—and when it actually works Hiccup has a choice to make. Can he really kill a dragon? Or will he make a new friend?

For the next two recommendations I asked Alexandra Rea for guidance (daughter of Natalie Rea Women of the Week Sept 27, 2010). Thank you. I enjoyed them.

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (first book in the series)

Lying in the ruins of a place once known as North America is the nation of Panem, a shining capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games: A fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

Everyone has something to hide—especially high school juniors Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna. Spencer covets her sister’s boyfriend. Aria’s fantasizing about her English teacher. Emily’s crushing on the new girl at school. Hanna uses some ugly tricks to stay beautiful.

But they’ve all kept an even bigger secret since their friend Alison vanished.