Jason Pargin’s debut novel, John Dies at the End (2007), is a cult classic in the horror-comedy genre that began as a web serial in 2001. Pargin originally published the book under the pseudonym David Wong, the same name as the novel’s cynical protagonist and narrator. The novel follows David and his slacker friend John in the bleak Midwestern town of Undisclosed as they encounter a paranormal drug that opens their perception to a terrifying... Read John Dies at the End Summary

Published in 2018, Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating is a contemporary romance novel by Christina Lauren, the pen name for writing duo Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings. The story follows the quirky and perpetually chaotic third-grade teacher Hazel Bradford as she reconnects with Josh Im, her reserved and orderly college acquaintance. Convinced their opposite personalities and mortifying shared history make them romantically incompatible, they agree to be just friends, setting each other up... Read Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating Summary

Judy Moody Gets Famous! is a middle-grade children’s novel written by Megan McDonald and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. Originally published in 2001, the title is the second in a series of 12 books. There is a spinoff series about Judy’s brother—Stink. The Judy Moody series is part of the early 2000s middle-grade novel era in which humor and illustration became staples of the genre. Judy Moody Gets Famous! sees the protagonist experiencing Envy as... Read Judy Moody Gets Famous! Summary

Judy Moody Was in a Mood. Not a Good Mood. A Bad Mood. (2000) is a children’s fiction book by American author Megan McDonald. In the novel, third grader Judy Moody adjusts to her new class while enjoying adventures with her best friend, Rocky. Third grade brings new experiences, such as getting to know her teacher, Mr. Todd, and buying a new pet. Judy also navigates her relationship with her annoying but lovable little brother... Read Judy Moody Was in a Mood. Not a Good Mood. A Bad Mood. Summary

Colleen AF Venable and illustrator Stephanie Yue’s Katie the Catsitter (2021) is a middle-grade graphic novel about growing up, superheroes, and lots of cats. As of 2023, there are two additional volumes published in the series: Katie the Catsitter Book 2: Best Friends for Never (2022) and Katie the Catsitter #3: Secrets and Sidekicks (2023). Katie the Catsitter was critically well-received and has gone on to win multiple state awards. In this coming-of-age story, Katie... Read Katie the Catsitter Summary

IntroductionKillers of a Certain Age is a 2022 contemporary thriller by American author Deanna Raybourn. The work’s title is a play on the euphemistic reference to older women as “of a certain age” rather than calling them middle-aged, elderly, or senior citizens. Raybourn has previously achieved recognition for her historical mysteries, such as the Lady Julia Grey mysteries and the Veronica Speedwell mysteries. These works often feature women as sleuths pursuing romance as well as... Read Killers of a Certain Age Summary

Kitchen Confidential is a nonfiction work by chef, author, and travel television host Anthony Bourdain, based on his 1999 essay, “Don’t Eat Before Reading This,” published in The New Yorker. In part a memoir of Bourdain’s years in the restaurant industry, it is also a candid exposé of New York City’s restaurant scene in the 1970s, ’80s, and ’90s. Bourdain takes his readers on a wild ride through his career journey while providing a realistic... Read Kitchen Confidential Summary

Written by Johnny Marciano, Klawde (2019) is the first installment in the Evil Alien Warlord Cat series. The book alternates between the perspectives of Klawde (an evil warlord cat from the planet Lyttyrboks) and Raj (an average Earth boy who has just moved to a new town and wants to go home). The story unpacks this unlikely friendship by exploring the differences between humans, animals, and cultures. Klawde was nominated for several awards, including the... Read Klawde Summary

Knights of the Kitchen Table by Jon Scieszka (Puffin Books, 1998) is a children’s fantasy novel that follows three friends on their journey through the time of King Arthur. Knights of the Kitchen Table has been praised for its ability to reach reluctant readers through its accessible, humorous storytelling. Discovery Kids aired an animated television adaptation of the book produced by WGBH Boston and Soup2Nuts. An American author, Scieszka has penned several books for young... Read Knights of the Kitchen Table Summary

Lafayette in the Somewhat United States is a 2015 history of America written by Sarah Vowell. Vowell uses the perspective of the Marquis de Lafayette—a Frenchman who longed to fight with the Americans and win military glory—to give an irreverent, timely history of the United States, with relevant implications for America’s modern political situation.When Lafayette came to America, he was only 19. He was a wealthy, educated orphan who wanted to acquire personal honor and... Read Lafayette in the Somewhat United States Summary

Published in 2002, Christopher Moore’s Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal is an adult historical fiction novel and a work of absurdist humor. The satirical story presents the lost years of Jesus’s childhood and adulthood from the perspective of his sarcastic but loyal best friend. The novel received the American Library Association’s Best Books for Young Adults award in 2003 and explores themes of friendship, religion, and Resistance to Injustice. This study... Read Lamb Summary

The Last Days of Summer is an epistolary novel written by Steve Kluger and published in 1998. The novel offers a view into the life of Joey Margolis, an articulate, resourceful, tender-hearted young Jewish baseball fan who resides in Brooklyn, New York during the 1940s. His parents’ divorce results in Joey’s estrangement from his father, who marries a Manhattan socialite and fails to maintain contact with his son, as well as relocation from the Hasidic... Read Last Days of Summer Summary

Lawn Boy, a novella by Gary Paulsen published in 2007, is a middle grade chapter book about a 12-year-old boy who receives an old lawn mower as a birthday gift from his grandmother. As underwhelming as the gift appears, this moment launches a sequence of events that ends with the boy owning $480,000 and being the sole investor of a heavyweight boxer. Full of quirky humor and digestible lessons in capitalism, Paulsen’s story leads the... Read Lawn Boy Summary

Leonard (My Life as a Cat) (2021) is a middle grade science fiction novel by Carlie Sorosiak. The novel explores the inner life of an animal with an unexpected angle: An alien accidentally crashes to Earth in the body of a cat. As he tries to find his way back home, he bonds with a human girl named Olive, who also struggles to fit in. Through Leonard’s observations and recollections, the novel explores themes of... Read Leonard (My Life as a Cat) Summary

Kate DiCamillo’s Leroy Ninker Saddles Up, illustrated by Chris Van Dusen, is a children’s book following the titular character as he pursues his dream of becoming a cowboy and getting his first horse. This first book in the Deckawoo Drives series explores the themes of The Importance of Following One’s Dreams, The Need for Friendship and Community, and Overcoming Obstacles with Determination and Positivity. Named the 2013 Parent’s Choice Gold Award recipient, this text was... Read Leroy Ninker Saddles Up Summary

Written by Andrew Sean Greer and published in 2017, Less is a satirical comedy novel. It portrays the journey of Arthur Less, who after a difficult breakup plots a round-the-world trip to better understand himself. It won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.Plot SummaryApproaching 50, Arthur Less sits in a hotel lobby waiting to be picked up for a literary event. He is a writer and will be interviewing another writer, albeit a sci-fi author... Read Less Summary

Less Is Lost by Andrew Sean Greer is the second novel about blundering protagonist Arthur Less. The novel is an epilogue to Greer’s Pulitzer-prize winning novel Less (2017). In Less, Arthur escapes Freddy’s impending wedding by going on a topsy-turvy European tour. Freddy tracks him down and reunites with Arthur, dumping his fiancé and getting back together with Arthur.Published in 2022, Less Is Lost is a comedic novel of literary fiction that draws on LGBTQ+... Read Less Is Lost Summary

Lessons in Chemistry (2022) is a best-selling novel by Bonnie Garmus about women’s lives, careers, and struggle for empowerment in the late 1950s and early 1960s.Garmus is a copywriter and creative director who has worked in the fields of technology, medicine, and education. Lessons in Chemistry is her first novel and became a national bestseller upon publication. Through Elizabeth’s story, the book explores issues of sexism in the workplace, the circumscription of women’s ambitions, motherhood... Read Lessons in Chemistry Summary

Gordon Korman's Level 13 is a 2019 middle grade novel that continues the story of Cameron Boxer as he tries to distance himself from his club president duties to become a gaming streamer. A sequel to Slacker (2016), Level 13 delves into themes of expectations, reality, community, and identity as Cameron and his friends navigate new relationships, challenges, and the realization that not everything is as it seems. Gordon Korman, a Canadian author, is best... Read Level 13 Summary

Liar, Liar: The Theory, Practice and Destructive Properties of Deception, written by Gary Paulsen and published in 2011, is the first book in the Liar, Liar collection. Subsequent books in the series include Flat Broke, Vote, Crush, and Family Ties. Paulsen, a three-time Newbery honoree and prolific writer of books for children and teens, won the Margaret Edwards Award in 1997 for his lifetime achievement in young adult literature. Liar, Liar is a humorous work... Read Liar, Liar Summary