5. The Traveling Pants series: As good as classics. Four friends who all fit into one pair of pants, even though they have completely different builds.

4. Sammy Keyes: Nancy Drew without the annoying main character. Gritty without being violent.

3. My Little Red Book: A collection of bittersweet to hilarious short first period stories. I love this.

2. Maggie Bean: Two books about an overweight teen girl, her best friends, and her struggle to lose weight and win the heart of Peter Applewood.

1. Animal, Vegetable, Mineral: a nonfiction book not aimed at teens but that teens can enjoy. About a family who decides to eat only locally grown food for a year. Includes recipes and great stories from that year.