Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a middle school science teacher, and many of my students are “readers,” the ones that constantly have their heads in books when they aren’t dragged away by classwork. I created this list because they remind me of what I enjoyed about reading when I was their age, the environment. Characters and plots were great, but I wanted a book to take me somewhere I’d never been. Whether it was the Klondike or soaring through clouds, I needed to believe it was real, someplace I might see for myself. Vivid descriptions that provide fuel for imagination make reading more dynamic.


I wrote

Venomous

By Brian Clifford,

Book cover of Venomous

What is my book about?

Oliver Stanton has just been kicked out of school. His mouth just doesn’t know when to quit and it got…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Tarzan of the Apes: Edgar Rice Burroughs Authorized Library

Brian Clifford Why did I love this book?

Tarzan of the Apes is one of the first books to completely grab my attention and take me to another place. As a young reader, I lost hours on end exploring Africa with this man separated from all society. Mr. Burroughs has a way of storytelling easily followed and powerfully descriptive. The story is simple but compelling and easily accessible for early teens.

By Edgar Rice Burroughs, Remo (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Tarzan of the Apes as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs
How is this book unique?
Tablet and e-reader formatted
Original & Unabridged Edition
Author Biography included
Illustrated version

Tarzan of the Apes is a novel written by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the first in a series of books about the title character Tarzan. It was first published in the pulp magazine All-Story Magazine in October, 1912. The character was so popular that Burroughs continued the series into the 1940s with two dozen sequels. For the novel's centennial anniversary, Library of America published a hardcover edition based on the original book in April 2012…


Book cover of Athabasca

Brian Clifford Why did I love this book?

Have you ever been cold, in your bones cold? That’s what I felt reading Athabasca. Growing up in northern Utah, I thought I knew cold. Then Alistair MacLean introduced me to a true, icy, desperate cold. The atmosphere is so much a part of this story, it’s like a character. I’ll admit, this book challenged me as a young reader. It tends to plod along at glacial pace until the last third of the book, but that end is feverishly spectacular. This book is the first I read by this author and I rapidly devoured all his other titles.

By Alistair MacLean,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Athabasca as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Reissue of the nail-biting tale of sabotage set in the desolate frozen wastes of two ice-bound oil fields, from the acclaimed master of action and suspense.

SABOTAGE!

THE VICTIMS
Two of the most important oil-fields in the world - one in Canada, the other in Alaska.

THE SABOTEURS
An unknown quantity - deadly and efficient. The oil flow could be interrupted in any one of thousands of places down the trans-Alaskan pipeline.

THE RESULT
Catastrophe.

One man, Jim Brady, is called in to save the life-blood of the world as unerringly, the chosen targets fall at the hands of a…


Book cover of White Fang

Brian Clifford Why did I love this book?

Jack London is by far my favorite writer of youth-accessible literature, and White Fang is one of his best. My senses came alive as I read about a wolf’s struggle to survive and adapt to changes in its environment. Reading his description of a world through the experience of an animal was transformative. The Klondike became a real and deadly place, vibrant and alive.

By Jack London,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked White Fang as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, and 10.

What is this book about?

Born in the wilds of the freezing cold Yukon, White Fang - half-dog, half-wolf - is the only animal in the litter to survive. He soon learns the harsh laws of nature, yet buried deep inside him are the distant memories of affection and love. Will this fiercely independent creature of the wild learn to trust man again?

Richard Adams, prize-winning author of Watership Down, introduces this chilling, beautiful tale of the wild.


Book cover of No Parachute: A Classic Account of War in the Air in WWI

Brian Clifford Why did I love this book?

I grew up on Air Force bases, and like most kids, I wanted to fly planes. Arthur Lee gave me the chance to not just fly, but to experience the thrilling life of a pilot during the first world war. His description of life for a fighter pilot in those early days of military aviation captured my heart. The way they lived and the realities they faced revealed on those pages I devoured without sleep. I couldn’t put it down.

By Arthur Gould Lee,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked No Parachute as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the young airmen who took their frail machines high above the trenches of World War I and fought their foes in single combat there emerged a renowned company of brilliant aces - among them Ball, Bishop, McCudden, Collishaw and Mannock - whose legendary feats have echoed down half a century. But behind the elite there were, in the Royal Flying Corps, many hundreds of other airmen who flew their hazardous daily sorties in outdated planes without ever achieving fame.
Here is the story of one of these unknown flyers - a story based on letters written on the day,…


Book cover of Lord of the Flies

Brian Clifford Why did I love this book?

An island with no adults and no rules. A teenager’s dream come true! William Golding masterfully brings this scenario to life and offers a wide range of characters to identify with. For me, it was the island itself that was most vividly portrayed. From the sound of the surf hitting the beach to the stench of rot, no detail is overlooked in this world of isolated boys. The social commentary and character analysis are all there for the more advanced reader, but any of us can enjoy a great survival story.

By William Golding,

Why should I read it?

15 authors picked Lord of the Flies as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A plane crashes on a desert island and the only survivors, a group of schoolboys, assemble on the beach and wait to be rescued. By day they inhabit a land of bright fantastic birds and dark blue seas, but at night their dreams are haunted by the image of a terrifying beast. As the boys' delicate sense of order fades, so their childish dreams are transformed into something more primitive, and their behaviour starts to take on a murderous, savage significance.

First published in 1954, Lord of the Flies is one of the most celebrated and widely read of modern…


Explore my book 😀

Venomous

By Brian Clifford,

Book cover of Venomous

What is my book about?

Oliver Stanton has just been kicked out of school. His mouth just doesn’t know when to quit and it got him into one too many fights. His desperate parents have taken him to Arizona for a change in atmosphere and to meet an estranged uncle. Oliver is amazed at his luck when he sees the man’s house, practically a mansion. Then he meets Gabriella who doesn’t put up with his attitude. He discovers quickly that not everything is sunshine and happiness in the desert. His uncle may not be entirely sane and this new environment is full of dangers from both men and nature. Dangerous as it is, the wild of the desert has a strong pull and hides many secrets.

Book cover of Tarzan of the Apes: Edgar Rice Burroughs Authorized Library
Book cover of Athabasca
Book cover of White Fang

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Book cover of Draakensky: A Supernatural Tale of Magick and Romance

Paula Cappa Author Of Draakensky: A Supernatural Tale of Magick and Romance

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

Paula's 3 favorite reads in 2024

What is my book about?

A murder. A wind sorcerer. A dark spirit.

On Draakensky Windmill Estate, magick and mystery rule. Sketch artist Charlotte Knight is hired to live on the estate while illustrating poetry under the direction of the reclusive spinster, and wind witch, Jaa Morland—who believes in ghosts. Charlotte quickly encounters the voice of a ghost and a sinister figure lurking in the shadows. 

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Draakensky: A Supernatural Tale of Magick and Romance

By Paula Cappa,

What is this book about?

A murder. A wind sorcerer. A dark spirit. On Draakensky, magick dictates destiny.

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Sketch artist Charlotte Knight arrives on Draakensky to a bright opportunity. She is hired to illustrate the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke under the direction of Jaa Morland, the recluse spinster of Draakensky. Jaa, a believer in ghosts, instructs Charlotte to ‘draw the ghosts.’…


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