Eleanor and Park

Written by: Rainbow Rowell

First line: He'd stopped trying to bring her back.

Why you should read this book: Although it's set in 1986, this recent popular YA novel presents a modern view of young love, one in which the characters are faced with very real obstacles, not only to their relationship, but to their very existence. Park doesn't want to love Eleanor, who is big and unpopular and weird, but he can't help adoring everything about her. Eleanor doesn't want to love Park, who is perfect in her eyes, so perfect that he can never know the truth about her horrible home life, and her horrible stepfather, or anything that happens outside of the little world that begins and ends with the two of them sitting together on the school bus.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You don't believe teenagers can experience true emotions, and you certainly don't think it's OK for them to touch each other.