The White Tiger

Did you like the tale of murder from the murder's perspective, but wished Crime and Punishment had been funnier? Are you sick of books that paint fantastic, exotic pictures of India? Look no further! The White Tiger is here to serve your needs.
Told over seven days, in seven chapters, Munna, poor son of a rickshaw driver, tells his entrepreneurial tale of rags to riches that moves him from the countryside to Bangalore. His unapologetic account of his path to success involves stealing, abandoning his family, and murder.
Very darkly funny. Being good, dark humor, what lies beneath the surface is a tale of great tension that reveals the anger of someone destined to servitude.

Appeals: Dark humor, mystery that is slowly revealed, strong narrative voice

If you enjoy the the dark humor of The White Tiger, you might also enjoy A House for Mr. Biswas by V.S. Naipaul. You may also enjoy books that Aravind Adiga lists as his influences: The Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, and the works of James Baldwin and Richard Wright.

Adiga, Aravind. The White Tiger. 2008. 276 pages.

Stormbreaker

Alex is an orphan. And at the beginning of Stormbreaker, he gets orphaned again when his uncle and guardian dies suddenly in an accident. But was it an accident? Alex soon discovers that his uncle was no mere bank manager, but he was a spy for M16, a top secret spy agency. Alex is recruited to take up where his uncle left off.
This story is completely silly and "borrows" a bit too much from Batman (Mr. Grin with scars on his cheeks... really?) and James Bond, but it's all in g...more Alex is an orphan. And at the beginning of Stormbreaker, he gets orphaned again when his uncle and guardian dies suddenly in an accident. But was it an accident? Alex soon discovers that his uncle was no mere bank manager, but he was instead a spy for M16, a top secret spy agency. With little time to mourn, Alex is quickly recruited to take over where his uncle left off. What starts out as gadget-filled games soon turns into a possibly fatal mission.

Appeals: James Bond-like spy story, chock full of gadgets and high-speed chases.

If you like the action-adventure tale of Stormbreaker, you might also enjoy the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson or The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians series) by Rick Riordan.

Horowitz, Anthony. Stormbreaker. 2000. 256 pages.

Naked

Sometimes the truth is funnier than fiction. In 17 essays, David Sedaris covers topics including his obsessive-compulsive tendencies as a child to count and lick everything (including the chalkboard), hitchhiking with a wheel chair-bound companion, coming out at Greek camp and ending with an awkward visit to a nudist colony as a teenager.

Appeals: dark humor, quirkiness

If you like the too-crazy-and-funny-to-believe memoirs of David Sedaris, you might also enjoy Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs.

Sedaris, David. Naked. 1997. 224 pages.

Spanking Shakespeare

His parents cursed him with a horrible name, and life has only gotten worse since he was born on Hitler’s birthday. Shakespeare Shapiro is a senior in high school and has never had a girlfriend, has a younger brother who’s cooler than he is, and has a best friend who discusses nothing but his bowel movements. But Shakespeare can write, and he chronicles every mortifying moment in this borderline obscene tale.

Appeals: Hilarious, awkward, gross.

Wizner, Jake. Spanking Shakespeare. 2007. 304 pages.

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things

Virginia Shreves isn’t FAT fat, just chubby fat, which means that hooking up with Froggy Welsh must be kept a secret. Virginia lives in a penthouse in New York with a skinny, perfect family and wonders if she was switched at birth. When something happens to mar the family’s good name, Virginia starts to write her own rules, and before long, it seems like anything is possible.

Appeals: funny, girl power message, deals with tough and uncomfortable issues.

If you like books about teenangers who don't quite fit in, you might enjoy Boy Proof by Cecil Castellucci, The Astonishing Adventures of Fan Boy and Goth Girl by Barry Lyga or Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli.

If you like books that make you laugh like this one, you might enjoy Girl, 15, Charming but Insane by Sue Limb, Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdoch, or Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison.

Mackler, Carolyn. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things. 2005. 256 pages.