Everyone should give this list of books a go, because these exciting, beautifully crafted novels and short story collections are currently cementing their places in the contemporary canon. These stories will enchant you, challenge you, and surprise you (for starters). Give yourself an education in contemporary literature (or the last 50 years of it, at least) with this handy list of great books published since the 1970s.

That's why we're sticking with the heavy hitters, the dazzlers that have won over discerning readers across the globe since they first hit the shelves. We'll trust each other.Fifty contemporary classics everyone should read at least once-only 50? There are hundreds we could include, and if we did, this list would go on and on.

She reached over and patted Beverly's arm. 'Dogs die, and your friends help you to put them in the ground. 'People pretended to care, but they don't, really - that was another one. 'People leave - that was one of the reasons. 'Beverly could think of all kinds of reasons not to trust. Whether driving an old lady named lola to bingo in an ancient car, messing with the local bully, or reminiscing about how she used to steal from her drunk mom's sleazy boyfriends, Beverly's a force to be reckoned with - tough, vulnerable, with a strong sense of right and wrong. But everyone's got troubles - a broken family, abuse by a bully, a sad sense of loss as loved ones die. She soon lands a job, finds a place to live, and gains some kind friends who look out for her and one another. Beverly, Right Here shows how Beverly Tapinski, now 14, has always had to look out for herself, leaves home when her dog dies, and builds a new life a seaside town. This moving story about a runaway teen and a quirky cast of her newfound friends is a fitting conclusion to Kate DiCamillo's trilogy about best friends in 1970s Florida. If she can only open her heart a little, she will find that the small town is full of people who need a little more in their lives too. At age 14, she finds herself in a new town with a job clearing tables, but she knows this is not enough. It is August, 1979 and it seems that the only thing for Beverly to do is leave town. Her father is long gone and her mother does not seem interested in what Beverly does. One of her three friends has suddenly moved away without a goodbye.

DiCamillo poses some big questions in the simplest of ways and allows characters and readers to pull the most desirable and obvious answer: be kind and patient with each other.īeverly Trapinski has buried her beloved dog. A major work from a major author, this book follows storylines and characters found in 'Raymie Nightengale.' It is classic DiCamillo, featuring the coming together of unlikely characters and addressing the idea of family being something vital to a healthy human existence, though not something limited to our blood lines and last names.

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