Quirky Titles That Make for Irresistible Books

Surely you’re curious what this one’s about? The story is narrated by 15-year-old Christopher Boone, an autistic math genius, who discovers a neighbor’s dog stabbed to death with a garden fork and starts investigating who committed this murder. The narration, inventive and subtly funny, opens readers’ eyes to Christopher’s rich inner world.

Like Proust, but if Proust was fun and actually wrote in an accessible manner. This unexpected hit is a philosophical treatise on the importance of art that dives deep into the internal lives of its eccentric main characters. (Hedgehogs are present only in metaphors, of course.) Pairs well with the above “My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry.”

Heartwarming and moving, Dugoni’s coming-of-age story about a boy born with ocular albinism and red eyes touches on themes of bullying, grief, redemption, faith, and the power of family love. Sam Hill, christened “Sam Hell” early on due to his eye condition, is bullied relentlessly by his peers and taunted as the Devil Boy. However, despite the hardships he faces, he is determined to lead an extraordinary life, and makes lifelong friends along the way.

A charming and clever contemporary YA story about self-discovery and staying true to yourself. After being outed by a former friend, Yami transfers to a Catholic school and keeps her identity a secret. She must also navigate the dynamics of being one of the only Latina girls at a school with predominantly white, wealthy students. After she catches the attention of Bo, an openly queer student, Yami finds it increasingly difficult to fake being straight. Reyes deftly explores a variety of difficult themes, including racism, homophobia, cultural appropriation, and mental health, while keeping the story upbeat and hopeful.

Witness the adventures of Afro-Punk sensation Opal and “goofy white English boy” Nev, a two-person 1970s band with a devoted cult following. This poignant tale delivers more than good times and good beats. Rock-and-roll meets social justice when the pair suffers a violent backlash to Opal’s activism against racism and misogyny. Walton’s debut novel is a stirring reminder to raise your voice for what you believe.

If you’ve forgotten what it’s like to be a child, Gaiman can help. After this novel’s protagonist returns to his childhood home, he unleashes long-forgotten memories that intrigue and horrify him, including befriending a young girl (who may or may not be as old as time itself) who protects him from terrifying monsters. Like other works of literature from Gaiman, “The Ocean at the End of the Lane” deals with the blurred lines between dreams and reality and the wisdom of children that’s forgotten as adults. This quick and intriguing read may leave you pondering your own childhood memories.

Doerr’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is sensational — the rare book that takes a well-worn subject and adds an unforgettable spin. It follows the twin narratives of Marie-Laure, a blind French girl, and Werner, a German orphan recruited to the military, at the height of WWII. The story is haunting, the imagery of war-torn France beautiful, and the characters so rich in depth that devouring every page feels inevitable.

Quiet implications of deep distress and profound happiness litter this epistolary novel, penned by outsider Charlie, who makes inroads with various cliques to move past cliches.

Ricky, all at once tough, fragile, fierce, and tender, loves nothing more than making up wildly creative stories for her brother, Ollie, in their forts. It’s her way of opening up a world of possibilities and shutting out the negativity of the real world, like her dad abandoning them and her mom’s new boyfriend moving in. Hilarious and heartbreaking, this is perfect for fans of “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time” and “Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine.”