If you like technological books -- it took me four tries to spell that properly -- I suggest the Artemis Fowl trilogy by Eoin Coln. A twelve year old genius hunts down the unknown colony of the People -- faries, sprites, dwarves and goblins. He stakes out at a tree for an unsuspecting fairy person, and kidnaps her. What he doesn't count on is that the fairy is a member of the lepRECON police squad, and the connections this fairy has are less than helpful to him; a convicted dwarf that can chew through nearly anything with ease, a brilliant, though conceited centaur, who makes sure that human technology is centuries away from fairy, and several friends, who are armed, and needless to say -- lethal.
 
Realistic fiction books? Here are some I've loved:
The Princess Diaries, by Meg Cabot. Far from the way Disney made her out to be, Mia Thermopolis is happy with her life. She likes being a vegetarian, a feminist, best friends with protest-loving Lily Moscovitz, and even being virtually invisible to everyone at her school keeps her happy. All she ever wanted to do in life was join Greenpeace. There is, however, the slight drawback of being in love with Lily's older brother. And her mother announcing that she's dating her Algebra teacher -- Mia's worst subject. Soon she finds out that her father is the crown prince of a small European country. Mia finds out the she is the only heir to the royal throne, and has to endure 'Princess Lessons' with the evil Grandmere and the hatred from her best friend. To top it all off, Mia still doesn't have a date to the Cultural Diversity Dance. And that's just the first book in what is now a set of four (number two is called Princess in the Spotlight, three is Princess in Love, and four is called Princess in Waiting).
 
One of my favorite books is All-American Girl, by the same author as The Princess Diaries. Sam is in trouble. She's an urban rebel, not caring that she is shunned by everyone. Her older sister is the most popular girl in school, her younger sister is a genius. She *thinks* she's in love with her older sister's boyfriend. She was caught selling paintings of celebrities at school, and is being forced to take art lessons. While waiting to be picked up after skipping one art class, she saves the President of the United States' life. Everyone thinks she's a hero, even though she knows she's far from it. Her older sister, thrilled that Sam is finally getting popular, tries to change her look. And the last reason why she's in trouble -- the President's son, David, may just be in love with her. Ridiculously far-fetched? Of course. =)
 
For young readers, if you haven't read The Twits by Roald Dahl, pick it up from the library! Even now, I still love reading about their comic adventures! The Mister plays an evil prank on the Misses, making her think she has 'the horrible shrinks'! Crows take over a house! I've never read a book more creative. :-)
 
Kirbie393, over and out.
Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought him back.
(All this talk of books makes me want to pick up the one next to me... let's see what it is...!)