Living in Pennsylvania, we know that sometimes the evenings can feel a bit quiet, leaving us curled up with a good book to pass the time. If you ever find yourself yearning for fresh reading material or looking for a story that resonates with your own Pennsylvania roots, you're not alone. Dive into these books set right here in our home state, and you might just discover a reflection of your own experiences within their pages.
Exploring the Literary Landscape: Must-Read Books Set in Pennsylvania
"You Shouldn't Be Here" by Lauren Thoman
Two strangers embark on a quest to uncover the truth behind strange occurrences that others in their town refuse to acknowledge. Their search for answers reveals a web of secrets that could tear them apart. This gripping novel by the acclaimed author of I’ll Stop the World—a Mindy’s Book Studio pick—is filled with twists and turns.
Sixteen-year-old Angie Stewart is intrigued when she starts hearing a mysterious voice in her otherwise mundane hometown of East Henderson, Pennsylvania. Excited by the prospect of a ghost, she is puzzled as to why she alone can hear it and what it wants from her.
Meanwhile, first-year teacher Madelyn Zhao has just moved into a house near her new job and a local dog park. Her new home is also close to where her cousin vanished years ago. Despite the town's reluctance to discuss the disappearance, Madelyn is resolute in her quest for answers.
"The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky
The story follows an introverted teenage boy, Charlie, as he begins high school and falls in love, all while facing his traumatic past. Through it all, Charlie is learning about himself, how he fits into the world, and is beginning to understand the nature of love in all of its forms. Be sure to check trigger warnings before reading.
"The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold
Adapted into a film, The Lovely Bones is from the perspective of a fourteen year old girl named Susie Salmon who was brutally murdered. The story is about her adjusting to the afterlife, while watching over her friends, the grief of her family as everyone she once knew continues on without her. A tale of heartbreak, hope, humor, suspense, and even joy. Remember to check trigger warnings before reading.
"Fever 1793" by Laurie Halse Anderson
Fever 1793 is the number one best seller in Teen & Young Adult US Colonial and Revolutionary Period Historical Fiction, This is a story of an epidemic sweeping through the streets of Philadelphia in 1793. The story follows Mattie Cook who loves above the family coffee shop with her widowed mother and grandfather. A story originally of a girl trying to turn the family business into the best quickly turns into a fight for survival as the city is turned frantic with disease.
"A Deadly Endeavor" by Jenny Adams
A serial killer is on the loose in Jazz Age Philadelphia, 1921. When Edie Shippen returns from California after a long illness, she’s devastated to find her childhood sweetheart engaged to her twin sister. Determined to reclaim her life as an independent woman, she soon faces a new threat as young women begin disappearing from the city.
Gilbert Lawless, scarred by his experiences in the Great War, has withdrawn to a solitary job at the Philadelphia Coroner’s office. But when a series of grisly corpses and the disappearance of his sister Lizzie disrupt his isolation, he turns to Edie Shippen, Lizzie’s former employer, for help.
As Edie and Gilbert join forces, they uncover a dangerous and dark mystery that puts them both at risk.
"The Cabin Faced West" by Jean Fritz
A winner of the Laura Ingalls' Wilder Medal, "The Cabin Faced West", is about the pioneer life of a young girl named Ann Hamilton. Her family has moved to western Pennsylvania, she is the only young girl on Hamilton Hill. Life is difficult, but when her family survives a terrible storm, and they receive a surprise visit from George Washington, she realizes that even the pioneer life can be exciting and special.
"Miracles on Maple Hill" by Virginia Sorensen
A historical fiction, middle grade novel about a young girl named Marly and her family, the aftermath of her family moving from the city to a farmhouse on Maple Hill. Her father is recovering from being a prisoner-of-war, and the family tries to use the small town and country activities to recover from the past and bond more closely.
"The Midnight Brigade" by Adam Borba
A children's novel about a young boy named Carl who is afraid to speak up to his father about their family's failing food truck, who is also afraid to alert others that monsters might be secretly overrunning his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Carl finds a flier for a monster-seeking group called the Midnight Brigade and decides to take the opportunity to find answers for all of his questions. His curiosity will lead him to an incredible discovery, and he will be bolder than he ever imagined.
"My Heart is on the Ground: the Diary of Nannie Little Rose, a Sioux Girl, Carlisle Indian School, Pennsylvania, 1880" by Ann Rinaldi
This historical fiction novel is set in a diary format from the perspective of a young girl in her first year of school whose English skills continue to grow as the novel goes on. Readers follow a young girl who is adjusting to a changing world from December 1879 to October of 1880.
"The Stand" by Stephen King
Stephen King's novel, "The Stand", is what many readers consider one of his best novels ever written. The book is about a man-made plague that took out the entirety of civilization, and the aftermath that follows. The book is set all over the United States, has action, adventure, horror, romance, and even political science and sociology, The book centers on good vs. evil, with a plot so compelling that people find it impossible to put the book down.
"Jackal" by Erin E. Adams
Jackal is a novel about a young African American girl who goes missing in the woods outside of her white Rust Belt Town, but she is not the first, and there are concerns that she will not be last. After a string of young black girls have went missing, the main character, Liz, knows that she must find the missing Caroline, or she will too be consumed by the darkness of the forest. This novel was a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for the Best Mystery & Thriller of 2022, and for the Best Debut Novel of 2022 and is set in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Check Trigger Warnings before Reading!
"Butter Safe Than Sorry: A Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery" by Tamar Myers
This novel is a part of The Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery Series. The novel follows a Mennonite innkeeper Magdalena Yoder who is at the bank with her 4 year old son when three armed Amish men burst in and begin shooting, and cursing. She protects her son and the robbers flee when they hear police sirens. Jacob can't help but wonder why the bandits has mustaches, unlike all the other Amish men, and Magdalena springs into action to catch the thieves who may be pretending to be Amish.
"The Crow's Call: Amish Greenhouse Mystery" by Wanda E. Brunstetter
Book 1 of 3, The Crow's Call follows the mysterious events that plague a greenhouse in Pennsylvania's Amish Country. When Vernon King, his son, and son-in-law are involved in a terrible accident, three women are forced to become the sole providers of the family that the men have left behind. The women's only income must come from the family greenhouse, but someone seems to be trying to force them out of the business.
"The Big Book of Berenstain Bears Stories" by Stan Berenstain and Jan Berenstain
A collection of seven classic Berenstain Bears Bright & Early books! A one of a kind treasury that features tales of The Berenstain Bears, a perfect addition to your collection for those who are just learning how to read, or those just starting to read all on their own. The Berenstain Bears teach important values about family, friendship, trust, honesty, and more. readers say the books keep children amused, the stories are easy to read and rhyme, making them great for beginning readers.
"The Choice" by Suzanne Woods Fisher
The Choice opens the world of the Amish with their strong communities, simple lives, and their willingness to put each other first. Fisher brings readers into the world of a young Amish woman torn between following the man she loves, or joining the community of faith that sustains her, even as she questions the decisions of her elders.
That wraps up our first post for Sykesville's Reading Radar! Do you have any recommendations for books set in Pennsylvania? Share them with us in the comments! Thanks for joining us on this literary journey!
Have you read any of these novels?
0%"You Shouldn't Be Here" by Lauren Thoman
0%"The Choice" by Suzanne Woods Fisher
0%"The Big Book of Berenstain Bears Stories"
0%"The Crow's Call: Amish Greenhouse Mystery"
You can vote for more than one answer.
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