The Brief History of the Dead

by Kevin Brockmeier
In a not-so-distant future, a deadly virus kills off every human on Earth, except for Laura Byrd, a wildlife specialist on an expedition to the South Pole. Readers quickly learn that the dead move on to another life in a fantastic city on another plane of existence; there, they live out a second life free from aging and disease until every person who knew them on Earth dies. This book is part adventure and part fantasy that got me thinking about all the people I have every known.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

by John Boyne

Although this is book is meant for middle school children, I liked it very much. It is about Bruno, the son of a Nazi officer. He is forced to move with his family from Berlin to a place called "Out-With" in 1942. There are no other children there for him to play with but he befriends a boy in striped pajamas who lives behind a wire fence. The story is poignant enough for teens and adults and yet not too graphic for children.