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This is a very contemporary, humorous novel about the cross-cultural conflicts felt by many young people today. Set partly in the UK and partly in the Punjab region of India, (Un)arranged Marriage is a perceptive look at a young man's fight to free himself from family expectations and an arranged marriage he doesn't want:

(Un)arranged Marriage follows teenager Manny as he struggles to maintain his links to his family and live his own life. On the morning of his marriage, which also happens to be the morning of his 17th birthday, Manny looks back on his rebellious teenage years. From the age of 13 he has found that the values of the Leicester Punjabi community from which he comes have little relevance to him. He has nothing in common with his brothers or parents. Manny's older brothers appear to him to glory in their ignorance while his father is a hypocritical, violent drunk. His mother is a remote figure who appears only to ask what he wants to eat or to cry hysterically at his disobedience. Knowing that he is expected to follow the same path as his brothers into an arranged marriage at the age of seventeen and a blue collar job, Manny makes the decision to try to make himself the most unsuitable suitor possible, the bridegroom that no-one will choose for their daughter. Finally though, it is a family trip to India which sets Manny's mind on the course he had always suspected that he would have to take. The characters inhabit an unsentimental, realistic world, a world where kids often don't try quite hard enough at school and families cannot bridge the huge generation gaps between them. Manny's complete alienation from the Punjabi culture which his family are trying so hard to preserve is skillfully pictured here. The culture that Manny inherited is completely eclipsed as he embraces the Western culture he finds everywhere outside his home and which offers him the choices he desperately wants. Author: Bali Rai (272 pages)
Level: 9. kl.+/C/Linjefag

A title in the Open Door series — original short novels from some of Ireland’s best authors, specially written for slow adult readers. An excellent combination of mature content and simple (but natural) language. Level: D-E

Lucy Benedict is eight years old. Her older brother Paul likes to tease her. One day he ties her to a tree and leaves her there. She faints in the heat of the sun, and then she sees an angel. The angel looks just like her, and she sings beautifully. When Lucy wakes up in hospital she knows the angel is real. She has to have yet another operation on her back, but she isn't frightened any more. Author: Mary Stanley. (70 pages)

When the downtrodden animals of Manor Farm overthrow their master Mr Jones and take over the farm themselves, they imagine it is the beginning of a life of freedom and equality. But gradually a cunning, ruthless elite among them, masterminded by the pigs Napoleon and Snowball, starts to take control. Soon the other animals discover that they are not all as equal as they thought, and find themselves hopelessly ensnared as one form of tyranny is replaced with another. Orwell's chilling ‘fairy story’ is a timeless and devastating satire of idealism betrayed by power and corruption.
Introduction by Malcolm Bradbury. Danish glossary available from: Forlaget Klingbjerg.
Penguin edition (same pages as previous, Penguin, Essential Penguin and My Penguin editions). (112 pages)
Level: B/C

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William Sutcliffe’s novel is a gift for any English teacher! Dave travels to India with Liz hoping to get her into bed. Liz travels with Dave wanting a companion for her voyage of “self-discovery”. This novel is a gentle but pointed satire on the pretentious delusions of western backpackers when they meet Indian culture. It also pokes fun at the fumblings of young “love” … and much more. Lots of humour and lots to talk about. Give this one a try! (157.4 standard pages)
Level: B

It’s the year 2000 and Paul Livingson is in his first office job in Bristol. With student debts hanging over him, Paul still wants to live the high life: holidays in Europe, booze-fuelled nights of excess, designer fashions. But how to do it all? Easy! More credit! Spending gets even easier when Paul meets Kelly, an inspiring, free-spirited singer in a band with whom he falls in love. An entertaining, honest and thought-provoking book about escaping the lethal capitalist addiction to debt and finding life over the bankruptcy rainbow!

Written in the form of a diary, this book is about losing control and learning to regain it. It is about putting individuality above consumerism and asking who is responsible for the financial meltdown that more and more people face everyday. Is it all down to personal responsibility? Or does the system encourage massive debt that makes slaves of us all. A thought-provoking book that is designed to help you make up your own mind. Author: Paul Broderick. (300 pages)
Level: Gymnasiet/HF etc.

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A simple man, accidentally thrown into a world of sex, money, power and national television, becomes a media superstar and a household name. Still one of most-read short novels. By Jerzy Kosinski — Black Swan edition. (86.43 standard pages)
Level: B/C

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If you're 18, love Beckham and can bend a ball like him, the world's your oyster right? Wrong. If you're Jess – 18, Indian and a girl – you can forget it. Her wedding-obsessed parents have quite different ideas for her. But Jess joins a ladies football team and gets spotted by a talent scout." This is a book that will appeal to both girls and boys. It is the entertaining and inspiring story of a girl who is determined to follow her dream. It also deals with serious matters, such as the culture clashes that many young Asians have to live with. Author: Narinder Dhami. (94.4 standard pages)
Level: D/weak level C classes.

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The British edition.
Joyce Carol Oates’ hard-hitting, celebration of friendship in unlikely circumstances:
Matt Donaghy is the class joker, and Ursula Riggs is the misfit loner. Neither knows the other. But when Matt is suddenly arrested on a charge of threatening to blow up the school and massacre the students, Ursula is the only one who sees through the hysteria and hypocrisy, and corroborates Matt's story. The case is dropped, but Matt's old friends avoid him, and his teachers treat him with kid gloves. Even Ursula, apparently his only friend during the crisis, can't meet his eye. But Ursula can't remain aloof when she catches Matt contemplating suicide — and a friendship is born. This may sound like just another novel for young adults, but Joyce Carol Oates’ sure touch with small town life and great depiction of character turns it into something much more. Lots of good but accessible language — half the book is written in the first person. This one gets 5 stars! (288 pages)
Level: B/C

Blood Red Road is an epic adventure story in a near future which will scare and excite at the same time:

In a wild and lawless future, where life is cheap and survival is hard, Saba has been brought up in isolated Silverlake. She never sees the dangers of the destructive society outside. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back. Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization. Author: Moira Young. (512 Pages)
Level: 9.-10. kl/D-C/1.g/1.HF etc.

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This is Roald Dahl’s story of the first twenty years of his life. Funny, sad, nostalgic, and with lots of bite. In this book you will meet Dahl being sadistically caned by the later Archbishop of Canterbury and warming the toilet seat at Repton in icy weather for one of the “boazers” All described, of course, in Roald Dahl’s clear and delightful prose. Kan læses som et helt værk eller i uddrag. Workbook with glossary and working suggestions by Svend Aage Larsen.(114,3 standard pages)
Level: C/B.

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Norman Roche was convicted and hanged in 1925 for the murder of Elsie Cameron on a chicken farm in Essex. He was hanged still protesting his innocence. Even at the time there were doubts as to what had really happened. This short novel is Minette Walters view of what may have been the background. It is 1920 — the First World War has just come to a conclusion, and there is a drastic shortage of men. 25-year-old Elsie is frightened of being left on the shelf. When she lays eyes on Norman in church she quickly decides that he will be her husband. Startled and rather naïve, Norman finds himself agreeing to marry Elsie and moves away to Essex, to start a chicken farm. Their relationship is a doomed one. Elsie is very insecure and disturbed. She sees marrying Norman Thorne as her only chance of happiness and uses every feminine wile to ensure she gets her man. It becomes increasingly obvious, even to Norman, that Elsie has serious mental problems, and he desperately tries to get out of the relationship – especially when he falls in love with Bessie. But would Norman kill to get free from Elsie’s clutches? The police certainly think so, and so does a jury who pronounce him guilty. Much of this gripping story is built around around excerpts of actual letters that were exchanged between Elsie and Norman. This is a novel with much to say about human relations and the social mores of Britain in the 1920s. (117 [fairly short] pages)
Level: Gymnasiet/C-B

Nick Geddes’s life is a mess. His sister’s boyfriend was killed in a school stabbing. His grandmother is decending into a world of her own, his mother has a ‘god-slot’ on local radio, and his father is drinking way too much. But that is nothing, because he is also crazy in love with Orla, the sister of the boy who has been killed, and she blames Nick! How can Nick make sense of this chaos, and look after his sister, and hopefully get lucky with Orla? An uncompromising (but also witty and compassionate) exploration of the ruthless Darwinian world of teenagers. Author: Gillian Philip. (268 pages)
Level: 1st/2nd Year of Gymnasium

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At the start of his school holidays, Danny Delaney is looking forward to a trouble-free summer. But when his mother returns home one afternoon, flanked by two policemen, he knows that something terrible has happened. Mrs Delaney has accidentally hit a small boy with her car. The boy is in a coma at the local hospital and nobody knows if he will ever wake up. Consumed by guilt, Danny's mother closes herself off, while Danny and his father are left to pick up the pieces of their fractured family. A funny, touching and poignant story — told from the point of view of a twelve-year-old boy, The Dare is a compelling book about how one moment can change a family forever. Author: John Boyne (“The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas”). (112 pages)
Level: C-D/9.-10.kl (1.g/1.HF)

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Denne titel vil koste dig kr. 69,50 minus 15% = kr. 59,08 ex. moms

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The story of a group of boys at a select American private school, their new English professor who revolutionises their lives, the secret club where they let their passions run wild — and the tragic consequences. A book that works really well in classroom. Workbook with glossary and exercises by Jean McVeigh and Peter Pederson. Same pagination as all previous editions. (162 standard pages)
“Denne workbook er glimrende ... ” (LK AngloFfles)
Level: B/C

For the past few years Roddy Doyle has been writing stories for “Metro Eireann”, a newspaper started by, and aimed at, immigrants to Ireland. Each of the stories takes a new slant on the immigrant experience, something of increasing relevance and importance in today's Ireland. The stories range from Guess Who's Coming to the Dinner, where a father who prides himself on his open-mindedness when his daughters talk about sex, is forced to confront his feelings when one of them brings home a black fella, to a terrifying ghost story, The Pram, in which a Polish nanny grows impatient with her charge’s older sisters and decides — in a phrase she has learnt — to ‘scare them shitless’. Most of the stories are very funny — in 57 percent Irish Ray Brady tries to devise a test of Irishness by measuring reactions to Robbie Keane’s goal against Germany in the 2002 World Cup, Riverdance and ‘Danny Boy’ — others are deeply moving. And best of all, in the title story itself, Jimmy Rabbitte, the man who formed The Commitments, decides it's time to find a new band, and this time no White Irish need apply! Multicultural to a fault, The Deportees specialise not in soul music this time, but the songs of Woody Guthrie. Author: Roddy Doyle. (242 pages)
Level: For use from 10.klasse/the beginning of the gymnasium

Divisions between Protestants and Catholics remain a significant problem in Glasgow today.  This book tells the story of two teenage boys — one Catholic, one Protestant — who become friends when they play on the same football team, even though they support opposing teams themselves:
A young man lies bleeding in the street. It could be any street, in any city. But it's not. It's Glasgow. And it's May — the marching season. The Protestant Orange Walks have begun. Graham doesn't want to get involved. He just wants to play football with his new mate, Joe. But when he witnesses a shocking moment of violence, suddenly he and Joe are involved — with Catholics and Protestants, a young Muslim asylum-seeker and his girlfriend, and all the old rivalries, and fears. This is a gripping tale about two boys, who must find their own answers — and their own way forward — in a world divided by differences. Author: Theresa Breslin. (230 pages)
Level: 9.-10. kl/1.g/Frilæsning

A title in the Open Door series — original short novels from some of Ireland’s best authors, specially written for slow adult readers. An excellent combination of mature content and simple (but natural) language. Level: D-E

A compelling thriller filled with some hilarious and surreal moments ... and a tender, honest story about family, forgiveness and hope:

Fifteen-year-old Laurence Roach just wants a normal life, but it's not easy when your mum is a depressed alcoholic, and your six-year-old brother thinks he's a dog. When Mum fails to come home one night, Laurence tells nobody, terrified he and his brother will be taken into care if anyone finds out. Instead, he attempts to keep up the pretence that Mum is still around: dressing up in her clothes to trick the neighbours and spinning an increasingly complicated tangle of lies. After two weeks on their own, running out of food and money, and with suspicious adults closing in, Laurence finally discovers what happened to his mother. And that's when the trouble really starts. Author: Dave Cousins. (288 pages)
Level: 9.-10. kl/D-C/1.g/1.HF etc.

NB! We are now stocking the Flamingo paperback edition (same pagination as the Collins hardback edition, which is now out of print, but not the Longman edition, which is also out of print).

How would a creature limited to two dimensions be able to grasp the possibility of a third? Edwin Abbott's science fiction/mathematical romance and satire from 1884 explores this question in the experiences of his protagonist, A Square, whose linear world is invaded by an emissary Sphere bringing the gospel of the third dimension on the eve of the new millennium. Part geometry lesson, part social satire, this classic work exposed Abbott's Victorian readers to the then-radical idea of a fourth dimension - preparing them for Einstein's theories of relativity and raised timeless questions about the limits of our perception and knowledge. Editor: Philip Smith. (96 pages)
Level: 2nd/3rd Year of Gymnasium / samarbejde med matematik

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(sidetal passer desværre ikke sammen med denne udgave af bogen!)

Vintage edition — unfortunately not the same pagination as the Penguin edition (now out of print) and the Workbook. David Malouf’s clear and poetic short novel which contrasts the continuities of nature with the obscenities of war. For three very different people brought together, by their love for birds, life on Queensland coast in 1914 is a timeless, idyllic world of sandpipers, ibises and kingfishers. In another hemisphere civilization is rushing headlong into a brutal conflict. Life there is lived from moment to moment. Inevitably the two young men — sanctuary owner and employee — are drawn to war and into the mud and horror of the trenches in France. This novel is easy to find you way around in. Workbook with glossary and questions (119 standard pages) “... en god bog. Den er kort og sprogligt lettilgængelig og vil kunne Iæses i 1. g/HF-fællesfag. Arbejdshæftet giver god hjælp ved Iæsningen af bogen.” (AMM, ANGLO files).
Level: C.

A short novel by Hanif Kureishi. Gabriel. a 15-year-old North London schoolboy, is forced to come to terms with a new life once the equilibrium of the family has been shattered by his father's departure. His confused and immature parents are busy making messes of their lives. But Gabriel has a “gift” that helps him to make sense of his world — he can paint. A charming novel. (178 pages)
Level: B

Told in a series of vignettes, The House On Mango Street is the story of Esperanza Cordera, a young girl growing up in the Hispanic quarter of Chicago. For Esperanza, Mango Street is a desolate landscape of concrete and run-down tenements where she discovers the hard realities of life — the fetters of class and gender, racial enmity and the mysteries of sexuality. Capturing her thoughts and emotions in poems and stories, Esperanza is able to rise above hopelessness and create a quiet space for herself in the midst of her oppressive surroundings. This bestselling novel depicts a new American landscape through its multiple characters. Author: Sandra Cisneros. (110 pages)
Level: B

Both Elisha (Ellie) and Jeremiah (Miah) attend Percy Academy, a fancy private school in Manhattan, where neither quite fits in. Ellie is wrestling with family demons, and Miah is one of the few African American students. He feels good inside his skin in his own Brooklyn neighbourhood but is not so sure he fits in at the academy. It’s a surprise when he meets Ellie during the first week of school. In one frozen moment their eyes lock and after that they know they fit together — even though she’s Jewish and he’s black. Their worlds are so different, but to them that’s not what matters. They fall in love and their relationship begins to blossom — but they are hesitant to share their newfound happiness with their friends and families, who will not understand. Finally, life makes the brutal choice for them: Jeremiah is shot and killed for not stopping when the police call him back, and Ellie has to cope with the consequences. Author: Jacqueline Woodson. (181 pages)
Level: C/10.kl./1st Year of the Gymnasium

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(sidetal passer desværre ikke sammen med denne udgave af bogen!)

A masterpiece of a short novel by H.G. Wells from 1896.
When Edward Prendick is set adrift against his will in the small boat, he ends up on a Pacific island — the island of the vivisectionist Doctor Moreau. Moreau experiments on animals, fighting a never-ending battle to reshape their bodies and minds in human form — whatever the cost in pain. We find ourselves, in fact, in the middle of the nineteenth century debate about the nature of man and the role of Science (Prendick is a former student of T.H. Huxley one of Darwin’s most eager supporters) — but there are also interesting parallels to our own times and questions of gene-manipulation and respect for human life. Excellent workbook with glossary, exercises and supplementary background material by Henning Rasmussen. “Jo, det er en endog meget god idea at udsende et arbejdshæfte til Wells’ korte roman.” (147 standard pages)
NB! New edition — not the same pages as the old edition.
Level: A.

A hard-hitting teen novel on the controversial topic of honour killings in the British Asian community, by award-winning author Bali Rai [“(Un)arranged Marriage”, “Dream On”]:
When Sat's sister, Jas, is married off into the Atwal family she changes, she becomes quiet and distant. But Sat's too busy with his own life; his girlfriend, his friends, football ... Then Jas disappears. According to her new husband, she's run off with another man. Her family disown her; don't seem to care if she's ever found. But Sat doesn't believe it. Something has happened to his sister and he's determined to figure out what. But his investigations take him into dark and dangerous territory ... Author: Bali Rai. (336 pages)
Level: 9.-10 klasse/C/1st year of Gymnasium

Ted is tall. When she is spotted by a model agency, she can't believe it. At the same time her gorgeous sister, Ava, is diagnosed with cancer. With her world turned upside down, Ted has a lot of growing up to do, some of it in five-inch platform heels. Can she be a supermodel and a super sister? Or will she have to choose between fame and family? Author: Sophia Bennett. (336 pages)
Level: 9.-10. kl/D-C/1.g/1.HF etc.

Read an extract from the opening chapter here.

Looking for JJ explores the circumstances and motives behind the murder of a child — by her friend. Seven years later, JJ has now been released, and has a new identity. But is there any way that she can lead a "normal" life? This is the story of Alice Tully, seventeen years old, outwardly normal but a mess inside. Alice is deeply disturbed and insecure. At the age of ten, when she was Jennifer Jones,she murdered another child and was imprisoned. Newly released, she's trying to forget the incident, start a new life and cast off her old baggage. Somehow she can't get rid of her past trauma. In the book, we follow Alice through a short period of her life: she's working in a coffee shop, living with a carer/social worker and trying to avoid the press. There are chilling vignettes of the emotional and physical negelct of Alice's childhood. and the tension that gradually built up within the child. A fine novel that questions our habit of labelling people. Author: Anne Cassidy. (304 pages)
LeveL: 9.-10. kl./(1.g)/HF/C/Linjefag

A title in the Open Door series — original short novels from some of Ireland’s best authors, specially written for slow adult readers. An excellent combination of mature content and simple (but natural) language. Level: D-E

Dave, Pat and Ben have been best friends since they were kids. They do everything together, and they all love Liverpool football club. On a trip to see their favourite team in action, they have a few too many drinks before the match. Dave and Pat get busy chatting up two local girls. Suddenly it's time to leave for Anfield. But where is Ben? Author: Roddy Doyle. (100 pages)

A title in the Open Door series — original short novels from some of Ireland’s best authors, specially written for slow adult readers. An excellent combination of mature content and simple (but natural) language. Level: D-E

A novella by Sheila O’Flanagan. A story of love refound after feeling taken for granted. Maggies is 43. She still loves her husband, but his idea of romance is a couple of drinks at the local and an early night at home. Her children think she's too old  to care ... and she is beginning to wonder if life really has passed her by. Then she meets another man — Chris, and now Maggie faces tough decisions. Who is more important? Her husband? Her children? Or herself? Especially suitable for for adult students. (71 pages)

Fatimah is a devout Muslim. Steve is a regular guy who has never given much thought to faith. Fatimah and Steve happen to be walking in the same street when a terrorist bomb explodes. Steve is badly injured and when the emergency services arrive, Fatimah is holding his head in her lap, talking to him, willing him to stay alive. But, the Press is there, too, and next day, their picture appears in every newspaper. ‘Romeo and Juliet’, scream the headlines, ‘Love across the divide’. Then, the threats and anonymous phone calls start. Can the two young people rise above the hatred and learn to understand one another? But, while Steve and Fatimah are trying to break down barriers, the terrorists have another target in mind ... Author: Rosemary Hayes. (184 [fairly short] pages)
Level: 1.g/C-D/9.-10.kl.

Download a free Danish glossary in Word format: HERE
(pagination now fits the latest "Milkweed edition of the novel).

Larry Watson’s excellent short novel. It’s small-town Montana in 1948 and twelve-year-old David has to live through a cataclysmic summer where the strengths and weaknesses of his family are clearly revealed to him — not least the racist behaviour of his uncle, a highly respected doctor and war hero. An atmospheric novel with a clear story line. (133.7 standard pages)
Level: B

Longman edition (with notes, working suggestions and background material) of John Steinbeck’s classic story set in Nazi-occupied Norway. (112 pages)
Level: C

A book by Robert Swindells, the author of Stone Cold. The stories of two youngsters drawn into crime. Nikki, in the present day, and Nick, living in the middle of the nineteenth century. The parallels between their circumstances, and the reactions of society show that the reasons for and the reactions to petty crime have barely changed. Hardback (233 pages)
Level: C-B

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Penguin edition of John Steinbeck’s famous short novel — one of the masterpieces of social realism. As drifters in search of work, George and his simple-minded friend Lennie have nothing in the world except each other — and a dream that they will one day have some land of their own. Eventually, they find work on a ranch, but their hopes are doomed as Lennie becomes a victim of his own strength. (107 pages)
Level: B/C

Longman edition (with notes, working suggestions and background material) of John Steinbeck’s famous short novel — one of the masterpieces of social realism. As drifters in search of work, George and his simple-minded friend Lennie have nothing in the world except each other — and a dream that they will one day have some land of their own. Eventually, they find work on a ranch, but their hopes are doomed as Lennie becomes a victim of his own strength. NB! Not the same pagination as our glossary. Hardback (168 pages)
Level: B/C