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Mix-it-Up Bookshelf: 20 Books That Think Outside the Box (er, Covers)

Every October, schools around the country participate in National Mix-it-Up Day and encourage students to connect with new people, especially in the cafeteria. "Mixing it up" doesn't just happen in the lunchroom, though --- it happens in the library, too! As it turns out, plenty of authors have been thinking outside the box (er, covers?) these days and shaking up the traditional book form. 

Some infuse their stories with modern communication, whether texts or IM's, and others intersperse them with letters and diary entries. Some authors make images a central part of their novels, and still more go full "documentary style," creating books that are a collage of fake newspaper articles, interviews, drawings and more.

In this bookshelf, we rounded up 20 books that "mixed it up", from Alyson Noel's CRUEL SUMMER --- where 17-year-old Colby communicates about her summer in Greece through blog entries and emails --- to Ransom Riggs's MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN, which utilizes pictures to tell the story of a forgotten time loop.  

So if you're sick of that same old book format, look no further --- these books will add plenty of variety to your to-be-read list.

IMs and Texts

 

Letters and Diary Entries
Pictures
Miscellaneous