Don't give out the "worst book" title until you've read the book adaptation of Rookie of the Year. When I was seven I could tell it sucked.

One of my favorite books from recent years is the incredibly brutal Battle Royale (the novel, not the manga) by Koushun Takami. It's almost scary how gripping that one was. I'm also a fan of Eoin Colfer - yes, I know, shut up.

Out of curiosity, did anyone else read the Wayside School books? I absolutely loved those, both the novels and the insane puzzle collections. I never did find all of the books, but the ones I had were among the most heavily used on my shelves.