When I was about Jake's age, or maybe a year younger, I can remember that there were two books that I read based on recommendations from school friends. One was The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks, and the other was The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole by Sue Townsend.
I may well end up revisiting the Terry Brooks books sometime soon (the truth being that I got quite considerably ahead with buying books in the Shannara series than I have thus far got round to reading, so I really ought to make the effort), and I recently went back to the Adrian Mole books, filled in the gaps in my collection, and read through from volumes 1 to 8.
Driving to work today, the sad news came on the radio that Sue Townsend has died, and at the age of just 68. When I finished book 8 at the start of the year, I did a little rummaging online to see if there might be a volume 9 sometime soon, and I think that I managed to find some encouraging rumours.
I wonder if Mrs Townsend might have left us all a few manuscripts to be published as a parting gift?