Books for Teens
Quest for a Maid by Frances Mary Hendry
A historical fiction novel blending fact with legend, this is essentially a story of the enduring love between two sisters set in 13th century Scotland. When Inge uses magic to change the course of history, she misinterprets her younger sister Meg's attempts to help. The lives of the girls' friends, relatives, and even two royal families are caught up in the ensuing crossfire. Weaving its way through whales, shipwrecks, murder, and witchcraft trials, this is an exciting and moving tale of misunderstandings, adventure, and finally forgiveness. It has been one of my personal favorites for years. Reviewed by Megan 08/05/08
Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt
A beautifully written and haunting tale of love and death in the time of plague.
Teen-aged Keturah Reeve lies dying in the forest when Death personified appears to her. Keturah and Death strike a bargain -- if she finds her true love before tomorrow's end, Death will let her live. If not ....
Reviewed by Carol-Anne 07/28/08
Beastly by Alex Flinn
Kyle Kingsbury is a physically perfect, fatally flawed, over-privileged New York teen. Kyle, following the example of his father, values beauty over substance. Looks are everything. When Kyle asks an unattractive Goth chick to a dance as a prank, he discovers she is actually a witch. Under her spell he becomes an ugly, hairy beast who must find true love to end the curse. What follows is classic Beauty and the Beast. Even though readers will know where the story is heading, they'll want to go along for the magical romance ride. Those that love Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series may end up loving Beast Kyle almost as much as they love Edward the vampire. Reviewed by Nancy 07/28/08
Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham
Jane's perfect Southern California life is shattered when she is attacked by a shark. Her right arm is amputated and her dreams of becoming a professional artist are lost along with her missing limb. Videotape of the incident is played over and over on the nightly news and she becomes nationally known as "Shark Girl". Jane struggles to reframe her identity after the accident. What happened to Jane and who is Shark Girl? She refuses to be the brave and inspirational survivor everyone seems to expect her to be. She resists the encouragement of other amputees, her loving family, and close circle of friends. Instead she revisits the day of the attack. What if she'd stayed on the beach, entered the water in a different spot, waited for her brother to join her? Slowly, with the help of those who love her, Jane opens up to new possibilities and moves towards her future. The novel is written in sparse free-verse, that effectively imparts the intensity of Jane's story. This is a great pick for girls seeking a quick, contemporary read with emotional punch. Reviewed by Nancy 07/24/08
Dracula by Bram Stoker
This is the perfect book for anyone who is awaiting the release of Breaking Dawn, Stephanie Meyer’s 4th book.
Each chapter, written either as a journal/diary entry or a personal letter, gives an action-packed account of the horribly strange happenings in the lives of otherwise ordinary, 19th century, God fearing people. The setting moves from Transylvania to
Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Best friends and neighbors, Naomi and Ely live across the hall from one another in their New York apartment. The two best friends create a no kiss list to keep from accidentally kissing the same guy, but then Ely violates the list by kissing Naomi's current boyfriend and then lies about it. This event is further compounded when Bruce decides to stay with Ely, which creates a huge rift among Naomi and Ely while a colorful cast of neighbors and friends take sides. Will the friendship survive? Lots of cultural witticisms and funny moments make this a fun read as these young adults with attitude, grow and mature. Reviewed by Ang 07/09/08.
Tithe by Holly Black
Kaye always suspected she was different, but you always feel like an outsider when you move around as much as she does. With her mother, the aspiring singer, fronting a number of bands, Kaye has moved around the east coast a lot and finally dropped out of school to supplement the family income delivering Chinese food. When they move back to Kaye's childhood home she discovers the not so imagined world of faeries is closer than before. On a late night walk she meets Roiben, an extraordinary beautiful faerie man who has been wounded by her childhood faerie friends. Torn between past friendships and the attraction she feels for Roiben, Kaye finds herself thrown into a plot that no human can survive. Readers who enjoyed "Twilight" and are looking for something to read next should check out this book. Reviewed by Aly 07/09/08.
Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson
Over the summer, Tyler Miller, previously nerd works off punishment for spray painting graffiti all over the high school exterior by working with the school's maintenance crew. Whether it's Tyler's muscles or his new bad boy rep, his transformation over the summer places him at the apex of popularity. Things dissolve however as he's later blamed for a more serious crime and things become twisted. Somehow humor lives even though Tyler contemplates suicide. Eventually Tyler discovers his inner strength and decides to pilot his own course. Reviewed by Kathy 07/08/08.
Truancy by Isamu Fukui
In a totalitarian city the Mayor uses the schools and his Educators as a means to indoctrinate and control the populace. The student outcasts opposed to his regime form the Truancy, a militant organization that seeks to topple the government through terrorism and violence. Tack is an ordinary student, whose greatest ambition is to merely survive each hellish school day. When a loved one falls victim to a Truant ambush Tack decides to infiltrate the organization and kill it’s leader. Once inside though Tack’s loyalties are tested as he begins to believe in the Truancy’s cause. An impressive novel from teen author Isamu Fukui. Reviewed by Ian 07/07/08.
Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn
Takeo belongs to The Hidden, a pacifistic tribe in feudal Japan. As he returns home one day, he finds his whole village wiped out by the Tohan clan. Takeo is taken in by rival warlord Otori Shigeru, who trains Takeo to be a silent assassin, and an implement of the Otori's revenge against the Tohan. Part fantasy, and part historical adventure, book one of the Tales of the Otori series is a great book to get lost in and one that you'll be racing to finish. Reviewed by Tim 07/05/08
Margaux with an X by Ron Koertge
Margaux is young, beautful, and doesn't like her parents. To escape from the torture she calls home, she goes to the mall, the gym, the racetrack where men gawk at her. When she needs a friend the most she runs into Danny on the street, the guy with the weak chin and too big clothes. He appears to be so unlike her, but he's exactly what she's looking for. They've had their fair share of abuse, anger and violence. Now it's their turn to find joy and happiness. Reviewed by Gina 7/03/08
Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
Holling Hoodhood thinks his new teacher hates him when it turns out he’s the only seventh-grader who does not leave early every Wednesday to attend religious instruction. Stern Mrs. Baker first gives him cleaning chores, but after hilarious catastrophes involving chalk dust, rats and freshly baked cream puffs, she switches to making him read the plays of Shakespeare. He overcomes his initial horror, adopting the Bard’s inventive cursing as his own to dress down the school bullies. But standing up for himself is the real battle Holling is waging, especially at home, where his architect father has the entire family under his thumb. Schmidt convincingly evokes the late 1960s with Walter Cronkite’s nightly updates about Vietnam but the serious issues are leavened with lots of humor and the wise and wonderful Mrs. Baker is fully dimensional. Best of all is Holling, who shows himself to be more of a man than his authoritarian father. Reviewed by susan 7/03/08
Shaper by Jessie Haas
Chad is fed up with his family, his life, everything, really.. He can never forgive his grandfather for shooting his dog, even though everyone else says it was the only thing his grandfather could do. Chad won't even look at Queenie, the new family dog. The only bright spot is the lovely, intriguing daughter of the David Burton, the new guy in town. So Chad jumps at the opportunity to work for David. Who would have thought that dog-training could change his life? Although this book has one of the ugliest covers around, it's a great story, especially if you're an animal lover. Reviewed by lin 7/01/08
Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
Caitlin's life is falling apart, and she's faling right into the hole her sister left when she ran away. Her parents are distant, and her only comfort is Rogerson, the guy of her dreams. Or so it seems. Suddenly she's living a nightmare that she can't talk about, because as long as she doesn't say it out loud, it's not real. Instead, Caitlin feels like she's drowning. Suffocated by abusive relationships, she doesn't even realize that love looks a lot different than she ever dreamed it to be. With gripping emotions and beautiful writing, we feel Caitlin's pain and cry along with her experience of abuse, withdrawal and healing. Reviewed by Laura on 07/01/08
Laika / Nick Abadzis ; color by Hilary Sycamore
Nick Abadzis' historical story is based on true events that took place in the Soviet Union in the late 1950s. During that era, the Soviet Union and the United States were locked in the Cold War, and the race into space was a big part of this. The Soviets sent up Sputnik October 4, 1957, and followed that with a mission with a dog aboard.
Laika is the spunky little unwanted dog who is swept in to these plans. Abadzis follows the life of Laika from the beginning, as Laika is pushed out of one home after another. Laika is finally turned over to a Soviet research lab, where she is cared for and trained by a Soviet handler named Yelena. Yelena trains Laika and other dogs for the space program, eventually forming a strong bond with her wards. Ultimately, Laika is selected for the dubious honor, and it is only then revealed to Yelena that there are no plans to return Laika to Earth. Laika's mission is to be final.
This story is incredibly powerful and moving, and Abadzis tells it masterfully. Laika's life is spun out with empathy, compassion, and great emotion. In addition, we are given enough background of the other characters—especially Yelena and Korolev, the Soviet bureaucrat pushing the events—that the underlying tragedy takes on deeper tones.
That this story is based on true events that Abadzis researched in official archives only makes the story that much more heart-wrenching.
Reviewed by David 6/30/2008
Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams
This murder mystery keeps your interest through the whole story even though you think you know who the murderer is before the main character, eighth grader Ingrid, figures it out. Basically, one afternoon Ingrid ends up at the house of “Cracked up Katie” – as the local kids call Katherine Kovac. Later that day Cracked up Katie is found murdered. This story is all about how Ingrid gets involved with trying to solve the murder in order to assure that she won’t be accused when certain evidence is found.
Reviewed by Desiree 6/24/2008
Once Upon a Time in the North by Philip Pullman
For those of us starving for a little bit more from Pullman's Dark Materials. "Once upon a Time in the North" tells the tale of how Lee Scoresby and Iorek Byrnison meet. Lee and his deamon Hester find themselves stranded in the middle of a nasty political situation in the far northern artic without money or a means of filling his balloon. With the safe port where they hoped to find work filled with politicians lobbying against armored bears, and no obvious jobs to be found, Lee and Hester look to be stuck on this isolated island. Reviewed by Aly 6/13/2008
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
Sassy Sophie Hatter is a young woman doomed to forever work in her family's hat shop; that is, until the day she insults the Witch of the Waste and is cursed to inhabit the body of a very old woman. Addled by her new condition, she leaves home to wander aimlessly about the countryside, but quickly ends up at the floating castle of the ill-reputed Wizard Howl, eater of young girls' souls. Feeling safe inside her old body, Sophie plants herself firmly in the household with the hope that Howl will one day lift her curse. Little does she know that adventure, excitement, and - oh my goodness - love await her there! Written with a sense of wit and humor that people of all ages can enjoy, I'm surprised it took me this long to read this very clever and thoroughly absorbing tale. Reviewed by Shireen 3/29/2008
The Great Tree of Avalon: Child of the Dark Prophecy by T.A. Barron
The first The Great Tree of Avalon trilogy, this thrilling story had me tearing through pages to find out what would happen next. Tamwyn, a young boy from Avalon, has always been an outcast for having been born during the year of the dark prophecy. The prophecy foretold that during his seventeenth year a child born during the year of the prophecy would destroy Avalon. Tamwyn's 17th year is just starting when the first star in Merlin's constellation goes out, the signal that the dark prophecy is beginning to come true. As the book goes on the reader and Tamwyn begin to suspect together that he may be the child who was foretold to destroy all of Avalon. But Tamwyn loves Avalon; he doesn't want to destroy it. Meanwhile Elli, a young priestess, is hunting for Merlin's true heir. Only Merlin's heir can stop the child of the dark prophecy from destroying their beloved land. The plot is already wound tight when suddenly Tamwyn and Elli meet and then the story explodes. You won't be able to put this one down I guarantee! Reviewed by Catherine 1/18/2008
This work of diary fiction is beautifully written. Miranda, the sixteen-year-old narrator, is at first unimpressed with the asteroid that is scheduled to strike the moon. Only a conversation with her older brother foreshadows events to come as he confesses to Miranda that he's nervous about the astronomical event. Life changes quickly after the impact, and Miranda's life becomes increasingly restricted as the world around her reacts to the lunar shift. Both heartwarming and unnerving, you won't want to put this book down. Reviewed by Aly 12/31/07
Life as we Knew it by Susan Pfeffer
This story is told through the eyes of Miranda who had just barely begun her sophomore year in high school when an astroid hit the moon. The collision was a far greater force than anyone predicted it would be and the force of it moved the moon considerably closer to earth. After the event, Miranda and her family deal with the repurcussions which created an earth as it had never been before; volcanic ash covering the sun so that there’s an arctic-like atmosphere, tidal waves, and starvation. It sounds depressing but the book is really a story of survival and hope. Reviewed by Susan 1/17/2008
Big Mouth and Ugly Girl by Joyce Carol Oates
Big Mouth and Ugly Girl is about a popular high school junior class president, Matt, known for his off-the-wall humor and Ugly Girl, Ursula, a 5 ft. 8 inch star basketball player known for being opinionated and a loner. While in the cafeteria one day Matt is asked what he will do if his play is not chosen to be produced by the local drama club. Matt belts out that "what's he supposed to do? Bring his gun to school and kill a bunch of people?" Two anonymous witnesses hear this comment out of context and report it to the principal who calls in the police setting off a chain reaction of events that change Matt's life, his parent's lives and the reputation of the school and the town. Matt becomes a hated outcast. Ursula is the only person to come to his defense. This would be an excellent choice for a teen book discussion group. Reviewed by Marian 1/8/2008
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak
I read this book a little while ago and just recently noticed that it’s finally getting the popularity it deserves. It’s about a German family who’re going against the flow/force that’s happening around them during World War II by hiding a Jew in their basement. In the midst of it all the main character, the family’s 10-year-old child, develops a hunger for reading. This prompts her to start stealing books from the Nazi book burnings, which she reads with the Jew her family is hiding. What’s great about this book is the way you get to see a lot of different personalities. It provides individuality to this time in history that is often portrayed as very uniform and monolithic. Reviewed by Janet 12/19/2007
The Alchemist: the secrets of the immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Dylan Scott
Legendary figures like the alchemist Nicolas Flamel, triple-faced Hekate and Egyptian goddess Bastet abound in this exciting tale. Will the twins Sophie and Josh Newman be able to assist Nicholas in recapturing the codex for the formula to the Sorcerer's Stone? Reviewed by Aurora 11/30/07
Tough Guide to Fantasyland by Dianne Wynne-Jones
An irreverent look at fantasy cliches, as observed by a master of the genre. Designed as a mock travel guide/encyclopedia, Jones touches on familiar aspects of fantasy epics, from Rings to Missing Heirs to Colour Coding in characters. Tucked away in non-fiction, this is a treat for fans of Jones and Terry Pratchett or anyone with delusions of writing a fantasy trilogy. Reviewed by Lisa 11/30/2007
What Happened to Cass McBride? by Gail Giles
Cass McBride thinks she knows how to get what she wants until she is kidnapped in the middle of the night and buried alive. Can Cass talk her way out of this one? A riveting page turner from the author of Shattering Glass. Reviewed by Elsie on 10/27/07
The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy & Goth Girl by Barry Lyga
Fifteen-year-old Donnie aka Fanboy is a good student with a passion for graphic novels who blames everyone else for making his life difficult, especially jocks - even has a list – until he meets Kyra aka Goth Girl who shares his dislike for jocks and his interest in graphic novels AND challenges him not to accept his “geek” status. The adventures begin. Reviewed by Elsie 10/20/07
I am the messenger by Markus Zusak
Nineteen-year-old Ed Kennedy is a layabout. An underage cabbie. Sort of a bum. He spends most of his off-work time playing cards and drinking with his friends and lamenting the absence of romance in his life (specifically with his best friend). Then Ed disrupts a bank robbery, and the cards start coming. Not on the table. In the mail. They give Ed instructions. Missions. A motive for breaking away from the hum-drummery of his day-to-day. And everything changes. Is Ed man enough to face all his challenges? You'll have to read it to find out. Like the blurb says, don't pick this one up unless you have time to read it from cover to cover. Reviewed by Bill on 09/26/07.
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