The YA Book Log

“New Moon” rises in YALSA’s 2007 Teens’ Top Ten

THE 3 APPLE BOOK AWARD — NEW YORK TEEN’S CHOICE AWARD

The New York Library Association is proud to announce the 15 finalists for the first annual Teen 3 Apples Book Award, a New York State Teen’s Choice Award. This award is jointly sponsored by the Youth Services Section and the School Library Media Section of the New York Library Association.
Teens across New York State have nominated the following titles:
BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA
by Katherine Paterson
Jess and Leslie, two outsiders who become friends, create a magical kingdom called Terabithia where their imaginations set the only limits.
A CHILD CALLED IT
by David Pelzer
Based on the story of Dave PelzerÕs childhood and how he dealt with the abuse and neglect from the very people he should have been able to depend on.
THE CLIQUE
by Lisi Harrison
Can Claire the new girl at an exclusive private school fit in? The CliqueÉthe only thing harder than getting in is staying in.
ELDEST
by Christopher Paolini
After successfully evading an Urgals ambush, Eragon is adopted into the Ingeitum clan and sent to finish his training so he can further help the Varden in their struggle against the Empire.
GREEN EGGS AND HAM
by Dr. Seuss
Would you eat green eggs and ham? DonÕt say ÒNo!Ó to Sam I Am!
HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE
by J.K. Rowling
Year 6 Ð Harry learns more about VoldemortÕs past and is convinced that Draco Malfoy, his Hogwarts enemy, has become a Death Eater.
HATCHET
by Gary Paulsen
When the pilot of a two-person plane has a heart attack and dies, Brian has to crash-land in the Canadian wilderness, and learn how to survive on his own with only a hatchet.
HEAT
by Mike Lupica
Pitching prodigy Michael Arroyo is on the run from social services after being banned from playing Little League baseball. Rival coaches doubt he is only twelve years old and he has no parents to offer them proof.
HOLES
by Louis Sachar
Living under a family curse brought about by his ÒNo-Good-Dirty-Rotten-Pig-Stealing-Great-Great-Grandfather,Ó Stanley Yelnats is wrongly convicted of a crime and sent to Camp Green Lake where his punishment is to dig holes. What will he dig up?
MY BROTHER SAM IS DEAD
by James Lincoln Collier
A family is divided when one son joins the Revolutionary Army while the rest of the family sympathizes with the British.
THE OUTSIDERS
by S. E. Hinton
The struggle of three brothers to stay together after their parent’s death and their quest for identity among the conflicting values of their world.
SON OF THE MOB
by Gordon Korman
Vince’s life is constantly complicated by the fact that he is the son of a powerful Mafia boss, a relationship that threatens to destroy his romance with the daughter of an FBI agent.
SPEAK
by Laurie Halse Anderson
A traumatic event near the end of the summer has a devastating effect on Melinda’s freshman year in high school.
THE THIEF LORD
by Cornelia Funke
Things are not as they seem when runaway brothers Prosper and Bo decide to hide out in Venice where they fall in with the Thief Lord, a thirteen-year-old boy who leads a crime ring of street children
TWILIGHT
by Stephenie Meyer
Bella falls in love with Edward after she moves from Phoenix to Forks, Washington. He is exquisitely handsome and a vampire.
TIMETABLE OF EVENTS
1. April – December 2007
READ! READ!! READ!!!
Teens read or listen to the finalists at their local library during the summer reading programs and at their school library in the fall. Each teen must read or listen to a minimum of three books from the list of 15 finalists in order to vote.
2. January 2008
Voting will take place in libraries all over New York State.
Ballots will be made available at school and public libraries, and can be printed from the 3 Apples Book Award website.
Only teens in grades 7-12 (ages 13+) who have read or listened to at least 3 of the finalist titles are eligible to vote.
Each eligible teen has one vote, cast at either their school or public library.
Teen voting ends on January 20.
3. February 2008
The award winner will be announced on the website on February 10th.
The 3 Apples Book Award has been developed to encourage the joy of reading for pleasure, and to give the teens of New York State the opportunity to participate in honoring their favorite books.
Each year teens in grades 7-12 (ages 13+) nominate their favorite book, creating a statewide ballot of fifteen of the most popular titles. After reading at least three of the finalist books, the teens vote to select one as their favorite. That book and its author are honored with the presentation of the 3 Apples Book Award, and celebrations take place across the state in school and public libraries.
There are so many good books to choose; I know I would have a hard time picking my favorite. You must read three to vote and I am sure with this list it won’t be a problem.
Mrs. Jackson
Head of Young Adult Services

A LOOK AT GRAPHIC NOVELS

Alex Zuckerman, a senior at East Meadow High School, did his community service internship at the East Meadow Public LIbrary. Alex is interested in filmmaking, including anime. Unfortunately our anime collection is very small, so I asked Alex to review some of the titles in our graphic novel collection.

WAR OF THE WORLDS by Stephen Stern and Arne Starr
The graphic novel is only slightly better then the movie, because Tom Cruse isn’t in it. What more can I say but if you like pointless action sequences that are only running away scenes and really bad artwork, then be my guest and pick this one up today. The real thing that got me mad, was the ending made no sense. Thanks to the bad art work, you can’t tell what’s going on in the story because it looks like the illustrator took a nap as they were drawing this piece of garbage. Now don’t get me wrong, the original book is great but this one isn’t.
CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON by Wang Du Lu and Andy Seto
This one is a great choice to read. If you like the movie then you’ll like the book too. With detailed art work, color and story line this one is a must read.
JU-ON 2 by Takashi Shimizu and MEIMU
Just like the Sarah Michelle Gellar movie this graphic novel is really bad. The art work is atrocious at best and uninteresting. The original movie version from Japan is well written, acted and well thought out, certainly not like this graphic novel. The graphic novel is based on the Japanese movie but with really poor art work. This version it is just a pathetic attempt at a once good movie.
WAR CRAFT: THE SUNWELL TRILOGY by Richard Knaak and Jae-Hwan Kim
Well written story line, art work and based on one of the best video games ever, This is a must read. The only bad thing about it is that the mane character hair is so ugly that it makes it look like a mop is on his head.
MARY SHELLEY’S FRANKENSTEIN: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL by Gary Reed and Frazer Living
One of the best graphic novels the Library has to offer. It’s an adapted version of the Mary Shelley’s book. With its detail art work, classic story and its look into the world of true horror, this one isn’t just a must read, it’s a must own as well.
FLIGHT VOLUME 1
Flight is a beautiful graphic novel that is a mixture of short stories that all have a different art style to each of them. The stories are for all ages. It is a must read.
WONDER WOMAN: LAND OF THE DEAD by Greg Rucka and Geoff Johns
This is one of the best graphic novels the Library has to offer. It is so well written that I take this graphic novel out all the time. I strongly recommend this one.
NORTH COUNTRY by Shane White
This book is not based on the movie. This is truly one of the best graphic novels ever made. It’s about a man going back to visit his childhood home and on the plane ride there he thinks about all of the bad things that happened to him there. He was beaten by his drunken Dad, he tried to kill himself and likes to pretend that he is a comic book character. The best part about this book is that it’s not all talking. There’s a shoot-out, a motorcycle accident and a suicide. I strongly recommend this graphic novel to everyone. It’s meant for older readers.
ROBIN: TO KILL A BIRD by Bill Willingham and Damion Scott
This graphic novel is about Robin fighting the penguin’s evil plan to rule Gotham city. If you like Batman then why not pick this one up.
GALAX ANGEL BETA by Kanan
If you’re a fan of Asian stereotypes then this is the one for you. It has girls in bikinis, something to do with space and a bazaar plot. If that sounds like something you like, then you should pick it up today, but I won’t.
FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST by Hiroumu Arakawa
In all honesty, I found this to be very boring. Here’s why. It said on the back that it’s supposed to be non-stop action but for me it was non-stop boredom and the background art is just bland, no detail at all.
Alex Zuckerman
Grade 12
East Meadow High School

NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2007 TEENS TOP TEN BOOKS

2007 TEENS TOP TEN BOOKS. During TEEN READ WEEK you will have an opportunity to vote for your favorites, so here is a chance to get a head start on some of your reading.
FIREGIRL by Tony Abbott Tom tells avout the arrival of Jessica, a new student who was badly burned in a fire. Little by little Tom begins to look beyond her exterior.
CLAY by David Almond Stephen has a talent, the gift of creation–and he konws the Davie has this talent, too. Davie allows Stephen to convince him to help bring a life-size figure to life–and Clay is born. Stephen has special plans for this innocent. What has Davie helped to unleash on the world?
ROAD OF THE DEAD by Kevin Brooks Fourteen-year-old British, half-gypsy Ruben is frightened when he finds himself psychically witnessing the vicious attack and murder of his sister. When the official investigation stalls, Ruben and his brother attempt to put together the pieces of the crime themselves.
SECRETS OF MY HOLLYWOOD LIFE:ON LOCATION by Jen Calonita What if everyone in America wanted to know what you were doing when you weren’t filming your TV show? Kaitlin Burke, a 16-year-old TV star, is exhausted from this glamorous life. So much so she decides to go undercover as an ordinary high school student. But could it be that high schoo is just as tough as Hollywood? (This title was reviewed on The YA Book Log on August 9, 2006)
THE LOUD SILENCE OF FRANCINE GREEN by Karen Cushman Francine Green doesn’t speak up much, and who can blame her? But when outspoken, passionate Sophie Bowman transfers into Francine’s class, she finds herself thinking about new things that never concerned her before….Eventually, Francine disvovers that she not only has something to say, she is absolutely determined to say it.
JUST LISTEN by Sarah Dessen
Annabel is nice. Too nice to say why she is unhappy with her life and what happened the night her life changed. That doesn’t work in the world of her only remaing friend , anger-management-alum and alternative-music-nut Owen. Can she learn to speak, argue and finally to say the truth?
HOW TO RUIN A SUMMER VACATION by Simone Elkeles The last thing 16-year-old Amy wants to do for the summer is go to Israel with her estranged Israeli father, who’s dragging her to meet a family she’s never known. What could be worse than a summer ina place without friends, shopping or a cell phone?
IN SEARCH OF MOCKINGBIRD by Loretta Ellsworth Erin waits as long as she canm until she devides that running away from home is her only choice. Then she goes on a mission: To find the reclusive author of To Kill a Mockingbird. This takes Erin on a bus journey, knowing that if she can find Harper Lee she will also be closer to her motherm who adored that one book more than all others.
THE CHRISTOPHER KILLER by Alane Ferguson Wehn Cameryn asks to be her father’s assistant at the county coroner’ office, she never expects that her first case will be a friend in a serial killer case.
WHAT HAPPENED TO CASS MCBRIDE by Gail Giles After his younger brother’s suicide,Kyle Kirby exacts revenge on theperson he holds responsible: he kidnaps 17-year-old Cass from her house, and buries her alive, chastising her with a walkie talkie. Can Detective Ben Grey discover Cass’s whereabouts before it’s too late?
HELLO GROIN by Beth Goobie When Dylan agrees to create a display for her high school library, she has no idea of the trouble it’s going to cause–for the school principal, her family, her boyfriend Cam and his jock friends, her best friend Jocelyn, not to mention Dylan herself. And Dylan wouldn’t never have had to face her deepest fear and the way she was letting it run her life.
RIVER SECRETS by Shannon Hale Razo is one of Bayern’s weaker soldiers. He is sure he is only on the important Tira mission out of pita. But in the strange southern country, Razo befriends both the high and low born, people who can perhaps provide them with vital information. And Razo is the one who must embrace his own talents in order to get the Bayern soldiers home again, alive.
SHOCK POINT by April Henry When fifteen-year-old Cassie Streng discovers that her psychiatrist stepfather is giving a dangerous experimental drug to his teenaged patients, she is determined to expose hime. Instead he sends her to a boot camp for troubled teens in order to keep her quiet. Cassie is in danger at this ‘school.” Can she escape, expose her stepgather and stop the school?
BAD KITTY by Michele Jaffe Jasmine had to give up her police internship to go on her family vacation. It doesn’t take long before Jas stumbles upon a murder mystery while vacationing with her family in Las Vegas.
BORN TO ROCK by Gordon Korman After ultra-straight-laced Leo Caraway discovers that his biological father is none other than millionaire King Maggot, lead singer of the punk band Purge, he accepts a roadie job on King’s tour in the hope of securing sorely needed college tuition to Harvard.
NEW MOON by Stephanie Meyer Edward leaves, not wanting to put Bella into danger. Bella depression deepens until she befriends Jacob, a sophomore from her school witha penchant for motorcycles. Their adventures are wild and her fun with Jacob soon turns into danger, especially when she finds out Jacob’s real identity.
KIKI STRIKE:INSIDE THE SHADOW CITY by Kristen Miller When Ananka Fishbein ventures into an enomous sinkhole near her New York City apartment, she finds things that change her life: a million rats, delinquent Girl Scouts, and a secret city.
PROM ANONYMOUS by Blake Nelson Chloe Thomas is the last person that anyone expects to see at the prom. She agrees to go when her two oldest friends ask her to. What will happen in the three weeks leading up to the big night?
MAXIMUM RIDE: SCHOOL’S OUT — FOREVER by James Patterson Max and her flock are discovered by an FBI agent and forced to go to “school.” There is no such thing as an ordinary day there, and max faces her greatest enemy.
LIFE AS WE KNEW IT by Susan Beth Pfeffer When a meteor knocks the moon closer to earth. Miranda and her family need to prepare for tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoic eruptions, extreme weather, food shortages, and disease.
PENELOPE BAILEY TAKES THE STAGE by Susanna Reich Left in the care of family with very rigid views of proper behavior in the late 1800s, Penny is determined not to give up her dreams of an acting career. She starts by plotting to star in the school play.
ALL HALLOWS’ EVE:13 STORIES by Vivian Vande Velde. This is a spine-tingling collection of scary stories, take Halloween night and add a possessed car, a crypt, a psychic and ten more!
SKIN by Adrienne Maria Vrettos The one normal peron in Donnie’s family is his older sister, Karen. His family has to a make hugh changes when they admit that Karen has an eating disorder, and suddenly Donnie feels more on his own than ever. Will thingss be able to become normal again?
THE UNRESOLVED by T. K. Welsh The 1904 “General Slocum” steamship disaster killed more than 1000 people from the part of New York City known as Kleindeutschland. One victim was 15-year-old Mallory Meer. Her boyfriend, Dustin Brauer, is accused of setting the fire by a leader in the German neighborhood. Mallory, now insubstantial, sees everything and helps the truth to emerge.
FLORA SEGUNA: BEING THE MAGIKAL MISHAPS OF A GIRL SPIRIT, HER GLASS-GAZING SIDEKICK, TWO OMINOUS BUTLERS (ONE BLUE), A HOUSE WITH ELEVEN THOUSAND ROOMS, AND A RED DOG by Ysabeau S. Wilce Flora gets lost in her own eleven thousand room house and stumbles upon the long-banished butler of Crackpot Hall. Soon she finds herself in the middle of a mind-blowing mussle of intrigue and betrayal that changes her world forever.
At this writing the East Meadow Public Library does not own every title on the list, but I will try to get the missing books in the not too distant future. Also the majority of the titles are written for 8th through 12th grade.
Since all but one title is new, anyone can review these books for THE YA BOOK LOG and receive community service credit. Just write your review with your name, grade and school, and email it to fjackson@ eastmeadow.info. If someone writes a review before you, you can always write a comment.
Mrs. Jackson
Head of Young Adult Services

Continue reading ‘NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2007 TEENS TOP TEN BOOKS’

THE PRINTZ AWARD 2003

2003 WINNER

POSTCARDS FROM NO MAN’S LAND by Aidan Chambers
Chambers’ novel is a passionate narrative about 17-year-old Jacob, who comes to Amsterdam to find the grave of his grandfather who died there during World War II. He meets Geertrui, the Dutch woman who cared for his wounded grandfather. Her teenage World War II story is interwoven with Jacob’s surprising discoveries about love, sex, family secrets and his own identity.
“The alternating narratives of Jacob and Geertrui make a story that is intense, sophisticated and surprising,” said Suzanne Manczuk, acting chair of the Printz Award Selection Committee. “Jacob discovers that ‘nothing in Amsterdam is what it appears to be.’” Chambers lives in England, and his previous young adult works have been acclaimed by critics on both sides of the Atlantic. “Postcards from No Man’s Land” was awarded the British Carnegie Medal, and Chambers received the Hans Christian Andersen Award 2002 for the body of his work. THIS BOOK IS RECOMMENDED FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN GRADES 10 TO 12.
2003 PRINTZ HONOR BOOKS

THE HOUSE OF THE SCORPION by Nancy Farmer
In a future where humans despise clones, Matt enjoys special status as the young clone of El Patrón, the 142-year-old leader of a corrupt drug empire nestled between Mexico and the United States. (See The Book Log entry for August 9, 2006) RECOMMENDED FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN GRADES 7 T0 10.
MY HEARTBEAT by Garret Freymann-Weyr
As she tries to understand the closeness between her older brother and his best friend, fourteen-year-old Ellen finds her relationship with each of them changing. RECOMMENDED FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS GRADES 9 TO 11.
HOLE IN MY LIFE by Jack Gantos
The author relates how, as a young adult, he became a drug user and smuggler, was arrested, did time in prison, and eventually got out and went to college, all the while hoping to become a writer. This autobiography is RECOMMENDED FOR GRADES 8 UP. This is one of the best autobiographies written by an author.
Mrs. Jackson
Head of Young Adult Services

RETELLING THE CLASSICS

Some well-loved stories are retold again and again, whether it fairy tales or Shakespeare. Here are a few young adult titles that illustrate this idea.
ALICE IN WONDERLAND RETOLD
DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE by Peter Abrahams
Like her idol Sherlock Holmes, eighth grader Ingrid Levin-Hill uses her intellect to solve a murder case in her home town of Echo Falls. Welcome to Echo Falls. Home of a thousand secrets, where Ingrid Levin-Hill, super sleuth, never knows what will happen next. Ingrid is in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or at least her shoes are. Getting them back means getting involved in a murder investigation rivaling those solved by her idol, Sherlock Holmes, and Ingrid has enough on her plate with club soccer, school, and the plum role of Alice in the Echo Falls production of Alice in Wonderland . But much as in Alice’s adventures down the rabbit hole, things in Ingrid’s small town keep getting curiouser and curiouser. Her favorite director has a serious accident onstage (but is it an accident?), and the police chief is on Ingrid’s tail, grilling her about everything from bike-helmet law to the color of her cleats. Echo Falls has turned into a nightmare, and Ingrid is determined to wake up. Edgar Award-nominated novelist Peter Abrahams builds suspense as a smart young girl finds that her small town isn’t nearly as safe as it seems. RECOMMENDED FOR GRADES 7UP.

LOOKING GLASS WARS by Frank Beddor
When she is cast out of Wonderland by her evil aunt Redd, young Alyss Heart finds herself living in Victorian Oxford as Alice Liddell and struggles to keep memories of her kingdom intact until she can return and claim her rightful throne. RECOMMENDED FOR GRADES 7 UP

SHAKESPEARE WITH A TWIST
ARIEL by Grace Tiffany
In this prequel to William Shakespeare’s THE TEMPEST the reader is given centuries of background to show how Caliban, Miranda, Prospero and the rest came to be who they are by the time Shakespeare picked up the tale. RECOMMENDED FOR GRADES 7 TO 10.
ROMIETTE AND JULIO by Sharon Draper
Romiette, an African-American girl, and Julio, a Hispanic boy, discover that they attend the same high school after falling in love on the Internet, but are harrassed by a gang whose members object to their interracial dating. RECOMMENDED FOR GRADES 7 TO 10.
THIS MUST BE LOVE by Tui T. Sutherland
Two good friends tell of strange occurrences between themselves and the boys they like during a high school production of “Romeo and Juliet,” which are reminiscent of the magical world of William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” RECOMMENDED FOR GRADES 7 TO 10.

FAIRY TALES FOR THE 21ST CENTURY TEEN
BEAST by Donna Jo Napoli
Elaborates on the tale of “Beauty and the Beast,” told from the point of view of the beast and set in Persia. RECOMMENDED FOR GRADES 7 TO 10.
BELLA AT MIDNIGHT by Diane Stanley
Raised by peasants, Bella discovers that she is actually the daughter of a knight and finds herself caught up in a terrible plot that will change her life and the kingdom forever. RECOMMENDED FOR GRADES 6 TO 8.
DUCKLING UGLY by Neal Shusterman
When sixteen-year-old Cara, a girl ugly enough to break mirrors, is drawn to a place where everyone can be beautiful, her deepest desire is to return home to say goodbye–and get revenge. RECOMMENDED FOR GRADES 7 T0 10.
RED RIDER’S HOOD by Neal Shusterman
After learning that there are werewolves in his city, a sixteen-year-old is even more surprised to discover the identities of the hunters who drove them out decades earlier, but he soon infiltrates the Wolves gang to help destroy them for good. RECOMMENDED FO GRADES 7 T0 10.
THE WITCH’S BOY by Michael Gruber
A grotesque foundling turns against the witch who sacrificed almost everything to raise him, when he becomes consumed by the desire for money and revenge against those who have hurt him; but he eventually finds his true heart’s desire. RECOMMENDED FOR GRADES 6 TO 8.

SHERLOCK, EBENEEZER, ARTHUR AND THE GREEKS
THE CASE OF THE MISSING MARQUESS: AN ENOLA HOLMES MYSTERY by Nancy Springer
Enola Holmes, much younger sister of detective Sherlock Holmes, must travel to London in disguise to unravel the disappearance of her missing mother. RECOMMENDED FOR GRADES 6 TO 8.
MARLY’S GHOST: A REMIX OF CHARLES DICKENS’ A CHRISTMAS CAROL
The spirit of Ben’s girlfriend Marly returns with three other ghosts to haunt him with a painful journey though Valentine’s Days past, present, and future. RECOMMENDED FOR GRADES 7 TO 10.
THE EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF ALFRED KROPP by Rick Yancy
Through a series of dangerous and violent misadventures, teenage loser Alfred Kropp rescues King Arthur’s legendary sword Excalibur from the forces of evil. RECOMMENDED FOR GRADES 6 TO 9.
DREAD LOCKS by Neal Shusterman
Accustomed to a carefree existence, fourteen-year-old Parker Baer meets the girl next door and finds his life taking a menacing turn as he begins to absorb some of her terrible powers. RECOMMENDED FOR GRADES 7 TO 10.
Mrs. Jackson
Head of Young Adult Services

YOUNG ADULT CLASSICS

Every now and then I pick up a magazine called BOOKLINKS. It reviews books and does lists on specific subjects. The July 2006 issue was there 15th anniversary issue and they had a list of 15 classic Young Adult novels. It was a great list spanning my many years working as a Young Adult librarian. So here it is. What do you think?
THE CHOCOLATE WAR by Robert Cormier
A high-school freshman who refuses to participate in the annual fund-raising chocolate sale is forced to defend his convictions. RECOMMENDED FOR GRADE 8 AND UP (This classic is now taught in Englsh classes.)
THE CONTENDER by Robert Lipsyte
A Harlem high school dropout escapes from a gang of punks into a boxing gym, where he learns that being a contender is hard and often discouraging work, but that you don’t know anything until you try. RECOMMENDED FOR GRADES 8 AND UP. (It took the author more than 24 years to write the sequel, THE BRAVE.)
FALLEN ANGELS by Walter Dean Myers
Seventeen-year-old Richie Perry, just out of his Harlem high school, enlists in the Army in the summer of 1967 and spends a devastating year on active duty in Vietnam. RECOMMENDED FOR GRADES 8 AND UP

FAREWELL TO MANZANAR: A TRUE STORY OF JAPANESE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE DURING AND AFTER WORLD WAR II by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston
This is the true story of a Japanese American family sent to an internment camp during World War II; where the conditions were cramped and unhealthy. RECOMMENDED FOR GRADES 9 AND UP
GENTLEHANDS by M.E. Kerr
A teenage boy falls in love with an “upper-class” girl and gets to know his estranged grandfather in one heartbreaking summer which climaxes in a shattering search for Nazi war criminals. RECOMMENDED FOR GRADES 7 AND UP (This is another personal favorite of mine.)
THE GOATS by Brock Cole
Stripped and marooned on a small island by their fellow campers, a boy and a girl form an uneasy bond that grows into a deep friendship when they decide to run away and disappear without a trace. RECOMMENDED FOR GRADES 6 AND UP
JACOB HAVE I LOVED by Katherine Paterson
Feeling deprived all her life of schooling, friends, mother, and even her name by her twin sister, Louise finally begins to find her identity. RECOMMENDED FOR GRADES 6 TO 9

Continue reading ‘YOUNG ADULT CLASSICS’

TEEN READERS SWEEPSTAKES

Penguin Young Readers Group and Baker & Taylor have created a TEEN READERS SWEEPSTAKES for young adult ages 12 to18 who residen in the continental United States. VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE PENGUIN TITLE. All entries must be submitted through the public library.
The winning teen will receive an assortment of five recently published Penguin young adult titles worth approximately $106. The Library could win a visit by one of the authors listed on the official ballot.
Stop by the Young Adult Services area and fill out an official ballot for the sweepstakes. Ballots must be returned to Mrs. Jackson by February 26, 2007.
Here is the slate of candidates:

AN ABUNDANCE OF KATHERINES by John Green
Having been recently dumped for the nineteenth time by a girl named Katherine, recent high school graduate and former child prodigy Colin sets off on a road trip with his best friend to try to find some new direction in life while also trying to create a mathematical formula to explain his relationships
BLACK & WHITE by Paul Volponi
Two star high school basketball players, one black and one white, experience the justice system differently after committing a crime together and getting caught.
THE BLACK TATTOO by Sam Enthoven
When his best friend, Charlie, is possessed by an ancient demon, fourteen-year-old Jack, accompanied by a girl with superhuman powers, battles all over London and into Hell to save him.
DEFINING DULCIE by Paul Acampora
When sixteen-year-old Dulcie’s father dies, her mother makes a decision to move them to California, where Dulcie makes an equally radical decision to steal her dad’s old truck and head back home.

JIM THORPE: ORIGINAL ALL-AMERICAN by Joseph Bruchac
A biography of Native American athlete Jim Thorpe, focusing on his early athletic career.
JUST LISTEN by Sarah Dessen
Isolated from friends who believe the worst because she has not been truthful with them, sixteen-year-old Annabel finds an ally in classmate Owen, whose honesty and passion for music help her to face and share what really happened at the end-of-the-year party that changed her life.
LOOKING FOR ALASKA by John Green
Sixteen-year-old Miles’ first year at Culver Creek Preparatory School in Alabama includes good friends and great pranks, but is defined by the search for answers about life and death after a fatal car crash.
MONSTER BLOOD TATTOO by D. M. Cornish
Having grown up in a home for foundlings and possessing a girl’s name, Rossamünd sets out to report to his new job as a lamplighter and has several adventures along the way as he meets people and monsters who are more complicated that he previously thought. Includes glossaries and maps.

PEEPS by Scott Westerfeld
Cal Thompson is a carrier of a parasite that causes vampirism, and must hunt down all of the girlfriends he has unknowingly infected.
RANGER’S APPRENTICE by John Flanagan
When fifteen-year-old Will is rejected by battleschool, he becomes the reluctant apprentice to the mysterious Ranger Halt, and winds up protecting the kingdom from danger.
RED KAYAK by Priscilla Cummings
Living near the water on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, thirteen-year-old Brady and his best friends J.T. and Digger become entangled in a tragedy which tests their friendship and their ideas about right and wrong.
ROCK STAR SUPERSTAR by Blake Nelson
When Pete, a talented bass player, moves from playing in the high school jazz band to playing in a popular rock group, he finds the experience exhilarating even as his new fame jeopardizes his relationship with girlfriend Margaret.

THE RULES OF SURVIVAL by Nancy Werlin
Seventeen-year-old Matthew recounts his attempts, starting at a young age, to free himself and his sisters from the grip of their emotionally and physically abusive mother.
S.A.S.S. PARDON MY FRENCH by Cathy Hapka
Seventeen-year-old Nicole’s dreams and plans center around her boyfriend, but a semester in Paris encourages her to think about herself and her future in a new way.
TRAITOR by Andy McNab and Robert Rigby
A boy who believes his grandfather to be a traitor, a spy who turned against England and then disappeared, tracks down his grandfather and finds out the truth.
WAIT FOR ME BY An Na
As her senior year in high school approaches, Mina yearns to find her own path in life but working at the family business, taking care of her little sister, and dealing with her mother’s impossible expectations are as stifling as the southern California heat, until she falls in love with a man who offers a way out.
Mrs. Jackson
Head of Young Adult Services

PAGE TURNERS — ADULT NOVELS FOR TEENS

With vacation drawing near you may be ready for some real relaxation, nothing to deep, nothing to serious, so try these novels — fast reading, and keeps your mind alert. This list was created by the Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults Committee of the American Library Association in 2000. THESE BOOKS ARE RECOMMENDED FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

Baldacci, David. ABSOLUTE POWER
Murder, honor, loyalty, and betrayal reach all the way to the Oval Office.
Blume, Judy. SUMMER SISTERS
Caitlin and Vix have shared their deepest secrets, can their lifelong friendship withstand a betrayal?
Borchardt, Alice. THE SILVER WOLF
Regeane must decide how to survive as both woman and wolf in dangerous, decadent, decaying Rome.
Connelly, Michael. BLOOD WORK
Where did ex- FBI agent Terry McCaleb’s new heart come from and why was he the one to get it?
Crichton, Michael. SPHERE
Discovery of a huge spaceship resting on the ocean floor is more than the scientists bargained for.
Deaver, Jeffery. THE BONE COLLECTOR
Can Lincoln Rhyme, a brilliant criminologist, stop the diabolical killer from committing more grisly crimes?
Finder, Joseph. HIGH CRIMES
A random burglary turns the lives of high-powered attorney Claire Chapman and her husband Tom upside down.
Friedman, Hal. OVER THE EDGE
Did Elaine Wilkens jump to her death or was she pushed by her students?
Gabaldon, Diana. OUTLANDER
Strong-willed Claire Randall leads a double life with a husband in one century and a lover in another.
Gerritsen, Tess. LIFE SUPPORT
Why are Dr. Harper’s patients dying?
Gilstrap, John. NATHAN’S RUN
Can Nathan outwit both the police and a hitman in order to stay alive?
Grisham, John. THE CLIENT
Mark Sway is really in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Johansen, Iris. AND THEN YOU DIE
Bess Grady expected sunshine and balmy breezes, but got everyone’s worst nightmare.
King, Stephen. ROSE MADDER
After 14 years of being beaten, Rose Daniels wakes up one morning and leaves her abusive husband, a psychopathic cop who obsessively trails her.
Lanier, Virginia. BLIND BLOODHOUND JUSTICE
Follow detective Jo Beth Sidden and her bloodhounds on the seemingly dead trail of a 30-year-old murder/kidnapping.
Patterson, James. ALONG CAME A SPIDER
Detective Alex Cross hunts a schizophrenic psychopathic kidnapper.
Pearson, Ridley. NO WITNESSES
This chicken soup may not be good for the soul.
Preston, Douglas and Lincoln Child. RELIC
A beast in New York’s Museum of Natural History haunts the halls and preys on good and bad guys alike.
Rovin, Jeff. VESPERS
Why are killer bats on the loose in New York City?
Tan, Maureen. AKA JANE
A beautiful British spy aka detective writer is out for revenge in Savannah.
Wilhelm, Kate. THE GOOD CHILDREN
If your parents died, could you live on your own and pretend to the world that they were still alive?
Mrs. Jackson
Head of Young Adult Services

PRINTZ AWARD 2002

THE 2002 WINNER
The 2002 Printz Award was A STEP FROM HEAVEN by An Na. It tells the tale of Young Ju as she grows from a toddler in Korea to a high-school graduate in California desperately trying to be a ‘true’ American while her immigrant parents try to make her stay close to her Korean heritage.
According to the author, this is and isn’t autobiographical. There are some vignettes from childhood memories, but An Na strong family traditions prevented true assimilation into the American culture. An has told a reporter from PUBLISHERS WEEKLY that the parents in the book are extreme examples of the immigrant experience, which her father found gratifying. This story may be common to the immigrant teen experience, but this book is extraordinary and hard to put down once you open it. A STEP FROM HEAVEN is recommended for teens in Grades 9 to 12.
THE 2002 PRINT HONOR BOOKS

THE ROPEMAKER by Peter Dickinson is a compelling play between time and magic and a fantasy for teens in grades 7 to 12 will enjoy.
The heroine, LaVaughn, from Virginia Euwer Wolff MAKE LEMONADE returns in TRUE BELIEVER and suffers her first true crush. Teen girls in grades 7 to 12 will love meeting this truly independent young woman.
This next title breaks away from the idea good books have to be fiction. HEART TO HEART: NEW POEMS INSPIRED BY TWENTIETH CENTURY AMERICAN ART by Jan Greeenberg is a book of poetry. Famous young adult authors team up with art work by famous American artists for a poetic response to painting. A very interesting book to read straight through or just select one or two items you are personally drawn too. So young people in grades six and up, pick up HEART TO HEART for a unique reading experience.
The last honor book for 2002 may be the most unusual. Chris Lynch’s FREEWILL is told in the second person, because you are in the mind of 17-year-old Will, a very troubled teen. Since Will’s parents died in an accident, he has not been able to adjust. Could this have something to do with his wood sculptures that begin to show up at the sites of teen sucides? For a most unusual and maybe disturbing read, pick up FREEWILL. This title is recommended for teens in grades 9 to 12.
Mrs. Jackson
Head of Young Adult Services