Donnelly, Jennifer - A Northern Light
Mattie Gokey, a poor, 16-year-old
girl living in the Adirondack Mountains in 1906, faces many hardships
and decisions. She feels
trapped by her responsibility to her sisters and father and works
very hard to help support them. She is an intelligent, gifted
writer with the opportunity to attend Barnard College on a scholarship
and embark on a career away from the farm. Royal Loomis, a handsome
young farmer, asks her to marry him, while friends and neighbors
bring other complications and concerns into her life. Mattie's
story is woven around an actual event, the drowning death of
a young woman. Jennifer Donnelly makes Mattie and the other characters
come alive in this absorbing example of historical fiction.
Going – Fat
Kid Rules the World
Troy Billings is a 296-pound high school senior contemplating
ending his life by jumping off a New York City subway platform,
until he is rescued by Curt MacCrae, a legendary punk-rock
guitarist and part-time student at Troys high school. Over
lunch, which Curt says Troy owes him for saving his life, Curt
tells Troy that he is looking to start a band and wants him
to be the drummer. An unlikely friendship is formed and for
the first time, Troy is able to see himself as more than just
the fat kid.
Minchin,
Adele – The
Beat Goes On
This title is a novel
published in Great Britain in 2001 and first published in the
US in 2004. The main character is Leyla,
a fifteen-year-old girl dealing with the typical teen issues
of popularity, parental discord and an increasing awareness of
the world around her. When her sixteen-year-old cousin, Emma,
is diagnosed as being HIV+ following an alcohol induced fling,
Leyla must carry the burden of keeping this secret from her parents
and friends. As her cousin's health declines, Leyla's relationship
with the perfect guy deepens and Leyla must acknowledge the responsibilities
and choices, which must be made in a mature relationship. The
book is not the most skillfully written but it will definitely
appeal to YAs and much of its value comes from its descriptions
of the daily life of an HIV+ person, including the constant regimen
of medicine and physician interventions.
Myers, Walter Dean - Shooter
Three students are involved in
a shooting incident at Madison High School, on April 22nd.
The story unfolds using the interviews
with Cameron and the county psychologist, Cameron and FBI agent,
Carla and the Threat Assessment Specialist. At this point you
have an idea of what happened on April 22nd. Then you learn
more about the incident
from the newspaper articles. This book concludes with pages
from the shooter's journal. Walter Dean Myers has a unique
way of
exposing the lives of troubled teens.
Napoli, Donna Jo - Bound
This is a Chinese version of Cinderella, but instead of ugly stepsisters the
heroine has to care for her stepmother and half-sister. After the father
dies, the stepmother binds the half-sister’s feet to make her more
attractive for marriage. Xing-Xing has to provide for the family with the
help of her dead mother’s spirit, in the form of a fish, and her own
resourcefulness. Fascinating insight into traditional Chinese culture.
Kinsella, Sophie - Can You Keep a Secret?
During a bout of airplane turbulence, Emma spills every secret she has ever
kept inside to the man sitting next to her. Of course, that man turns out
to be the visiting head honcho at her work, as well as a romantic interest.
Will true love prevail after he tells her secrets on national television
while promoting the new product designed with her in mind? Cute and British.
Paulsen, Gary - Brian's Hunt
In this installment of the Brian series, an older Brian, disenchanted
with civilization, returns to the woods. The book's grit and
gore takes awhile to develop, so encourage readers to stick
with it through at least the 4th chapter.
Tullson, Diane - Saving Jasey
Gavin's port in his family's stormy life is his best friend's
family, at least until he falls for his best friend's older
sister, Jasey. All are concerned about her and the not-so-savory
friends she has chosen for herself. The tension boils over
in a violent, powerful conclusion.
Levithan, David - Boy Meets Boy
This is the ultimate gay love-story: the story of high school
sophomore Paul who begins a tentative romance with Noah. Paul
lives in a town where being gay is perfectly fine, where students
can run for class president on a gay ticket, and where high
school quarterbacks can be cross-dressing homecoming queens.
It is a fantasy--a Valentine from Levithan to his friends-and
it is beautifully written; a really sweet and fun read.
Black,
Holly – Tithe
16-year-old Kaye Fierch gets involved in a battle between Faerielands
warring courts, as well as in a relationship with the dark
and beautiful knight, Roiben. Things get more precarious when
she realizes that she’s really not human at all, but
a fairy who’s been living, disguised, in the human world.
This is a pretty good read-fast-paced, gritty, and suspenseful,
in spite of the often convoluted, over-the-top prose.
