Teen Readers

Jordan Sonnenblick is pitch perfect (pardon the baseball pun) in a winning novel that will capture the hearts of his audience.

Baseball and his grandfather have been the loves of Pete's life. Now the first is lost to injury, and Grandpa may be falling into the fog of Alzheimer's. We're along for the ride as Pete navigates his entry to high school, a potential romance, and family drama. It's a journey filled with humor, fear, discovery, and the overriding hope of reinvention.  For ages 11 and up. - Rosemary

Anyone who has been disappointed in love will relate to this book. The well-known situation where the artsy girl gets the popular, athletic guy and then it doesn't work out, is given a fresh, smart, and sympathetic treatment by Handler. Maira Kalman's fabulous, expressive illustrations deepen the emotional impact of the story.

I loved this book. Min Green is an original character with a memorable voice that resonates beyond the story. - Trish

And more from Sally - The fine illustrations enhance a wonderful story of unexpected love found and then unexpectedly lost. I recognized my teen self in Min Green as she struggled in a relationship outside of her crowd and with the compromises needed to maintain the relationship. The interesting and sometimes quirky characters came alive for me, and I found myself cheering for Min.

While authorities believe Sapphire was just another hooker murdered in the wrong part of town, Penelope (aka Lo) feels drawn to investigate. Lo cannot overcome her obsessive-compulsive disorder, but she learns that Flynt, a homeless teen, and others do care about her as she attempts to confront the murderer herself. As the story unfolds you learn about the death of her older brother the previous year and thus the disfunction of her family as they are dealing with the aftermath. I love the intelligent writing which addresses OCD, loss of a family member, and homelessness in a thought provoking manner. Recommended for 16 and up. - Julia.

Forever is the concluding book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy that began with Shiver. Bizarre attacks by wolves that roam the surrounding woods have stunned the nearby town. This is the setting for a story that is really about love and the difficulty of finding that enduring and profound relationship. Teenagers Sam and Grace are at the center, as their longtime attraction deepens to the point of danger.

Carefully plotted and beautifully written, the trilogy has well-drawn,complex,and believable characters that I came to know and care about. I could not stop turning the pages. Among the current vampire/werewolf craze, these books stand out. Great summer reading for ages 14+. - Carol

Cullen is a 17 year old in quiet little Lily, Arkansas. Nothing ever happens in his town, until the summer everything happens. What a debut novel! Whaley merges two seemingly unrelated stories (Cullen's and that of a disillusioned missionary) in unexpected ways. I haven't been this emotionally caught up in a novel since THE BOOK THIEF and ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN. If you know them, you know how good this is. For ages 14 & up.- Rosemary

This year's Printz Award is a book that starts sadly, moves to quirky and confusing, and ends surprisingly uplifting. Cameron's life change from pessimistic indifference to caring sensitivity is a wild and crazy adventure. See if you can see the parallels to Don Quixote. For ages 14 and up. - Elane

Here's a book that extends into early teen reading.  

My son and I both love Jordan Sonnenblick's books. This sequel to DRUMS, GIRLS, & DANGEROUS PIE may be his best ever. He captures the world of adolescents, especially males, perfectly. Spoiler alert: stop here if you haven't read DRUMS. You don't have to read it to love AFTER, but you'll want to. Jeffrey is now an 8th grader, dealing with post-cancer life (and its aftermath, like nerve damage & learning disabilities), school, friends, and a first crush. And he's doing it without Steven, who's off in Africa. It's a bittersweet, humorous, life-changing year, and you'll be glad to share it with him. For ages 11 and up - Rosemary

Forget TWILIGHT and DARK SHADOWS - there's nothing romantic or dashing about vampires in Catherine Jinks' world. Imagine being 15 - forever - and living with your aging mother. Nina envisions boredom, nausea, and attending support group meetings until the end of time. But when one of their number is killed, this puny band of guinea pig-suckers (don't ask) has to solve the mystery of their attacker or die (for good). Clever, thrilling, and yes, very funny. For ages 12 and up. — Rosemary