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Teen Readers

So many novels, so little time.  So let us help you find the real gems. 

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$17.99
ISBN-13: 9780545320696
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Scholastic Press, 3/2012

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


The Scorpio Races (Hardcover)

$17.99
ISBN-13: 9780545224901
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Scholastic Press, 10/2011

I loved this book. From the first page I was hooked and found myself living and breathing with a community of horse racers along a desolate coast of Ireland. It is cold November when the water horses come ashore with a savage hunger. Can two desperate teens ride them in a race to save their lives? Who can possibly win? Who deserves to win?

Wonderful characters, beautiful writing, vivid setting. One of the best novels of 2011 for teens. For ages 12 and up. - Carol


Why We Broke Up (Hardcover)

$19.99
ISBN-13: 9780316127257
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 12/2011

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.



$17.99
ISBN-13: 9780312641894
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Feiwel & Friends, 1/2012

Autographed copies available.

“Once upon a time” is far in the future when Cinder(ella) is a cyborg. The place is New Beijing and times are tense. An incurable disease is spreading, the beloved emperor is dying, and powerful forces from another planetary body threaten. Meyer builds a fascinating high-tech world where androids and humans mix casually. Yet, age-old passions of love, loyalty, rivalry and jealousy fuel the characters' lives. I really enjoyed this very well-written and original version of a Cinderella story. For ages 12+. - from Carol


The Butterfly Clues (Hardcover)

$17.99
ISBN-13: 9781606842638
Availability: Coming Soon - Available for Pre-Order Now
Published: EgmontUSA, 2/2012

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.


Revolver (Paperback)

$8.99
ISBN-13: 9780312547974
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Square Fish, 9/2011

Winner of a Printz Honor award for outstanding young adult literature, Revolver is a heart-wrenching, but ultimately triumphant, frontier survival story. 14-year-old Sig is caught in a web of adult struggles. I loved the stunning descriptions, lyrical phrases, and vivid characters. No surprise this book won an award. Great for book club discussions.

Ages 13+. - Carol


Forever (Hardcover)

$17.99
ISBN-13: 9780545259088
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Scholastic Press, 7/2011

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


$19.99
ISBN-13: 9780670012947
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Viking Juvenile, 5/2011

After her parents' difficult divorce, Mclean goes with her father, a restaurant fixer, who is sent from place to place. With great insight into teenage insecurity, Dessen deftly portrays Mclean struggling to understand herself and to learn to trust friends.

As in all of her books, Dessen crafts a multi-layered story of a girl finding her place in the world, and coming to understand the adults around her a little bit better. In addition, there is a rich cast of beautifully drawn secondary characters. I always feel that I know the characters in Dessen's books. She makes me care about them. This is one of the best books I have read this year. Ages 12+. - Carol


$16.99
ISBN-13: 9781442413337
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 5/2011

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


$16.99
ISBN-13: 9780525422426
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Dutton Juvenile, 5/2010

Eighteen year old Retta is somebody everybody listens to when she sings country. Her vocal range and gift allow her to mimic country's female legends. Post high school graduation Retta leaves her small Tennessee town bound for Nashville with a little more than $500 in her possession. She meets obstacles in the city and back at home with courage and determination. Suzanne Supplee's enjoyable writing style and smooth moving prose keep the reader turning pages to see if Retta catches a big break and finds success in “Music City, USA.”

Ages 13 - 17. - Linda


$16.99
ISBN-13: 9780803734333
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Dial, 11/2010
I was drawn into the very well portrayed life of a high school student who offers to manage a fledgling rock band of her peers, and I couldn't put this book down. Wonderfully drawn characters confront an unusually complex situation because Piper, the manager, is deaf. This is a deeply satisfying novel about the dimensions of loyalty, talent, family, and friends. An outstanding book for ages 14 and up, and winner of the Schneider Family Award for a novel that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. -  Carol

$16.99
ISBN-13: 9780152066154
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Harcourt Children's Books, 4/2011
Catherine Jinks turns fantasy on its ear again and does for werewolves what THE REFORMED VAMPIRE SUPPORT GROUP did for bloodsuckers. Your favorite vampires make a return here, but you don't have to have read SUPPORT to enjoy RESCUE. Humor and thrills abound. For ages 14 and up. - Rosemary )

Revolution (Hardcover)

$18.99
ISBN-13: 9780385737630
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 9/2010
Outstanding, compelling, memorable...all of these words and more describe this brilliant novel. A teenage girl finds a diary written during the French revolution by a girl her age. I loved the vividly drawn characters and the beautifully evoked France of today and of the 1700's. Donnelly paints an extraordinary (and carefully researched) picture of the French revolution, and the novel rings with parallels for today. For ages 12 and up. - Catol

The Hunger Games (Paperback)

$8.99
ISBN-13: 9780439023528
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Scholastic Press, 7/2010

A fast-paced read full of memorable characters, action-packed set pieces, romance, and all kinds of dystopian goodness. Katniss Everdeen has to not only fight for her life, and the lives of those she loves, but also come to grips with her mixed feelings for those she is fighting against. The first in a wonderful trilogy, THE HUNGER GAMES will captivate readers of all ages from the start.


Going Bovine (Hardcover)

$17.99
ISBN-13: 9780385733977
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 9/2009

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


Incarceron (Hardcover)

$17.99
ISBN-13: 9780803733961
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Dial, 1/2010
Fascinating, complex characters in a fully realized futuristic setting work to escape from what imprisons them, whether it is Encarceron itself,a terrifying, technological wonder of a jail, or the 17th century norms imposed on life outside. Philosophical, even metaphysical, questioning adds another dimension to this brilliant ,riveting fantasy, one of the best I have read in years. I will be recommending it to those teens who read voraciously and need to sink their teeth into something meaty. For ages 14 and up. - Carol

After Ever After (Hardcover)

$17.99
ISBN-13: 9780439837064
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Scholastic Press, 2/2010

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


The Graveyard Book (Hardcover)

$17.99
ISBN-13: 9780060530921
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: HarperCollins, 10/2008
I fell in love with THE GRAVEYARD BOOK and its protagonist, the achingly resourceful, brave, and clever Bod Owens. Inspired by THE JUNGLE BOOK, Gaiman creates a lyrical tale of a human boy raised under very 'unhuman' circumstances. The author also narrates the audio book version. It is perfection, plain and simple. For ages 12 and up. - Rosemary

Shiver (Hardcover)

$17.99
ISBN-13: 9780545123266
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Scholastic Press, 8/2009
Grace loves the wolves in her woods even though she was attacked by them as a child. And she has a favorite, one with yellow eyes. When she meets Sam, she is instantly drawn to him because he has her wolf's yellow eyes. Is he her wolf? How could he be? Maggie Stiefvater goes back and forth between the voices of Grace and Sam - and notes the temperature of those Minnesota days & nights. Temperature?? Find out why! Read SHIVER. For ages 14 and up. - Elane

$7.99
ISBN-13: 9780439755207
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Scholastic Paperbacks, 9/2006
Jordan Sonnenblick knows just the right amount of wry humor and sarcastic wit to add to leaven the tension in his otherwise serious novels.  His interior monologues for 13-year-old Steven, foundering through 8th grade as his parents deal with a family medical crisis, are pitch perfect. For ages 12 and up.--Rosemary

$17.00
ISBN-13: 9780152066093
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Harcourt Children's Books, 4/2009

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


$39.95
ISBN-13: 9781858944913
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Merrell, 10/2009

"Books add color and warmth to any room," says a designer I know.  This  book validates that assertion. Sumptious photographs show books warming up every room in the house, as well as other spaces.  And if you have books, you need shelving and storage solutions.  Here are designs to inspire envy. 

If you love books, you will drool over this one.  Look at pages 66-67, my idea of heaven. - Carol