The committee has chosen several excellent books that are appropriate for mature teenagers. The following list is posted exclusively on this website.
Books from 2007:
Blood Brothers
Boy Toy
Doing It Right: Making Smart, Safe, and Satisfying Choices About Sex
Faith & Doubt: An Anthology of Poems
Good Girls
M Is For Magic
Me, Penelope My Mother the Cheerleader
Notes on a Near-Life Experience
Sisters in Sanity
Tasting the Sky: A Palestinian Childhood
What They Found: Love on 145th Street
Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath ____________________________________________________________________ Books from 2006: The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl Circle the Soul Softly Clay The Concise Nature Encyclopedia Maybe The Melting Season The Queen of Cool Racing: The Ultimate Motorsports Encyclopedia Raiders Night Set in Stone Sharp North Sold Sparrow Stay with Me Surrender The Taker Books from 2005:
all rivers flow to the sea amazing grace anyone but you: Boy Girl Boy The Boyfriend List A Certain Slant of Light Do You Know the Monkey Man? Girls Dinner Club The Goodness Gene Karoo Boy Magic or Madness Montmorency on the Rocks The Perfect Distance: The Perfect Shot Pinned Prom A Room on Lorelei Street Storky:How I Lost My Nickname and Won the Girl Strong At the Heart: Theories of Relativity Things Left Unsaid: Turn to Stone Upstream Zap; a Play Zoo ____________________________________________________________________ Books from 2004:
Bound Fat Boy Swim Fighting the Current First Daughters The Flame Tree Fleshmarket Godless Luna: a novel Margaux with an X Son of the Mob: Hollywood Hustle
by S. A. Harazin
(Delacorte, $15.99)
978-0-385-73364-9
Suspicion and disloyalty threaten the long friendship of two boys when one of them overdoses at a party.
by Barry Lyga
(HMC, $16.95)
978-0-618-72393-5
Molested by a teacher at thirteen, Josh needs five years to relinquish his guilt and reestablish his relationship with Rachel.
by Bronwen Pardes
(Simon Pulse, $14.99)
978-1-4169-1823-3
An in-depth, honest and conversational presentation of information and advice.
edited by Patrice Vecchione
(Henry Holt, $16.95)
978-0-8050-8213-5
A diverse group of authors offers the variety of their experiences. Excellent biographical sketches.
by Laura Ruby
(HarperTempest, $16.99) '06
978-0-06-088223-5
Sixteen-year-old Audrey learns the hard way about the cruelty of teen relationships and grows immensely in the process.
by Neil Gaiman, ill. by Teddy Kristiansen
(HarperCollins, $17.89)
978-0-06-118545-5
In these intriguing short stories, supernatural events create unexpected happenings.
by Lisa Jahn-Clough
(HMC, $16.00)
978-0-618-77366-4
Sixteen-year-old Penelope, looking for love but settling for sex, is determined to graduate from high school early.
by Robert Sharenow
(HarperCollins, $17.89)
978-0-06-114897-2
Thirteen-year-old Louise discovers the harsh results of bigotry in 1960s New Orleans when her school is forced to integrate.
by Olivia Birdsall
(Delacorte, $15.99)
978-0-385-73370-0
Fifteen-year-old Mia and her two siblings try to cope with the family˙≠s disintegration when their father suddenly moves out.
by Gayle Forman
(HarperTeen, $17.89)
978-0-06-088748-3
Sixteen-year-old Brit is sent to a boot-camp-style treatment center where learning whom you can really trust is key to surviving.
by Ibtisam Barakat
(FSG, $16.00)
978-0-374-35733-7
A young girl and her family must leave home during the Six-Day War. Disturbing, but beautifully written.
by Walter Dean Myers
(Wendy Lamb, $15.99)
978-0-385-32138-9
15 intertwined short stories describe the hope and despair of neighborhood residents in Harlem and the power of love that shines through.
by Stephanie Hemphill
(Knopf, $15.99)
978-0-375-83799-9
Written from the point of view of many of Plath˙≠s acquaintances, taut yet lyrical poems illumine her life. Source notes and bibliography.
by Barry Lyga
(HMC, $16.95)
0-618-72392-7
A comic book "geek" forms an unlikely friendship with a troubled girl and is able to deal with the hardships of his life at home and at school. (14+)
by Davida Wills Hurwin
(HarperCollins, $16.89)
0-06-077506-8
Katie moves to a new school and finds new friends in the drama group. But old problems and memories resurface and must be addressed. (12+)
by David Almond
(Delacorte, $15.95)
0-385-73171-X
An altar boy questions his life, family and beliefs when a new boy reveals a terrifying secret. (12+)
by Davie Burnie
(Kingfisher, $14.95)
0-7534-5949-3
Easy-to-understand text exploring major plant and animal groups with brilliant photographs. (12-14)
by Brent Runyon
(Knopf, $16.95)
0-375-83543-1
Sixteen-year-old Brian's attempts to cope with the loss of his brother while adjusting to a new high school. (14+)
by Celeste Conway
(Delacorte, $15.95)
0-385-73339-9
Giselle comes to terms with her parents' ballet legacy and her own talent as a dancer. (14+)
by Cecil Castellucci
(Candlewick, $15.99)
0-7636-2720-8
A zoo internship enables a popular teenager to see life differently. Wonderful dialogue. (14+)
by Clive Gifford
(Kingfisher, $19.95)
0-7534-6040-8
An exhaustive overview capturing its action-packed quality. Well designed and colorfully illustrated. (14+)
by Robert Lipsyte
(HarperCollins, $15.99)
0-06-059946-4
Matt, a senior on the football team, confronts moral and loyalty issues when he witnesses a violent team hazing incident. (14+)
by Linda Newbery
(David Fickling Books, $16.95)
0-385-75102-8
A young man, hired as an art tutor for two teenage girls, uncovers the very dark secrets of their family. (14+)
by Patrick Cave
(Atheneum, $16.95)
1-4169-1222-3
Mira is determined to change the dangerous and inhospitable future world. (15+)
by Patricia McCormick
(Hyperion, $15.99)
0-7868-5171-6
The heartbreaking story of a young Nepali girl and the people working to rescue and rehabilitate others like her. (14+) Mature
by Sherri L. Smith
(Delacorte, $15.95)
0-385-73324-0
When the grandmother who raised her dies, Kendall goes on a search for her only other living relative, Aunt Janet. (14+)
by Garret Freymann-Weyr
(HMC, $16.00)
0-618-60571-1
A sixteen-year-old dyslexic deals with loss, love and coping with her strengths and weaknesses. Sensitive and beautifully written. (14+)
by Sonya Hartnett
(Candlewick, $16.99)
0-7636-2768-2
A lonely boy with harsh parents, uncaring neighbors and bullying classmates is saved by a mysterious companion. (14+)
by J.M. Steele
(Hyperion, $15.99)
0-7868-4930-4
Carly's world is turned upside-down when she considers cheating on the SATs and has to make some tough choices. (14+)
by Alison McGhee
(Candlewick, $15.99)
0-76362591-4
When a terrible accident changes Rose's life, she (and others) deal with profound life issues. (15+)
by Megan Shull
(Hyperion, $15.99)
078685690-4
When a teen tennis super-star decides to retire, the transition is more surprising (and positive) than she expects. (14+)
a novel in two voices
by Lara M. Zeises
(Delacorte, $15.95)
0-385-73145-0
Tee has her senior year in high school and her life mapped out--until her father's accident, a new friend and her mother's return change everything. (14+)
by Ron Koertge
(Harcourt, $16.00)
0-15-205325-5
As their sexual identities and personalities mature, three friends realize who they are and want to be after high school. (12-14)
by E. Lockhart
(Delacorte, $15.95)
0-385-73206-6
Friendships, boys, parent! Life can get very complicated, but Ruby finds that therapy really can help. (14+)
by Laura Whitcomb
(HMC, $P8.99)
0-618-58532-X
Helen meets Billy 130 years after her death. How can he alone see her? (14+)
by Dori Hillestad Butler
(Peachtree, $14.95)
1-56145-340-4
Samanthah's search for her absent father uncovers long-buried family secrets, including the fate of her twin. (14+)
by Jessie Elliot
(HarperCollins, $16.89)
0-06-059540-X
Three ethnically diverse Brooklyn high school girls become friends while cooking dinner together. (14+)
by Sonia Levitin
(Dutton, $16.99)
0-525-47397-1
Futuristic adventure addresses major ethical and existential concerns.
by Troy Blacklaws
(Harcourt, $P13.00)
0-15-603065-9
A fourteen-year-old copes with first love, tragedy and new hope in apartheid South Africa. (12-14)
by Justine Larbalestier
(Penguin , $16.99)
1-59514-022-0
Reason learns about her inherited magical abilities. Set in contemporary Sydney and New York. (14+)
by Eleanor Updale
(Orchard, $16.95)
0-439-60676-4
Second in the series, Montmorency and Dr. Fawcett team up to solve a mystery. (14+)
A Novel
by Kim Ablon Whitney
(Knopf, $15.95)
0-375-83243-2
Francie is determined to excel at show riding despite numerous challenges. (14+)
by Elaine Marie Alphin
(Carolrhoda, $16.95)
1-57505-862-6
In the aftermath of the murder of his girlfriend, Brian's passion for basketball helps, but grappling with injustice makes the real difference. (14+)
by Alfred C. Martino
(Harcourt, $17.00)
0-15-205355-7
Two high school seniors battle for the New Jersey State wrestling championship. A gripping tale. (15+) Mature
by Laurie Halse Anderson
(Viking, $16.99)
0-670-05974-9
Ashley has no interest in the prom--but when it is threatened with cancellation, she comes to the rescue to help her best friend. (14+)
by Mary E. Pearson
(Henry Holt, $16.95)
0-8050-7667-0
Seventeen-year-old Zoe's life has revolved around taking care of her alcoholic mother. Now she is struggling against guilt and habit for independence. (15+)
by D.L. Garfinkle
(Putnam, $16.99)
0-399-24284-8
Michael comes to terms with his intelligence, his changing family situation and his burgeoning interest in girls. (14-16)
How it feels to heal from sexual abuse
by Carolyn Lehman, photos
(FSG, $18.00)
0-374-37282-9
Moving stories of childhood sexual abuse and long-term recovery issues related by teens and young adults.
by Barbara Haworth-Attard
(Henry Holt, $16.95)
0-8050-7790-1
Dylan lives on the streets when his family turns him away, but he is determined to lead a better life. (12-14)
A Novel in Poems
by Stephanie Hemphill
(Hyperion, $16.99)
0-7868-1850-6
Struggling to free herself from her bond with a disturbed friend, Sarah develops her own strength. (14+)
by Philip Gross
(Dial, $16.99)
0-8037-3005-5
A sixteen-year-old runaway in London is willingly recruited into Antonin's school for street mimes, but he finds that leaving is another story. (14+)
by Melissa Lion
(Random, $15.95)
0-385-74643-1
Struggling to deal with the accidental death of her boyfriend, Marty is helped by her supportive family, her teacher and her dream of becoming a marine biologist. (14+)
by Paul Fleischman
(Candlewick, $16.99)
076362774-7
A play comprised of seven different plays in a staccato rendering interrupted by the "zap" of the remote. (14+)
by Graham Marks
(Bloomsbury, $P8.95)
1-58234-991-6
After seventeen-year-old Cam Stewart escapes from kidnappers, a dangerous adventure leads him to question his identity. (14+)
Donna Jo Napoli
(Atheneum, $16.95)
0-689-86175-3
In ancient China, Xing Xing must serve a cruel stepmother, until she plans an escape. Graphic scenes. (12-14)
by Catherine Forde
(Delacorte, $15.95)
0-385-73205-8
A new coach teaches Jimmy, obese and cruelly bullied, to swim, changing his life in many ways. (14+)
by Heather Waldorf
(Lobster Press, $19.95)
189422293-8
Tee has her senior year in high school and her life mapped out--until her father's accident, a new friend and her mother's return change everything. (14+)
by by Gerard W. Gawalt, and Ann G. Gawalt
(Black Dog and Leventhal, $17.95)
1-57912-370-8
The Library of Congress collection of private lettters from U.S. Presidents to their daughters provide some interesting insights into the the relationships of the American leaders. (15+)
by Richard Lewis
(S&S, $16.95)
0-689-86333-0
In the aftermath of an anti-american riot on Java, Islamic fundamentalists try to convert the captured young son of Christian missionary doctors. (14+)
by Nicola Morgan
(Delacorte, $15.95)
0-385-73154-X
In 1800s Edinburgh, Robbie becomes obsessed with the surgeon whose brutal operation precedes his mother's death, bringing ruin to the family. Historically based. (14+)
by Pete Hautman
(S&S, $15.95)
0-689-86278-4
Sixteen-year-old Jason grapples with religious, social, peer influence, and identity issues in this thought provoking novel. (14+)
by Julie Anne Peters
(Little, $16.95)
0-316-73369-5
Regan tries to understand and support her older brother as he comes to terms with his sexual identity in this story of a transgendered teen. (14+)
by Ron Koertge
(Candlewick, $15.99)
076362401-2
Beautiful, popular Margaux finds a soul-mate in Danny Riley, a "dweeby" loner and animal rescue enthusiast. (14+) Mature
by Gordon Korman
(Hyperion, $15.99)
078680918-3
While at college in Los Angeles, Vince and Kendra encounter labor unions, organized crime, a corrupt congressman, and a student grant money scandal. Sequel to Son of the Mob. (14+)