Nominations
Updated Nov. 4, 2008
Fiction
Adlington, L.J. Cherry Heaven. HarperCollins. 2008. 978-0-06-143181-4 $16.99
Two sisters move to a seemingly idyllic home on the frontier of their planet. It’s been ten years since the murders at Cherry Heaven, but revenge is now imminent.
Adoff, Jaime. The Death of Jayson Porter. Hyperion/Jump at the Sun. 2008.
978-1-4231-0691-3 $15.99
Surrounded by poverty, abuse and neglect, sixteen-year-old Jayson Porter finds himself increasingly drawn to an alternative: what if he jumped from the 18th floor of his apartment building?
Ain, Beth Levine. The Revolution of Sabine. Candlewick. 2008. 978-0-7636-3396-7 $16.99
Sabine Duraund lives in the 1776 French era of elaborate balls, beautiful dresses and the trappings of aristocratic society but childhood friend Michel exposes her to revolutionary ideas.
Almond, David. The Savage. Candlewick. 2008. 978-0-7636-3932-7 $17.99
Blue Baker is writing a story about a wild savage living in the woods…at least he thinks it’s a story. When realities shift, the reader must discern what really happened.
Anderson, Laurie Halse. Chains. Simon & Schuster. 2008. 978-1-4169-0585-1 $16.99
Slaves Isabel and younger sister Ruthie are sold to harsh Loyalists at the beginning of the Revolutionary War. Isabel must decide to be loyal or spy for the American patriots.
Anderson, M.T. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation: Vol. II: The Kingdom on the Waves. Candlewick. 2008. 978-0-7636-2950-2 $22.99 Having escaped from his captors, Octavian joins the Royal Ethiopian Regiment of the British Army in 1775 Boston when they promise freedom to any slave who fights the rebel forces.
Baldini, Michelle and Biederman, Lynn. Unraveling. Random House/Delacorte. 2008. 978-0-375-84900-8 $12.95
Amanda's dreams come true when senior hottie Rick asks her to the homecoming dance, but the offer comes with a catch: her virginity.
Barkley, Brad and Hepler, Heather. Jars of Glass. Penguin/Dutton. 2008. 978-0-525-47911-6 $16.99
In alternating chapters, sisters Chloe and Shana reveal the truth of the mental breakdown of their mother and how it has affected their family.
Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. The Boy Who Dared. Scholastic. 2008. 978-0-439-68013-4 $16.99
Told through flashbacks, this is a fictionalized biography of German teenager Helmuth Hubener, who was imprisoned and executed in 1942 for openly resisting the Nazis.
Baskin, Nora Raleigh. All We Know of Love. Candlewick. 2008. 978-0-7636-3623-4 $16.99
Natalie’s mother walked out in midsentence four years ago. Natalie sets off on a 24 hour bus trip to find her mother, herself and the meaning of love.
Bauer, Michael. The Running Man. HarperCollins. 2008. 978-0-06-145508-7 $16.99
Rumor has it that the reclusive man next door must have done something really, really terrible. Joseph must overcome his fear and draw him for a school art project.
Beaufrand, Mary Jane. Primavera. Little, Brown and Co. 2008. 978-0-316-01644-5 $16.99
Flora's father is plotting to unseat the Medici family in Renaissance Florence. She must choose her allies wisely in order to stay alive as murder and chaos unfold around her.
Bell, Hilari. The Last Knight. HarperCollins. 2007. 978-0-06-082503-4 $16.99
An anachronistic knight errant takes a criminal as squire, mistakenly frees a woman charged with murdering her husband (brother to his father's liege), and becomes captive in her keep.
Bell, Julia. Dirty Work. Walker. 2007. 978-0-8027-9741-4 $16.95
A chance encounter with a Russian girl leads 15-year-old Hope, daughter of a wealthy English businessman, into the nightmarish world of a prostitution ring with little chance of escape.
Benway, Robin. Audrey, Wait! Penguin/Razorbill. 2008. 978-1-59514-191-0 $16.99
Audrey's ex-boyfriend records a hit song about their breakup, and suddenly all eyes (and cameras) are on Audrey. Fans, Facebook, and tabloids - it's all too much for Audrey.
Bertagna, Julie. Exodus. Walker. 2008. 978-0-8027-9745-2 $16.95
Fifteen-year-old Mara is thrust into a savior's role in the dystopian society of New Mungo, a city flooded after decades of extreme global warming.
Blundell, Judy. What I Saw and How I Lied. Scholastic. 2008. 978-0-439-90346-2 $16.99
When Evie’s father returns from the war, she expects life to return to normal but a mysterious trip to Florida, secrets, deceptions, and a first forbidden love complicates things.
Bodeen, S.A. Compound. Feiwel and Friends. 2008. 978-0-312-37015-2 $16.95
Eli's billionaire megalomaniac father fakes the death of his family and seals them in an underground compound, believing that nuclear war is imminent.
Booth, Coe. Kendra. Scholastic/Push. 2008. 978-0-439-92536-5 $16.99
Kendra is thrilled her mom, Renee, has completed her Ph.D. program—now they can finally be a real family. But is Renee excited for their future together, too?
Bradbury, Jennifer. Shift. Simon & Schuster/Atheneum. 2008. 978-1-4169-4732-5 $16.99
Chris and Win take a bicycle trip across America after graduation, but only one returns and that person is pressured to reveal what happened.
Bray, Libba. The Sweet Far Thing. Delacorte. 2007. 978-0-385-73030-3 $17.99
Gemma Doyle returns to Spence Academy and the Realms to experience magic, suspense and vengeance in this conclusion of the Gemma Doyle Trilogy.
Brooks, Kevin. Black Rabbit Summer. Scholastic/Chicken House. 2008. 978-0-545-05752-3 $17.99
An unsettling reunion of five childhood friends leads to the disappearance of two teenagers and leaves Pete at the center of the police investigation.
Brothers, Meagan. Debby Harry Sings in French. Henry Holt. 2008. 978-0-8050-8080-3 $16.95
After Johnny’s dad dies in a car accident and an unintentional drug overdose lands him in the hospital, he moves in with an uncle, gets a girlfriend, and starts to explore his interest in cross-dressing.
Bruchac, Joseph. March Toward the Thunder. Penguin/Dial. 2008. 978-0-8037-3188-2 $16.99
A 15 year old Abenaki boy joins the Union Army to gain respect and financial security but finds war more complicated than he expected as he deals with cultural and racial prejudice.
Bryant, Jen. Ringside 1925: Views from the Scopes Trial. Alfred A. Knopf. 2008. 978-0-375-84047-0 $15.99
Visitors, spectators, and residents of Dayton, Tennessee, in 1925 describe in a series of free-verse poems the Scopes "monkey trial" and its effects on that small town and its citizens.
Buckhanon, Kalisha. Conception. St. Martin’s. 2008. 978-0-312-33270-9. $21.95
When 15-year-old Shivana Montgomery becomes pregnant by an older married man, she struggles to carve out a hopeful path to escape a life of challenge and destitution.
Bunce, Elizabeth. A Curse Dark as Gold. Scholastic. 2008. 978-0-439-89576-7 $17.99
When young Charlotte Miller takes over the family's woolen mill after her father's death, she is faced with unexpected debts, catastrophes, and a hidden curse that threatens her family's future.
Cadnum, Michael. The King’s Arrow. Viking. 2008. 978-0-670-063314 $16.99
King William II of England, son of the Conqueror, lies dead of an arrow shot through his chest while on a stag hunt. How could this have come to pass?
Caletti, Deb. The Fortunes of Indigo Skye. Simon & Schuster. 2008. 978-1-1469-1007-7
$15.99
At 18, Indigo wants no more out of life than to be a waitress and give people food, until a customer gives her $2,500,000. Can she stand the changes?
Carlson, Lori Marie. Voices in First Person: Reflections on Latino Identity. 2008. 978-1-4169-0635-3 $15.99
This collection of short monologues by well-known contemporary Latino authors gives voice to the varied experiences of Latino teens in America.
Carvell, Marlene. Caught Between the Pages. Penguin/Dutton. 2008. 978-0-525-47916-1 $16.99
PJ struggles with his bullying soccer captain and coach, three drug dealers, his demanding teacher whose personal journal is in his backpack...and his conscience.
Cashore, Kristin. Graceling. Harcourt. 2008. 978-0-15-206396-2 $17.00
Katsa was born with ability to kill men with her bare hands but can she find moral courage to stand up to evil rulers and fight for what is right?
Cohn, Rachel. You Know Where to Find Me. Simon & Schuster. 2008. 978-0-689-87859-6 $15.99
They grew up together, cousins who were more like sisters, until Laura commits suicide and leaves 17-year-old Miles overwhelmed by grief and feeling completely alone.
Colfer, Eoin. Airman. Hyperion. 2008. 978-1-4231-0750-7 $17.99
Conor Broekhart spends his days dreaming of flying hot air balloons and inventing flying machines until murder and court intrigue sends him to prison and labor in the diamond mines.
Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. Scholastic. 2008. 978-0-439-02348-1 $17.99
Katniss has been providing for her family since her father died, but is she strong enough to win the Hunger Games, a deadly competition that can have only one winner?
Conner, Leslie. Waiting for Normal. HarperCollins. 2008. 978-0-06-089088-9 $16.99
Left to live in an old trailer under the overhead train track with Mommers, Addie is the child that has to learn to take care of herself. She almost succeeds.
Crossley-Holland, Kevin. Crossing to Paradise. Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine. 2008. 978-0-545-05866-7 $17.99
Gatty is chosen to work for Lady Gwyneth and embarks on a Holy Land Crusade with a band of lively comrades facing hardships and depravations she never imagined.
de la Pena, Matt. Mexican WhiteBoy. Delacorte. 2008. 978-0-385-73310-6 $15.00
Half white, half Mexican and 100% confused, Danny struggles with baseball, his absent father and first love while spending the summer with his familia in San Diego.
Dessen, Sarah. Lock and Key. Penguin. 2008. 978-0-670-01088-2 $18.99
When Ruby's alcoholic mother abandons her, Ruby is sent to live with her sister, Cora, whom she hasn't seen in years.
Doctorow, Cory. Little Brother. Tom Doherty. 2008. 978-0-7653-1985-2 $17.95
There's been another major terrorist attack and the Department of Homeland Security has clamped down big time. It's up to Marcus, computer geek, to save everyone from this police state.
Dole, Mayra Lazara. Down to the Bone. HarperCollins. 2008. 978-0-06-084311-3 $16.99
Laura’s life changes the day her Cuban-American community discovers she is a lesbian, but with courage and strength, she is able to find pride in her identity.
Dowd, Siobhan. Bog Child. Random House/David Fickling Books. 2008. 978-0-385-75169-8
$16.99
When Fergus and his uncle find the body of a girl buried in the peat bog near their home, all sorts of troubles comes to light.
Dowd, Siobhan. The London Eye Mystery. David Fickling/Random House. 2008. 978-0-375-84976-3 $15.99
When their cousin Salim disappears into thin air during a ride on the London Eye ferris wheel, Ted and his sister Kat try to solve.
Dowell, Frances O'Roark. Shooting the Moon. Simon & Schuster/Atheneum. 2008. 978-1-4169-2690-0 $16.99
When Jamie’s brother TJ, an Army medic, sends film home from Vietnam for her to develop, she begins to see that war is very different from what she’d imagined.
Feldman, Jody. The Gollywhopper Games. HarperCollins. 2008. 978-0-06-121450-9 $16.99
Gil knows winning the Gollywhopper Games will take knowledge, athleticism, creativity, and the ability to put the past behind him. All of which he can do…right?
Fleischman, Sid. The Entertainer and the Dybbuk. HarperCollins. 2007. 978-0-06-134445-9 $16.99
The Great Freddie, a second-rate ventriloquist, is inhabited by the spirit of a 12-year-old Jewish boy killed in the Holocaust.
Fletcher, Christine. Ten Cents a Dance. Bloomsbury. 2008. 978-1-59990-164-0 $16.95
Ruby wants to support her family, but when her taxi dancing causes problems she could not have anticipated, it will take all of her strength to come out on top.
Freitas, Donna. The Possibilities of Sainthood.Farrar, Straus, & Giroux/Frances Foster Books. 2008. 978-0-374-36087-0 $16.95
An Italian Catholic teen and her mother are devoted to their faith and each other, but they are unbelievably naive until events make them wake up and see life.
Gaiman, Neil. The Graveyard Book. HarperCollins. 2008. 978-0-06-053092-1 $17.99
This often chilling story describes the life of a boy growing up in a graveyard as he is looked after by ghosts and a mysterious guardian.
Galante, Cecilia. The Patron Saint of Butterflies. Bloomsbury. 2008. 978-1-59990-249-4 $16.99
Agnes and Honey have grown up together under the “protection” of a religious commune but when physical abuse escalates, they make a bolt for freedom.
Garden, Joe, et al. The Dangerous Book for Dogs: A Parody by Rex and Sparky. Random House. 2007. 978-0-345-50370-1 $15.95
Written by Rex and Sparky, this tongue in cheek manual instructs dogs on essential insights into canine/human relations and personal hygiene tips like "Living with Creatures That Live on You."
Gardner, Sally. The Red Necklace: A Story of the French Revolution. Penguin/Dial. 2008. 978-0-8037-3100-4 $16.99
During the French Revolution, Yann a 14-year-old magician's assistant, witnesses the death of his employer and the evil that ensues.
Geerling, Marjetta. Fancy White Trash. Penguin/Viking. 2008. 978-0-670-01082-0 $16.99
Abby Savage is determined not to be like her mother and sisters-each became pregnant as teens-but her only confidant is Cody who has his own sexual issues.
George, Jessica Day. Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow. Bloomsbury. 2008. 978-1-59990-109-1 $16.95
A woodcutter's daughter agrees to live with a great white bear after he promises her impoverished family fabulous wealth. When he disappears, she begins an arduous quest for him.
George, Madeleine. Looks. Viking. 2008. 978-0-670-06167-9 $16.99
Meghan, the invisible fat girl, and Aimee, overlooked and anorexic, form an uneasy alliance to get revenge on a mutual enemy.
Giff, Patricia Reilly. Eleven. Wendy Lamb/Random House. 2008. 978-0-385-73069-3 $15.99
While looking for hidden birthday presents in the attic, Sam finds evidence that suggests he may have been kidnapped by the man he's always known as his grandfather.
Gilman, David. The Devil’s Breath. Delacorte. 2008. 978-0-385-73560-5 $16.99
An assassin has just tried to kill Max Gordon at his remote boarding school and his father is missing in Africa. There is one clue: the word Farentino.
Godbersen, Anna. Luxe. HarperCollins. 2007. 978-0-06-134567-8 $17.99
Set in Manhattan in 1899, the Holland sisters and their friends reveal the secrets of upper crust society in this lush historical romance.
Golding, Julia. The Diamond of Drury Lane: A Cat Royal Adventure. Roaring Brook. 2008. 978-1-59643-351-9 $16.95
Set in the seedy streets of lower class Victorian London, Cat Royal, an orphan living in the Drury Theater, is determined to uncover the secret of a hidden diamond.
Golding, Theresa Martin. Niner. Boyds Mills Press. 2008. 978-1-59078-549-2 $16.95
A broken locket may be a sign from Macey’s missing adoptive mother, but instead it leads Macey into a dangerous situation with her sister, their friends, and a sinister stranger.
Gonzalez, Julie. Imaginary Enemy. Random House. 2008. 978-0-385-73552-0 $15.99
Most kids have an imaginary friend, but Jane is stuck with "Bubba," her imaginary enemy. After years of sending him hate mail, she is quite surprised when Bubba writes back.
Goodman, Allegra. The Other Side of the Island. Razorbill. 2008. 978-1-59514-195-8 $16.99
When Honor’s parents are removed from the colony on Island 365 for their subversive activities, Honor must protect her brother and find her parents.
Grant, Michael. Gone. HarperCollins. 2008. 978-0-06-144876-8 $17.99
In a small coastal town, everyone over the age of 14 suddenly disappears, leaving young teenagers, some of whom have special powers, in charge.
Green, John. Paper Towns. Penguin/Dutton. 2008. 978-0-25-47818-8 $17.99
Quentin idolizes next door neighbor, Margo Roth Spiegelman. When she includes him in a wild night of revenge and then disappears, Q must follow the clues to find her.
Griffin, Paul. Ten Mile River. Penguin/Dial. 2008. 978-0-8037-3284-1 $16.99
Ray and Jose have left behind foster care and juvenile detention to live on their own in New York City in this gritty story of survival and friendship.
Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Uprising. Simon & Schuster. 2007. 978-1-4169-1171-5 $16.99
Three young women defy tradition, risk jail and struggle for equality in a world dominated by men during the 1909 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory strike. Then a horrifying fire ignites.
Halam, Ann. Snakehead. Random House/Wendy Lamb. 2008. 978-0-375-84108-8 $16.99
Perseus and Andromeda, caught up in the dealings of a jealous group of Supernaturals—the gods of Greek myths—embark on a quest to confront the monstrous Medusa.
Halpern, Julie. Get Well Soon. Feiwel and Friends. 2007. 978-0-312-36795-4 $16.95
When Anna's parents commit her to a mental hospital, she begins to see herself more fully and discovers the first real community of friends she's ever known.
Halpin, Brendan. Forever Changes. Farrar, Straus & Giroux. 2008. 978-0-374-32436-0 $16.95
Brianna Pelletier takes comfort in the complexities of math while trying to figure out how to plan for a future she might not have.
Harmon, Michael. The Last Exit to Normal. Alfred A. Knopf. 2008. 978-0-375-94098-9 $18.99
To get him on the right track, Ben Campbell's dad and stepdad accompany him to Montana, where he encounters small town life, homophobia, an abused boy, and a special girl.
Hartnett, Sonya. Ghost’s Child. Candlewick. 2008. 978-0-7636-3964-8 $16.99
A young boy appears inside Maddy's house and she feels compelled to tell him the fantastic tale of her life.
Harris, Joanne. Runemarks. Alfred A. Knopf. 2008. 978-0-375-84444-7 $18.99
Outcast Maddy has only the mysterious One-Eye as a friend. Magic, along with the Good Folk, cease to be important but what about the runemark on her palm?
Hearn, Julie. Ivy: A Novel. Simon and Schuster. 2008. 978-1-4169-2506-4 $17.99
Ivy, a child of the streets, does not understand what is about to befall her when her ethereal beauty attracts an artist’s attention.
Hernandez, David. Suckerpunch. HarperCollins. 2008. 978-0-06-117330-1 $16.99
The guilt that Marcus feels because he couldn't keep his father from beating his brother Enrique compels him to go along when Enrique seeks answers - and maybe revenge.
Hesse, Karen. Brooklyn Bridge. Feiwel and Friends. 2008. 978-0-312-37886-8 $16.95
Joseph's immigrant parents' successful business keeps him too busy to visit the new Coney Island amusement park everyone's talking about. When he finally is there, a tragic mystery is resolved.
Heuston, Kimberley. The Book of Jude. Front Street. 2008. 978-1-932425-26-0 $17.95
Since her family's move to Prague, Jude finds it increasingly difficult to cope with the shadows that lurk in the corners of her mind and threaten to envelop her.
Hijuelos, Oscar. Dark Dude. Simon & Schuster. 2008. 978-1-4169-4804-9 $16.99
Tired of taking abuse for being a light-skinned Cuban in his drug-infested Harlem neighborhood, Rico follows a friend to rural Wisconsin, where he struggles with his Latino identity.
Holt, Simon. The Devouring. Little, Brown and Company. 2008. 978-0-316-03573-6 $16.99
Fifteen-year-old Reggie believes the Vours, who devour souls on the eve of winter solstice, have taken over her younger brother and she’s determined to get him back.
Hooper, Mary. Newes from the Dead: Being a True Story of Anne Green, Hanged for Infanticide at Oxford Assizes in 1650, Restored to the World and Died Again 1665. Roaring Brook Press. 2008. 978-1-596433557 $16.95
Having been publicly hanged (and declared dead) for murdering her illegitimate fetus, Anne Greene awoke on the table where she was to be dissected and was restored to life.
Hopkins, Ellen. Identical. Simon & Schuster. 2008. 978-1-4169-5005-9 $17.99
Identical twins ReAnne and Kaleigh live a life full of deep dark secrets, and it's beginning to put their lives in danger.
Horvath, Polly. My One Hundred Adventures. Random House/Schwartz & Wade. 2008.
978-0-375-84582-6 $16.99
Twelve-year-old Jane is restless and wishes for adventure. Beginning with the arrival of a man her mother calls “your father”, Jane’s summer is filled with surprises and complications.
Jenkins, A.M. Night Road. HarperCollins. 2008. 978-0-06-054604-5 $16.99
Eighteen-year-old Gordon, a heme or blood feeder, must learn the rules of his new life while on a road trip with Cole and Sandor.
Jocelyn, Marthe. Would You. Random House/Wendy Lamb. 2008. 978-0-375-83703-6 $15.99
The two sisters have always been unusually close, but after an accident that leaves Claire in a coma, Natalie is left with just her grief and too many unanswered questions.
Johnson, Maureen. Suite Scarlett. Scholastic/Point. 2008. 978-0-439-89927-7 $16.99
The keys to a hotel suite and the responsibility to care for the room and its occupant—the wealthy and eccentric Amy Amberson—turn Scarlett's summer into a major challenge.
Jones, Diana Wynn. House of Many Ways. Greenwillow. 2008. 978-0-061-47795-9 $17.99
As housesitter for the Royal Wizard Norland, Charmain confronts a house that bends space and time, her own magical powers, an evil monster, and the kingdom's financial crisis.
Jordan, Hillary. Mudbound. Algonquin. 2008. 978-1-56512-569-8 $21.95
Two young heroes return to their neighboring families after World War II. Jamie is haunted by horrors of war, Ronsel by horrors of the segregated South.
Juby, Susan. Another Kind of Cowboy. HarperCollins. 2007. 978-0-06-076518-7 $16.99
When horse-crazy Alex finally gets a chance to switch from western pleasure to dressage, he feels more in tune with both his riding and his overall identity.
Kadohata, Cynthia. Outside Beauty. Simon & Schuster. 2008. 978-0-689-86575-6 $16.99
Four close sisters must go live with their four respective fathers while their beauty-obsessed mother recovers from an accident that scarred her face.
Kasischke, Laura. Feathered. HarperTeen. 2008. 978-0-06-081318-5 $17.89
Terri, Anne and Michelle head to Cancun for a week of sun, guys and fancy drinks, but the trip quickly ends in tragedy when Michelle disappears.
Katcher, Brian. Playing With Matches. Random House/Delacorte. 2008. 978-0-385-73544-5 $15.99
Leon Sanders is a loser until an extremely disfigured girl makes him feel special. Should he stay with her or be lured away by the girl of his dreams?
Kennedy, James. The Order of Odd-Fish. Random/Delacorte. 2008. 978-0-385-90524-4 $18.99
During the annual Christmas party Jo Larounche meets a Russian Colonel and a talking cockroach dressed to the nines. Thus begins the odd story of how Jo became "dangerous."
Kephart, Beth. House of Dance. Harper Teen. 2008. 978-0-06-142928-6. $16.99
Fifteen year old Rosie must find a way to deal with her grandfather's dying of cancer and reconnect with her distant mother.
Kephart, Beth. Undercover. HarperTeen. 2007. 978-0-06-123893-2 $16.99
With her gift for poetry, Elisa writes romantic lines for boys to send to other girls, until one winter when she realizes she loves one of these boys.
Kibuishi, Kazu. Amulet: Book 1: The Stone Keeper. Scholastic/Graphix. 2008. 978-0-439-84680-6 $21.99 Emily and her brother Navin descend into a dark and dangerous world below their great grandfather's mansion hoping to save their mother, who's been kidnapped by a large creature with tentacles.
Kluger, Steve. My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins, and Fenway Park. Penguin. 2008. 978-0-8037-3227-8 $16.99
Augie, Alé and Anthony make unlikely friends, but with help from each other, the three high school freshmen survive heartbreak, find first loves and discover their callings.
Koertge, Ron. Deadville. Candlewick. 2008. 978-0-7636-3580-0 $16.99
Sixteen-year-old Ryan put his life on hold following his sister’s death from brain cancer. Now he’s compelled to visit Charlotte, a girl he barely knows, hospitalized and in a coma.
Lanagan, Margo. Tender Morsels. Random House/Alfred A. Knopf. 2008.
978-0-375-84811-7 $16.99
Liga has suffered unspeakable assaults and creates a magic, safe haven for herself and her two daughters, but the real world intrudes and they cope with beauty mixed with brutality.
Landman, Tanya. I Am Apache. Candlewick. 2008. 978-0-7636-3664-7 $17.99
When Siki, an Apache girl, watches her brother die at the hands of Mexican raiders, she turns away from the traditional woman’s path and seeks to become a warrior to avenge her brother’s death.
Le Guin, Ursula K. Lavinia. Harcourt. 2008. 978-0-15-101424-8 $24.00
In the centuries before the founding of Rome, Lavinia is a princess of Latium who begins a war when she is promised, because of an oracle, to the stranger Aeneas.
Lecesne, James. Absolute Brightness. HarperCollins. 2008. 978-0-06-125628-8 $17.99
Flamboyant, outrageous, fourteen-year-old cousin Leonard covers his own sorrows and brings hope and new beginnings to Phoebe's troubled family until the day of his mysterious disappearance.
Les Becquets, Diane. Season of Ice. Bloomsbury. 2008. 978-1-59990-063-6 $16.95
Genesis can’t believe her father is really dead after his empty boat is found on near-frozen Moosehead Lake. Genesis spends the winter searching for answers on her own.
Lester, Julius. Guardian. HarperCollins/HarperTeen. 2008. 978-0-06-155890-0 $16.99
Ansel’s world set in the 1946 deep South disintegrates from the hatred and injustice consuming his family and community following a brutal murder and an innocent man being lynched.
Levithan, David. How They Met, And Other Stories. Alfred A. Knopf. 2008.
978-0-375-84886-5 $16.99
Levithan's eighteen short stories - written during high school and college - capture the humor, bliss, disappointment and magic of falling in love.
Link, Kelly. Pretty Monsters. Viking. 2008. 978-0-670-01090-5 $19.99
From straight fantasy to magic realism to horror, this collection includes tales of magic libraries, wizards,and dead girls getting tattoos.
Little, Melanie. The Apprentice's Masterpiece: A Story of Medieval Spain. Annick Press. 2008. 978-1-55451-117-8 $19.95
In the cruel times after Queen Isabella I of Spain begins the Spanish Inquisition, teen boys, one Jewish, one Muslim, learn what really matters: survival, each other, their people.
Lockhart, E. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks. Hyperion. 2008.
978-0-7868-3818-9 $16.99
Frankie Landau-Banks has a chip on her shoulder and is determined to bring down the all-male Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds of Alabaster Preparatory Academy.
Lurie, April. The Latent Powers of Dylan Fontaine. Delacorte. 2008. 978-0-385-73125-6 $15.99
Fifteen-year-old Dylan is on a journey of self discovery but encounters problems with his absentee mother, a detached father and a brother who smokes too much weed.
Lyga, Barry. Hero Type. Houghton Mifflin. 2008. 978-0-547-07663-8 $16.00
Kevin Ross saves a classmate’s life and receives the key to his city. Everybody loves him but can he shine as a hero and not make enemies?
Lynch, Chris. The Big Game of Everything. HarperCollins/HarperTeen. 2008. 978-0-06-074035-1 $17.89
Jock was planning a sweet summer working at his grandfather's golf center, but somehow his brother ("He's not as bad as he sounds") and other eccentric family make life complicated.
Mackel, Kathy. Boost. Penguin/Dial. 2008. 978-0-8037-3240-7 $16.99
Savvy might be tall but she’s still a skinny 13 year old, maybe she needs to boost her game a bit so she isn’t pushed around by older girls.
MacLeod, Doug. I'm Being Stalked by a Moonshadow. Front Street /Boyds Mills Press. 2007. 978-1-59078-501-0 $16.95
War erupts between Seth Parrot's pony-tailed father and the building inspector who checks their newly dung-coated house and nearly smashes Seth's dreams of a muscular girlfriend.
Marchetta, Melina. Jellicoe Road. HarperCollins. 2008. 978-0-06-143183-8 $17.99
Taylor Markham was abandoned by her mother when she was eleven and is finally ready to discover the reason why.
Marillier, Juliet. Cybele's Secret. Random House/Alfred A. Knopf. 2008. 978-0-375-83365-6
$16.99
Paula travels with her merchant father to Istanbul and discovers a world filled with eunuchs, pirates, dervishes, and an entrance into the Other Kingdom.
Marr, Melissa. Ink Exchange. HarperCollins/HarperTeen. 2008. 978-0-06-121468-4 $16.99
Choosing a dramatic tattoo as a consequence of being raped, Leslie doesn’t realize she’s inked with the blood of the faery Dark Lord and will be under his power.
Marston, Elsa. Santa Claus in Baghdad. Indiana University Press. 2008. 978-0-253-22004-2
$15.95
Eight short stories offer a glimpse into the lives of teens living in the Arab Middle East, illuminating culture, family life, conflict and coming of age.
Martin, C.K. Kelly. I Know It’s Over. Random House. 2008. 978-0-375-84566-6 $16.99
Breaking up is hard to do, especially when you are the dumpee. Nick can’t understand why Sasha broke up with him, or why she is suddenly so eager to talk.
Martinez, Claudia Guadalupe. The Smell of Old Lady Perfume. Cinco Puntos Press. 2008. 978-1-933693-18-7 $15.95
Chela’s high expectations for sixth grade come crashing down when her Apá suffers a stroke and she is suddenly ostracized by her best friend.
Mazer, Norma Fox. The Missing Girl. HarperCollins. 2008. 978-0-06-623777-0 $16.99
The five Herbert sisters find their innocent lives exploding in emotional turmoil when one of the sisters is abducted and held captive by a truly creepy child predator.
McCarthy, Maureen. Rose by Any Other Name. Roaring Brook. 2008. 978-1-59643-372-4
17.95
A 24-hour road trip gives Rose some time to reflect on the events of the previous year which have left her angry, bitter, and alone.
McKinley, Robin. Chalice. Penguin/G.P. Putnam's Sons. 2008. 978-0-399-24676-0 $18.99
Mirasol is appointed as Chalice, second most important person to the well-being of her people and assistant to the strange and dangerous new master-a fire priest.
McMann, Lisa. Wake. Simon & Schuster. 2008. 978-1-4169-5357-9 $15.99
Janie can see other people's dreams, but one night she falls into a nightmare and for the first time, Janie is not just an observer, she’s part of the horror.
McMullan, Margaret. When I Crossed No-Bob. Houghton Mifflin. 2007. 978-0-618-71715-6 $16.00
Twelve-year-old Addy McDonnell struggles to come to terms with her family's unpleasant legacy and the events happening around her in post-Civil War Mississippi.
McNamee, Graham. Bonechiller. Wendy Lamb/Random House. 2008. 978-0-385-74658-8 $15.99
An ancient demon, intent on satisfying its hunger for human flesh, stalks Danny and his three friends in the brutal cold of backwoods Canada.
McNish, Cliff. Angel. Lerner/Carolrhoda Books. 2008. 978-0-8225-8900-6 $16.95
A friendship develops between Freya, who was hospitalized because of her obsession with angels, and social outcast Stephanie who also has visions of angels.
Medina, Meg. Milagros: Girl From Away. Henry Holt. 2008. 978-0-8050-8230-2 $17.95
When she washes to shore in Holly Pointe, Maine, Milagros is caught between staying true to her hardened heritage and fitting in with the northerners.
Meehl, Brian. Suck It Up. Random House/Delacorte. 2008. 978-0-375-84894-0 $12.99
Morning McCobb, a vegan vampire, is chosen to be the first of his kind to come out and show the world vampires are not just another misunderstood minority.
Meldrum, Christina. Madapple. Random House Children's Books / Alfred A. Knopf. 2008. 978-0-375-95176-3 $16.99
After growing up in almost total isolation believing she is was immaculately conceived, 15-year-old Aslaug's world begins to crumble when her mother dies.
Meyer, Stephenie. The Host. Little, Brown. 2008. 978-0-316-06804-8 $25.99
Set in a believable futuristic time when Earth and other worlds have been taken over by the "souls”, this is a story of love, betrayal and compassion.
Mitchard, Jacquelyn. All We Know of Heaven. HarperCollins/HarperTeen. 2008. 978-0-06-134578-4 $16.99
Two look-alike friends are in an accident. One dies, but they are incorrectly identified for weeks. In recovery, Maureen deals with repercussions of the accident and the mistaken identities.
Moeyaert , Bart. Dani Bennoni: Long May He Live. Boyds Mills Press. 2008. 978-1-932425-97-0 $16.95
While mourning the loss of his brother to the draft, Bing decides to learn how to play soccer from the town's star player, but unforeseen obstacles stand in his way.
Monninger, Joseph. Baby. Front Street/Boyd Mills Press. 2007. 978-1-59078-502-7 $16.95
Fifteen-year-old Baby leaves the middle-aged Potters, her last chance at foster care, to be with her old boyfriend while she figures out her own needs and wants.
Moodie, Craig. Seaborn. Roaring Brook. 2008. 978-1-59643-390-8 $17.95
Lukes’s world is falling apart. His sister is gone, his mom has left, and now it is just he and his angry dad, the ocean, and the storm.
Murdock, Catherine. Princess Ben: Being a Wholly Truthful Account of Her Various Discoveries and Misadventures, Recounted to the Best of Her Recollection, in Four Parts. Houghton Mifflin. 2008. 978-0-618-95971-6 $16.00
When unexpectedly orphaned, 15-year-old Benevolence must live with her cold grandmother, Queen Sophia, who demands she shed her unrefined ways and assume the role of the throne’s next heir.
Murphy, Pat. The Wild Girls. Viking/Penguin. 2007. 978-0-670-06226-3 $16.99
Twelve year old Joan hates her new life in California until she meets the Queen of the Foxes and becomes one of the Wild Girls.
Myers, Walter Dean. Sunrise Over Fallujah. Scholastic. 2008. 978-0-439-91624-0 $17.99
Robin Perry tells his experience as a civil affairs unit member in the Iraqi war.
Myracle, Lauren. Bliss. Harry N. Abrams. 2008. 978-0-8109-7071-7 $16.95
Bliss has been left with her grandmother as her hippie parents escape to Canada. She is enrolled in prestigious Crestview Academy, where she is haunted by a malicious dead girl.
Na, An. The Fold. Penguin. 2008. 978-0-399-24276-2 $16.99
When Joyce is offered a type of plastic surgery many young Korean-Americans would love to have, she must decide what beauty truly means to her.
Napoli, Donna Jo. Hush: An Irish Princess' Tale. Simon Pulse. 2007. 978-0-689-86176-5 $16.99
Melkorka, a 10th century Irish princess, must adapt to a harsh new life after she is stolen from her home by Russian slavers.
Napoli, Donna Jo. The Smile. Penguin/Dutton. 978-0-525-47999-4 2008. $17.99
Lisa, short for Elisabetta, lives in Florentine Italy and may be the model for the famous Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci.
Ness, Patrick. The Knife of Never Letting Go. Chaos Walking. Book One. Candlewick. 2008. $18.99
Todd Hewitt is the last boy in a town of all men. In a town where everyone can hear each other’s thoughts what kind of secrets can be kept?
Noyes, Deborah. The Ghosts of Kerfol. Candlewick. 2008. 978-0-7636-3000-5 $16.99
Five short stories center around the estate of Kerfol and ghosts of previous inhabitants, including a tyrannical lord who was savaged by a pack of dogs.
Owning It: Stories about Teens with Disabilities. Edited by Don Gallo. Candlewick. 2008. 978-0-7636-3255-7 $17.99
Teenagers may deal with issues that are a combination of psychological and physical disabilities. This set of stories reassures disabled teens they are not alone.
Padian, Maria. Brett McCarthy: Work in Progress. Alfred A. Knopf. 2008.
978-0-375-94675-2 $15.99
Eighth-grader Brett McCarthy--once good student and best-friend-to-Diane, now suspended and friendless--faces school and family troubles as she grapples with her redefined life.
Pearson, Mary E. The Adoration of Jenna Fox. Henry Holt. 2008. 978-0-8050-7668-4 $16.95
Jenna Fox wakes from a year-long coma. As her memory begins to return, she has more questions than answers about who she was, and who she is now.
Petrucha, Stefan. Teen, Inc. Walker. 2007. 978-0-8027-9650-9 $16.95
Jiaden has been raised by NECorp and has fought for a semblance of independent teen life. Then he finds out they may be hiding mercury emissions.
Phillips, Suzanne. Burn. Little, Brown. 2008. 978-0-316-00165-6 $16.99
Cameron Grady weighs about 100 pounds and is reluctant to fight back against vicious bullying until he finally reaches his breaking point.
Plum-Ucci, Carol. Streams of Babel. Harcourt. 2008. 978-0-15-216556-7 $17.00
A mysterious illness hits the U. S. and teens are getting sick. A teen hacker in Pakistan tracks conversations about “Red Vinegar” and the race to save them begins.
Pratchett, Terry. Nation. HarperCollins. 2008. 978-0-06-143302-3 $17.89
Mau is caught in the tidal wave that destroyed his island and Daphne is the only survivor from her ship. Together on the devastated island they form a new Nation.
Prose, Francine. Goldengrove. HarperCollins. 2008. 978-0-06-621411-5 $24.95
Margaret was the beautiful, talented sister. Now Nico must face the summer alone after her sister drowns in the lake by their home.
Reeve, Philip. Here Lies Arthur. Scholastic. 2008. 978-0-545-09334-1 $17.99
A fresh look at the Arthur legend told through the eyes of a young girl who pretends to be a boy to survive.
Reinhardt, Dana. How to Build a House. Random House/Wendy Lamb. 2008. 978-0-375-84453-9 $15.99
Devastated by her parent's divorce Harper Evans spends the summer with 11 other students building a house for a family in Tennessee and finds herself healing while making new friends.
Rex, Adam. The True Meaning of Smekday. Hyperion. 2007. 978-0-7868-4900-0 $16.99 While driving to the reservation for humans, Gratuity Tucci becomes friends with a renegade from the alien Boov invaders before the nasty Gorg come to enslave or kill them all.
Roe, Monica M. Thaw. Front Street. 2008. 978-1-59078-496-9 $17.95
Dane is in rehab recovering from the paralyzing effects of Guillain-Barre Syndrome, with time to reflect on his academic and athletic achievements, his ex-girlfriend, and his emotionally distant parents.
Rosoff, Meg. What I Was. Penguin/Viking. 2008. 978-0-670-01844-4 $23.95
In the final years of his life, a 100-year-old man recalls an unlikely but formative friendship forged with an orphan named Finn when he was sixteen years old.
Rutkoski, Marie. The Cabinet of Wonders: The Kronos Chronicles Book 1. 2008. 978-0-374-31026-4 $16.95
Gypsies, talking mechanical insects, and magical clocks dot the landscape of this delightful fantasy novel set in seventieth century Prague.
Saenz, Benjamin Alire. He Forgot to Say Goodbye. Simon and Schuster. 2008. 978-1-4169-4963-3 $16.99
Jake and Ramiro, two boys from the same town but different worlds, try to learn what it means to be a man, unlike the fathers who left them behind.
Schmidt, Gary D. Trouble. Clarion. 2008. 978-0-618-92766-1 $16.00
Henry’s father said Trouble would not find this family. But it did one horrific night, setting off tensions in Blythbury-by-the-Sea. Maybe it had it been there always, just waiting.
Schumacher, Julie. Black Box. Random House / Delacorte. 2008. 978-0-385-73542-1 $15.99
Fourteen-year-old Elena struggles to hold steady ground and help her sister Dora, who has been admitted to a psychiatric ward after swallowing an entire bottle of antidepressants.
Scott, Elizabeth. Living Dead Girl. Simon and Schuster/Simon Pulse. 2008.
978-1-4169-6059-1 $16.99
Abducted at the age of ten, Alice has lived as a sex partner for Ray for 5 years until he informs her that she’s "too old" for his love.
Scott, Elizabeth. Stealing Heaven. HarperCollins. 2008. 978-0-06-112280-4 $16.99
Living by burglarizing expensive homes with her mother, Dani’s friendship with another girl stalls when it becomes clear she lives in the house they are planning to rob next.
Selfors, Suzanne. Saving Juliet. Walker. 2008. 978-0-8027-9740-7 $16.95
Mimi Wallingford is whisked from a Manhattan theater to a parallel world and lands in the feud between the Montague and Capulet families of Romeo and Juliet fame.
Shaw, Susan. Safe. Penguin. 2007. 978-0-525-47829-4 $16.99
It is the last day of 7th grade for Tracy, a day filled with thoughts of summer fun. Then the orange car pulls up and her world is forever changed.
Sheth, Kashmira. Keeping Corner. Hyperion. 2007. 978-0-7868-3859-2 $15.99
In India during World War I, twelve-year-old Leela's husband dies, and she is forced to shave her head and keep corner, staying inside her family's house for a year.
Shoup, Barbara E. Everything You Want. Llewellyn / Flux. 2008. 978-0-7387-1227-7 $16.95
College freshman Emma and her family struggle with love, loss and the lottery, learning what’s important in their lives when money isn’t an issue.
Shusterman, Neal. Antsy Does Time. Penguin/Dutton. 2008. 978-0-525-47825-6 $16.99
One simple act – offering dying classmate Gunnar Umlaut a month of his life – takes hold with the entire student body and turns Anthony “Antsy” Bonano’s life upside down.
Skrypuch , Marsha Forchuk. Daughter of War. Fitzhenry & Whiteside. 2008. 978-1-55455-044-9 $14.95
Disguised as a Muslim, Marta survives the 1916 Armenian genocide but is separated from her betrothed Kevork, who smuggles evidence of the atrocity to outsiders while searching for Marta.
Smith, Andrew. Ghost Medicine. Feiwel & Friends. 2008. 978-0-312-37557-7 $17.95
The summer that cowboy Troy Stotts turns 17, he and his two best friends band together to fight the trouble that surrounds them by creating a medicine all their own.
Smith, Charles R. Chameleon. Candlewick. 2008. 978-0-7636-3085-0 $16.99
Four young men, poised to enter high school, search for their own identities while coping with the poverty and dangers of Compton’s mean streets.
Smith, Hope Anita. Keeping the Night Watch. 2008. 978-0-8050-7202-0 $18.95
Thirteen-year-old C. J.’s struggle to come to terms with his father’s return home after walking out on his family is told in verse, beautifully illustrated by E. B. Lewis.
Smith, Jennifer. The Comeback Season. Simon & Schuster. 2008. 978-1-4169-3847-7 $15.99
Ryan’s life stopped when her dad died five years ago. Everyone in her family moved on but her. Then she met Nick and her life was filled with hope.
Smith, Roland. Elephant Run. Hyperion. 2007. 978-1-4231-0402-5 $15.99
Thirteen-year-old Nick is trapped on his father's teak plantation during the Japanese invasion of Burma during 1941 and must find a way to save his father as well as himself.
Stein, Garth. The Art of Racing in the Rain. Harper. 2008. 978-0-06-153793-6 $23.95
Puppy Enzo is chosen as racecar driver Denny's special friend and remains faithful as Denny marries, becomes a father, loses his wife, and has to fight to keep his daughter.
Stein, Tammar. High Dive. Random House/Alfred A. Knopf. 2008. 978-0-375-93024-9 $15.00
While her mother is serving in Iraq as a nurse, college student Arden, who is traveling to Sardinia, ends up on a tour of Europe with three new friends.
Supplee, Suzanne. Artichoke’s Heart. Penguin/Dutton. 2008. 978-0-525-47902-4 $16.99
Although Rosemary Goode is satisfied with her life, everyone she knows nags her about losing weight until Rosemary realizes she is the one who must make the change.
Tamaki, Mariko. Skim. House of Anansi Press / Groundwood Books. 2008. 978-0-88899-753-1 $18.95
Friendship, love, identity, and a general feeling of isolation in an all-girls private school contribute to Kim Cameron (Skim)'s growing depression.
Taylor, Brooke. Undone. Walker. 2008. 978-0-8027-9763-6 $16.99
Best friends Serena and Kori are inseparable, but a tragic accident reveals many troubling questions about their friendship.
Tharp, Tim. The Spectacular Now. Random House / Alfred A. Knopf. 2008. 978-0-375-95179-4 $16.99
Sutter Keely glides through his senior year’s final days soaked with heavy amounts of booze but his joy ride is detracted by love issues and an unclear future.
Townsend, Wendy. Lizard Love. Boyds Mills Press. 2008. 978-1-932425-34-5 $16.95
Grace must learn to grow into her new skin, just like the lizards she loves.
Tucker, Todd. Over and Under. St. Martin's. 2008. 978-0-312-37990-2 $23.95
Best friends Andy and Tom find their fathers on opposite sides of a violent strike that leads to danger for the boys.
Underdahl, S.T. Remember This. Flux. 2008. 978-0-7387-1401-1 $9.95
Lucy’s anticipated great summer vacation becomes emotionally stressful when her parents tell Lucy her beloved grandmother might have Alzheimer's.
Valentine, Jenny. Me, the Missing, and the Dead. HarperCollins/HarperTeen. 2008. 978-0-06-085068-5 $16.99
Five years after his dad’s disappearance, Lucas senses that a dead woman is trying to communicate with him and he is driven to listen and respond.
Venkatraman, Padma. Climbing the Stairs. Penguin. 2008. 978-0-399-24746-0 $16.99
When Vidya’s father is seriously injured, her family moves from their progressive home to the household of her conservative relatives, where she must adjust to a new set of expectations.
Volponi, Paul. Hurricane Song. Penguin/Viking. 2008. 978-0670-06160-0 $15.99
Miles and his father spend several days in the New Orleans Superdome riding out Hurricane Katrina and learn tough lessons about human nature and each other.
Voorhees, Coert. The Brothers Torres. Hyperion. 2008. 978-1-4231-0304-2 $16.99
Frankie Torres (or Towers depending which side his heritage is viewed) narrates his coming-of-age story of falling for a girl as his idolized brother runs with a group of cholos.
Watkins, Steve. Down Sand Mountain. Candlewick. 2008. 978-0-7636-3839-9 $16.99
Some things, like sliding down Sand Mountain or living, happen so fast "you just don't want to mess around or anything. You just want to hold on for dear life."
Weatherford, Carole Boston. Becoming Billie Holiday. Wordsong. 2008.
978-1-59078-507-2 $19.95
This fictionalized life story of Billie Holiday describes her troubled childhood, her international success as a singer and the intense racial discrimination she suffered, even as a star.
Werlin, Nancy. Impossible. Penguin/Dial. 2008. 978-0-8037-3002-1 $17.99
Lucy, 17, discovers the women of her family have been cursed with madness unless they complete three impossible tasks. All have failed. Will Zach's help and her resolve save her?
Whittenberg, Allison. Life is Fine. Random House/Delacorte. 2008. 978-0-385-73480-6 $15.99
Samara's life changes after her attitude does as she discovers poetry, education, dignity, and one caring, responsible adult.
Wilson, Martin. What They Always Tell Us. Random House/Delacorte. 2008.
978-0-385-73507-0 $15.99
This is the story of two brothers growing apart and learning how to understand each other again. James is popular and athletic, while Alex has to discover his strengths.
Wood, Don. Into the Volcano. Scholastic. 2008. 978-0-439-72671-9 $18.99
Duffy and Sumo set off on an adventure into the belly of an ancient volcano without knowing exactly what they’re looking for. Their discoveries shock and then nearly kill them.
Woodson, Jacqueline. After Tupac and D Foster. G.P. Putnam’s Sons. 2008.
978-0-399-24654-8 $15.99
The friendship of three girls from very different families fills the emptiness of uncertainty as they struggle with Tupac Shakur's troubles as well as their own.
Wright, Bil. When the Black Girl Sings. Simon and Schuster. 2008. 978-1-4169-3995-5 $16.99
Lahni, adopted black daughter of white parents headed for divorce, discovers the uplifting power of singing after she joins a church choir to improve her presentation for a competition.
Yoo, Paula. Good Enough. HarperCollins. 2008. 978-0-06-079085-1 $16.99
Patti's life is all about being a good Korean daughter. Study and get into HYP - Harvard, Yale, or Princeton. No boys, no distractions. Then Cute Trumpet Guy walks in.
Young, Sara. My Enemy’s Cradle. Harcourt. 2008. 978-0-15-101537-5 $24.00
Cyrla’s resemblance to her Dutch cousin has kept her safe from increasing restrictions against Jews. Now Cyrla must take Anneke’s place at a Nazi-run maternity hospital to hide her identity.
Zarr, Sara. Sweethearts. Little, Brown. 2008. 978-0-316-01455-7 $16.99
High school senior Jenna has successfully remade her life, but has to confront long-suppressed memories of a traumatic childhood when her only friend from childhood, Cameron, suddenly reappears.
Ziegler, Jennifer Lynn. How Not to be Popular. Delacorte. 978-0-385-73465-3 $15.99
Sugar Magnolia Dempsey has switched high schools 10 times at the whim of her hippie parents and this time she's determined to avoid friendships by being unpopular.
Nonfiction
Abadzis, Nick. Laika. Roaring Brook Press. 2007. 978-1-59643-101-0 $17.95
Abandoned puppy Laika was destined to become Earth's first space traveler in the Soviet Union's Sputnik program. This graphic novel portrays her fateful journey.
Alsenas, Linas. Gay America: Struggle for Equality. Harry N. Abrams/Amulet. 2008. 978-0-8109-9487-4 $24.95
This title traces the history of gay and lesbian life in America from the colonial period to the present.
Aronson, Marc. Race: A History Beyond Black and White. Simon & Schuster / Atheneum. 2007. 978-0-689-86554-1 $18.99
Aronson examines the history of race and prejudice from ancient times to the present.
Aronson, Marc and Campbell, Patty. War Is...Soldiers, Survivors, and Storytellers Talk About War. Candlewick. 2008. 978-0-7636-3625-8 $17.99
A balanced collection of contemporary and historical writings including interviews, stories, memoirs, and a miliblog addresses the experience of enlisting, serving, and surviving war from a variety of perspectives.
Barry, Lynda. What It Is. Drawn and Quarterly. 2008. 978-1-897299-35-7 $24.95 Questions, images, story, comic illustrations and workbook pages guide and push readers to break down barriers, experiment and grow through writing or drawing.
Bowman, Robin. It's Complicated: The American Teenager. Umbrage Editions. 2007. 978-1-884167-69-0 $40.00 This random collection of black and white photographs of teenagers from across the country includes short testimonials about their lives.
Dickinson, Emily. My Letter to the World and Other Poems. Kids Can Press. 2008. 978-1-55453-339-8 $9.95
Sophisticated new illustrations reveal seven of Emily Dickinson's poems and make them more meaningful and accessible to a whole new generation.
Engle, Margarita. The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom. Henry Holt. 2008. 978-0-8050-8674-4 $16.95
Caves and hidden huts serve as secret hospitals for Rosa as she risks her life nursing the sick and wounded during three wars for Cuba’s independence from 1850-1899.
Fleischman, Sid. The Trouble Begins at 8: A Life of Mark Twain in the Wild, Wild West. HarperCollins. 2008. $18.99
Meet the young Samuel Clemens and the coast-to-coast experiences that molded America's most famed humorist and social commentator.
Hillstrand, Jonathan, et al. Time Bandit: Two Brothers, the Bering Sea, and One of the World's Deadliest Jobs. Ballantine Books. 2008. 978-0-345-50372-5 $25.00
Andy and Jonathan Hillstrand, of Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch, relate their unusual childhood and provide a behind-the-scenes explanation of how and why they risk their lives as Alaskan crab fishermen.
Kamara, Mariatu. The Bite of the Mango. Annick Press. 2008. 978-1-55451-159-4 $21.95
Now a representative of UNICEF, Mariatu Kamara tells of having her hands cut off by Sierra Leone rebels at age twelve, then surviving a move to Canada.
Kolsbun, Ken. Peace: The Biography of a Symbol. National Geographic. 2008. 978-1-42620-294-0 $25.00
Through powerful illustrations and text, this is a cultural history of the peace symbol and all that it has represented from the 1950's to the present.
Kuklin, Susan. No Choirboy: Murder, Violence, and Teenagers on Death Row. Henry Holt. 2008. 978-0-8050-7950-0 $17.95
Inmates sentenced to death as teenagers give firsthand accounts of life on Death Row and relatives of both victims and prisoners share their experiences in this collection of interviews.
Landowne, Youme and Horton, Anthony. Pitch Black. Cinco Putos Press. 2008. 978-1-933693-06-4 $17.95
This graphic novel, illustrated only in black and white, depicts the real-life relationship between two artists who meet on the subway.
Lewis, J. Patrick. The Brothers' War: Civil War Voices in Verse. National Geographic. 2007. 978-1-4263-0036-3 $17.95
Lewis has crafted eleven stark and compelling poems describing the horrors of the Civil War. "Five thousand fell that day by Sudley Road,/ Five thousand left their mothers in despair.”
Macaulay, David. The Way We Work: Getting to Know the Amazing Human Body. Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine. 2008. 978-0-618-23378-6 $35.00
Quirky illustrations and technical explanations blend together and create an informative book about the structure and functions of the human body.
Menzel, Peter and D’Aluisio, Faith. What the World Eats. Ten Speed Press. 2008. 978-1-58246-246-2 $22.99
This book examines the meals of 25 different families from all around the world using lush photographs and health statistics.
Murphy, Jim. The Real Benedict Arnold. Clarion. 2007. 978-0-395-77609-4 $20.00
Author searches for the real man behind the traitor label and explores the legend and controversy surrounding this historical figure.
Nelson, Scott Reynolds. Ain't Nothing But a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry. National Geographic Society. 2207. 978-1-4263-0000-4 $18.95
Historian Scott Reynolds Nelson chronicles his journeys, both on land and in historical records, to find the truth about the man behind the myth of "John Henry."
Nichols, Travis. Punk Rock Etiquette: The Ultimate How-to Guide for DIY, Punk, Indie, and Underground Bands. Roaring Brook/Flash Point. 2008. 978-1-59643-415-8 $12.95
Start a band and take it on tour with the help of this helpful and amusing guide to all things rock and roll.
Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six Word Memoirs. By Famous and Obscure Writers. Edited by Rachel Fershleiser and Larry Smith. HarperCollins. 2008. 978-0-06-171371-2 $16.95
How much of a life can be put into six words? Lives: tears, laughter, fears. Understanding clears.
Parker, David L. Before Their Time: The World of Child Labor. Quantuck Lane Press. 2007.
978-0-618-23378-6 $35.00
Presented are portraits of the world’s children who labor under harsh and dangerous conditions in factories and on farms as miners, garbage pickers, sex workers and brick haulers.
Porcellino, John. Thoreau at Walden. Hyperion. 2008. 978-1-4231-0038-6 $16.99
Simply but beautifully illustrated, this adaptation of "Walden" introduces new readers to Thoreau's work while providing a fresh perspective for those already familiar with the text.
Rhodes-Courter, Ashley. Three Little Words: A Memoir. Atheneum. 2008. 978-1-4169-4806-1 $17.99
Ashley Rhodes-Courter has written a searing portrait of nine years enduring horrific conditions in the foster care system.
Shields, Charles J. I Am Scout: The Biography of Harper Lee. Henry Holt. 2008. 978-0-8050-8334-7 $18.95
Curious about Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird? Finally her story is told; her childhood, success, seclusion and rejection of fame.
Sivertsen, Linda. Generation Green: The Ultimate Teen Guide To Living an Eco-Friendly Life. Simon and Schuster. 2008. 978-1-4169-6122-2 $10.99
This timely guide informs young readers on how to make environmentally friendly choices in their lives.
Stokes, John A. Students on Strike: Jim Crow, Civil Rights, Brown , and Me. National Geographic. 2007. 978-1-4263-0153-7 $15.95
In 1951 eighteen Black high school students led their Virginia community in a struggle for integrated schools in the face of fear, deeply embedded traditions and Jim Crow laws.
Wendel, Tim and Villegas, Jose Luis. Far From Home: Latino Baseball Players in America. National Geographic. 2008. 978-1-4262-0216-2 $28.00
The rich history of Latino baseball players is presented along with a feel of growing up in Latino communities passionate for the game.
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