Young Adult Action/Adventure Booklist

Remote Control

Heath, Jack.

In the sequel to The Lab, teenage agent Six of Hearts is suspected of being a double agent, which has him on the run from his fellow agents at the Deck while also trying to track down his brother’s kidnappers.

A Conspiracy of Kings

Turner, Megan Whelan.

In this historical fiction/Adventure story Sophos, an unwilling prince, is kidnapped and sold into slavery while trying to save his country from being destroyed by rebellion and exploited by the conniving Mede Empire.

 

Ship Breaker

Bacigalupi, Paolo.

In a futuristic world, Nailer scavenges copper wiring from grounded oil tankers for a living, but when he finds a beached clipper ship with a girl in the wreckage, he has to decide if he should strip the ship for its wealth or rescue the girl.

 

Smells Like Dog

Selfors, Suzanne.

When Homer’s explorer-uncle dies he leaves him a droopy dog with a mysterious coin hidden on its collar, it leads him to The City, where they meet Madame, head of the Museum of Natural History, who is trying to steal the coin and take Homer’s place in a secret society of adventurers.

 

As Easy as Falling Off the Face of the Earth

Perkins, Lynne Rae.

Journeying by train to summer camp only to find that the camp program has been cancelled, Ry finds himself stranded without resources in the wilderness and invents a new definition of summer vacation.

 

The Grimm Legacy

Shulman, Polly.

After high school student Elizabeth, working as a page, gains access to the Grimm Collection of magical objects, she and the other pages are drawn into a series of frightening adventures involving mythical creatures and stolen goods.

 

Young Smaurai: The Way of the Warrior

Bradford, Chris.

After he is orphaned by a ninja pirate attack off the coast of Japan in 1611, English lad Jack Fletcher is determined to prove himself when the legendary sword master who rescued him begins training him as a samurai warrior.

 

Jake Ransom and the Skull King’s Shadow

Rollins, James.

Middle-schooler Jake and his sister Kady are transported by a Mayan artifact to a strange world inhabited by a mix of people from long-lost civilizations who are threatened by prehistoric creatures and an evil alchemist, the Skull King.

 

New and Noteworthy YA Titles

I’ve been keeping track of the best of the best YA fiction of 2010 – noting stars, nominations from the BFYA and Quick Picks lists, and more.  The following books all garnered at least three stars and/or nominations. Herewith, some quick summaries of my favorites.

A Conspiracy of Kings – Megan Whalen Turner

The world of  the thief, now the King of Attolia (from the books of the same names), is vaguely classical and very political.  If you like fantasy rich with intriguing young, intelligent characters who, sometimes blindly, sometimes slyly, try to manipulate the fate of their homelands, you’ll eat the fourth book in this series up.  Oh – and the action is nonstop as Sophos, a character from the first book,  is kidnapped, taken into slavery, makes his escape, and then journeys to confront his royal friend, Gen.  (Stars from Booklist, Hornbook, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal; nomination from BFYA)

As Easy As Falling Off the Face of the Earth – Lynne Rae Perkins

I’m a huge fan of Perkins’ Criss Cross. This novel is just as quirky and endearing. Ry, off to camp, leaves a stalled train to use his cell phone and gets left behind in the middle of the Great Plains.  The point of the book is the coincidences leaving him and his family unable to contact each other, even in our interconnected world.   Kind strangers operate to bring people back together.  How refreshing!  A truly nice book that pulls you into the adventure.  Will Ry reunite with his mom and dad, or will he end up stranded in the middle of the Caribbean? Yup, that’s right. He winds up overboard in the Caribbean. (Stars from Booklist, Hornbook, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly; nominations from BFYA and Children’s Notables)

The Last Summer of the Death Warriors – by Francisco X. Stork

Set in New Mexico, Stork’s latest book features his usual complex characters dealing with complex problems.  DQ, a relentlessly upbeat boy considering he has cancer, lives in an orphanage where he befriends new resident Pancho, and tries to recruit him to join a philosophy group who fight for life.  Pancho is reluctant to get involved.  He has his own agenda, which includes killing the man he believes is responsible for his mentally handicapped sister’s death. A trip to  Albuquerque for DQ’s cancer treatment doesn’t totally pan out as either boy plans.   Stork has a way of surprising his readers as he lets his characters mature.   If you like novels with stunning depth, this one’s for you. (Stars from Booklist, Hornbook, and Publishers Weekly; nomination from BFYA)

Mockingbird - by Kathryn Erskine

A book to appeal to the Middle School set.  This follows Caitlin, an autistic girl whose brother was killed in a school shooting incident.  I was skeptical of yet another book featuring an autistic protagonist, but Erskine pulls it off, and makes her heroine unique.  Caitlin (whom her brother called Scout, in reference to the character in To Kill a Mockingbird) is searching for “closure,” an idea she heard a TV news person mention.  Can completing her brother’s Eagle Scout project help her father, and perhaps her home town as well? Caitlin is endearing because of her earnest effort to get past the literalness that often makes her unendearing.  Her persistence truly makes her live up to her fictional namesake.  (Stars from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly; nominations from BFYA and Children’s Notables)

Nothing by Janne Teller

This won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but I was blown away.  It’s a book ripe for discussions, even arguments.  A class of Jr. High-age kids is disturbed when their classmate Pierre takes the position that nothing is worth anything  – therefore nothing is worth doing, believing, or taking part in.  The teens decide to prove Pierre wrong by gathering a pile of meaning.  But the pile will only be worthy if they put vital things on it – a favorite pair of shoes, a prayer rug, a pet, a flag…a dead baby brother.  The fall out isn’t pretty. You’ll be dying to talk about it with someone. (Stars from The Bulletin for the Center for Children’s Books, Booklist, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Voya; nominations from BFYA and Quick Picks)

Revolver - by Marcus Sedgwick

Longing for an icy mystery during the steamy dog days of summer?  This should cool you off.  As Sig sits alone with his father’s frozen corpse in a Swedish cabin, a menacing stranger shows up at his door demanding treasure. Seems he knew Sig’s family during the Nome, Alaska gold rush.  Trouble is, Sig has no idea what the man is talking about.  There’s a revolver in the pantry though.  One with a long, troubled history.  Can, and should, Sig use it? The back story reveals itself as the novel flips back and forth between Sweden and Nome.  The tension stretches further when Sig’s sister, back from town to report their father’s death, interrupts the stand-off, and causes disturbing memories to rise to the surface. (Stars from Hornbook, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal; nominations from BFYA and Quick Picks)

Ship Breaker – by Paolo Bacigalupi

The latest in a spurt of dystopian fiction.  This first novel, though, stands out because of its incredible atmospheric descriptions of a world where the leftovers of our current civilization are cannibalized by the working poor.  Nailer is a ship breaker on the Gulf Coast, pulling apart old tankers and ocean vessels for salvage.  When the latest hurricane deposits a sleek sailboat on an off-shore island, he feels he’s been handed a lucky break.  But there’s a girl – a rich girl – still alive on the boat, and he needs to decide if he should help her or not.  His decisions lead him on a long journey, chased by people good and bad, across the remains of bayous and submerged cityscapes. (Stars from Booklist, Hornbook, and Publishers Weekly; nomination from BFYA)

The Sky is Everywhere – by Jandy Nelson

Death and sex – it’s a classic pair. And I don’t believe I’ve ever read a better YA book about the way tragedy revs up hormones. Lennie’s sister dies unexpectedly, leaving the teen’s unconventional Northern California family devastated.  Lennie, once bookish and quiet, scatters poems about her loss around town, and finds herself overwhelmingly drawn to two boys – one, a new musician in her high school class; the other, her dead  sister’s boyfriend.  Her steamy confusion and passion are heartbreakingly portrayed.  Follow her as she slowly, painfully, figures out what she needs to do. I found this believable and tender – like a deep muscle bruise. (Stars from The Bulletin for the Center for Children’s Books and Publishers Weekly; nomination from BFYA)

Wicked Girls – by Stephanie Hemphill

Mean and manipulative girl cliques are nothing new.  At least according to Hemphill.   The clique she writes about here is the ultimate.  They’re the girls from Salem who started the witch scare of the 1690′s.  Hemphill gets into the dynamics of how some simple foolishness led to hangings.  She’s wickedly good at sifting through the multiple motives driving the girls and how they played each other.  While I enjoyed this book, written in blank verse, it raised questions for me.  I’m not sure Hemphill is handing her historicial characters sensibilities that are too modern. Let me know what you think.  (Stars from Booklist, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal)

Will Grayson, Will Grayson – by John Green and David Leviathan

Two boys, same name.  Both are ironic outsiders, yet different.  One’s a North Shore resident dreaming of a cool girl.  The other’s from the western burbs and is hiding that he’s gay.  They meet one night at a porn shop in Chicago… Um, yeah.  Suffice to say it’s a hilarious scene.  The other point of connection between the teens is the straight Will’s best friend, Tiny, a gay football player of enormous proportions and ego, who gay Will falls for.  But complications arise – most of them having to do with an outrageous musical Tiny’s writing and producing.  Give this one to Glee geeks – they’ll eat it up.  (Stars from Booklist, Kirkus, and School Library Journal; nomination from BFYA)

 

Denim Crafts Under $25.00

Teens Going Green

Are you looking for a low budget “Green Program” to encourage teens to reduce their Carbon Footprint?  If so, encourage them to recycle old Denim Jeans.  These projects do not require any sewing.  To keep costs down, ask each participant to bring a pair of old jeans to the program.  I also sent out an e-mail blast (several months before the program) to my co-workers and asked them to donate their old jeans that they really needed to throw away.  I wanted to have extra fabric just in case anyone forgot to bring a pair of jeans. Visit a dollar store or a fabric store and check out the remnant bins for ribbon.  Fabric paints or other embellishments may be used to jazz up the bag.

Blue Jean Bags

Supplies:

• Pant Leg from old blue jeans (any size, but adult size will make a larger bag)
• Ribbons
• Fabric Scissors
• Hole Punch
• Fabric Paints

Instruction:

1. Cut a 12 – 16 inch section from the lower part of the leg from an old pair of blue jeans.
2. Roll down the top, then punch two holes in rolled down portion.
3. Cut fringes on the other end of cut off leg.
4. Tie Fringes.
5. Cut a strip of ribbon into desired length.
6. Thread ribbon into holes, then tie at one end.
7. Embellish with fabric paint or just decorate as desired.

Denim Journal Cover

Supplies

• Adult sized pant leg from old jeans
• Approximately 3 inches of the waist band from jeans, including button and button hole.
• Pocket from blue jean
• Fabric paint
• Fabric glue
• Composition book or a journal

Instructions:

1. Cut the upper part of the leg form an old pair of adult sized jeans.

2. Cut up the leg near the inside seam and flatten.

3. Lay the opened journal/composition book onto the fabric.

4. Trim around book.

5. Leave a half inch all around to fold in.

6. Fold in the edges of the denim n and glue to inside cover of the journal.

7. Glue down the first journal page and the last page so that these pages cover the denim

8. Glue a denim pocket to the front

9. Cut off a short piece of the waist ban that

10. Glue the button to the front of the journal includes the button and the button hole.

11. Glue the button hole, plus a small part of the waist band, to the back of the diary.

12. Embellish the pocket with fabric paint.

Denim Pillow

Supplies:

• One pair of old jeans
• Ribbon or long strips of denim cut from the other leg of the jeans.
• Scissors
• Stuffing or fabric scraps.

Instructions:

1. Cut off on leg of the jeans a desired length

2. Tie one end with ribbon or denim fabric strips.

3. Stuff with fabric scraps or stuffing.

4. Tie the other end.

5. Fringe each end of the tied portion.

6. Embellish with fabric paint.

Denim Pocket Magnets\

Supplies:

• Denim pockets cut from old jeans.
• Fabric paint
• Craft Magnets
• Ribbons, buttons, lace or any type of embellishments
• Fabric or craft glue

Instructions:

Cut a pocket from an old pair of jeans.

2. glue ribbon, trim, etc to the pocket with fabric glue

3. Write “Leave a Note” or whatever is desired on the front in fabric paint.

4. Cut a strip from the craft magnet roll the width of the pocket

5. Glue magnetic strip to the back of the pocket.  Glue

 

Realisitic and Historical YA Fiction

After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick
Jeff beat cancer but discovers that happily ever after isn’t quite what he expected. To get into high school, he has to pass a statewide standardized test in math, his worst subject. His best friend Tad, also a cancer survivor, is back in treatment. The only bright spot is that a cute new girl Lindsey is showing an interest in him. Now if he could just figure out how to talk to her!

Ashes by Kathryn Lasky (Historical)

In 1932 Berlin, thirteen-year-old Gaby Schramm and others living in Germany witness the beginning of Hitler’s rise to power.  Some people in town support this new power while others fear it.  Where do Gaby, her family, and their friends fit in?

Bystander by James Preller

Seventh grader Eric discovers there are consequences to not standing by and watching as the bully at his new school hurts people, but although school officials are aware of the problem, Eric may be the one with a solution.

The Great Death by John Smelcer (Historical)

In the early twentieth century, an Alaskan village’s only survivors of a sickness brought by white men, sisters Millie, aged thirteen, and Maura, ten, make their way south in hopes of finding someone else alive.

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick (Fantasy/Realistic)

Nora had always been so careful when it came to falling in love.  She didn’t let herself.  Until she met Patch. She is mysteriously attracted to him although she senses that he has a dark side.  Is he just a bad boy or something more?

I am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to be Your Class President by Josh Lieb

7th grader Oliver Watson has everyone convinced that he is extremely stupid and lazy, but he is actually a very wealthy, evil genius, and when he decides to run for class president, nothing will stand in his way.

A Map of the Known World by Lisa Ann Sandell
Ever since her brother died, Cora has felt suffocated by her small town. All summer long, she’s stayed inside drawing maps and pictures of imaginary places and travels. Now she must face reality and start high school.

The Miles Between by Mary E. Pearson
Destiny’s number one rule is don’t get attached. But one day, she breaks that rule, and a lot of others, when she “borrows” a car and goes on a roadtrip with three of her classmates. This day has a destiny of its own and their trip turns into a journey that none of them could have imagined.

Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr

Sam used to believe in miracles. She used to believe in a lot of things. When you’re a pastor’s kid, it’s hard not to buy into the idea of the perfect family, a loving God, and good in the world. But lately, Sam has a lot of reason to doubt. Her mom is in rehab after a DUI and her dad is more interested in his congregation than his family. When a member of her congregation is kidnapped, the tragedy reflects Sam’s personal one, and it makes her question her faith even more.

Smile by Raina Telgemeier (Graphic Novel)

Raina just wants to be a normal middle school kid. But one night while racing her friends, she trips and falls, seriously damaging her front teeth.  And what comes next is really tough – having braces put on and taken off, surgery, headgear, and even a retainer with fake teeth attached. PLUS there is her non-dental life to deal with: a major earthquake, boy confusion, and friends who are less than friendly. Can’t wait to start reading?  The entire comic is available online:  http://tinyurl.com/y7vfcq3

Ten Things I Hate About Me by Randa Abdel-Fattah

At school, she’s Jamie – blonde haired, blue contacts, fashionably dressed and one of the crowd.  At home, she’s Jamilah – Lebanese, attending madrassa and dealing with a father who lives in the Stone Age. When her friends start to wonder about Jamie’s life outside of school, she is worried that her secrets might be revealed. Can Jamie figure out a way to be both Jamie and Jamilah?

Woods Runner by Gary Paulsen (Historical Fiction)

From his 1776 homestead, Thirteen-year-old Samuel, who is a highly-skilled woodsman, sets out toward New York City to rescue his parents from the band of British soldiers and Indians who kidnapped them after slaughtering most of their community.

 

That which we call a weed by any other name would smell as dusty

Before the mad rush that is the library summer reading program we decided to aggressively weed the fiction collections, a job that may have been a smidge overdue.  My criteria began with creating a report of every item that hasn’t circulated in two years.  My list was 215 pages long.  It quickly became apparent that not only had the collection not been weeded in a long time, it had never EVER been weeded.  The following list contains a few “gems” that I found, keep in mind that these books are only the authors with a “B” last name.  This list is meant to be funny and maybe a little sad.  Enjoy!

Baywatch: Earthquake! – Casey Brady

The world was a simpler place when this book was published.  The names David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson only brought one thing to mind: Baywatch.  Now one is more famous for a video of himself eating a cheeseburger and we won’t get into the video that made the other one notorious.

Did You Hear About Amber? – Cherie Bennett

You didn’t hear about Amber??  That’s OK nobody’s heard about this Amber for about 10 years now.

The Rabbit Tattoo – Susannah Brin

All the cool kids have tattoos especially neck tattoos, but a rabbit tattoo I just don’t think that trend has caught on yet.  The rabbit on his neck seems to looking for something and upon closer inspection you can see he is looking for his teeth, which are in the mouth of the kid.  Poor artwork, poor book.

Raiders of the Lost Ark – Campbell Black

There is nothing spectacularly wrong with this book, I mean there’s even a new Indiana Jones movie out.  The problem lies when I opened the book up.  Our library acquired this book in November of ’81.  That is one month after I was born.  I’m 28 now, there is just no reason for this book to be on the shelf.

The 79 Squares – Malcolm J. Bosse

Let’s explore this cover shall we.  What is really going on here?  From the looks of it, this could be a man soliciting a young boy, the man has his arm outstretched with what I can only imagine is some sort of hard candy, Wherther’s Originals perhaps?  But the tag line tells us this the story of “an old man and his garden show a tough kid what survival really means”.  Tough kid?  Really?  What makes him tough: his white tee, his K-Swiss (note the 4 stripes), or those single stripe tube socks?  Take your pick.

Then Again, Maybe I Won’t – Judy Blume

Young adult walks into the YA section and wants a Judy Blume book, they pick up this book and think “maybe I’ll check this out”.  They take one look at the cover and think “then again, maybe I won’t”.

 

So YA like…Science Fiction

The Adoration of Jenna Fox Mary E. Pearson

Jenna Fox should be dead.  Her father, illegally using the latest medical advances, is able to save 10 percent of her brain.  Her memories slowly start to return as she recovers.  Now Jenna must remain hidden and she wonders: if this is life she is to lead why save her in the first place?

Silver Eyes Nicole Luiken

Angel Eastland is unable to remember her past, violet eyed due to a genetic experiment, and controlled by a brain chip, has been hired to capture Michael Vallant.  The problem is she feels an inexplicable sense of attachment to Michael.  She struggles to retrieve her past, fighting the control of the loyalty chip implanted in her brain.  There are many things in Angel’s world that are not exactly what they seem.

The Last Universe William Sleator

Susan wants desperately to be normal, but a freak illness confines her brother, Gary, to a wheel chair and now she must help him instead of the carefree summer she had planned.  Then there is the garden that the teen’s quantum-physicist uncle had installed, but the garden seems to be…changing?   After each attempt into the garden maze Gary’s illness get better, what is the connection and what is his disease?  A great fast paced novel filled with mystery.

Among the Hidden Margaret Peterson Haddix

Luke has finally had enough when his parents no longer allow him to go outside.  Being a third child is tough but it is infinitely harder when you are considered illegal.  With the woods behind Luke’s house seized by the government for more housing his only joy comes from watching the new families from his attic.  He watches everyone leave the neighborhood for work and school but one day he notices a movement at the window of one the houses.  Will he risk everything to find out what’s going on?

Unwind Neal Shusterman

The second civil war was fought over abortion.  When the dust settled a compromise was reached, any parents wishing to get rid of their child can have them “unwound”, a process that reuses the teen body for donation.  By chance three teens that are slated to be unwound meet and band together to fight a system that would destroy them.

Ender’s Game Orson Scott Card

Most people of a certain age have read this classic Sci-fi novel, but more and more teens are increasingly unaware of this fantastic novel.  Ender Wiggins has been monitored since birth, he could be the chosen one, the one that will save the world from the invaders.  A great read with a shocking ending.

Feed M.T. Anderson

A boy meets girl tale with a twist.  Every person gets a feed, a computer chip that constantly bombards them with ads and product info based on what their brain likes and doesn’t.  See a shirt that looks cool, instantly ads pop up for that shirt, where you can buy it, and heck they’ll even send it to your home.  This novel is great and does even better on audio (you get the feeds just like the charecters).

 

So YA Like…Christmas books

Every year we all get that holiday reading bug, personally I satisfy mine with David Sedaris’ Holidays on Ice.  However, you might not want to hand that book off to any of your Teen/YA patrons.  Here is a list to help your teens ring in the holidays!

The Shepherd, the Angel, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog. Dave Barry.

Delighted to be playing the part of a shepherd in the local Christmas pageant at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Doug Barnes is suddenly confronted by a host of problems, including the misbehavior of his fellow shepherds and the illness of the family dog.

Ex-Mas. Kate Brian.

When her attempt to get back at her little brother Cooper results in him and his friend Tyler setting out for the North Pole to help save Santa, Lila enlists the help of Beau, her ex-boyfriend and Tyler’s brother, to find them.

Last Christmas. Kate Brian.

Before Reed Brennan attended Easton Academy and Ariana Osgood killed Thomas Pearson, Adriana and Thomas spent a night together over Christmas vacation, a night that set the stage for the horrific events that followed.

A War of Gifts. Orson Scott Card.

When Zeck Morgan, son of a puritanical minister, qualifies for admission into the International Fleet’s Battle School, he is brought to the school against his will. Citing pacifist religious beliefs, Zeck refuses to participate in any simulated war games, but when he sees a Dutch student give a friend a small present in celebration of Sinterklaas Day, he reports the violation of the school’s rules against open religious observation and sparks an uproar over religious freedom and the significance of cultural traditions. Meanwhile, Zeck becomes a pariah until series hero Ender Wiggin finds a way to show him the real meaning of the holidays.

What Child is This? Caroline B. Cooney.

Sixteen-year-old Matt knows not to expect anything of life, or people, or Christmas. But his foster sister, Katie, hasn’t yet learnt not to hope. When all the foster kids make their Christmas wishes, Katie asks for a family. Matt reckons no-one gets a family for Christmas – do they?

Mistletoe. Aimee Friedman, Hailey Abbott, Nina Malkin, Melissa de la Cruz.

In the first, Aimee Friedman brings Hanukkah and Christmas together as Maxine finds love in a department store. Hailey Abbott’s heroine, Aria, is welcoming her best friend, Emily, home for the holidays; unfortunately, she has fallen in love with Emily’s boyfriend. Nina Malkin sets her romance in Hollywood, and Melissa de la Cruz, the author of the Au Pairs series, offers a twist on O. Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi.”

Let it Snow. John Green, Maureen Johnson, Lauren Myracle

In three intertwining short stories, several high school couples experience the trials and tribulations along with the joys of romance during a Christmas Eve snowstorm in a small town.

French Kissmas. Cathy Hapka.

While spending the winter holidays in Paris participating in a promotional video for the S.A.S.S. program, Nicole Larson is unnerved to discover that her feelings for Luc, the boy she met during her semester abroad the year before, are more than just casual friendship.

Marly’s Ghost. David Levithan.

The spirit of Ben’s girlfriend Marly returns with three other ghosts to haunt him with a painful journey though Valentine’s Days past, present, and future.

My Fair Godmother. Janette Rallison.

High school sophomore Savannah wants to find the perfect prom date after her boyfriend breaks up with her to date her older sister, but when a godmother who is only fair becomes involved, Savannah finds herself in trouble in the Middle Ages, along with a boy who would like to be her charming prince.