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BOOKS FOR TEENS
Recent Reviews of Teen Books
| Teen Books in Pairs | Teen
Novels & Shakespeare | Teen
Books into Movies | Songs
about Books
RECENT REVIEWS OF BOOKS FOR TEENS
Autobiography of My Dead Brother. Walter Dean
Myers. Illus. by Christopher Myers. HarperTempest/Amistad, 2005.
$16.89. 006058291X. Grades 8 -11.
Drive-by shootings make 15-year-old Jesse's Harlem neighborhood
scary for him, his friends, and his caring family. Worse, his slightly
older best friend is suddenly acting like drug-dealing is a viable
option. Graphic novel-type illustrations add to the impact of this
troubling story.
Crackback. John Coy. Scholastic Press, 2005. $16.99.
0439697336. Grades 8-11.
Miles, thrilled to be playing varsity football, loses some of his
excitement when a dictatorial coach takes over and sounds all too
much like Miles's father. When a teammate insists Miles try steroids,
he wrestles with what he believes and wants from football and life.
Inexcusable. Chris Lynch. Atheneum Books for Young
Readers, 2005. $16.95. 0689847890. Grades 9-12.
As this chilling novel opens, a girl is insisting that the narrator,
Keir, admit what he did, clearly something terrible. Keir describes
himself as a polite, reliable guy, a football player who's close
to his dad and sisters. But his actions tell a different story altogether.
Invisible. Pete Hautman. Simon & Schuster
Books for Young Readers, 2005. $15.95. 0689868006. Grades 8-12.
Narrator seventeen-year-old Dougie, who is building a bridge for
his model railroad using 22,400 matches, claims not to be troubled
and insists he has a best friend. But readers will figure out that
he's an unreliable narrator, with serious problems in his past and
present in this chilling, tightly-written novel.
Black Storm Comin'. Diane L. Wilson. Margaret
K. McElderry Books, 2005. $16.95. 0689871376. Grades 7-10.
Going West by wagon train is harder than 12-year-old Colton ever
imagined, His black mother is sick from childbirth and his white
father deserts the family part way across the Utah Territory. Colton,
who must now make money for the family, sets his sights on riding
for the Pony Express.
Day of Tears: A Novel in Dialogue. Julius Lester.
Hyperion Books for Children, 2005. $15.99. 0786804904. Grades 5-8.
Told through dialogues and soliloquies, this powerful story captures
the voices of slaves before, at, and after a huge slave auction.
Also heard from are white plantation owners, the man running the
auction, and a few whites who object to slavery. The viewpoints
and images create a memorable, heartbreaking collage.
Last Dance on Holladay Street. Elisa Lynn Carbone.
Knopf, 2005. $15.95. 0375828966. Grades 7-10.
Raised by black parents on a Colorado farm, thirteen-year-old Eva
seeks out her birth mother after her parents die. She finds her
mother, who is white, working at a Denver bordello. With her black
birth father long gone, Eva must scheme and fight to avoid her mother's
fate and find another way to survive in 1878 in a West largely hostile
to women.
47. Walter Mosley. Little, Brown, 2005. $16.99.
0316110353. Grades 7-10.
This intriguing combination of fantasy and historical fiction
tells the story of an adolescent slave simply called "47,"
painting a vivid picture of his painful daily life. Into this grim
setting comes a new slave, who turns out to be a magical being from
another dimension who instills hope and self-worth in 47.
Going Going. Naomi Shihab Nye. Greenwillow, 2005.
$15.99. 0688161855. Grades 7-10.
Florrie, who is sixteen and lives in San Antonio, loves old buildings
and hates the out-of-control growth of consumerism. She wants to
act on her beliefs, but can she succeed in getting her friends,
family and even some strangers to boycott chain stores and restaurants
for sixteen weeks?
Luna: A Novel. Julie Anne Peters. Little, Brown,
2004. $16.95. 0316733695. Grades 8-12.
High school senior Liam has felt like a girl inside for as long
as he can remember, but only his younger sister knows his real feelings
and his longing to reveal his true self to others.
The Sledding Hill. Chris Crutcher. Greenwillow,
2005. $15.99. 0060502436. Grades 7-10.
In this exploration of censorship, Eddie Proffit deals with the
deaths of those he loves while standing up for what he believes
in. The 14-year-old defends a challenged book written by the much
censored Chris Crutcher himself.
Uglies. Scott Westerfeld. Simon Pulse, 2005. 0689865384.
Grades 8 -11.
In the year 2003, all sixteen-year-olds get an operation that makes
them beautiful. Proponents say it makes adults equal but, as still
"ugly" Tally learns, some people think it's a bad idea.
Where I Want to Be. Adele Griffin. Putnam, 2004. $15.99. 0399237836.
Grades 8-11.
Chapters alternate between Lily, a popular 17-year-old, and her
older sister, Jane, who had psychological problems and is now dead.
But Jane's spirit lingers while the sisters each look at the past
and try to make sense of their difficult relationship.
Conrad's Fate. Diana Wynne Jones. Greenwillow,
2005. $15.99. 0060747439. Grades 5-8.
In this welcome installment for fans of the Chrestomanci books,
Conrad Tesdinic needs to find the cause of the bad luck he can't
seem to shake. In his search, he teams up with a teenage Christopher
Chant who's on a urgent mission of his own.
The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray. Chris Wooding.
Orchard Books, 2004. $16.95. 0439998964. Grades 9-12.
Thaniel Fox, brave and gallant, hunts supernatural creatures called
wych-kin on the streets of Victorian London. When he meets Alaizabel
Cray, a young woman who's escaped from evil conspirators intent
on taking over the city, the plot thickens in this gripping, original
fantasy.
The Hunter's Moon. O. R. Melling. Amulet, 2005.
$16.95. 0810958570. Grades 8-11.
The first book in a trilogy from Canada, this fantasy starts when
American Gwen and her Irish cousin, Findabhair, set off to visit
the magical places in Ireland. On their first stop, Findabhair is
lured into the fairy world and Gwen must try to rescue her.
Magic or Madness. Justine Larbalestier. Razorbill,
2005. 1595140220. Grades 7-10.
Her mother has always warned 15-year-old Reason against the girl's
grandmother, who's allegedly a witch. When Reason's mother is hospitalized
with mental health problems, Reason reluctantly goes to live with
the grandmother and finds out the truth about her magic.
The Secret under My Skin. Janet Elizabeth McNaughton.
Harper, 2005. $15.99. 006008989X. Grades 7-10.
Set in 2368 after Earth has been thrown into political disarray
by environmental crises, an orphan finds herself rescued from the
work house by a kind couple. The girl searches for her past while
forging a promising future through her uncanny ability to absorb
information and learn through dreams.
Face Relations: 11 Stories About Seeing Beyond Color.
Marilyn Singer, ed. Simon & Schuster, 2004.
$17.95. 0689856377. Grades 7-11.
Offering plenty to talk about, these stories cast their net wide
to look at teens of different nationalities and skin colors who
deal with a host of issues, all with hopes for a better world.
The Faery Reel: Tales from the Twilight Realm. Ellen Datlow and
Terri Windling, editors. Viking, 2004. $19.99. 0670059145. Grades
9-12.
More than 500 pages long, this collection of short stories and a
few poems focuses on fairies in traditional and modern settings.
Tanith Lee, Holly Black, Gregory Maguire, and Patricia McKillip
are among the contributors.
First Crossing: Stories About Teen Immigrants. Donald R. Gallo.
Candlewick, 2004. $16.99. 0763622494. Grades 6-10.
Teenagers from different places around the world all struggle with
adjustments in the U.S., whether with their adoptive families, the
families they come with, their new friends, or with those who reject
them for being different.
Gothic! Ten Original Dark Tales. Deborah Noyes. Candlewick, 2004.
$15.99. 0763622435. Grades 7-10.
From light-hearted to creepy, these ten stories explore the concept
of gothic literature with elements like vampires, haunted houses,
and graveyards. Authors include Neil Gaiman, Celia Rees, Vivian
Vande Velde, Garth Nix, M.T. Anderson, and others.
Past Perfect, Present Tense: New and Collected Stories.
Richard Peck. Dial Books, 2004. $16.99. 0803729987. Grades 5-9.
This collection of thirteen stories, most previously published,
includes his first published story; historical fiction; supernatural
tales; and stories set in the present. Peck introduces each section
with entertaining notes about the stories, and ends the volume with
tips on writing.
Curse of the Blue Tattoo: Being an Account of the Misadventures
of Jacky Faber, Midshipman and Fine Lady. L. A. Meyer. Harcourt,
2004. $17.00. 0152051155. Grades 7-10.
Jacky Faber, former sailor, is as incorrigible as ever when her
ship’s captain enrolls her in the Lawson Peabody School for
Young Girls. It’s 1803 in Boston, and the prim girls and strict
teachers don’t know what hit them in this rollicking tale.
A Hat Full of Sky. Terry Pratchett. Harper, 2004. $17.89. 0060586613.
Grades 5-8.
Tiffany Aching, who discovered her magical powers in The Wee Free
Men, is being pursued by an evil force intent on taking her over.
Her six-inch-tall blue-skinned allies and the canny Granny Weatherwax
weigh in on the side of good.
Indigo's Star. Hilary McKay. Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2004.
$15.95. 0689865635. Grades 5-8.
The same hilarious family from Saffy’s Angel continues their
muddled, warm-hearted life, this time taking in an American boy
named Tom, who is Indigo’s new friend. Indigo and Tom learn
from each other as they repel bullies and play guitar together.
Predator's Gold. Philip Reeve. Eos, 2004.
$17.89. 0060721944. Grades 6-10. This sequel to the inventive fantasy,
The Mortal Engines, finds Tom and Hester embroiled in a new set
of dangers in their strange future world where cities move and viciously
devour each other.
Son of the Mob: Hollywood Hustle. Gordon Korman. Hyperion, 2004.
$15.99. 0786809183. Grades 8-12.
Vince Luca, son of a mob boss, and his girlfriend Kendra, daughter
of an FBI agent, hope to leave their family difficulties behind
when they move to California for college. But their troubles, romantic
and otherwise, continue unabatedly on the West Coast.
Here in Harlem: Poems in Many Voices. Walter Dean
Myers. Holiday House, 2004. $16.95. 0823418537.
Grades 7-12. Like Edgar Lee Masters' Spoon River Anthology, on which
it is modeled, this effective collection of poems uses many voices
to create a vivid picture of Harlem. Historic photographs enhance
this beautifully designed, slim volume.
Never Mind! A Twin Novel. Avi and Rachel Vail.
HarperCollins, 2004. $16.89. 0060543159. Grades
5-8. The voices of Meg and her twin brother, Ed, alternate by chapter
in this middle school crowd-pleaser. Humorous misunderstandings
abound during the days leading up to a party which both of them
are dreading but which succeeds in bringing them together as friends
for a change. New Found Land. Allan Wolf. Candlewick,
2004. $18.99. 0763621137. Grades 7-12. Thirteen
voices convey the excitement and danger of the Lewis and Clark expedition
in this long, readable verse novel. From the expedition leaders
to York, Clark's slave, to Sacajawea to other expedition members
including a dog, the characters come to life in distinct ways on
the journey.
Talk. Kathe Koja. FSG/Frances Foster Books, 2005.
$16.00. 0374373825. Grades 8-12. Chapters alternate between Kit
and Lindsay, the leads in a high school play about politics, torture,
and speaking out. Kit, who is gay but keeps it a secret, realizes
that Lindsay, a previous prom queen, has chosen Kit as her next
boyfriend.
Ttyl. Lauren Myracle. Harry N. Abrams, 2004.
$15.95. 0810948214. Grades 8-11. Three teenage girls who are good
friends exchange instant messages as they grow and change in tenth
grade. Pages look like a computer screen, with boxed messages characterized
by realistically incomplete sentences, informal punctuation and
some abbreviations.
B for Buster. Iain Lawrence. Delacorte, 2004. $15.95. 0385730861.
Grades 7-11.
In this outstanding novel about courage and friendship, sixteen-year-old Kak serves in the Canadian Air Force as part of a WWII bombing crew. His excitement about flying his first mission over Germany turns to terror when he realizes how easily he and his companions could die.
Behind You. Jacqueline Woodson. G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2004. $15.99. 039923988X. Grades 7-10.
When the police shoot fifteen-year-old Jeremiah, mistaken for another black teen, his parents, friends, and girlfriend, Ellie, are devastated. Their voices, and Jeremiah's, explore grief, racial issues, and ultimately hope in this sequel to If You Come Softly, which can be read on its own.
Chanda's Secrets. Allan Stratton. Annick, 2004. $19.95. 155037835X. Grades 8-12.
This Printz Honor Book draws an emotionally powerful picture of life for a conscientious, caring teenager in sub-Saharan Africa, who takes on adult responsibilities when family members fall ill and start dying from AIDS. Chanda seeks a way to speak out and break the cultural secrecy that surrounds the epidemic.
Daniel, Half-Human and the Good Nazi. David Chotjewitz. Translated by Doris Orgel. Atheneum Books, 2004. $17.95. 0689857470. Grades 7-11.
A teenager in Germany in the 1930s, Daniel, who initially believed in Hitler's views, faces the news that he is half-Jewish. As the Nazis make life increasingly frightening and dangerous for the Jews, Daniel's closest friend must make crucial choices that affect them both.
Kira-Kira. Cynthia Kadohata. Atheneum, 2004. $15.95. 0689856393. Grades 6-8.
Having moved to Georgia in the 1950s, Katie's Japanese-American family has to adjust to small town life in an unfamiliar rural community. Katie relies on her older sister Lynn to guide her and provide friendship, but when Lynn falls seriously ill, roles get reversed in this heartbreaking, luminous Newbery Award winner.
Chasing Vermeer. Blue Balliett. Ill. Brett Helquist.
Scholastic, 2004. $16.96. 0-439-37294-1. Grades
5-8.
Anonymous letters to their neighbors, a thought-provoking book,
and the theft of a Vermeer painting prompt sixth graders Petra and
Calder to think in new ways and also test their courage, inspired
by their teacher, who makes learning truly exciting. Codes to solve
and black-and-white illustrations add to the fun.
The Grand Tour. Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline
Stevermer. Harcourt, 2004. $17.00. 0-15-204616-X.
Grades 6-10.
Mystery meets fantasy as two young married couples travel on their
Grand Tour across Europe, applying their magical powers to unraveling
an evil scheme. This sequel to Sorcery and Cecelia combines the
Regency period, an intricate plot, and lots of magic.
Montmorency: Thief, Gentleman, Liar? Eleanor Updale.
Orchard, 2004. $16.5. 0-439-58035-8. Grades 6-10.
Former prisoner Montmorency baffles the police in Victorian London
with his quick getaways into the new sewer system. His duo life
as a thief called Scarper and a wealthy gentleman called Montmorency
grows more dangerous as this intriguing, original story approaches
its surprising climax.
In Darkness, Death. Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler.
Philomel, 2004. $16.99. 0-399-23767-4. Grades 5-9.
The third installment in a series about fourteen-year-old Seikei,
an apprentice Samurai, this fast-paced tale of ninjas, tyrants,
and murder plunges readers into the world of eighteenth-century
Japan.
The Spirit Line. Aimée and David Thurlo.
Viking, 2004. $15.99. 0-670-03645-5. Grades 5-9.
Who has stolen the nearly finished rug that Crystal Manyfeathers
was weaving for her kinaalda, the Navajo coming of age ceremony
for girls? Crystal struggles with the death of her mother and questions
traditional Navajo ways as she and her friend, Henry, search the
reservation for the thief.
The Singer of All Songs. Kate Constable. AAL/Scholastic,
2004. $16.95. 0-439-55478-0. Grades 6-10.
Calwyn, who has never left her walled community of all females where
she is an aspiring priestess, surprises herself by setting off to
see other countries. But a grim fate awaits the world if Calwyn
and her companions don’t stop an increasingly powerful sorcerer.
The Oracle Betrayed. Catherine Fisher. Greenwillow,
2004. $17.89. 0-06-057158-6. Grades 6-10.
On her drought-ridden island, Mirany reluctantly becomes a priestess,
which thrusts her into a battle with the corruption threatens to
destroy the country. Elements of ancient Egypt and Greece create
an effective backdrop for Mirany’s dangerous adventure.
Troll Fell. Katherine Langrish. HarperCollins,
2004. $15.99. 0-06-058304-5. Grades 5-9.
Two nasty uncles make orphaned Peer’s life a misery at their
mill near Troll Fell, where trolls hide their gold in the hillside.
Peer’s kindness and courage attract allies, both human and
magical, but will it be enough to save him from his uncles’
nefarious plans?
Gifts. Ursula K. Le Guin. Harcourt, 2004.
$17.00. 0-15-205123-6. Grades 6-10
Narrator Orrec and the girl who is his best friend, Gry, live in
a barren country where magical gifts are valued above wealth. When
a visitor comes from the outside world, the two teenagers start
to see their home land in a new way while they also question their
own troubling powers.
Wishing Moon. Michael O. Tunnell. Dutton, 2004.
$17.99. 0-525-47193-6. Grades 6-10.
With three wishes a month from Aladdin’s lamp, beggar girl
Aminah first indulges her desire for material comfort, but then
starts using her wishes for good. A cranky jinni, Arabian Nights
setting, and more than a hint of romance enhance the charming story.
Messenger. Lois Lowry. Grades 6-10. 2004.
Returning to characters from The Giver and Gathering Blue, this
moving story explores the price paid for living an authentic, simple
life. Teenager Matty, though tempted by his village's new fascination
with trading, reaffirms his beliefs during a dangerous journey.
The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place. E.L. Konigsburg.
Grades 6-9. 2004.
Margaret Rose, Connor's sister in The Silent Bone, relates her experiences
defying convention as a twelve-year-old. Her nonconformity means
she doesn't fit in at summer camp, but also gives her the courage
to try to save her uncles' eccentric artwork.
Vote for Larry: A Novel. Janet Tashjian. Grades
8-12. 2004.
After seventeen-year-old Josh Swenson became famous for his web
"sermons" against commercialism, he disappeared as if
dead at the end of The Gospel According to Larry. But now he’s
back with his principles intact and, against all odds, he's running
for President.
Blushing: Expressions of Love in Poems and Letters.
Collected by Paul Janeczko. Orchard Books. Grades 7-12. 2004.
This small, lovely collection brings together poems about love from
different times and poets. It moves the beginnings of romance, through
its joys and pains, to remembering past loves.
Is This Forever, or What? Poems & Paintings from Texas.
Selected by Naomi Shihab Nye. Grades 7-12. 2004.
This handsome volume speaks to readers beyond the Texas borders,
with its wide-ranging selection of poems with universal themes.
Striking paintings, beautifully reproduced, add to its appeal.
Revenge and Forgiveness: An Anthology and Poems.
Edited by Patrice Vecchione. Grades 9-12. 2004.
Exploring revenge and forgiveness among families, friends, and lovers,
Vecchione selects a rich array of poems, some fairly sophisticated,
others simpler. Extensive biographical notes includes references
to other works by these poets.
Singing the Dogstar Blues. Alison Goodman. Grades
7-11. 2003.
In this science fiction thriller, Joss and her partner in school,
an alien, are learning to time travel. But an assassin and puzzles
from the past threaten their future.
The Slightly True Story of Cedar B. Hartley (who planned
to live an unusual life). Martine Murray. Grades 5-8. 2003.
Australian Cedar Hartley and her new friend, the son of circus performers,
plan a neighborhood circus. Twelve-year-old Cedar, a narrator with
a fresh, funny voice, also slowly solves two family mysteries.
Shakespeare Bats Clean-up. Ron Koertge. Grades
6-10. 2003.
Fourteen-year-old Kevin, bored at home with mononucleosis, tries
his hand at different poetry formats, writing about baseball, a
new romantic friendship, his mother’s death, and more. The
result is a character study, a wonderful introduction to poetry,
and a possible tool for teaching poetry writing.
The World According to Dog: Poems and Teen Voices.
Joyce Sidman. 2003.
With photographs by Doug Mindell. Grades 6-12. Another attractive
book, this combines poetry in a variety of formats by Sidman with
short prose pieces from different teenagers. All address aspects,
mostly pleasurable, of having a dog.
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© 2003, Kathleen Odean, all rights reserved.
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