It’s like American Idol for teen books!

So many awards given to books are selected by adults, and while that doesn’t reflect badly on the winning titles, it might seem that teens – the intended audience – don’t have a say in what they think are great books. The Teen’s Top Ten award is a “teen’s choice” list of the best books of the year. So it’s like voting for your favorite performer on shows like American Idol or The Voice. It’s a chance to make your voice heard when it comes to teen books. Teen book clubs across the country have culled through hundreds of titles to select the cream of the crop. Voting begins in August so it’s time to get reading. Click here for a summary of each title.

All Good Children by Catherine Austen

Ashes by Ilsa Bick

Abandon by Meg Cabot

Tempest by Jule Cross

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Wither by Lauren DeStefano (staff review)

Where She Went by Gayle Forman (staff review)

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Eona: the Last Dragoneye by Alison Goodman

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (staff review)

Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge

Legend by Marie Lu

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Shine by Lauren Myracle

A Monster Calls: Inspired by an Idea by Siobhan Dowd by Patrick Ness

This Dark Endeavor: the Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein by Kenneth Oppel

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Divergent by Veronica Roth (staff review)

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys (staff review)

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr

All These Things I’ve Done by Gabrielle Zevin

-Lynn H., CADL Youth Services Specialist

Get Glam: It’s Prom Season

May means different things to different people.  To most high school juniors and seniors, it means prom is right around the corner.  Check out the following titles on hair, cosmetics and nails to help you perfect your prom night look.

Spectacular Hair by Eric Mayost

Good to Great Hair by Robert Vetica

Nail Style by Marie Mingay

Jemma Kidd Make-Up Master Class by Jemma Kidd

Emily Post Prom and Party Etiquette by Cindy Post Senning

If you already have your appearance planned down to the last details, then it’s time for some frivolous fun.  Check out these fantastic prom-themed reads before your big night.

Tessa Masterson Will Go to Prom by Emily Franklin

Prom by Laurie Halse Anderson

Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg

My Boyfriends’ Dogs by Dandi Dailey Mackall

Geek Charming by Robin Palmer

24 Girls in 7 Days by Alex Bradley

Two Parties, One Tux and a Very Short Film About The Grapes of Wrath by Steven Goldman

-Liz V., Youth Services Librarian

April is Drowning in Good Reads

The Tragedy of the Titanic
You’ve probably seen the movie with Leo and Kate, but there’s more to the story of the sinking of the Titanic.  In honor of the 100th anniversary of the sinking April 15th, check out one of these titles:

Bewitching by Alex Flinn
Fateful by Claudia Gray
Distant Waves: a novel of the Titanic by Suzanne Weyn
The Watch That Ends the Night: Voices From the Titanic by Allan Wolfe

Color Me Green: Dystopias About the Environment
Hot dystopian titles like The Hunger Games trilogy and Divergent have featured oppressive governments, but there are other fascinating themes that authors explore, one being a ravaged and ruined environment: drought; floods; famine; volcanoes -  you name it.  In honor of Earth Day on April 22nd, check out some of these reads:

X Isle by Steve Augarde
Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi
Exodus by Julie Bertagna
The Secret Under My Skin by Elizabeth McNaughton
Ashfall by Mike Mullin
Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

-Lynn H., CADL Youth Services Specialist

Road Trip Reads: Audiobook Recommendations for Teens

Road trips can be grueling for teens. For something exciting to listen to, and to prevent compulsive radio channel surfing, check out one of the following unique audiobooks, available on CD from CADL’s collection.

If I Stay by Gayle Foreman: Cello music plays an important role in this story, and also adds punch to the audiobook.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater: The two main characters in this story are presented by dual narrators in the audiobook version.

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak: This story is littered with German words, which come across wonderfully in the book on CD.

Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison:  Not only is this story hilarious, the audio version is read with a British accent.

The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot: This story is narrated by Anne Hathaway, who played Mia in the movie.

-Liz V., Youth Services Librarian and Meghan L., Library Clerk

Feed Your Craving for Hunger Games!

With the release of the first Hunger Games movie on March 23rd, you may have recently re-read all of the books in the trilogy and have an appetite for read-alike books.  Give some of these titles a try:

Enclave by Ann Aguirre

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

Matched and Crossed by Ally Condie

The Maze Runner (Maze Runner Trilogy) by James Dashner

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines

The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch

Legend by Marie Lu

The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking) by Patrick Ness

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Glow by Amy Ryan

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

And, if you can’t get enough of The Hunger Games:

The World of the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games Companion: the Unauthorized Guide to the Series by Lois H. Gresh

The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook: From Lamb Stew to “Groosling” More Than 150 Recipes Inspired by the Hunger Games Trilogy by Emily Ansara Baines

-Lynn H., CADL Youth Services Specialist

Not Your Childhood Fairytales

Retelling fairytales seems to be a trend in Hollywood, and that’s not referring to the Disney princess tales.  Last year brought Beastly and Red Riding Hood.

Two new TV series based on fairytales debuted in the Fall 2011 season - NBC’s Grimm and ABC’s Once Upon a Time.

In 2012 there will be two films released based on the story of Snow White.  Mirror, Mirror is due out on March 16th and Snow White and the Huntsman is due out on June 1st.

These films and TV shows re-work traditional fairytales, or add a modern twist.  Authors have been doing this for a while – check out these titles:

Beauty and the Beast
Beastly by Alex Flinn
Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

The Twelve Dancing Princesses
Entwined by Heather Dixon
Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

Cinderella
Ash by Malinda Lo
Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Grimm Brothers
The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman
The Wager by Donna Jo Napoli – based on “The Bearskin”

Little Red Riding Hood
Cloaked in Red by Vivian Vande Velde
Red Riding Hood by Sarah Blakley-Cartwright
Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Sleeping Beauty
Fairest by Gail Carson Levine
Spindle’s End by Robin McKinley

The Wizard of Oz
Wicked series by Gregory Maguire

-Lynn H., CADL Youth Services Specialist

Love Is In the Air: Romance Reads for Teens

February is here, and with it, Valentine’s Day.  Red hearts, cupids, chocolate and romance are in the air.  If you’re looking for a teen read to satisfy your inner romantic this holiday, check out one of the following stories, where love always prevails in the end.

Fire by Kristin Cashore

Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohen

Undercover by Beth Kephart

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

-Liz V., Youth Services Librarian

Read Like a Rock Star: Teen Books Where Music Takes Center Stage

The written word is always entertaining, but it’s even better if you can tie your reading habits in with your other interests.  If you’re a musician, or just a music lover, there’s no better way to relate to a book than to find yourself a story with music as a main theme.  If you’re in the market for a rockin’ YA read, try one of the following titles where music plays a central role.

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen: Remy doesn’t really believe in relationships, until she meets rock-band member Dexter.

Beat the Band by Don Calame: Coop tries to increase his social status by entering his terrible band in the Battle of the Bands.

Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick: Stephen uses music to help deal with his younger brother’s leukemia.

Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway: Audrey deals with newfound, and unwanted, fame when her rock star ex-boyfriend writes a break up song about her.

Beige by Cecil Castellucci: Katy leaves home to spend time with her estranged, punk rock legend father.

Jane by April Lindner: In this retelling of Jane Eyre, nanny Jane falls in love with her rock star employer.

-Liz V., Youth Services Librarian

Take a Stand

January 23 – 27th is No Name-Calling Week.  Over the past couple of years the media has brought to light incidences of name-calling and bullying that have led to tragic consequences.  Many schools have instituted anti-bullying measures, and a new state law is set to go into effect about how schools address bullying.

No-Name Calling Week was inspired by the young adult novel The Misfits, written by James Howe.  There are many young adult novels that address the struggles, tragedies and triumphs of bullying from the perspectives of both the victim and the instigator:

Playground by 50 Cent

Girl Parts by John Cusick

The Accidental Genius of Weasel High by Rick Detorie

Dear Bully: 70 Authors Tell Their Stories edited by Megan Kelley Hall & Carrie Jones

The Misfits and Addie on the Inside by James Howe

The DUFF by Kody Keppler

The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler

Scrawl: a Note by Mark Shulman

Give a Boy a Gun by Todd Strasser

 

For more information, check out the No Name-Calling Week website.

-Lynn H., CADL Youth Services Specialist

Best Books of 2011 for Teens

It’s time to take a look at some of the best reviewed books of the year.  Check out these great titles you may have missed this past year.

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
A captivating story of survival during World War II.  Read staff review here.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Chime by Frannie Billingsley

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Divergent by Veronica Roth
If Tris can’t uncover the truth of a nefarious plot, her family and her entire society may be destroyed.  Read staff review here.

Blink & Caution by Tim Winn-Jones

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol

Stay with Me by Paul Griffin

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

White Crow by Marcus Sedgewick

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr

- Lynn H.,  CADL Youth Services Specialist