Teen Scene December 2008 "Books let us into their souls and lay open to us the secrets of our own." ~ William Hazlitt (1778-1830), English essayist and literary critic New and Recently Released! Graceling - by Kristin Cashore Publisher: Harcourt Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 10/1/2008 ISBN: 9780152063962 ISBN-10: 015206396X Fantasy. With her one blue eye and one green eye, young Lady Katsa is easy for citizens of the Seven Kingdoms to recognize as a Graceling--a person born with an extraordinary magical gift. Katsa's gift is supreme fighting ability, and her uncle, tyrannical King Randa, has enlisted her to torture (and sometimes kill) those who cross him. But she despises doing her uncle's dirty work and has formed a council that works for justice in secret. Then she meets Po, a prince with a Grace equal to her own, who may convince Katsa that she can--and must--openly defy the King. This stirring tale of adventure and romance is a great choice for fans of the Twilight novels. First Chapter The Hunger Games - by Suzanne Collins Publisher: Scholastic Press Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 10/1/2008 ISBN: 9780439023481 ISBN-10: 0439023483 Science Fiction. After North America was devastated, a new country called Panem arose from its ashes. Every year the Capitol city of Panem requires each of its districts to send two "tributes"--one boy and one girl--to participate in the nationally televised Hunger Games, where competitors fight to the death until only one tribute remains. This is the story of Katniss Everdeen, who volunteers to take her younger sister's place as tribute. Katniss doesn't want to die...will she be forced to kill? Trilogy opener The Hunger Games is a fantastic, action-packed survival story with deep philosophical insight (and a bit of romance) and is sure to keep you up late reading to the end. Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances - by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle Publisher: Speak Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 10/2/2008 ISBN: 9780142412145 ISBN-10: 0142412147 Linked Novellas. A freak blizzard in a small Southern town brings the characters in these three stories together on Christmas Eve, and several romances are sparked by a random chain of events. How random, you ask? Well: a train is stuck on a snow-covered track; 14 cheerleaders are stranded at a Waffle House; and a fracas over Christmas collectibles leads to jail time. The authors' fans will love the ironic humor, creative plot shenanigans, and lifelike characters in Let it Snow--and even those who tend to steer clear of romance novels can enjoy these honest, realistic love stories. No Choirboy: Murder, Violence, and Teenagers on Death Row - by Susan Kuklin Publisher: Henry Holt Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 8/5/2008 ISBN: 9780805079500 ISBN-10: 0805079505 Nonfiction. In this powerful and eye-opening book, three death-row inmates who were sentenced as teenagers tell their stories--about how they ended up in prison and what their lives have been like there--in their own words. In addition to talking with these prisoners, author Susan Kuklin interviewed their families and the families of their victims (some of whom are opposed to the death penalty). Their thoughts are included along with those of anti-death penalty attorney Bryan Stevenson. For another perspective on life behind bars, check out novelist Jack Gantos' autobiographical Hole in My Life. First Chapter Table of Contents Cybele's Secret - by Juliet Marillier Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 9/8/2008 ISBN: 9780375933653 ISBN-10: 0375933654 Fantasy. Six years after the events of Wildwood Dancing, scholarly 18-year-old Paula and her merchant father journey from Transylvania to Istanbul to obtain a mysterious ancient pagan artifact known as Cybele's Gift. But they aren't the only ones who want the relic, and their competition in the race to find it includes some dangerous people indeed. In the end it will be up to Paula, with her keen intellect and her connection to the Other Kingdom, to find the relic...all while managing the attentions of both her bodyguard and a flirtatious pirate. Cybele's Secret will leave fans of romantic fantasy breathless for more! First Chapter If Only You Knew: A Hotlanta Novel - by Denene Millner and Mitzi Miller Publisher: Point Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 10/1/2008 ISBN: 9780545003094 ISBN-10: 0545003091 Fiction. Twin sisters Sydney and Lauren Duke live a privileged life in Atlanta's swankiest neighborhood and attend an exclusive, predominantly African-American private school. They're very different--prim and proper Sydney thinks that Lauren is a "superficial, scandalous drama queen"--but as much as they may bicker, the sisters really need each other now. Details of an unsolved murder from Hotlanta (the 1st book in this series) are coming out, and the Duke twins realize that they are connected to not only the victim, but possibly the murderer as well. With boyfriend troubles, scandals, and fashion obsessions as its backdrop, this lightning-fast read should appeal to fans of Gossip Girl or Honey Blonde Chica. Great Books You May Have Missed Life Sucks - by Jessica Abel and Gabe Soria with art by Warren Pleece Publisher: First Second Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 4/29/2008 ISBN: 9781596433649 ISBN-10: 1596433647 Graphic Novel. Dave works the night shift at 24/7 convenience store the Last Stop in L.A. But he's no ordinary minimum-wage slave--his boss, vampire Lord Radu Arisztidescu, turned him into a vampire to make him a better employee. So, Dave goes about his now-eternal drudgework (rotating the hot dogs, counting out the register), drinks pilfered plasma from the blood bank (he was a vegetarian before he was undead and refuses to kill humans), and longs for the love of Goth-girl Rosa from afar. But when sleazy, psycho surfer-vamp Wes sets his sights on Rosa, Dave realizes that he'll do anything to protect her. This fresh and wickedly funny take on vampire lit is sure to hold readers in its thrall. A la Carte - by Tanita S. Davis Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 6/10/2008 ISBN: 9780375948152 ISBN-10: 0375948155 Fiction. High-school senior Lainey knows exactly what she wants to be: TV's first female African-American chef with her own gourmet vegetarian cooking show. And with help from her mom, a restaurant owner, and St. Julia (Child, of course!), she just knows that she'll get there. But Lainey isn't so sure about her relationship with her longtime best friend--and secret crush--Simeon. The two of them used to be so close, but Sim has changed. While she tries to decide what to do about him, Lainey finds solace in the kitchen--and readers get the benefit of her recipes, which close each chapter. If you enjoy this tasty read and want more fiction with a culinary focus, try Jessie Elliot's Girls Dinner Club. First Chapter Suckerpunch - by David Hernandez Publisher: HarperTeen Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 1/1/2008 ISBN: 9780061173318 ISBN-10: 0061173312 Fiction. "At the funeral for Oliver's father I daydreamed about killing my own." So begins this story about 17-year-old Marcus and his younger brother Enrique. Their father beat Enrique mercilessly for years--and then took off. Floundering in the wake of anger that their dad left behind, ladies' man Enrique picks fights and dumps one girl after another, while shy, artistic Marcus heads quickly toward being a full-time stoner. When the brothers learn that their father wants to come back home, they take a road trip to find him and let him know that he's far less than welcome. Suckerpunch is a "hard-hitting and profane" (Kirkus Reviews) novel that addresses the realities of abuse honestly--and memorably. First Chapter The Starry Rift: Tales of New Tomorrows: An Anthology of Original Science Fiction - edited by Jonathan Strahan Publisher: Viking Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 4/17/2008 ISBN: 9780670060597 ISBN-10: 0670060593 Short Stories. In these gripping tales, well-known authors (such as Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan, Cory Doctorow, Neil Gaiman, and Kelly Link) imagine a wide variety of possible future worlds and situations. Covering everything from the dangers of virtual-reality gaming to space pirates, possession by aliens, interspecies love, and more, these stories also run the gamut in tone--from action-oriented to thoughtful to merely mind-blowing. If you aren't sure whether you even like science fiction, checking out a short story collection like this one is a great way to test the waters; if you're a diehard SF fan, don't miss The Starry Rift. Table of Contents Skim - by Mariko Tamaki; art by Jillian Tamaki Publisher: Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 2/28/2008 ISBN: 9780888997531 ISBN-10: 0888997531 Graphic Novel. Kimberly Keiko Cameron, a.k.a. Skim, is a pudgy, would-be Wiccan goth who attends a private girls' academy in 1990s Toronto, Canada--definitely someone you'd want to cast as the brooding misfit in an angst-ridden teen movie. When her one and only friendship goes sour, a classmate's boyfriend commits suicide, and the entire school freaks out, Skim sinks into a depression. Then she realizes that she might have an obsessive crush on Ms. Archer, her English teacher...which only makes things worse. Stunning artwork (Publishers Weekly calls it "wondrous"), droll observations, and darkly ironic humor make Skim a winner for fans of Daniel Clowes' Ghost World. Climbing the Stairs - by Padma Venkatraman Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 5/1/2008 ISBN: 9780399247460 ISBN-10: 0399247467 Historical Fiction. It's 1941, and 15-year-old Vidya lives with her relatively progressive parents and her brother in Bombay, India. She plans to attend college; most of her girlfriends will soon marry men chosen for them by their families. But after Vidya's father, a follower of Gandhi, is severely beaten during a rally, Vidya and her family are forced to move into her grandfather's traditional Brahmin household. There, Vidya's aunt viciously insults them, all the women are treated like servants, and the possibility of a university education for Vidya now seems remote. This brilliant portrayal of a young woman's struggle for independence during a time of great social upheaval will captivate readers with an interest in Indian history. Table of Contents