The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer

Colfer, Eoin. The Supernaturalists. New York: Hyperion, 2004. ISBN: 0-7868-5149

Cosmo is an orphan, and orphans don't fair too well at the Clarissa Frayne Institute for Parentally Challenged Boys. After years of being used as a science experiment, Cosmo finally gets a lucky break to escape, and he takes it. His "lucky" break however, might not be so lucky. Cosmo joins a group of misfits, the Supernaturalists, who have joined together to fight off the parasites- blue creatures invisible to most that feed off the life force of the sick or injured. Their missions put Cosmo into a handful of dangerous situations, but even worse, they eventually lead him back to Clarrisa Frayne. Are the Supernaturalists actually helping humanity by killing the parasites, or could the parasites actually be helping humans?

The Absolutely True Story of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian. New York : Little Brown and Company, 2007. ISBN : 0-316-01368-4

Junior has faced adversity his entire life. Not only was he born with hydrocephalus, a condition where fluid leaks into his brain, but he also was born into a Spokane Indian tribe- a tribe where alcohol ruins 99% of people's lives. Although he loves his family, and his tribe (even though he is constantly teased and bullied) Junior realizes he must leave in order to succeed in life, and not end up living in his parent's basement like his older sister. But will he be accepted by the white community he chooses? Or will his tribe permanently reject him once he leaves?

The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean

McCaughrean, Geraldine. The White Darkness. New York : Harper Teen, 2007.

ISBN 006-089-0355

While this book started out very slowly for me, I was determined to get through it, and I am glad I did. The writing is beautiful, but at the beginning I found the characters to be somewhat annoying and I was confused with the plot- a teenager with an imaginary friend? Eventually, as I came to understand more about the characters it really picked up. So I urge you to stay with it!

Sym is somewhat of a loner. Obsessed with the Antarctic, she doesn't really fit in with her classmates and spends most of her time with her friend Titus, an Antarctic explorer who died 90 years ago. After her strange and obsessive "uncle" takes her on a surprise vacation to explore the Antarctic, Sym finally finds her own confidence as she struggles to survive and find out what has really been happening in her life.

2008 Printz Award Winner

Big Mouth and Ugly Girl by Joyce Carol Oates

Oates, Joyce Carol. Big Mouth and Ugly Girl. New York, NY : Harper Collins, 2002. ISBN 0-06-447347-3

Ursula Riggs, a tall, quiet athletic girl, makes an unlikely friend when she comes to the defense of Matt Donaghy, a popular student leader, after he is accused of making a threat to bomb the school. This book shows how fast your life can change, as Matt goes from popularity to a self made social outcast, wanting nothing to do with his former friends who showed him no loyalty in his time of need.

Truesight by David Stahler Jr.

Stahler, David Jr. Truesight. New York, NY : Harper Collins, 2004. ISBN 0-06-052285-2

Residents in the town of Harmony, a colony of purposely blind citizens, are disrupted when the Head Councilor’s free spirited daughter mysteriously dies. Around the same time one of her close friends, Jacob, starts experiencing dizzying headaches and flashes of light. He comes to the realization that somehow the unthinkable has happened- he has gained sight. He fights an inner battle, knowing his society was formed on the notion that sight distracts people from leading true and virtuous lives and enjoying his new found sight.

From Charlie's Point of View by Richard Scrimger

Richard Scrimger. From Charlie’s Point of View. New York, NY : Penguin Group, 2005. ISBN 0-525-47274-2

Charlie, a blind seventh grader, and his best friend Bernadette do everything together. So when Charlie’s father is accused of a string of ATM robberies, they decide to solve the case together. Scrimger’s writing is quick witted and fast paced. Bernadette and Charlie are an unlikely, but believable duo.
One humorous thing that the author does throughout this book is leave the reader hanging by describing a scene and then saying something along the lines of, and Charlie saw….and when you turn the page you see two blank pages (get it? Because Charlie is blind…) It is a pretty funny cliff hanger, especially the first time you see it (or don’t!) He uses it several times throughout the book- always at a big action scene.

33 Snowfish by Adam Rapp

Adam Rapp. 33 Snowfish. Cambridge, MA : Candlewick Press, 2003. ISBN : 0-7636-1874-8

Three kids that nobody wants are on the run after one of them kills his parents and kidnaps his baby brother. The book follows their cross country trek and the hardships they face, eventually leading to one of their deaths and the promise of a new life for the protagonist, Custis, if he chooses to stay with his new guardian- the first to treat him good. Although this book was very dark, the writing is great. I really enjoyed this book, but can see it as a book that might be challenged by some adults. This made me wonder what librarians do in this case.

The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci

Carol Plum- Ucci. The Body of Christopher Creed. New York, NY: Harcourt Publishers, 2000. ISBN 0-1520-2388-7

When Christopher Creed goes missing many suspect some of his classmates of foul play, a suspicion aroused at the fact that many of them tortured him daily while he was still around. His classmates suspect his over bearing military mother of either driving him to suicide or of driving him to run away. When Torey Adams, a popular kid from a good family, gets implicated in the case he goes to extremes to prove that his new friends had nothing to do with the disappearance. While Plum-Ucci uses some pretty unoriginal voices and cliché language for her teen characters, the story line is really good. I think this book would be enjoyed by most teens as they could relate to being teased or seeing others teased by classmates, or living under the pressure of overly strict parents.

God and I Broke Up by Katarina Mazetti

Katarina Mazetti. God and I Broke Up. Toronto, Ontario: Groundwood Books, 1995. ISBN 0-88899-584-9

Nobody understands Linnea, that is until she meets Pia. Pia, with her confidence and humor, helps Linnea struggle through the hard times of life in high school. Meanwhile Pia is facing challenges or her own. This story, set in Sweden, takes place after Pia’s suicide and is told as Linnea reflecting back on times they spent together and questioning how she could have prevented the tragedy of Pia’s death. I really liked the reflective writing style, and thought Mazetti captured the teenage voice very well.

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan

David Levithan. Boy Meets Boy. New York, NY : Random House, 2003. ISBN 0-375-83299-8.

Paul lives in a gaytopian community, where the quarterback is a drag queen, and classmates and parents are mostly tolerant. After he meets the artistic Noah, his world is changed for the better. After a momentary kiss with an ex boyfriend, he fears he loses Noah forever. But with the help of all of his friends at school he is able to win him back, while also helping out his friend Tony, whose parents aren’t as accepting of his lifestyle.

Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman

Terry Trueman. Stuck in Neutral. New York, NY : Harper Collins, 2000. ISBN 0-06-028519-2.

Shawn is a fourteen year old boy whose Cerebral Palsy has left him unable to talk, move, or communicate with anyone. The only time Shawn is able to experience anything physical is when he has his daily grand mal seizures, during which he often has the out of body experience of floating up above himself. As far as anyone knows, Shawn can’t even think- but they are wrong. Shawn is actually really quite bright, a self taught reader, deeply inquisitive and with the ability to remember every thing he has ever heard- if only he could tell his family that. Now he has the feeling his dad, a well known author, is trying to kill him- but he has no way of telling anyone his suspicions.

Storky : How I Lost My Nickname and Won the Girl by D.L. Garfinkle

D.L. Garfinkle. Storky : How I Lost My Nickname and Won the Girl. New York, NY : G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2005. ISBN 0-399-24284-8

Michael Pomerantz, or Storky as he is begrudgingly known by his classmates, is the smart sensitive type. Not exactly the type that gets all the girls in high school. Even his dad, who recently divorced his mom, doesn’t want to hang out with him. His popular older sister Amanda always has dates, and the best Storky can do is give his crush, Gina, homework tips. He has to lose his rep as the sensitive guy if he is ever going to get a girlfriend. Or does he? After meeting Duke, a cool old guy at the retirement home his mom volunteers at, Storky gains some confidence to just be himself and realizes that its other peoples loss, (including his aloof dads) if they don’t get to know him.

The Brimstone Journals by Ron Koertge

Ron Koertge. The Brimstone Journals. Cambridge, MA : Candlewick Press, 2001. ISBN 0-7636-1742-3

Branston High School could be any typical American school. There’s the jocks, the slut, the fat kid, the nerd, etc. After meeting Mike, an older kid working at the local gas station and finding his fathers gun, Boyd gets the idea of making a list of the kids he doesn’t like and going on a murderous hunt at school. Among one of Boyd’s recruits of loners to help him on his mission is Lester, a boy picked on because he is fat. Lester begins to become afraid of Boyd’s plan and eventually goes to the police. This story is written by the various characters in journal entry.

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Jerry Spinelli. Stargirl. New York, NY : Alfred A. Knopf, 2000. ISBN 0-679-98637-5

Stargirl doesn’t care what other people think of her. She walks to the beat of her own drummer. After being home schooled for years, she starts at the local high school where she does things a lot differently then the other students. After students turn and begin to shun her, her boyfriend Leo talks with her about how the would accept her if she wasn’t so different. She decides to become more like them, and less like her true self, and Leo regrets his decision to try and make Stargirl conform.

Sometimes I Think I Hear My Name by Avi

Avi. Sometimes I Think I Hear My Name. New York, NY : Random House, 1982. ISBN 0-451-12151-1

Conrad lives with his aunt and uncle is St. Louis. He wishes he could be living with his recently divorced parents in New York City, he wishes he could at least go and see them. After his aunt and uncle decide to send him to England on school break instead of NYC, Conrad develops a plan to get there, and hopefully reunite his family. With the help of a mysterious new friend, Nancy, Conrad gets to NYC, only to find out that sometimes families work better when the parents are separate.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower- Stephen Chbosky

Stephen Chbosky. The Perks of Being a Wallflower. New York, NY : Pocket Books, 1999. ISBN 0-671-02734-4

Written in letter form, quirky Charlie tells the reader about his day to day life in a high school in Anytown, USA. Charlie has always had difficulty coping with the sudden death of his aunt. After his psychiatrist tells him he needs to get more involved in life, he makes friends with Patrick, and eventually falls for his sister Sam. Charlie’s fragile mental state makes it difficult for him to adjust to normal teenage life.

A Crack in the Line- Michael Lawrence

Michael Lawrence. A Crack in the Line. New York, NY : HarperTempest, 2003. ISBN- 0-06-072479-X

Alaric is left under his strange aunt’s care while his father goes on a trip. His mother died a few years early, but her presence is strongly felt in their house, Withern Rise. While thinking about his mother one day, and touching an object she created before her death, Alaric is magically transported to another place. But this place is strangely just like the one he was in- only different. This house, also called Withern Rise, is inhabited by a family with a daughter, Naia, who looks just like him and a family with a lot of other strange similarities to his. As a matter of fact, this is his family- except he isn’t part of it, and his dead mother is.

Stealing Henry- Carolyn MacCullough

Carolyn MacCullough. Stealing Henry. New Milford, CT : Roaring Brook Press, 2005.

When it was just Savannah and her mom traveling across country things were great. Then her mom remarries and her life at home becomes tough. Her mom is always at work, and her stepfather drinks too much, and then takes it out on her. When he starts taking it out on her eight year old brother Henry, Savannah develops a plan for them to escape. But maybe her plan isn’t as good as she originally thought, and maybe aimlessly traveling with a kid is not as fun as Savannah remembers it was with her mother...especially if it is considered kidnap.