Teen Scene
Visit the Wright Library Teen MySpace. Give us feedback.
This mystery involves the disappearance of Christopher Creed, a classmate of high school junior Torey Adams, who narrates this story. It has won numerous awards since its’ publication in 2000. Christopher Creed is the class weirdo and is often treated badly by his classmates. When he goes missing one day, a note is found on his computer but it isn’t clear if he has run away or committed suicide. Torey begins to wonder about his part in the disappearance and resolves to find out what has happened to Christopher. By the end, Torey, the town bully Bo and his girlfriend Ali are all implicated in his murder. This book is full of suspence, but also gives some life lessons about bullies and cliques and needed compassion. This would be good for teens in grades 8 and up. 
This baseball saga involves a group of mismatched teens determined to win the "big game" for extraordinarily high stakes. The owner of a large part of their town (and the ball field) will sell out to developers unless the town team (read: losers) can defeat a neighboring town’s all-stars. Coached by a retired major-leaguer and inspired by computer and baseball whiz, Cruz de la Cruz - every guy and girl on the team makes ready to win. Then the plot begins to twist and turn, leading readers finally to the conclusion they expected all along. This book is a sports story and more, starring as it does many well-developed characters. Will be of interest to grades 6-8. 
This book is for someone interested in poetry or in civil rights issues and, because of the format, it may be read in a matter of minutes. Winner of two honor awards this year, it was written in a poetic style called the "heroic crown of sonnets", which is a complicated style of sonnet where there is a sequence of fifteen interlinked sonnets, the last being made up of the first lines of the preceding fourteen. You have to see it to believe it! The sonnet describes the story of a 14-year old African American boy who was lynched in 1955 in Mississippi for supposedly whistling at a white woman. Good for grades 6 and up. 
"A Great and Terrible Beauty" and its sequel "Rebel Angels" by Libba Bray are excellent novels for girls who enjoy magical stories set in realistic settings. Intended to be a trilogy, these books are set in Victorian England at a girls’ boarding school. Gemma, a 16-year old girl raised in India, is sent to the school following her mother’s mysterious death, which she saw in a vision. Her visions continue and Gemma’s clique of friends join her into the "Realms", an other worldly place where fantastic things happen and Gemma’s mother waits to instruct her in the way of the Order. Although the fantasy element is key, the everyday life of Victorian women and their place in society is also an important part of the story. These would be good for readers in grade 8 and up and are excellent to listen to on CD as well. 
This adventure takes place in New Hampshire where 14-year-old Cooper Jewett has been left a dairy farm to run after his grandfather passes away. The difficulties begin immediately as he tries to milk the cows, attend school, and run cross-country, despite receiving help from neighbors. Though the story begins in a quiet way things rapidly change when black sedans begin to show up at Cooper’s house, a barn is burned down, and he is kidnapped. Politics are involved and secrets are brought out into the open. There is so much action going on that it reminded me of a spy novel with great and impossible escapes. Great characterization makes you root for Cooper and his desire to just return home to his farm and be with his cows. This is the same author who wrote "Lizze Bright and the Buckminster Boy", another small town story, although it is based on true events. This author is a great storyteller and I will continue to watch for books by him. Both of these books are suitable for teens in grade 6 and up. 
This is Steven’s tale of exploration and struggle to determine his sexual identity. Told in a very humorous fashion, this story follows Steven’s journey after he wonders when he is finally going to be interested in girls. He thinks himself to be a very observant individual in that he notices everything about his very attractive teacher, Mr. Bowman. He is sure, however, that if he can find just the right girl, his feelings about girls will change. But after 24 dates with 22 different girls, he’s pretty sure that he is gay. His best friend Rachel is ecstatic that he is finally coming out (since she has known for over a year) and wants to empower him by forming a gay-straight alliance at school. He still has a lot of questions, though, and can barely admit it to himself, never mind the kids at school! And he doesn’t know how to tell his parents. This fast-paced story is easy-to-read and will keep readers laughing. The reader can feel the pain Steven is experiencing as he methodically goes through the steps to prove that he is absolutely, positively, not gay. Both boys and girls will enjoy reading it. I highly recommend this one for kids in grades 6 and up! 
This beautifully written book follows a young Maasai girl as she reaches the age for her initiation into womanhood that includes the traditional circumcision and marriage. Times are changing for the Maasai and she would prefer to keep her freedom by delaying this ceremony and possibly even going to school. She has ulterior motives, as she has privately witnessed the birth of a baby rhino whom she names “Our Secret, Siri Aang”, and claims the baby and mother as her other family. She secretly visits them daily but would lose track of them if the ceremony were to take place, since the recovery requires four months of isolation. Her father also struggles, trying to keep the traditional Maasai ways in his family, but seeing how changes are affecting it. He believes that school is a waste of time and is ashamed of his daughter for considering it and for questioning her responsibilities as a young woman. He has also witnessed his warrior son sell his soul by allowing passing tourists to photograph him for money. His inner turmoil leads him to actions that a Maasai, “the keepers and protectors of all wild animals”, should never consider. The suspenseful journey allows the reader to consider the choices made and suffer along with the characters as their good intentions lead them farther and farther from their Maasai roots. This is an excellent book, well told and well characterized. The cover appears to be an authentic Maasai girl which I continued to refer to as I read the book because it matches the descriptions in the book perfectly of what a young Maasai girl would look like. This is a good choice for readers interested in other cultures, grades 7 and up. 
The Montmorency series would be a good choice for older teens who enjoy mysteries. This story (in three volumes) takes place in Victorian England. A young physician saves the life of a thief who has been badly disfigured while fleeing from police, and begins to use him as a live speciman in medical lectures as he restores the thief’s appearance. During one of these lectures, the thief picks up knowledge about London’s sewer system and, after being released from prison, uses that knowlege to burgle the houses of the rich in order to fund his new identity and lifestyle as Montmorency. As the series continues, Montmorency’s skills are noticed by the government who hire him to help solve various capers. Full of action, these books (the second is "Montmorency On the Rocks" and the third is "Montmorency and the Assasins") will keep you guessing. This is another series that comes across really well on CD, if you prefer to listen to your books. 
This is a great fantasy centered around a djinni named Bartimaeus who has served a number of magicians over the centuries. The books are set in a modern day London that is ruled by magicians. The first book, "The Amulet of Samarkand" has Bartimaeus summoned by a young, magician’s apprentice named Nathanial to steal the amulet from a powerful magician. Bartimaeus’ story continues in the second book, "The Golem’s Eye" where the ambitious Nathaniel is now 14 years old and the third book, "Ptolemy’s Gate" where Nathaniel is 17. These are thick books full of lots of action. I listened to all 3 of these books on CD and they are excellent this way! The sarcasm in the djinni’s voice is hysterical and will make you laugh out loud. These are good for all ages. 
This is one of the best books I have read so far this year. I was reluctant to read it because the cover did not grab my attention, but it was not like anything I was expecting to read! “It was on the last day of the six years during which she was not to speak or laugh if she hoped to free her brothers from enchantment, that her own sentence was to be carried out. Five of the six shirts were done, but the last and littlest was still missing its left sleeve. As they led her to the stake and the fire was about to be lit, she looked up and saw six swans flying through the sky. Her heart leapt with joy at the sight of them. The swans touched the ground before her and with lowered necks walked forward. Quickly she threw the shirts over each of them. At once their swans’ skins fell off and there, once again, stood her own brothers, strong and handsome. Only the youngest and littlest lacked a left arm, and in its place there remained a swan’s wing.” (From “The Six Swans” by the Brothers Grimm). From this fairytale the author has written a wonderful possible scenario set in the middle ages of what became of that littlest brother. Not human and not swan, he tries to find his place in the world while living with a unique handicap, and the world makes him the cause of a war. This is beautifully written and the author is an excellent storyteller. Good for grades 6-12. 
The Batchelder Award goes to the publisher that translates into English a book that was previously published in another language. I was honored to serve on the Association of Library Service to Children, 2006 Mildred L. Batchelder Committee this past year that selected 2 titles that would be of interest to teen readers. 
Search
Recent Posts
Archive
 | Powered by engagedpatrons.org |
Upcoming events
- Tween CCG: Winter Layers Dessert(4 hours)
- Preschool Storytime(1 day)
- Teen Zone: TAB(1 day)
- Digital Download Demonstration(1 day)
- Digital Download Demonstration(2 days)
- Family Storytime(2 days)
Subscribe (RSS)
Library Hours
Monday - Thursday
10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Friday
10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday
1-5 p.m.
