Fiction
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green Call # F GRE, AUDIO F GRE, and on the Nooks
This book was everywhere this year, and if you haven't read it yet, you should. It was a TVHS student book club book, #1 Book of the Year by Time Magazine, #1 Teen Book of the Year by Amazon, and on the Top Books of 2012 in School Library Journal (SLJ). They summarize it in the following way: "Given a brief reprieve from a terminal diagnosis, Hazel, a stalwart teen, has been encouraged by her parents to embrace her life. When she meets Gus at a Cancer Kid Support Group, they embark on a poignant, whirlwind romance. Readers come to know and love these bright, vibrant characters through their crackling dialogue, gallows humor, and tenuous hopes and dreams." Get it today, seriously.
Every Day by David Levithan Call # F LEV
By another one of my favorite authors, David Levithan's newest book landed on SLJ's Top Books of 2012 and was ranked #9 on Amazon's Best Books for Teens 2012. They summarize it as follows: "Each morning, A inhabits a different body adn has learned not to get too involved in or possessive of the host's life. All that changes when the 16-year-old wakes up as a blowhard teen and falls for the boy's sweet, but much-maligned girlfriend. A tender and surreal exploration of identity, personal responsibility and love."
Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormack Call # F MCC
The popular author of Cut and Sold has done it again, landing this book on the SLJ's Top Books of 2012. Their summary is as follows: "In Cambodia in 1975, an 11-year-old's life takes a nightmarish turn when Khmer Rouge soldiers march the people to the countryside, where they are made to grow rice. Soon Separated from his family, Arn manages to stay alive amid brainwashing, starvation,a nd wholesale killing by suppressing his emotions and learning to play an instrument. This unforgettable and devastating survival story is based on teh experiences of human-rights activist Arn Chorn-Pond."
Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson Call # F MAT
From SLJ's Top List: "After Taylor Edwards, 17, learns that her father has terminal cancer, she and her family head to their lake house in the Poconos for a final summer together. Once there, Taylor grows closer to her siblings, rekindles relationships with an ex-friend and her first love, and prepares for the day she'll have to say goodbye to her staunchest champion. A moving novel with heart and depth."
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz Call # F SAE
From SLJ's Top List: "Ari is a solemn, angry Mexican American teen. A loner by choice, he remains enshrouded in his family's tragic past and silent ways until Dante offers to teach him how to swim. The boys become fast friends, bonding on an intellectual and emotional level. This is a gorgeously written, deeply satisfying coming-of-age novel about identity, soulful secrets, and opening oneself to the possibility of love."
Insurgent by Veronica Roth On the library Nooks
Insurgent is the sequel to Veronica Roth's stunning debut, Divergent. This TVHS Student Book Club Pick was ranked as #5 on Amazon's best books of the year. Amazon provides the following summary: "Tris's intiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable--and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so."
Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler and Maira Kalman Call # F HAN
This artistic book was named #14 on Amazon's Top Books for Teens, 2012. Our catalog description is as follows: " I'm telling you why we broke up, Ed. I'm writing it in this letter, the whole truth of why it happened. Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped."
Nonfiction
Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95 by Phillip Hoose Call #598.072 HOO
A Top Nonfiction pick by School Library Journal (SLJ): "Hoose chronicles the travels of one particularly stalwart rufa red knot, the efforts of scientists to map and protect stopover sites along his circuitous route from the Canadian Arctic and Tierra del Fuego, and the commitment of average citizens trying to ensure the survival of shorebirds. Captivating photographs and maps help to introduce young people to the fearless flyer's sweeping and dynamic story.
Their Skeletons Speak: Kennewick Man and the Paleoamerican World by Sally M. Walker and Douglas W. Owsley Call # 970.01 WAL
Another on the SLJ top Nonfiction: "A startling discovery in 1996 of ancient remains provided scientists with clues about Paleoamerican culture. Engrossing color photos and a fascinating, layered text take readers onsite and into laboratories as archaeologists, anthropologists, and geologists sift through evidence, construct theories, and reexamine them in light of new information."
Graphic Novels
Friends with Boys by Faith Erin Hicks Call # GN F HIC
Listed as #4 on School Library Journal's Top Ten Graphic Novels list, FWB is summarized as follows: "Maggie McKay is about to leave her sheltered life as a homeschooler for the scary world of high school. Although she's still got her dad and big brothers to lean on, things haven't been the same since her mom left home. Alone and friendless, Maggie is struggling to make friends and fit in. And then there's the not-so-small matter of the ghostly spirit that's been haunting her."
