Check These Out

 Snow White and & the Huntsman by Lily Blake
A breathtaking new vision of a legendary tale. Snow White is the only person in the land fairer than the evil queen who is out to destroy her. But what the wicked ruler never imagined is that the young woman threatening her reign has been training in the art of war with a huntsman who was dispatched to kill her. 
 

 Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult
New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult and her teenage daughter present their first-ever novel for teens, filled with romance, adventure, and humor. What happens when happily ever after...isn¿t? Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book-one book in particular. Between the Lines may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah. And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her. Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He¿s a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He¿s sure there¿s more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom. Delilah and Oliver work together to attempt to get Oliver out of his book, a challenging task that forces them to examine their perceptions of fate, the world, and their places in it. And as their attraction to each other grows along the way, a romance blossoms that is anything but a fairy tale.
 

 The Avengers: The Ultimate Guide to Earth's Mightiest Heroes! by Scott Beatty
Full of stunning comic book art, this guide to Marvel's The Avengers allows readers to discover the backstories, powers, allegiances, and archenemies of each member of this spectacular super hero team, including Iron Man, Captain America, and Spider-Man. Full color. 

 Avengers: Road to Marvel's the Avengers by Peter David
Gear up for the upcoming Avengers movie with these official in-movie continuity stories starring Avengers mainstays Iron Man, Captain America and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Includes an expanded re-imagining of Iron Man with bonus scenes not in the movie, an all new story bridging the gap between Iron Man and Iron Man 2 and the official prequel to Captain America. Collecting: Iron Man: I am Iron Man! 1-2; Iron Man: Security Measures; Iron Man 2: Public Identity 1-3; Iron Man 2: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.; Captain America: First Vengeance 1-4
 

 My Boyfriend is a Monster: I Date Dead People by Ann Kerns
Nora Reilly is an old soul. Her idea of fun is reading a Jane Austen novel in her family's Victorian home. She didn't expect to find a kindred spirit in the house's oldest occupant, Tom Barnes. Tom is a sweet and handsome boy who died over a hundred years ago. His soul is trapped in the house, and he's not alone. There are other mysterious tenants . . . and darker shadows, sinister and nameless. Does love stand a ghost of a chance against such odds? Nora's friends aren't so sure. They think she should give up the ghost and look for a boyfriend who is a little more lively. But Nora will do whatever it takes to make the relationship work, even against the threat of meddling ghost hunters, snooping psychics, and the worst danger of all to her first solid relationship-her parents.
 

 Uglies: Shay's Story by Scott Westerfeld 
 “This whole game is just designed to make us hate ourselves.”-Shay

Ugliestold Tally Youngblood’s version of life in Uglyville and the budding rebellion against the Specials. Now comes an exciting graphic novel revealingnewadventures in the Uglies world-as seen through the eyes of Shay, Tally’s rebellious best friend who’s not afraid to break the rules, no matter the cost.

A few months shy of her sixteenth birthday, Shay eagerly awaits her turn to become a Pretty-a rite-of-passage operation called “the Surge” that transforms ordinary Uglies into paragons of beauty. Yet after befriending the Crims, a group of fellow teens who refuse to take anything in society at face value, Shay starts to question the whole concept. And as the Crims explore beyond the monitored borders of Uglyville into the forbidden, ungoverned wild, Shay must choose between the perks of being Pretty and the rewards of being real.

 Slide by Jill Hathaway

Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth-her sister's friend Sophie didn't kill herself. She was murdered.
Vee knows this because she was there. Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn't actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else's mind and experiences the world through that person's eyes. She's slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed "friend" when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie's slashed body.
Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can't bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting distant lately, especially now that she's been spending more time with Zane.
Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again.

 The Hunger Pains: a Parody by the Harvard Lampoon
 From the legendary comedic scholars who illuminated the tour de forceTwilightso brilliantly in theNew York TimesbestsellingNightlightcomesThe Hunger Pains,a hilarious send-up of the immensely popular dystopian young adult novel,The Hunger Games.

As excitement surrounding the Spring 2012 release of the major motion pictureThe Hunger Gamesreaches a fever pitch, theHarvard Lampoon’sTheHunger Painstakes on the story of a young girl forced to join a survival contest in order to save her community in dystopian, post-apocalyptic Panem.

Beyond a scene-for-scene parody of Suzanne Collins’s book,TheHunger Painslampoons not only Collins’s writing and characters, but cleverly tackles the themes of morality, government control, and personal independence.The Hunger Gamestrilogyhas sold more than 3 million copies in pr∫The Hunger Painsis the perfect gift for the millions of fans of the book universally hailed as addictive, exciting, poignant, complex, and brilliantly plotted.

 Papercutz Slices 4: The Hunger Pains by Stefan Petrucha  
The hit science fiction novel series gets the Papercutz Slices parody treatment, right before the release of the big-budget film adaptation!  All three books from “The Hunger Games” trilogy get sliced up by parody team Rick Parker and Stefan Petrucha, who refuse to pull any punches in this comedic romp.

 Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne
 In Emmy Laybourne’s action-packed debut novel, six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids trapped together in a chain superstore build a refuge for themselves inside. While outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapons spill, seems to be tearing the world—as they know it—apart.

 Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg 
 From the author of "The Lonely Hearts Club" and "Prom & Prejudice" comes a story of all the drama and comedy of four friends who grow into themselves at a performing arts high school.

 A Girl Named Digit: She's Got Your Number by Annabel Monaghan
 Farrah "Digit" Higgins may be going to MIT in the fall, but this L.A. high school genius has left her geek self behind in another school district so she can blend in with the popular crowd at Santa Monica High and actually enjoy her senior year. But when Farrah, the daughter of a UCLA math professor, unknowingly cracks a terrorist group's number sequence, her laid-back senior year gets a lot more interesting. Soon she is personally investigating the case, on the run from terrorists, and faking her own kidnapping-- all while trying to convince a young, hot FBI agent to take her seriously. So much for blending in . .

 The List by Siobhan Vivian
 An intense look at the rules of high school attraction -- and the price that's paid for them.

It happens every year. A list is posted, and one girl from each grade is chosen as the prettiest, and another is chosen as the ugliest. Nobody knows who makes the list. It almost doesn't matter. The damage is done the minute it goes up.

This is the story of eight girls, freshman to senior, "pretty" and "ugly." And it's also the story of how we see ourselves, and how other people see us, and the tangled connection of the two.

The Shattering by Karen Healey
Seventeen-year-old Keri likes to plan for every possibility. She knows what to do if you break an arm, or get caught in an earthquake or fire. But shewasn'tprepared for her brother's suicide, and his death has left her shattered with grief. When her childhood friend Janna tells her it was murder, not suicide, Keri wants to believe her. After all, Janna's brother died under similar circumstances years ago, and Janna insists a visiting tourist, Sione, who also lost a brother to apparent suicide that year, has helped her find some answers.

As the three dig deeper, disturbing facts begin to pile up: one boy killed every year; all older brothers; all had spent New Year's Eve in the idyllic town of Summerton. But when their search for the serial killer takes an unexpected turn, suspicion is cast on those they trust the most.

As secrets shatter around them, can they save the next victim? Or will they become victims themselves?

Download and Listen to Free Audiobooks

2 Free Audiobook Downloads Each Week This Summer
June 14 - August 22, 2012

Teens and other readers of Young Adult Literature will have the opportunity to listen to bestselling titles and required reading classics this summer.

Thanks go to SYNC and its partners, which includes numerous audiobook publishers.

Check These Out

 Avengers: Vol. 2 by Brian Michael Bendis
 One of the greatest secrets in Marvel history is laid bare--and it just may reignite the Civil War between Tony Stark and Steve Rogers! The Illuminati thought their days as the world's protectors were over--until the Hood escaped from prison and embarked on a quest to gather the all-powerful Infinity Gems, which the super-secret brain trust had taken responsibility for safeguarding. Now, Iron Man, Professor X, Mr. Fantastic, the Sub-Mariner, Dr. Strange and Black Bolt will fact a reckoning like never before when Steve Rogers--former Captain America, current commander of the Avengers--learns of their years-long subterfuge. Will even the combined might of the Avengers, New Avengers, Secret Avengers and Illuminati be enough to take down a cosmically powered Hood? And did somebody say "Thanos"? Plus: Spider-Woman has gone missing after discovering a secret from outer space, but her Avengers teammates are hot on her trail. What is the mystery of the Spaceknight?

 Avengers: Vol 3 by Brian Michael Bendis
 The madness and drama of Fear Itself has taken its toll on the mighty Avengers and now they must reinvent themselves once more. The entire world awaits word of who will be the Avengers. Then: HAMMER returns. Witness the latest and greatest roster of Avengers in action as they root out the resurrected organization's secret labs. But who's really behind this latest threat and who rebuilt the new Dark Avengers? And how can the Avengers battle the combined forces of Hydra, AIM, the Hand and HAMMER - all under the leadership of Norman Osborn? Collecting: Avengers 18-24


 Fear Itself: Avengers by Brian Michael Bendis
The God of Fear has come to Earth and the only thing standing between it and world domination are Earth's Mightiest Heroes! Can the Avengers stand against an evil older than time itself? Or will even the strongest heroes on the planet fall? It won't take some of the Avengers to fight the madness of Fear Itself--it will take ALL OF THEM! The New Avengers and Avengers join forces in the face of true fear! And who will join the New Avengers for the first time EVER? Stay tuned, True Believer! Plus: amidst the ashes of what is left of the Marvel Universe, and during the battles throughout New York, an all-new Avengers romance blossoms.

 The Invincible Iron Man by Matt Fraction
 "Contains material originally published in magazine form as Invincible Iron Man #1-19" -- verso. 

 Thor: Vol 1 by J. Michael Straczynski
Not a clone! Not a robot! Not an imaginary story! The God of Thunder is officially BACK! You've waited for it, you've demanded it...and we say thee YEA! The Odinson comes roaring to life in this highly anticipated ongoing series by red-hot superstars J. Michael Straczynski (Amazing Spider-Man) and Olivier Coipel (House of M)! But how does a god return from Ragnarok? And what place will he find in a world torn by Civil War?

 Thor by J. Michael Straczynski
Has Thor turned his back on Asgard... ? Has Asgard turned its back on Thor?! After the monumental and cataclysmic events of Thor #600, the God of Thunder's life has changed completely! Collects Thor #601-603, and Thor: Defining Moments Giant-Size #1.

 Ultimate Marvel Team Up by Brian Michael Bendis
It doesn't take long for Spider-Man to encounter the other heroes in the Ultimate Marvel Universe along with the devious villains eager to destroy them.

Underworld by Meg Cabot

Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn't dead.

Not this time.

But she is being held against her will in the dim, twilit world between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey.

Her captor, John Hayden, claims it's for her own safety. Because not all the departed are dear. Some are so unhappy with where they ended up after leaving the Underworld, they've come back as Furies, intent on vengeance...on the one who sent them there and on the one whom he loves.

But while Pierce might be safe from the Furies in the Underworld, far worse dangers could be lurking for her there...and they might have more to do with its ruler than with his enemies.

And unless Pierce is careful, this time there'll be no escape.

Some More Books

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
The long-awaited companion to New York Times bestsellers Graceling and Fire

Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck's reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle--disguised and alone--to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past.

Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck's reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn't yet identified, holds a key to her heart.

37 Things I Love (In No Particular Order) by Kekla Magoon

Ellis only has four days of her sophomore year left, and summer is so close that she can almost taste it. But even with vacation just within reach, Ellis isn't exactly relaxed. Her father has been in a coma for years, the result of a construction accident, and her already-fragile relationship with her mother is strained over whether or not to remove him from life support. Her best friend fails even to notice that anything is wrong and Ellis feels like her world is falling apart. But when all seems bleak, Ellis finds comfort in the most unexpected places.

Life goes on, but in those four fleeting days friends are lost and found, promises are made, and Ellis realizes that nothing will ever quite be the same.

Avengers Vol 1 by Brian Michael Bendis
There came a day! A day unlike any other...when two of Marvel's top creators teamed up for the very first time to create a bombastic new Marvel series that not only ushers in the Heroic Age of Marvel Comics but unleashes onto the world the most blockbuster Avengers team ever! Who will answer the call? And will they assemble just in time...because Kang the Conqueror is here from the future. And wait till you find out why...!

Tina's Mouth by Keshni Kashyap
In the tradition of Persepolis and American Born Chinese, a wise and funny high school heroine comes of age.

Tina M., sophomore, is a wry observer of the cliques and mores of Yarborough Academy, and of the foibles of her Southern California intellectual Indian family. She's on a first-name basis with Jean-Paul Sartre, the result of an English honors class assignment to keep an “existential diary.”

Keshni Kashyap’s compulsively readable graphic novel packs in existential high school drama—from Tina getting dumped by her smart-girl ally to a kiss on the mouth (Tina’s mouth, but not technically her first kiss) from a cute skateboarder, Neil Strumminger. And it memorably answers the pressing question: Can an English honors assignment be one fifteen-year-old girl’s path to enlightenment?


The Letter Q: Queer Writers Notes to Their Younger Selves edited by Sarah Moon
Life-saving letters from a glittering wishlist of top authors.

If you received a letter from your older self, what do you think it would say? What do you wish it would say?

That the boy you were crushing on in History turns out to be gay too, and that you become boyfriends in college? That the bully who is making your life miserable will one day become so insignificant that you won't remember his name until he shows up at your book signing?

In this anthology, sixty-three award-winning authors such as Michael Cunningham, Amy Bloom, Jacqueline Woodson, Gregory Maguire, David Levithan, and Armistead Maupin make imaginative journeys into their pasts, telling their younger selves what they would have liked to know then about their lives as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgendered people. Through stories, in pictures, with bracing honesty, these are words of love and understanding, reasons to hold on for the better future ahead. They will tell you things about your favorite authors that you never knew before. And they will tell you about yourself.

Thor Vol. 2 by J. Michael Straczynski
We say thee HELL YEAH! With the mighty God of Thunder and Asgard to full glory, Thor is back in action - with a vengeance! But, as the Asgardians returned to this life and Thor returned to Midgard, so came the ills that have plagued the gods and man for millennia. Now, for the first time since their rebirth, Thor and his fellow hero-gods must venture forth from the Shining City to confront the growing evils that amass on their horizon - and within their walls! Collects Thor #7-601.

Stupid Fast by Groff Herbach
 Just before his sixteenth birthday, Felton Reinstein has a sudden growth spurt that turns him from a small, jumpy, picked-on boy with the nickname of "Squirrel Nut" to a powerful athlete, leading to new friends, his first love, and the courage to confront his family's past and current problems.

 Fantastic Four Vol. 1 by Stan Lee
After they are exposed to mysterious cosmic rays, Reed Richards, Ben Grimm, and siblings Sue and Johnny Storm soon become known as Mr. Fantastic, The Thing, The Invisible Girl, and The Human Torch. This special volume collects "The Fantastic Four" #1-10 along with unused cover artwork and an essay and original plot notes from by Lee. 

Fated by Alyson Noel
 From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Immortals, Alyson Noel, comesFated- a breathtaking new saga brimming with magic, mystery, and an intoxicating love story that will steal your heart away. Meet The Soul Seekers.
 
Strange things are happening to Daire Santos. Crows mock her, glowing people stalk her, time stops without warning, and a beautiful boy with unearthly blue eyes haunts all her dreams. Fearing for her daughter's sanity, Daire's mother sends her to live with the grandmother she's never met. A woman who recognizes the visions for what they truly are - the call to her destiny as a Soul Seeker - one who can navigate the worlds between the living and dead.

There on the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico, Daire sets out to harness her mystical powers. But it's when she meets Dace, the boy from her dreams, that her whole world is shaken to its core. Now Daire is forced to discover if Dace is the one guy she's meant to be with... or if he's allied with the enemy she's destined to destroy.

Cat Girl's Day Off by Kimberly Pauley
High schooler Natalie Ng has always kept secret her talent for talking with cats, but when she learns--from a cat--that a celebrity has been replace by an imposter, she and her friends investigate, becoming movie extras to get the scoop.

Book Review

Friends with Boys by Faith Erin Hicks

Maggie McKay has been homeschooled her entire life by her mother, but now that her mother left, Maggie must go to public high school.  Her three older brothers, whom are her only friends, already attend the public high school, but are too busy with their own lives to help their baby sister fit in.  Not only does Maggie have to deal with starting a new school that is unlike anything she has ever known, she also has a ghost haunting her.  Maggie wishes the ghost would go away, and seeks to help figure out its unfinished business.  While Maggie is a well-drawn character, who is also easy to relate to, the story packs a lot of small plots that ultimately don’t get resolved.  Given this shortcoming, I still found the graphic novel very enjoyable.  Perhaps there will be a sequel?

-Recommended for Grades 6 and up

Book Review

Tina’s Mouth: an Existential Comic Diary by Keshni Kashyap and illustrated by Mari Araki

Tina, an intelligent and observant high school sophomore, receives an assignment for her honors English class on Existentialism: she must keep an existential diary.  As she explores the bigger questions of life-like what does it mean to be, what is death, and so on- she also has to grapple with the more meaningless issues that every teenager deals with as they come of age- like does the boy I have a crush on like me, how could my best friend leave me for a boy, and so on.  The coming of age theme is by no means new; however, this graphic novel presents it in a brilliantly new format that will resonate with readers of all ages.

-Recommended for Grades 9 and up

Book Review

Loss by Jackie Morse Kessler

Fifteen-year-old Billy Ballard has been bullied his entire life.  And instead of fighting it, he has acknowledged that the best thing to do is accept his being bullied; after all, the bullies eventually get bored and walk away.  The only problem with this strategy is Billy has been called upon by Death to become Pestilence, the White Rider of the Apocalypse.  As a child, Billy was tricked into accepting the post by the White Rider himself, in exchange for a ride on Pestilence’s warhorse.  Now Billy holds the Bow, which gives him the power to strike with disease from a distance.  The previous White Rider, still holds the Crown and means to unleash a disease upon the world that will make the Black Plague look like a cold.  Can Billy overcome his fears and save the world by taking a stand against the ultimate bully?  While one cannot relate to Billy as much as the previous characters in the earlier Riders of the Apocalypse books, the story should keep one’s interest. 

 

-Recommended for Grades 6 and up

New Books to Check Out!

Jersey Angel by Beth Ann Bauman
It's the summer before senior year and the alluring Angel is ready to have fun. She's not like her best friend, Inggy, who has a steady boyfriend, good grades, and college plans. Angel isn't sure what she wants to do yet, but she has confidence and experience beyond her years. Still, her summer doesn't start out as planned. Her good friend Joey doesn't want to fool around anymore, he wants to be her boyfriend, while Angel doesn't want to be tied down. As Joey pulls away, and Inggy tours colleges, Angel finds herself  spending more time with Inggy's boyfriend, Cork. With its cast of vivid and memorable characters, this tale from the Jersey shore is sure to make some waves.

 Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink by Stephanie Kate Strohm
Libby Kelting had always felt herself born out of time. No wonder the historical romance-reading, Jane Austen-adaptation-watching, all-around history nerd jumped at the chance to intern at Camden Harbor, Maine’s Oldest Living History Museum.

But at Camden Harbor Libby’s just plain out of place, no matter how cute she looks in a corset. Her cat-loving coworker wants her dead, the too-smart-for-his-own-good local reporter keeps pushing her buttons, her gorgeous sailor may be more shipwreck than dreamboat - plus Camden Harbor’s haunted.

Over the course of one unforgettable summer, Libby learns that boys, like ghosts, aren’t always what they seem.

Middle School: Get Me Out of Here by James Patterson
 James Patterson's winning follow-up to the #1New York Times bestseller Middle School, The Worst Years of My Life--which the LA Times called "a perfectly pitched novel"--is another riotous and heartwarming story about living large.

After sixth grade, the very worstyear of his life, Rafe Khatchadorian thinks he has it made in seventh grade. He's been accepted to art school in the big city and imagines a math-and-history-free fun zone.Wrong!It's more competitive than Rafe ever expected, and to score big in class, he needs to find a way to turn his boring life into the inspiration for a work of art. His method? Operation: Get a Life! Anything he's never done before, he's going to do it, from learning to play poker to going to a modern art museum. But when his newest mission uncovers secrets about the family Rafe's never known, he has to decide if he's ready to have his world turned upside down. (Includes over 100 illustrations.)

The Night She Disappeared by April Henry

Gabie drives a Mini Cooper. She also works part-time as a delivery girl at Pete's Pizza. One night, Kayla - another delivery girl - goes missing. To her horror, Gabie learns that the supposed kidnapper had asked if the girl in the Mini Cooper was working.

Gabie can't move beyond the fact that Kayla's fate was really meant for her. She becomes obsessed with finding Kayla and teams up with Drew, who also works at Pete's. Together, they set out to prove that Kayla isn't dead - and to hopefully find her before she is.

 Friends with Boys by Faith Erin Hicks
Maggie McKay hardly knows what to do with herself. After an idyllic childhood of homeschooling with her mother and rough-housing with her older brothers, it's time for Maggie to face the outside world, all on her own. But that means facing high school first. And it also means solving the mystery of the melancholy ghost who has silently followed Maggie throughout her entire life. Maybe it even means making a new friend - one who isn't one of her brothers. Funny, surprising, and tender, Friends with Boys is a pitch perfect YA graphic novel full of spooky supernatural fun.

The Story of Us by Deb Caletti

A fresh and bittersweet story of love and family from National Book Award finalist Deb Caletti.
Cricket’s on a self-imposed break from her longtime boyfriend—but she’s picked a bad week to sort out her love life. For one thing, her mother’s romance is taking center stage: After jilting two previous fiancÉs, her mom is finally marrying Dan Jax, whom Cricket loves. But as wedding attendees arrive for a week of festivities at a guesthouse whose hippie owners have a sweet, sexy son—Ash—complications arise:


Cricket’s future stepsisters make it clear they’re not happy about the marriage. An old friend decides this is the week to declare his love for Cricket. Grandpa chooses to reveal a big secret at a family gathering. Dan’s ex-wife shows up. And even the dogs—Cricket’s old, ill Jupiter and Dan’s young, lively Cruiser—seem to be declaring war.


While Cricket fears that Dan is in danger of becoming ditched husband-to-be number three, she’s also alarmed by her own desires. Because even though her boyfriend looms large in her mind, Ash is right in front of her....

 The Watch that Ends the Night by Allan Wolf
Arrogance and innocence, hubris and hope--twenty-four haunting voices of the Titanic tragedy, as well as the iceberg itself, are evoked in a stunning tour de force.

Millionaire John Jacob Astor hopes to bring home his pregnant teen bride with a minimum of media scandal. A beautiful Lebanese refugee, on her way to family in Florida, discovers the first stirrings of love. And an ancient iceberg glides south, anticipating its fateful encounter. The voices in this remarkable re-creation of the Titanic disaster span classes and stations, from Margaret ("the unsinkable Molly") Brown to the captain who went down with his ship; from the lookout and wireless men to a young boy in search of dragons and a gambler in search of marks. Slipping in telegraphs, undertaker's reports, and other records, poet Allan Wolf offers a breathtaking, intimate glimpse at the lives behind the tragedy, told with clear-eyed compassion and astounding emotional power.


 The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour
Colby and Bev have a long-standing pact: graduate, hit the road with Bev's band, and then spend the year wandering around Europe. But moments after the tour kicks off, Bev makes a shocking announcement: she's abandoning their plans - and Colby - to start college in the fall.

But the show must go on and The Disenchantments weave through the Pacific Northwest, playing in small towns and dingy venues, while roadie- Colby struggles to deal with Bev's already-growing distance and the most important question of all: what's next?

Morris Award–finalist Nina LaCour draws together the beauty and influences of music and art to brilliantly capture a group of friends on the brink of the rest of their lives.

Drowned Cities by Peter Bacigalupi

Soldier boys emerged from the darkness. Guns gleamed dully. Bullet bandoliers and scars draped their bare chests. Ugly brands scored their faces. She knew why these soldier boys had come. She knew what they sought, and she knew, too, that if they found it, her best friend would surely die.

In a dark future America where violence, terror, and grief touch everyone, young refugees Mahlia and Mouse have managed to leave behind the war-torn lands of the Drowned Cities by escaping into the jungle outskirts. But when they discover a wounded half-man--a bioengineered war beast named Tool--who is being hunted by a vengeful band of soldiers, their fragile existence quickly collapses. One is taken prisoner by merciless soldier boys, and the other is faced with an impossible decision: Risk everything to save a friend, or flee to a place where freedom might finally be possible.

This thrilling companion to Paolo Bacigalupi's highly acclaimedShip Breakeris a haunting and powerful story of loyalty, survival, and heart-pounding adventure.

Fallen in Love by Lauren Kate
What makes your heart race a little faster? It's FALLEN IN LOVE, four wholly original and romantic new stories collected in a novel set in the Middle Ages by Lauren Kate. FALLEN IN LOVE gives fans the much-talked about but never-revealed stories of FALLEN characters as they intertwine with the epic love story of Luce and Daniel. The stories include:Love Where You Least Expect It: The Valentine of Shelby and Miles,Love Lessons: The Valentine of Roland; Burning Love: The Valentine of Arriane; andEndless Love: The Valentine of Daniel and Lucinda.

 Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin
 Everything is in ruins.


A devastating plague has decimated the population, and those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles around them.

So what does Araby Worth have to live for?

Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery makeup . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.

But in the depths of the club'in the depths of her own despair?Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club, and Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.

And Araby may find not just something to live for, but something to fight for'no matter what it costs her.

 Vodnik by Bryce Moore
 "Tomas returns to Slovakia where he must first avoid a vodník, straight out of a fairy tale, who wants to drown him and put his soul in a teacup, and then beat Death to save his cousin¿s life." --Provided by the publisher

 Infinity by Rachel Ward (part of the Numbers series)
 The mind-blowing conclusion to the chilling NUMBERS trilogy: Because everyone wants to live forever.

No matter what it takes, Sarah's desperate to escape from the numbers.

Always numbers. Sarah loves Adam, but can't bear the thought that every time he looks in her eyes, he can see her dying; can see her last day.

It's 2029. Two years since the Chaos. Sarah and Adam are struggling to survive. She knows he always envisioned them together "'til death do us part." But will a child come between them? The child she loves. The child he saved.

Little Mia was supposed to die that New Year's Day. The numbers don't lie. But somehow she changed her date. Mia's just a baby, oblivious to her special power. But ruthless people are hunting her down, determined to steal her secret.

Because everyone wants to live forever.

 Frost by Wendy Dolsol
 In this sequel to STORK, Katla Leblanc has to employ her grit, spirit, and special gifts to rescue the boy she loves.

After the drama of finding out that she's a Stork, a member of an ancient and mystical order of women, and that her boyfriend, Jack, is a descendent of the Winter People able to control the weather, Katla Leblanc is delighted when all signs point to a busy and peaceful Christmas. That is, until the snowstorm Jack summons as a gift to Katla turns into the storm of the century, attracting Brigid, a gorgeous scientist who, in turn, attracts Jack. Between the school play, a bedridden, pregnant mother's to-do lists, and keeping an eye on her aging grandfather, Katla doesn't have time to question Brigid's motives or deal with Jack's increasingly cold behavior. But Katla's suspicions mount when Jack joins Brigid on a research expedition to Greenland, and when the two of them go missing, it becomes clear that Katla is the only one who can save her beloved Jack from the Snow Queen who holds him prisoner. Adventure, romance, and myth combine in this winter escapade for teens who like a bit of fire with their ice.

 Batman: The Black Mirror by Scott Snyder
 A NEW YORK TIMES #1 Bestseller and Amazon Best Book of 2011


In "The Black Mirror," a series of brutal murders pushes Batman's detective skills to the limit and forces him to confront one of Gotham City's oldest evils. Helpless and trapped in the deadly Mirror House, Batman must fight for his life against one of Gotham City's oldest and most powerful evils!

Then, in a second story called "Hungry City," the corpse of a killer whale shows up on the floor of one of Gotham City's foremost banks. The event begins a strange and deadly mystery that will bring Batman face-to-face with the new, terrifying faces of organized crime in Gotham.

 The Hunger Games: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion by Kate Egan
 The New York Times bestseller by Suzanne Collins is now a major motion picture -- and this is your guide to all of the movie's excitement, both in front of the camera and behind it. Go behind the scenes of the making of The Hunger Games with exclusive images and interviews. From the screenwriting process to the casting decisions to the elaborate sets and costumes to the actors' performances and directors' vision, this is the definitive companion to the breathtaking film.

 Black Heart by Holly Black
 Love is dangerous and trust is priceless in Holly Black’s “powerful, edgy dark” fantasy series (Publishers Weekly).


Cassel Sharpe knows he’s been used as an assassin, but he’s trying to put all that behind him. He’s trying to be good, even though he grew up in a family of con artists and cheating comes as easily as breathing to him. He’s trying to do the right thing, even though the girl he loves is inextricably connected with crime. And he’s trying to convince himself that working for the Feds is smart, even though he’s been raised to believe the government is the enemy.

But with a mother on the lam, the girl he loves about to take her place in the Mob, and new secrets coming to light, the line between what’s right and what’s wrong becomes increasingly blurred. When the Feds ask Cassel to do the one thing he said he would never do again, he needs to sort out what’s a con and what’s truth. In a dangerous game and with his life on the line, Cassel may have to make his biggest gamble yet—this time on love.

 The Springsweet by Saundra Mitchell
 It’s a long way from Baltimore to Oklahoma Territory. But Zora Stewart will go any distance to put the tragic events of her sixteenth summer behind her. So this city girl heads to the tiny frontier town of West Glory to help her young widowed aunt keep her homestead going. 


When another Baltimorean shows up in West Glory, Zora couldn’t be more surprised. Theo de la Croix made the long trip out west hoping to court Zora, whom he has long admired from afar.

But Zora has developed an attraction to a rather less respectable fellow: Emerson Birch, a rough-mannered young "sooner" whose fertile land is coveted.

As Zora begins to suspect that there may be more than luck behind Emerson’s good land, she discovers an extraordinary, astonishing power of her own: the ability to sense water under the parched earth. When her aunt hires her out as a "springsweet" to advise other settlers where to dig their wells, Zora feels the burden of holding the key to something so essential to survival in this unforgiving land.

Even more, she finds herself longing for love the way the prairie thirsts for water. Maybe, in the wildness of the territories, Zora can finally move beyond simply surviving and start living.

 Volunteering: a How to Guide by Audrey Borus
 Volunteering is a great way to help make a positive change toward an issue you feel passionate about. But how do you get involved? Learn about different ways to volunteer and get inspired by stories of other teens who have made positive changes in their communities. Explore the different issues and organizations with this informative how-to guide. Book jacket.

 Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimedNew York Timesbestseller,Delirium.This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

 Croak by Gina Damico

Sixteen-year-old Lex Bartleby has sucker-punched her last classmate. Fed up with her punkish, wild behavior, her parents ship her off to upstate New York to live with her Uncle Mort for the summer, hoping that a few months of dirty farm work will whip her back into shape. But Uncle Mort’s true occupation is much dirtier than that of shoveling manure.
 
He’s a Grim Reaper. And he’s going to teach her the family business.
 
Lex quickly assimilates into the peculiar world of Croak, a town populated entirely by reapers who deliver souls from this life to the next. Along with her infuriating yet intriguing partner Driggs and a rockstar crew of fellow Grim apprentices, Lex is soon zapping her Targets like a natural born Killer

Yet her innate ability morphs into an unchecked desire for justice-or is it vengeance?-whenever she’s forced to Kill a murder victim, craving to stop the attackers before they can strike again. So when people start to die-that is, people who aren’t supposed to be dying, people who have committed grievous crimes against the innocent-Lex’s curiosity is piqued. Her obsession grows as the bodies pile up, and a troubling question begins to swirl through her mind: if she succeeds in tracking down the murderer, will she stop the carnage-or will she ditch Croak and join in?

 Grave Mercy by Robin Lefevers
 Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts-and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany-where she finds herself woefully under prepared-not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

 The Calling by Kelley Armstrong
 Maya Delaney's paw-print birthmark is the mark of what she truly is-a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly everyone else. Experiencing intense connections with the animals that roam the woods outside her home, Maya knows it's only a matter of time before she's able to Shift and become one of them. And she believes there may be others in her small town with surprising talents.

Now Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. Then they're kidnapped, and after a chilling helicopter crash, they find themselves in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home.

In The Calling, the sizzling second book in the Darkness Rising trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong pumps up the romance, danger, and suspense that left readers of The Gathering clamoring for more.

 Sudden Flash Youth: 65 Short-Short Stories edited by Christine Perkins-Hazuka, Tom Hazuka, and Mark Budman
 Here is a unique collection: stories of no more than 1,000 words that spotlight today's under-20 generation, starkly illuminating the moments during coming-of-age when something big is irrevocably awakened, acted upon, changed.

Flip by Martyn Bedford
One December night, 14-year-old Alex goes to  bed. He wakes up to  find himself in the wrong bedroom, in an unfamiliar house, in a different part of the country, and it's the middle of June. Six months have disappeared overnight. The family at the breakfast table are total strangers.
And when he looks in the mirror, another boy's face stares back at him.  A boy named Flip. Unless Alex finds out what's happened and how to get back to his own life,  he may be trapped forever inside a body that belongs to someone else.
Questions of identity, the will to survive, and what you're willing to sacrifice to be alive make this extraordinary book impossible to put down.

There is No Dog by Meg Rosoff

Ponder this: what if God was a teenaged boy? Rosoff’s, There Is No Dog, takes on this premise with sidesplitting results. Bob is given the job of God after his mother, goddess Mona, wins the position in a poker game. Bob’s credentials are nil, but seeing that there are few other candidates who want the job of ruling earth, he is the chosen one. How will a teenager handle being the King of Kings? Find out in this hilarious, quick paced, and character-driven story.

-Recommended for grades 9 and up.