Blue Plate Special
Michelle D. Kwasney

Madeline is an overweight girl, self conscious about burns on her arm, and ashamed of her alcoholic mother.  She feels like no one in the world even notices her, until she meets a high school dropout working at McDonalds who really sees her...and likes what he he has found.

Desiree feels stifled by her mother, and downright threatened by the man who wants to be her stepdad.  When he rapes her, stealing away her virginity, she feels she cannot tell anyone.  And then she finds out she is pregnant.

Ariel's dad is in prison and her mom is pretty cool, at least compared to the stories she has been told of her terrible grandmother.  And finally she thinks she has found a love of her own.  A guy who wants to see her every single Friday night, and gives her a cell phone so he can reach her anytime.  But can there be such a thing as too much attention?

Three girls, struggling to find their way to adulthood, rebelling against mothers who at times seem only concerned with themselves.  So many ways to become heartbroken, but so few clear ways to heal.

A solidly written tale of generations of family, passing problems down despite trying to make things right.  Painful and raw to read, but touched with moments of such genuine sweetness, teens will relish getting to know these girls.  And start wondering about their own mother's stories.  Recommended for 9th grade and up.  

Graceling
Kristin Cashore

The orphaned Lady Katsa become the most feared child in the kingdom when at the age of eight it is revealed she has the grace of killing.  Without hardly thinking about it, she can take down any attacker. Her uncle, the king uses this to his advantage, sending her out to bully anyone who acts contrary to his wishes. But as Katsa gets older it pains her to do this dirty work and she yearns to bring justice rather than retribution. Then she meets Po, a prince from a nearby land who is also gifted with mysterious and powerful graces.  In him she finds a true friend, and possibly more.  Together they set of on a quest to solve the mystery of why Po's grandfather was kidnapped, and discover a dark power that threatens life as they know it.

A enthralling fantasy with one of the most kick-ass feminist heroes ever.  Graceling does not shy away from the consequences of violent actions, nor does it mask the growing intimacy of its lead protagonists. Teen girls will find this especially empowering, both in its explorations of power and gender rolls, but also its frank depiction of budding female desire.  School libraries may wish to shy away from it for the same reason.  Highly recommended for grades 9 and up.

Lips Touch Three Times
Laini Taylor

Lonely girls find themselves in dangerous situations...what are they willing to risk for love?  Kizzy knows better.  Her family brought all the true stories from the Old World about what to watch for and how to stop the goblins.  But what if she wants his kiss?  Anamique is cursed with a voice that kills, but is beginning to doubt it is true, and so much wants to say "yes" when her handsome soldier proposes.  Esme is startled to wake up one day with one eye turned ice blue.  Suddenly wolves roam the streets of London and the secret life her mother escaped from seems to be catching up with them.  Can the mysterious stranger who helped her mother escape help them once more?

Dark and romantic these tales are both mythic and original.  Readers will be drawn in quickly, both by the gorgeous black, white and red illustrations at the beginning of each tale and by the enthralling writing.  Highly recommended for all readers, but particularly girls who love fantasy or supernatural fiction 8th grade and up.  Adults, too will thoroughly enjoy.

Nomansland
Lesley Hauge

Keller is proud to be one of the girls being trained to be a Tracker for the community.  Trackers defend the island from mutants, invaders, and all men who might want to invade their small community.  The island has become a place of legend, filled with healthy women...who will kill anyone who approaches them. But things are not as simple as they seem.  Keller finds out about a secret place discovered by others in her training group...a place filled with strange clothes, walls covered in images of smiling people, and other forbidden things from the time before.  Her elders also have secrets, from the youth and from each other.  As Keller learns of more and more, she begins to realize she may not be able to live this way much longer.

Very exciting, action packed read.  Teens who like Graceling or Hunger Games will find another awesomely capable heroine, finding her own way in the world.  Highly recommended for 8th grade and up.

Once
Morris Gleitzman

Felix has been waiting for years for his parents to return and claim him from the orphanage.  He knows he is unlike the other kids here.  His parents put him here to protect him. But now that he has figured out that the Nazi's are evil librarians who burn books, he has to escape to warn his parents who are innocent Jewish booksellers.  A master storyteller, Felix uses his skills first to survive bullies at the orphanages, but soon to make his way through the war torn countryside, comfort real orphans, and charm Nazi leaders through toothaches.  Little by little he starts to understand that maybe he has been telling himself stories, too...

As is to be expected with any story that starts out in an orphanage and leads to a ghetto in World War Two, this is a heartbreaking story.  What makes it fresh is the utter sweetness with which the main character tells it, and the unending hope he brings to those around him.  Suitable for middle school and up, with as much violence as you should expect from a book depicting gut wrenching slaughter.

Shadowed Summer
Saundra Mitchell

Best friends Iris and Collette find themselves in an awkward summer, where Collette has gone boy crazy, but Iris is not yet ready to give up their childhood games.  Because they are best friends, Collette continues to humor Iris and play at summoning ghosts and casting spells, as long as there isn't anyone else around. Neither is prepared when one of their games yields a real ghost.  Elijah is an agitated and frustrated soul, who whispers in Iris's ear the friendly taunt "where y'at, Iris?"  Soon the girls are scouring the records and the memories of the town, trying to find out what happened to this cute guy...a contemporary of their parents who disappeared years before.

A delicious mix of hot and humid Louisiana small town atmosphere and a chilly haunting. Shadowed Summer captures perfectly the last moments of childhood when teens begin to question the world around them, and just how much the adults in their lives have been telling them.  Also well done is the portrayal of first flirtations, emphasizing the awkward friendships, ill timed kisses, and figuring out where true loyalties lay.  Highly recommend for 8th grade and up. 

Nominated for the 2010 Best Young Adult Edgar Award.

This World We Live In
Susan Beth Pfeffer

In rural Pennsylvania, Miranda and her family have continued to eke out an existence.  Thanks to food rationing from the government and a bit of luck, mom, both brothers and even the cat are still alive.  But how much longer can things last like this?  And what has happened to their father?  Some of their worries are answered when dad finally appears, with his wife and baby, plus three strangers.  Overjoyed to see him, the family is nevertheless torn about how to deal with the burden of so many mouths.  And Miranda is both excited and annoyed to finally have a cute guy her age around...Alex from New York City. 

Very nice bringing together of the first two books, and satisfying to know what happens next.  That said, I found the romance not particularly believable, which is unfortunate, as the book is otherwise riveting. Great for 8th grade and up.

Shiver
Maggie Stiefvater

For six years, Grace has been haunted by the wolves in the woods behind her house.  She has faint memories of the day they pulled her from her swing, a small girl dragged into the woods and bitten. But before she was seriously hurt, a wolf with yellow eyes stepped in, and the next thing she recalled was her mother screaming and taking her to the hospital. Ever since then, Grace has felt a special bond with the wolf with yellow eyes, who watches her from the edge of the woods each winter. So when she hears a hunting party has gone out to exterminate the wolves after another attack, Grace panics and runs through the woods trying to stop them.  But it is too late, and her favorite wolf has been shot.  And when she returns home, she finds a shivering, bleeding boy with yellow eyes on her porch.

A lovely werewolf teen romance that captures both the appeal of wolf life and the horror of losing one's humanity.  Highly recommended for high school girls. Some violence and implied sexuality.  Much kissing, affectionate gazing, and hand holding.

The Miles Between
Mary Pearson

Destiny is, shall we say, a little bitter.  Abandoned by her parents to a series of boarding schools after the birth of her adorable baby brother, she refuses to let anyone get close to her.  Then on one auspicious day a strange man appears and ask her what she really wants.  She responds that she ones just one single fair day, where the good guys win, where the world makes sense.  And next thing she knows she spots a pink convertible, door open, engine running, and she decides to just go.  Three fellow students are swept up in her escape, and take off on an unforgettable road trip involving lost lambs, presidential potty breaks, thrift shopping, dream shoes, love, friendship, and secrets revealed.

Magical and tragic, much like If I Stay by Gayle Forman, The Miles Between is a fun and breezy ride, but a little heavy handed on the pulling of emotional heart strings. Still, teens looking for a sweet and innocent tearjerker with light romance will enjoy this quick read.  With just a bit of light profanity and harmless devious behavior, it is suitable for pretty much any teen.

Jumped
Rita Williams-Garcia

Three girls. Three vastly different perspectives on what went down that day.  Trina is feeling fantastic, putting her art on display, showing off her stuff, and minding her own business.  Dominique takes Trina's flippant breeze by as an insult that has to be reckoned with.  And Leticia sees it all, and does nothing to prevent it.

A quick but excruciating read, like watching a slow motion high school train wreck.  Particularly chilling is the lack of empathy displayed by all the characters, but realistically portrays teens caught up in their own worlds, despite being with 3500+ other students in one school.  Could be a good book discussion title, and will have strong appeal for girls seeking realistic urban fiction.  Recommended for 8th grade and up.

After
Amy Efaw

Devon has inexplicably found herself in a terrible position. After a newborn baby is found in a trash can behind her apartment building, she is caught by the police bleeding on her couch. She can't seem to explain what happened...she has no recollection of being pregnant, or of having a baby, or so she claims. So off to juvie she goes, where her lawyer and therapist fight to have her tried as a juvenile, rather than possibly spend the rest of her life in jail as an adult tried for premeditated murder.

A truly gripping read, in which the author tries to understand why nearly every day a newborn baby is abandoned or murdered by its mother. Readers will be fascinated by the hard details of detainment, and made heartsick by the neglect and isolation felt by this girl who tried so hard to be perfect and ends up making such a tremendous error. Recommended for high school and up.

The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins

Katniss lives in the bad part of town, in a poor district where life is hard for everyone. Her father was killed in a mining accident, her mother and sister struggle to make ends meet, and Katniss sneaks out into the woods to hunt to keep the family alive. Then, when her little sister is randomly selected to battle in The Hunger Games, Katniss makes the ultimate sacrifice and volunteers to go for her. Now she must fight for her life against 23 other teens on network TV with the entire nation watching.

A less gory knock-off of the Japanese book/manga/movie Battle Royale, this is science fiction teens will love. While it certainly has a high death count, the descriptions are kindly vague and not graphic enough to upset any but the most tender of readers. Still, the book is disturbing and challenging and I would not recommend it for pre-teens. But it has a great mix of survival story and possible romance that will grab readers and keep them hooked. I can't wait to read the sequel!

Cat Burglar Black
Richard Sala

K has lived a most unusual life.  Orphaned at a young age, she found herself under the care of a dreadful woman who trained her wards to be pick pockets and thieves.  When the ring of crime was broken, she was sent to reform school where she worked hard to pay back society for her forced wrongdoings.  Now as a teen she gets word that her long lost aunt has finally found her and is having her come to live at the boarding school she runs. But when she arrives, the school is closed, her aunt is apparently bedridden and bandaged beyond recognition, only three other teen girls are in residence, and is the place is being run by a creepy cast of characters.  K discovers they know all about her past and plan to use her  to break into nearby houses to collect clues to try and gain a hidden treasure.  One by one the other girls disappear, and strange happenings make K question her past even further.

A lovely little graphic novel,  done with the high quality you expect from First Second, with a great capable brave teen girl character, and a fun little adventure to boot.  Suitable for all teens.

Fallen
Lauren Kate

Luce has gone through the most terrible of experiences.  A boy she liked died in front of her, consumed by flames, and she has been blamed for his death.  Sentenced to a run down reform school in the middle of a humid Southern forest, she is denied her cell phone and cut off from her old life, friends and family.  Almost immediately she is bullied and given a terrible nickname, making her isolation all the more unbearable.  But soon she finds a quirky sidekick, two handsome love interests, and discovers an underground party scene in her dorms. Life seems a little better, except that the two boys treatment of her is both flattering and confusing.  As the book goes on she discovers she is a part of bigger story than she could have possibly imagined, and that she has loved one of these guys before, over many life times.

For teens looking for something to read after they have finally gotten their fill of the Twilight series, and are sick of vampire knock offs, here is something that will scratch the supernatural romance itch, with some of the parentless boarding school qualities Harry Potter fans adore.  Dark secrets, love triangle, mysterious environs, long histories, rivalries, friendships, co-ed dorms, sneaking around, graveyard picnics and a hint at soul mates...what more could a teen age girl want? 

Very innocent romantically (lots of kisses, no nudity or sex), but this book does have a body count...mortals are very vulnerable.  Suitable for most teen readers, but is occasionally a bit gruesome.

Going Bovine
Libba Bray

Cameron is not what you would call outgoing.  His twin sister is the perfect socialite cheerleader.  He is the opposite.  Few things give him joy in the world, other than odd old records and watching TV.  He has no friends and his family situation is not exactly what you would call great.  And then he starts seeing things and losing control of his body.  Tests are run, and things do not look good.  Cameron has mad cow disease.  While in the hospital, some of his hallucinations become stronger and begin talking to him.  And when an angel tells him that he needs to go on a road trip to save the world, and possibly find the cure for what ails him, he sees it as his one last chance.  What follows is a madcap road trip across Texas to New Orleans and on spring break in Florida.   Accompanied by a hypochondriac dwarf and a lawn gnome who thinks he is a god, Cameron discovers what it is about life that is worth living for.

A very dark comedy, with tragedy at its core, Going Bovine is a fun weird read with plenty of lewdness that will appeal to high school guys.  It asks deep questions, but cushions them in pop culture weirdness.  Enjoyable, but will not appeal to all readers.  High school and up.

Nation
Terry Pratchett

Mau is heading home after finishing the rights of passage that will make him a man in his people's eyes.  He is looking forward to the feast and festivities and being back with his family.  Daphne is on a long ocean journey to be reunited with her beloved father, a British lord overseeing a tropical island.  And then comes the wave.  Mighty and terrible, it sweeps away Mau's entire tribe, and crashes Daphne's ship up on to an island, killing everyone except her.  Mau reaches the island horrified to realize everyone he ever knew is gone.  Together, they will find a reason to survive, a purpose for living and most precious of all, hope, as they begin to build a nation of survivors on the little island.

A beautiful, sweet book full of love and lessons about life, human dignity, faith, thinking, and friendship.  Highly recommended for anyone seeking a good story, though streaked with tragedy it is also full of humor and light.  Also excellent in audiobook format.

Love Is the Higher Law
David Levithan

Claire, Jasper and Peter are normal New York City teens doing normal things the morning of September 11, 2001.  Claire is at school.  Jasper slept in.  Peter is skipping to go buy a cd.  And then the unthinkable happens.  Planes hit the two giant towers of the World Trade Center and thousands of people are killed.  Although none of the three lose anyone they know in the terrorist attack, it changes their lives and the city they love forever.  How can you comprehend such horror in your everyday life?  Do you reach out to others, or wrap yourself in isolation?  How can you keep living after witnessing such loss?

9/11 may seem like ancient history to teens today, a blip from their childhood.  Levithan brings the day and aftermath to life for readers, making them understand the impact it had on the residents of New York, and the rest of us, at a very human level.  In Love is the Higher Law, he captures both the horror and the wonder of positive things that came out of 9/11.  It is this second set that he wants readers to remember most, that much kindness and caring was a big part of the initial response to the attacks, and that most people did not feel retaliating in violence was the answer.  This book does a wonderful job of simply paying tribute to both the lost and the courageously big-hearted living by helping readers understand and remember what it was like to experience 9/11.

When You Reach Me
Rebecca Stead

Miranda isn't 100% happy with the way things have been going lately.  The rough boys who hang out down the block have been bugging her more.  A crazy homeless guy hangs out on her block and does strange things that make her nervous.  Her best friend is treating her like a stranger.  And having a new friend over has made her uncomfortably aware that the apartment she shares with her mom is pretty shabby.  But now her mom is going to be a contestant on a game show, and with a little hard work and luck maybe things will begin to change.  But just when things are starting to look up, strange and troubling notes begin to appear that Miranda can't explain and is more than a little scared to try and understand.  Is it possible that life is as mysterious and magical as her favorite book, A Wrinkle in Time?

This beautiful seemingly simple and short book is one that will really sneak up on you.  Marketed to older elementary students, it has plenty of nuances and emotions and twists that will make it a terrific read for teens, too.  I loved this book and the ways it surprised me...will make for a lovely re-read and booktalk.

Monster Zoo
Douglas TenNapel

Ty convinces his buddy Carpo to go to the zoo with him. Carpo is so not interested in enjoying the wonders of nature, but instead wants to try all the food and check out the gift shop.  They run into a cute girl from their school and her big jerk date.  Soon the four of them are fighting for their survival, when an ancient evil idol that has been dug up and displayed at the zoo begins turning all the animals into monsters. 

As usual, TenNapel has greated an innovative and engaging story.  While high on adventure and fart jokes, it also has just enough tenderness to inspire.  Great black and white drawings a really unbelievable story to life.  And just enough boy-girl tension to intrigue the romantics, but not so much to turn off the average reader.  A tad bit gross and a bit violent in spots, probably makes it best for high school and public library collections, though most junior high boys would really dig it.

Wintergirls
Laurie Halse Anderson

Lia didn't answer that phone that night.  Cassie and her had once been best of pals, but had fallen so far apart that there was no way Cassie would be calling for any other reason than to prank her, right?  But the 33 calls Cassie made that night were her final cries for help, and now she is gone.  Could Lia have saved her if she had answered the phone?  Where did things go so seriously wrong?  Over the next few days, Lia tries to convince everyone that she is unaffected by this terrible news, that she is strong, healthy and needs no one.  But like Cassie, her eating disorder is taking her precariously close to the edge.  And Cassie won't leave her alone.

A harrowing and exhilarating journey into the mind of an anorexic teen girl, this book gives keen perspective into the struggle so many young girls are caught up in.  The question is, does this book help find solutions to this awful psychological plague, or does it provide how-to tips for girls wanting nothing more than to be as thin as possible?  Personally, I think those girls will find the information they seek on the web, as Lia does in the book, and the understanding of their world provided by this book will hopefully help parents and friends see through their tangle of lies, self-depreciation, and serious need for help.  Having never suffered from such a disorder myself, I can't speak to accuracy or harm, but as a reader I found it gripping and haunting.

High school and up.