Help stem brain drain! For every voracious reader you have, there are three or four that won’t even want to touch a book this summer. For this group, you’ll need titles that challenge teens to pick them up, either through intriguing plot lines or evocative covers. Just be ready when they come back to library and say “I want another one just like this!”
ANDREWS, Jesse. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. Amulet, 2012. ISBN 9781419701764. JLG Level: HI: High-Interest High School (Grades 10 & up)
When Greg’s mother discovers that his old friend Rachel is dying of leukemia, she commits him to spending more time with her. Between his perspective and that of his f-bombing, crude, and wickedly funny friend Earl, readers discover how differently the prospect of death may affect each of us. The story is inherently sad, but knowing that Rachel had so many laughs (and her own movie!) is comforting.
CARTER, Scott William. Wooden Bones. S&S, August 2012. ISBN 9781442427518. JLG Level: HIM: High Interest Middle School (Grades 5-8)
Pino was once a puppet, but thanks to the gifts of Gepetto, he is now a human boy. The villagers treat him unkindly, and when Pino himself brings an object to life, their lives are endangered. As both father and son feel their powers begin to shift and subside, readers will consider the weighty options that lay before Pino. The provocative jacket will draw browsers closer.
HEALEY, Karen. The Shattering. Little, Brown, 2011. ISBN 9780316125727. JLG Level: HIM: High Interest Middle School (Grades 5-8)
Is it just coincidence that three young men from the same village commit suicide shortly after visiting Summerton, an idyllic seaside town? Their younger siblings, unknown to each other at first but quickly allied, set out to find out what really happened to their brothers. As the teens telling the story in alternating chapters, readers really get to know the personalities of the different characters—and a bit of magic in solving the mystery adds intrigue.
HENRY, April. The Night She Disappeared. HMH, 2012. ISBN 9780805092622. JLG Level: HI: High-Interest High School (Grades 10 & up)
Kayla goes missing while delivering pizzas, but Gabie is pretty sure that she was the intended target! With co-worker Drew, she starts to put the clues together and is convinced they can find Kayla, still alive. Teens that like heart-thumping suspense and don’t mind a bit of romance will tear through this title.
KINCAID, S.J. Insignia. Katherine Tegan, July, 2012. ISBN: 9780062092991. JLG Level: FM: Fantasy Middle (Grades 5-8)
The very cool cover will get their attention, and the plot, paced like a popular video game, will hook them. A talented teen gamer is asked by the government to turn his skills to the drones that are used for battling in space. When he finds out what he must give up in order to take on this very promising assignment, Tom is forced to reassess what, and whom, he is fighting for.
SLJ is making it easy to bring a whole stable of YA authors to your teens this summer! Check out our first ever online event just for you, SummerTeen, featuring top teen authors like Pete Hautman, Caroline Cooney, and Maggie Stiefvater.
Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Year after year, Junior Library Guild’s book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit them at JuniorLibraryGuild.com.
This article was featured in School Library Journal's SLJTeen enewsletter. Subscribe today to have more articles like this delivered to you twice a month for free.
About Dodie Ownes
