YA Underground came about after I wrote a piece about self-published memoirs. For many years I have been actively trying to find new books for my kids that accurately reflect their lives (and believe me, it’s not all about being poor and downtrodden—if there were an African American Harry Potter I’d be more than thrilled). I hoped having a column (and committee, more on that in a future column) would send books my way—new authors to bring to light—especially for our teens’ reading pleasure. Let’s be clear. It is still by chance that I come across the ones that I do. I’d say I’ve read five books to every one that I feel is even worth mentioning.*

Marilyn Jones’s book is worth mentioning.

Jones has written a passionate memoir about her experience as an abuse survivor, single mother, crack addict, and college student. Written with humor and insight, From Crack to College & Vice Versa is equally real and thoughtful. Jones grew up with her loving grandparents, where food and nurturing were abundant. It was the 1970s in San Francisco’s Fillmore district, steeped in a strong Black Panther presence, and among many businesses owned by Black people, which instilled in her a sense of self-pride and love. At age 9, she moved into her father’s house where she encountered a toxic mixture of mental, physical, and sexual abuse. Jones was introduced to crack cocaine in 1985 when she was 19 years old.

In a detailed account filled with important insight, Jones describes the life of a crack addict: exchanging  her body for drugs, in and out of juvenile hall, county jails, drug treatment, and losing her children. She writes, “When I first got locked up, I was very angry, (but ultimately) I gave up fighting the system and adjusted my ability to function and not be so angry was looked upon as progress by the juvenile facility’s staff, but all I did was learn how to be in jail.” Also important are her insights and writing about the college experience, and the inherent racism and classism she experienced from curriculum to people being scared of her impassioned discussion style.

Self-published, Jones did a good job with the cover From Crack to College. The type face and interior design is functional but not particularly pretty, and the book could definitely, no doubt about it, use an editor to clean up the misspellings and repetitions, and improve overall flow and narration. In spite of the flaws, Jones’s voice shines through.

I gave the book to Janelle (not her real name), a biracial 17-year-old. She likes to read Chicken Soup for the Soul and inspirational books, and reads when she is not in the facility. When I asked for her feedback on From Crack to College, she said, “Has it been edited? Some stuff you can tell it hasn’t, because she said it twice. This is a book that wants to tell her story. It’s important because if you on crack you think there is no turning back, but it’s a major turnaround because some people can’t even get off weed and go to college. It gives you hope and inspiration and makes you want to go for something.”

In this genre, A Piece of Cake by Cupcake Brown still stands out as the superstar of drug memoirs, particularly for teens of color, but of interest to all teens. African American Cupcake is thrust into the foster care system when her mother dies. Experiencing abuse, gangs, and drug addiction, she completely turns her life circumstances around and becomes a lawyer and an internationally bestselling author. Well-written, filled with a ton of action and valuable insight, the memoir details clearly the interesting steps Brown took to change—it’s off the charts!

I asked Janelle to talk with me about a few of the books she read on the topic of crack, and terrifically, she explains where From Crack to College is in the spectrum. “Come Back: A Mother and Daughter’s Journey Through Hell and Back is a one—the book talked to me. Diary of a Crack Addict’s Wife is a two. The writing was more to tell the story with so much detail you can see it. It was kind of slow and I put it down a lot, because it was hard to find the action part. From Crack to College is a three. It was more like me writing a book and giving it to you. But it was real, talked like us, was shorter and easier to read. There was action.”  While clearly Janelle values a well written and edited story (as most everyone does), and clearly, race and class aren’t always of the utmost importance in relate-ability (Come Back is about a middle class white mother and daughter), there is enough of value in From Crack to College to pick up, read and easily finish the book.

I couldn’t find my one copy of From Crack to College for several weeks—girls were reading it. I tracked down Amanda, a 16-year-old African American girl who isn’t a big reader, and she had the book in her room. She sums it up perfectly—“The way she writes could be better but the overall story is good.”

Indeed, there is enough in From Crack to College that sets it apart from mainstream memoirs, making it a truly worthwhile read for anyone, including a population whose interests aren’t always reflected on our library shelves or served at the checkout desk. These teens need books that are really by, about, and for them.

Bottom line: this book belongs not only on inner city and urban library shelves; it belongs in libraries everywhere.

From Crack to College & Visa Versa is available on Amazon or direct from the author. I gave Jones the information on how to set up her book with Ingram, but she would only receive $1.10 per copy, so decided against it.

*In case anyone comes across the titleBitter Fruit: the Street Ministryand thinks it might have potential due to it’s provocative and street teen-pick-up immediately cover, two words: Nope. None.

Brittenum, DeVan Faye. Bitter Fruit: the Street Ministry. Brittenum. 2013. pap. $7.99. ISBN 9781482047462.

Brown, Cupcake. A Piece of Cake. Broadway Books. pap. $11.49. ISBN 9781400052295.

Fontaine, Claire and Mia. Come Back: A Mother and Daughter’s Journey Through Hell and Back. William Morrow. pap. $15.95. 0060859718

Hunter, Cynthia. Diary of a Crack Addict’s Wife. Kensington. 2005. Tr $15.00. ISBN 0758208340

Jones, Marilyn Denise. From Crack to College & Vice Versa. Marilyn D. Jones. 2013. pap. $14.95.  ISBN 9780989427401.

Paradise Valley, John Mayer (Columbia)

However you feel about John Mayer’s personal life, you’ll find Paradise Valley is a back-to-basics blues sounding album. His gift as a guitarist is clearly demonstrated as he skillfully interprets his music in this peaceful, mood altering collection. Most of the tracks on his sixth studio album convey a laid-back, relaxed stroll through Midwest America. Though not a huge country fan, I think the recent popularity of country with Taylor Swift, Mumford and Sons, and Hunter Hayes is pretty cool. Mayer’s duets with Frank Ocean on “Wildfire” and Katy Perry on “Who You Love” make these tracks extra special. This album is much more accomplished and approachable, and while it gives the listener wonderful ballads, it lacks some of the edginess of past albums. Mayer has definitely chosen to play it safe here, and I guess I can’t blame him. Check out “Wildfire” “Badge and Gun,” “On the Way Home,” and “Who You Love.”—Geena G., grade 11, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School

Madden 25 (Electronic Arts)

Any true football fan knows, the new season is incomplete without a new release from the gameplay icon, John Madden. That is one of the reasons the Madden football franchise has been a success since its inception. Another is developer Tiburon’s continued tweaking of the game with every new installment. Madden 25 is no exception to this, and offers players several interesting features and improvements. Many of the upgrades benefit the running backs. The new Precision Modifier allows jukes, spins, stiff-arms, and more in order to get around defenders. While executing these moves and manipulating the console, players can combine moves ensuring success on the field. There have been upgrades to the playbook, and use of the Read-option plays. The Infinity Engine has been enhanced for more realistic animations, but still needs work. Owner Mode gives players the opportunity to draft players, sign free agents, restructure contracts, and manage all aspects of the stadium. This part really adds to the experience. A definitely satisfying game that any football fan will dive into. Rated E for Everyone. Platform: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360.—James M.,grade 10, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (Activision & Red Fly Studio)

It is hard to believe that the Ninja Turtles have been around for about 30 years, and of course, have amassed a huge following. The popular cartoon series on Nickelodeon has been a big part of their resurgence, so it makes sense to jump on the bandwagon with a videogame.  The game’s premise is that April O’Neil has been kidnapped, and the Turtles must fight to save her and New York City from the evil Shredder and his gang. The game campaign lasts roughly five hours, and is totally combat-based. The four turtles always fight together, and the martial arts-style fighting is action-packed, with a ridiculous amount of combination attacks and button mashing sequences. Difficulty levels continue to increase throughout the campaign, which makes things challenging. Each turtle has his own weapons, fighting style, and personality, and players can switch between each of these at will.  The Turtles’ familiar nuances are numerous, especially with all the references to pizza. There is a classic mode feature that allows you the play the game in vintage black and white. There is also a multiplayer mode for up to four friends, and a local co-op mode for up to two players. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows is very reasonably priced and will provide you with hours of great “cowabunga” fun. Rated E for Everyone. Platform: PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Nick M., grade 10, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School

RAINFIELD, Cheryl. Stained. Houghton Harcourt. Oct. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN  9780547942087.

Gr 9 Up—Sarah is a pretty teenage girl who hides behind her birthmark, which covers half of her face. She tries to stay strong when facing bullies, but sometimes she just feels like curling up into a ball. She thinks that bullies are her worst fear, but she soon learns what true fear is. As she walks home from school one day, she is kidnapped by a deranged killer. Most girls would cry themselves to sleep, but not Sarah. She becomes determined to escape from her prison. However, as minutes blend into days, and days blend into months, she begins to lose hope. Will she ever see her parents, best friend, or school yard sweetheart ever again? And worse, could the killer’s words become reality? Will he kill her or her family if she does anything against his will?

Stained was an exciting, action-packed story that kept my heart racing the entire time. Every chance I had, I was reading this book. I felt drawn into the book, like I was actually in it. I felt like it was me clawing at the boards on the windows until my fingers bled. I became extremely close to all of the characters in this book. I was sad when they failed and happy when they succeeded. The author did an excellent job in creating this closeness. She made me long to know what happened next. This is a wonderful book that all teens will enjoy.—Michaela B., age 14

NESS, Patrick. More Than This. Candlewick. Sept. 2013.Tr $19.99. ISBN  9780763662585.

Gr 9 Up–Seth Wearing has woken up in what he assumes is his own personal hell. After his death, he did not expect to wake up in his childhood home in London—it brings back too many bad memories. This seemingly real world is abandoned and dust-covered. How did he get here? He clearly remembered the waves thrashing him beneath the surface, breaking his bones. So how is it that he is alive? And why does every moment of rest bring back vivid, agonizing memories from the past? Seth doesn’t know what’s going on but he hopes that the rest of his afterlife will be more than just this…

More Than This was a breathtaking read. I enjoyed the unknown setting and all there was for Seth to discover about his life. But behind the mystery, the book has a good moral message. I would recommend this book to any teen but especially a teen that feels like there isn’t anything more to life than what they’re currently experiencing.—Paris E., age 17

POLAK, Monique. So Much It Hurts. Orca. Sept. 2013. pap. $12.95. ISBN 9781459801363.

Gr 9 Up—Iris has caught the eye of acclaimed movie producer, Mick. As an aspiring actress, this is an amazing thing. So what if Mick is fourteen years older than her? He’s sophisticated and she’s happy to call him her boyfriend. Except she can’t quite call him that—Mick wants their relationship to be a secret. After lying about her affiliations with Mick, Iris doesn’t find it hard to keep quiet about Mick’s temper; she even lies about how she got a black eye. Mick loves her, it’s evident—Iris just causes him to get so angry sometimes. Relationships are all about getting used to each other, she just has to get used to Mick’s fits. Right?

So Much It Hurts is a realistic tale about the psyche of teenage girls in abusive relationships. Iris blames herself for Mick’s behavior and only hides the truth, from her best friend, from her mother, and from herself. This short novel can aid in bringing awareness to domestic violence in young adults and just how badly it can end.—Paris E. age 17

PFEFFER, Susan Beth. The Shade of the Moon. Houghton Harcourt. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780547813370.

Gr 7 Up—Jon Evans is a slip—simple as that. He can never claim the privileges of the elite enclave dwellers, those that are needed and deserve the best food and the best houses, but he also avoids the dirt-poor life of a grub, outsiders who work as servants or farmers and can be easily replaced. Instead, he can enjoy the benefits of living within the enclave but can never escape the fact that his family are still grubs. And in a postapocalyptic America, being of these two worlds will soon test Jon’s ability to choose between right and wrong.

The fourth in “The Life As We Knew It” series, The Shade of the Moon picks up the story of a family struggling to survive after the moon was knocked out of orbit, causing major changes to the Earth’s environment. Amid the chaos, a new kind of society formed, one where the spoiled kids of doctors and lawyers forget that those with lower paychecks are still human and deserve happiness as much as they do. Susan Beth Pfeffer does an excellent job of showing this moral struggle within Jon, although she falters in writing a more realistic display of Jon’s emotions. Overall, a good read.—Abrania M., age 16

BLACK, Holly. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown. Little, Brown. 2013. ISBN 9780316213103. JLG Level: CTH : Current Trends High (Gr 9 & Up).

Tana’s complex life changes abruptly after a sundown party where a window is opened. Someone should have known better. Coldtown has kept vampires and the infected inside their walls, so attacks occur far less often. This time it is different. Everyone is dead except for Tana, and her escape from the vampires may have infected her. Her ex-boyfriend is seriously infected, but the teen’s past experience drives her to try to save him. A chained vampire comes along for the ride. Can she get to Coldtown before it’s too late? She doesn’t want to be a vampire, but will she have any choice? Black writes with just enough humor to keep a dark and oft-told tale fresh and entertaining.

CRUTCHER, Chris. Period.8. Greenwillow. 2013. ISBN 9780061914812. JLG Level: HI : High-Interest High School (Gr 10 & up).

Lots of kids have study halls―classes where you can do homework, eat lunch, or take a nap. Mr. Logs runs Period 8 like Las Vegas. Kids can talk about whatever they like― what happens there, stays there. When Paulie tells Hannah he had sex with another girl, it becomes class discussion. In her anger, Hannah refuses to listen to his explanation. Then a classmate goes missing. The connection between the two events becomes clearer when Paulie realizes that not everyone in Period 8 is telling the truth. Someone is lying. Kids are in trouble, and they are all in danger. In classic Crutcher-style, realistic teen issues drive a gripping plot with a staggering conclusion.

FARMER, Nancy. The Lord of Opium. S & S/Atheneum. 2013. ISBN 9781442482548. JLG Level: FH : Fantasy/Science Fiction High (Gr 9-12)

Matt never expected to live forever; he was cloned for spare parts for El Patron. With the death of his master, he inherits all possessions and becomes the drug lord of the Land of Opium at age fourteen. With power comes responsibility. Matt sees the opportunity to use his authority to investigate genetic experiments and perhaps end the inhumane treatment of microchipped slaves. His country also has a biosphere with animals long extinct, and scientists who could potentially save the world. However, the Dope Confederacy that surrounds his country is hungry for his resources, while the United Nations has its own agenda. Can he avoid an invasion from enemies outside Opium while struggling with adversaries within?  What must he sacrifice towards the goal of saving them all? Farmer’s sequel to The House of the Scorpion (S & S, 2002) delves further into ethical issues of scientific research and moral treatment of those in servitude.

SHUSTERMAN, Neal. Ship Out of Luck. Dutton. 2013. ISBN 9780525422266. JLG Level: Y : Young Adults (Gr 9 & up).

Antsy is back (Antsy Does Time, 2008) and more entertaining than ever. The Bonano family joins Old Man Crawley for a Caribbean cruise to celebrate his eightieth birthday―”a suitable gift is expected.” Before the ship even leaves the dock, Antsy finds himself in a dilemma―help a cute girl named Tilde who is involved in criminal activities or take a chance that she might blow the whistle on his own less-than-ethical deeds. In his quandary, Antsy leaves the details to Tilde, who takes him into Hello-Hello, which according to his cabbie means “Hell of Hells. It’s the place you drop through de bottom of all de other places.” It is a destination where you pay for both ways before you drive anywhere. Spending time with a stowaway who has a political agenda may not be what Antsy expected for his all-expenses-paid vacation. What transpires will be life-changing, and not just for him. A hilarious romp that will have readers laughing out loud.

For audio/video versions of these booktalks, please visit JLG’s Shelf Life Blog.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

DAMICO, Gina. Rogue. Houghton Harcourt. Sept. 2013. pap. $8.99. ISBN 9780544108844.

Gr 7 Up—Let me start by saying that if you haven’t read the other two books in this series, Croak (2012) and Scorch (2013), I strongly suggest you do so. However, to the other faithful fans of Damico’s books who will dig right in, please have some tissues ready because you will cry. The book starts off with a little description of Grotton’s past. Chapter one, however, picks up where Scorch left off. After Mort and the others get away safely, secrets are revealed and hidden agendas become known. The gang never questions their loyalty as they agree to risk their lives to save the world they love. People will die, hearts will be broken, and an amazing twist will probably have you meet your ‘DeMyse’. This book is hands-down morbidly “cracktastic.”

This book had me on the edge of my seat from the very start. I cried when I finished this book. Gina Damico, you have truly outdone yourself. Although the ending is messed up and downright evil, I wouldn’t have made it any other way. The wild ride this series took me on has come to an end, but I am confident it will last forever in the Afterlife. Damico has put an amazing spin on death and turned it into a very awesome experience. This book has all the passion, humor, drama, action, thrills, and suspense any reader would look for. Thank you for this amazing series, and I hope that you make more. I look forward to seeing how you will possibly top this.—Fred T., age 14

ROWELL, Rainbow. Fangirl. St. Martin’s Griffin Tr $18.99. September 2013. ISBN  9781250030955.

Gr 9 Up—Cath just wants to write. Well, she just wants to write Simon Snow fanfiction—because that’s the only thing that seems to be working. Between dealing with her twin sister Wren, being a college freshmen (and unable to deal with most social situations), having to finish her internationally adored fanfiction Carry On, Simon, and trying to impress her Intro to Fiction-Writing professor, all Cath wants is to hide away in the online world and finish her fic before the eighth and final Simon Snow book is published. Life doesn’t seem to agree with what she wants, though, and instead throws chaos her way in the forms of romance, friendship, and family.

This is the second book by Rainbow Rowell I’ve read, and of course she blew me away again! Fangirl explores reaching adulthood and fighting the battle of doing what you want to do versus what you should do, all the while managing whatever life throws at you. A book about a fanfiction writer is a long time coming, and I think Fangirl was pretty spot on. With YA novels, sometimes it can feel, for a reader, like the author finds the world of fandoms and fanfiction boring or weird, but Rowell puts fanfiction writing into perspective for readers. She gives the pros and cons of fanfic writing through conflicts in the novel, and that this book is written by a writer writing about a writer writing is so much fun to me. As I reader I could tell Cath and Rowell both feel passionately about writing.—Destiny B., age 16

DOUGLAS, Helen. After Eden. Bloomsbury. Nov. 2013. tr. $17.99. ISBN 9781619631304.

Gr 8 Up—The new boy, Ryan, has caught the eye of everyone at Perran High School, but it seems Ryan is solely interested in Eden. Eventually, Eden and Ryan start to fall in love and Ryan tells Eden the biggest secret she’s ever had to keep—Eden’s best friend Connor will discover a beautiful new planet that can support human life. Discovery of the new planet, however, ruins life on Earth. Ryan has traveled back in time to prevent Connor from discovering the planet and he needs Eden’s help. But Eden isn’t sure she wants to take away Connor’s future of fame and fortune.

Time travel, love,  and destiny combine to create a thrilling sci-fi love story. Falling in love with someone that’s over 100 years younger than you was an interesting twist to the typical tale. I liked the secrecy of Ryan’s mission and origin and the time traveling details. I recommend this quick-read to anyone who likes futuristic, out-of-this-world elements.—Paris E., age 17

3.0, Marc Anthony (Sony Music Latin)

Marc Anthony has had a long and successful career; having sold more 11 million albums worldwide. Many consider him a top player in the industry and a true diplomat of Latin music. His newest album, 3.0, is his 11th studio album to date and is very much what fans of his expect—an integration of pop, samba, and Latin folk sound. What Anthony does add on 3.0 is a little more emphasis on pure salsa. Continued collaboration with longtime partner Sergio George on the production end helps Anthony put forth a solid album. As a Marc Anthony fan, I found the album to be a great listening experience with passionate vocals, romantic charm all rolled up in a hypnotic dance beat. But I recognize that his days of mainstream pop chart toppers are probably over. This album is more for salsa purists and fans of Latin music, as listening to the whole album can sound a little bland and repetitious. Check out the following tracks:  “Volver a Comenzar,” “Cautivo de Este Amor,” and “Vivir Mi Vida.”—Latyese M., Grade 12, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School

Stars Dance, Selena Gomez (Hollywood)

Stars Dance is Gomez’s fourth studio album but her first solo attempt and the results are acceptable. Having watched Gomez’s rise to stardom on Disney’s The Wizards of Waverly Place, I can say that I am a fan of hers and would like to see her succeed. And in many ways she does. This album shreds the Disney image and launches her into the adult world. Gomez shows her take on electronic dance music with her own blend of synth and electro pop. She tries to bridge the gap between her two worlds with music that will find a following with her teen fans and their parents. It is a big risk and although the album is nothing earth shattering, her music is accessible, danceable, and pretty memorable. Stars Dance proves that Gomez has the staying power to play in the big league, and with a little more work she can definitely give her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Justin Bieber, a run for his money. Tracks to check out are “Come & Get It,” “Slow Down,” “Birthday,” and “Love Will Remember.”—Ryan A., Grade 10, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School

The Walking Dead: 400 Days (Tell Tale Games)

If you are a zombie fan or a Walking Dead fan, this game is for you. 400 Days is really a bridge game between Season 1 and 2 of The Walking Dead: The Game and comes at a bargain price. Like other Walking Dead games, the focus here is on the strong narrative over shooting or gore and horror. In this installment, you play as one of five different characters within five different stories. Each one takes place at some point in time within a 400-day span at a truck stop in Georgia. Missing posters line a littered bulletin board where you select your character in any random order.

One episode can start on the Day 200 of the apocalypse while another might start on Day Two of the outbreak. Each one does have a common piece that links them together and the game does not seem disjointed or confusing. What is really cool is that the game play in each vignette does not seem repetitive or boring. That is due to the choice system that is built into The Walking Dead gaming system. The only disappointment here is that 400 Days is so concentrated that it only takes about a hour and a half to get through all five vignettes. Again, it is a bridge game, so you kind of know this but of course you still want more. The action and drama are definitely worth it. Rated: M for Mature. Platform: Play Station 3, Xbox 360 and PC.—James M., Grade 11, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School

TOFFLER-CORRIE, Laura. My Totally Awkward Supernatural Crush. Roaring Book Pr. Aug. 2013. Tr. $17.99. ISBN 9781596437333.

Gr 7-10—Jenna Bloom was an ordinary girl who didn’t quite fit in. On her 14th birthday, however, she meets Luke at the Outback. This seemingly normal yet hot teenage boy turns out to be an angel sent to earth with a mission to stop Adam, his demonic foe. Suddenly, Jenna is thrown into a world of the supernatural, and she plays a vital part in helping to stop Adam’s attempt to take over the world. To add more drama into her life, Luke surprisingly takes an interest in her. How will her totally awkward supernatural crush on Luke end?

My Totally Awkward Supernatural Crush was a total cliché. Someone as typical as Jenna ending up saving the world is completely outlandish, and the whole ‘saving the world’ situation wasn’t as dramatic as it could’ve been. I think the book was too simple a read. It wasn’t particularly amazing, but it wasn’t particularly horrible either. The supernatural—in this case, an angel—falls in love with the typical, ordinary girl, but I felt that the book lacked in the romance department. However, there were some humorous scenes in the book that made the book a whole lot better. Overall, this book is a cliché, but by mixing up the genre in certain ways it was still an okay read.—Vy M., age 15, Patrick F. Taylor Science & Technology Academy

ANDERSON, Laurie Halse. The Impossible Knife of Memory. Viking. Jan. 2014. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9780670012091. (cover not yet available)

Gr 9 Up—Attending the ALA annual conference means I get to have up close and personal time with some of my favorite authors. This June, in Chicago, I was invited to a YA author rock star dinner given by Penguin. One of their attending rock stars was Laurie Halse Anderson. I have met her before and even hosted her at my school library. I am a big fan (who isn’t?), and I was excited to hear about her new book, The Impossible Knife of Memory (notice the multi-word title for a change). It was one of the first books that I read when my box of books arrived home after the conference. It will not disappoint her legion of fans.

Hayley Kincain is starting high school for the first time. She is not a freshman. She has been traveling with her dad on his trucking routes for the last 5 years. Her dad is an army vet who has PTSD and to escape his demons, he chooses to run. He decides to move back to his hometown with Hayley and enroll her in school. She doesn’t really understand how to negotiate the land of high school. Her one friend is Gracie, who she knew as a toddler when she lived with her Grandma. Gracie brings Hayley into her circle which includes Finn, a boy who also feels like he is on the outside. Hayley must walk on eggshells as she tries to care for her unbalanced father and as she also tries to figure out her relationship with Finn. The story is raw in the way of Speak (Farrar, 1999) and Wintergirls (Viking, 2009). Hayley’s dad drinks and acts out violently. Hayley thinks that it is her job to take care of her father until the job proves to be just too big for her.

Readers have a chance to learn the ins and outs of Hayley’s relationship with her father as it slowly unfolds, and will root for her as she attempts to have a normal teen life with a best friend and boyfriend.  Anderson really does know how to write a story that will resonate with teens. Though gritty, the story shows us that finding solutions to our problems may never be easy, but they are possible. Put it on your to-buy list when it is published—you won’t be sorry.—Elizabeth Kahn, librarian, Patrick F. Taylor Science & Technology Academy

In Roomies (Little, Brown, Dec. 2013; Gr 8 Up), Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando rely on alternating perspectives to great effect as they portray a budding friendship between two young women on opposites sides of the country. Self-assured, with a boyfriend and an array of friends, social butterfly Elizabeth (EB) has little in common with frazzled Lauren, who, between two part-time jobs and helping her parents care for her younger siblings, has little time for friends. But when EB learns that Lauren will be her roommate at Berkeley, she sends the girl an enthusiastic email, and, despite a shaky beginning, the two begin to forge a genuine connection.

Zarr and Altebrando are sensitive to the nuances of social interaction among adolescents, and their use of dual first-person narration illustrates how seemingly minor remarks can result in insecurity or hurt feelings; for example, EB casually asks whether Lauren can buy a microwave or a mini fridge for their room, unwittingly provoking anxiety in the less-privileged Lauren. Similarly, EB initially interprets Lauren’s sporadic replies as disinterest, when, in fact, Lauren’s limited spare time and computer access mean days go by before she can respond to EB’s emails.

For both EB and Lauren, this new friendship becomes an anchor in a time of instability: the teenagers clash with their family and friends and deal with romantic entanglements as they cope with the strain of leaving home for the first time to start an exhilarating—but potentially frightening—new chapter of their lives. From EB losing her standing in the social circle she once took for granted after a break-up to Lauren’s mixed feelings when her parents release her from her babysitting duties so that she can enjoy her summer, this book captures the experiences of teenagers on the verge of adulthood. Readers will find these well-developed and sympathetic characters relatable, and the depiction of encounters with unfamiliar people and new experiences will resonate with adolescents.

“The world was irretrievably broken, filled with refuse, from Garbage Country to the poisoned oceans, and the rest was an uninhabitable frozen nether land; what kind of place was this to grow up in? What kind of world had they been borne to?” Melissa de la Cruz and husband Michael Johnston have often informally worked together on her books; in their latest, Frozen (Putnam, Sept. 2013; Gr 7 Up), the two joined forces to write a dystopian novel about teenagers willing to risk their lives to escape their icy cold setting for the Blue, a peaceful and uncorrupted world—but one that may not actually even exist.

When Natasha Kestal has the chance to flee the city of “New Vegas,” she relies on mercenary Ryan “Wes” Wesson and his crew to seek out the Blue. Both teens are courageous and determined, even willing to manipulate each other: Nat has no reservations about using her looks to ensure that Wes won’t abandon her, and Wes flirts with Nat in the hopes of gaining information about the round blue stone the girl wears around her neck. However, the two begin to rely on and develop genuine feelings for each other as the danger mounts.

Readers will enjoy the budding romance between these strong-willed protagonists, but it’s the world-building where de la Cruz and Johnston excel. As a result of damage wrought to the environment, a glass of water is a luxury, and many are willing to steal to pay for a hit of oxygen; meanwhile, society has devolved to the point where the government permits humans to be bought and sold as slaves. The descriptions of “thrillers,” or desperate zombielike creatures living on the outskirts of the city, are particularly horrifying. This portrayal of a world corrupted both physically and morally will stay with readers, who will anxiously await volumes two and three in this planned trilogy.

A sense of isolation permeates David Levithan and Andrea Cremer’s Invisibility (Philomel, 2013; Gr 8 Up). Sixteen-year-old Stephen has been invisible since birth due to a curse placed upon him by his malevolent grandfather. His absent father provides him with money, and the youth lives comfortably, surviving on deliveries and spending his days walking the streets of New York City. However, it’s an ultimately empty existence: with his mother deceased and his father unwilling to be a part of his life, the boy’s interaction with the world is limited to reading books, watching DVDs, and observing the other residents of his apartment building—until he meets Elizabeth, the first person who can see him.

While Elizabeth’s life has been fairly conventional compared with Stephen’s, she, too, is well-acquainted with alienation: her brother, Laurie, was recently assaulted after coming out as gay, and soon after their father soon walked out on the family. The experience has left Elizabeth fragile and wary of others (“When I let fear get the best of me, I hate myself. I react like a dog who’s been beaten; anytime I see a broom, I flinch and snarl”), and she shuts out the world by immersing herself in her love of art and comic books. However, friendship—and love—blossoms between these two outsiders. They discover why Stephen was cursed, and soon the inevitable confrontation between the boy and his cruel and powerful grandfather takes place as this romance takes a dark turn.

Although paranormal elements are significant, the relationship between the protagonists is central to the novel. Through alternating first-person narratives, the authors convey the teenagers’ willingness to welcome new possibilities and down the walls they’ve constructed to protect themselves. For Stephen, something as simple as a conversation with another person is life-altering (“She has no idea what it’s like to be an outsider to the outside world…and then to suddenly be let inside”), while Elizabeth realizes that opening up to others can mean acceptance and even love. Though the novel ends on an unresolved note, both characters have begun to heal, emphasizing the power of their strong bond.

Through their use of alternating narrators, these books provide a rich sense of perspective. Adolescent readers will particularly appreciate how the authors depict different characters’ responses to similar situations, creating nuanced, multi-layered stories.

Lily Collins stars as Clary Fray, an ostensibly ordinary teenager living in modern-day New York City, where suddenly, strange things begin to happen. When her mother (Lena Headey) disappears, Clary falls in with a group of young Shadowhunters, weapon-wielding, rune-wearing warriors led by the magnetic Jace Wayland (Jamie Campbell Bower). Half-angel and half-human, Shadowhunters possess the strength and abilities necessary to protect humans in an age-old war against evil. Suddenly, Clary’s eyes are opened not only to an alternate world filled with demons, warlocks, vampires, werewolves, and more, but also to her own family legacy: she is descended from an ancient line of Shadowhunters. To save her mother, Clary must quickly learn the ropes of this deadly new reality, tap into her inner fortitude and untried talents, and confront startling truths about her past.

Jonathan Rhys Meyers takes on the role of charismatic antagonist, Valentine Morgenstern; Robert Sheehan plays Simon Lewis, Clary’s “mundie” (ordinary human) best friend and would-be love interest; and her demon-slaying posse includes Jemima West and Kevin Zegers as Isabelle and Alec Lightwood. Teens can visit the movie’s official website for a video trailer, character (and species) profiles, quizzes, and more.

Movie Tie-ins

Movie viewers will clamor to read or revisit the original work, and perhaps explore the rest of the “Mortal Instruments” sequence and its spin-offs (the “Shadowhunters” website has the scoop on Clare’s deftly imagined world and various book series). City of Bones has been reissued with a movie-inspired cover: a realistic New York City skyline mirrored by a watery gothic-gray reflection subtly overlaid with Shadowhunter symbols. Written in a lively conversational tone, Mimi O’Connor’s The Official Illustrated Movie Companion provides a look at the project, from the novel’s inspiration and enthusiastic reception, to casting, locations and props, costumes and makeup, and filming. Longtime book aficionados will appreciate commentary from Clare, who was very much involved in the filmmaking process. Interviews with cast and crew, interesting insider tidbits, and fun details (the creation of durable rubber claws for fight scenes…no vampire wants to lose a fingernail) are presented along with copious full-color photos (on-set candid shots, movie stills, and sizzling portraits). Also packed with slick movie images and tantalizing character quotes, Shadowhunter’s Guide (all S & S/McElderry, 2013; Gr 8 Up) provides a brief plot summary, personnel profiles, and quick glimpses at important locales. A helpful guide to the runes with which the warriors adorn their bodies clarifies each symbol’s purpose (e.g., strength or agility), and cool close-ups of weapons are also included.

Demon Destroyers, Monster Mashers, and More

Whether the protagonists are hunting hellhounds or felling fiends, the following books feature unforgettable characters, electrifying action, and a touch of romance. Modern-day settings, plenty of teen angst, and relevant coming-of-age themes make the stories compelling and prove that navigating the complexities of high school hallways, relationships, and growing up can be just as daunting as facing off against the most ghastly supernatural creatures.

Like Clary, 16-year-old Kali D’Angelo, is a hands-on heroine…at least she is Every Other Day (Egmont USA, 2012; Gr 7 Up), when she somehow transforms from normal teenager to something…“Other”—an invincible huntress with a thirst for slaying basilisks, zombies, and all manner of monsters (in Kali’s alternate world, 37 species of preternatural fauna have been identified since Charles Darwin first unearthed the Galápagos hydra). It’s not surprising that she feels alienated from the high school crowd. When she notices a mark on the back of a popular girl at school, she knows that Bethany has been infected by a chupacabra and will be dead within hours. Though it’s Kali’s “off” day (and though she doesn’t particularly like the stuck-up cheerleader), she resolves to lure the critter into her own body, but will she survive long enough to transform and self-heal? So begins an intricately plotted adventure that soon has longtime loner Kali forging unlikely friendships, crushing on a mysterious boy with whom she can suddenly communicate telepathically, and unraveling deeply buried secrets about her family and her own past…all while taking on the occasional man-eating dragon. Narrated with delightful nonchalance and entertaining sarcasm by the no-nonsense protagonist, Jennifer Lynn Barnes’s multifaceted novel is fast-reading and fun.

Descended from a centuries-old line of monster-hunting Bannicks, 15-year-old Izzy’s career choice is a no-brainer, if only she can get used to working alone (her sister has mysteriously vanished) and convince her mother to give her some independence. A haunting at a high school in small town Mississippi seems the perfect opportunity to prove herself, and Izzy goes undercover as a new student (though the prospect of trying to fit in seems downright scary to a girl who has been homeschooled on the fly, has a basic black warrior’s wardrobe, and is innocent to the ways of teens). Soldiering on, she begins to gather intel about the ghost, but soon finds herself focusing more on friendships and a twinkle-eyed boy than on getting the job done. Before long, she is in over her head, both emotionally and professionally, and as the ghost grows more violent, she must make some tough choices, or the results will be deadly. Peopled with likable and refreshingly unique characters (including an advice- and quip-dispensing warlock who has been trapped in a mirror for over 400 years, and a love interest who has asthma and a penchant for pin-striped pants), Rachel Hawkins’s School Spirits (Hyperion, 2013; Gr 7-10) strikes the perfect balance of humor, relationship woes, and eerie action. The thrilling—and unexpected—climax will leave readers wanting more.

In Amanda Ashby’s Demonosity (Speak, 2013; Gr 7-10), quirky, kindhearted, and incredibly indecisive Cassidy is dumbfounded to discover that she has been appointed protectress of the Black Rose—an ancient force that affords immortality and unlimited power to whomsoever can harness it—now hidden away inside virginal human vessel (Cass’s vapid schoolmate). Harangued by the spirit of a 14^th-century knight, the taciturn and hunky Thomas de la Croix, Cassidy’s days are suddenly consumed by early morning sword-fighting training, slaying nasty demons at parties and the mall, and trying to guard-dog Celeste without anyone noticing. How will she find time for the new swoon-worthy guy at school with whom she has been exchanging smoldering eye-locks? As mysteries unfold and secrets are revealed, Cassidy realizes that she must determine the fate of the Black Rose, an awesome decision that will not only affect her personally (her father has fallen gravely ill), but may also impact the balance of good and evil. Ashby’s frothy romp percolates with lighthearted humor and droll dialogue, while an involving plot and themes exploring friendship and self-reliance add satisfying substance.

Rather than wielding swords or magical powers, the heroes in Kat Beyer’s novel take on their otherworldly enemies with books, silver bells, and candles. All hope seems lost when 16-year-old Mia is possessed by a formidable demon, until two long-lost cousins arrive from Italy—stolid Giuliano Della Torre and his gorgeous grandson Emilio—and perform a successful exorcism. Afterward, The Demon Catchers of Milan (Egmont USA, 2012; Gr 8 Up) insist on taking Mia home with them to better protect her. In Milan, she finds herself steeped in local history and culture, a parade of delectable foods, and the stifling good intentions of a large extended family. As she learns more about the Della Torre’s demon-hunting legacy, she becomes determined to follow in their footsteps, no matter the danger. Featuring a lushly described setting, multi-dimensional characters, and touches of romance, this beautifully written book is as much an exploration of Mia’s personal growth and burgeoning self-confidence as a supernatural adventure.

In Diana Peterfreund’s Rampant (2009; Gr 9 Up), unicorns are blood-thirsty killers that can only be slain by virgins descended from Alexander the Great and trained in the ways of the warrior. More interested in science than sword-swinging, Astrid Llewelyn, 16, reluctantly travels to Rome, Italy, to master these ancient arts and embrace her heritage as unicorn hunter. However, ferocious beasts lurk everywhere, and doubts about her vocation—and distractingly cute guys—may derail her efforts. The breathless action, philosophical quandaries, and well-wrought character development continue in Ascendant (2010, both HarperTeen).

Tera Lynn Childs’s Sweet Venom (2011; Gr 7 Up) is set across the ocean, in a San Francisco teeming with mythological creatures invisible to humans but nonetheless deadly. Luckily, the teenage descendants of a much-maligned Medusa—not a monster herself but the original monster huntress—possess the ability to dispatch these horrific hellions with one bite from their drop-down venom-dispensing fangs. Separated at birth and recently reunited, the triplets—tough-as-nails Gretchen, insecure and eco-conscious Grace, and popular and privileged Greer—must band together and embrace their destinies to save humankind from an onslaught of beasties. Filled with surprises, self-discoveries, and hot crushes, this tale ends with a cliff-hanger, so have the sequel, Sweet Shadows (2012, both HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Bks.), available for readers.

Publication Information

CLARE, Cassandra. The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. Movie ed. pap. $12.99. ISBN 9781442485389.

O’CONNOR, Mimi. The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion. pap. $18.99. ISBN 9781442493988.

O’CONNOR, Mimi. The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones: Shadowhunter’s Guide. pap. $8.99. ISBN 9781442493995.

Each vol: S & S/McElderry. 2013.

BARNES, Jennifer Lynn. Every Other Day. Egmont USA. 2011. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-60684-169-3; pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-60684-415-1; ebook $9.99. ISBN 9781606842676.

HAWKINS, Rachel. School Spirits. Hyperion/Disney. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781423148494.

ASHBY, Amanda. Demonosity. Penguin/Speak. Aug. 2013. pap. $8.99. ISBN 9780142423974.

BEYER, Kat. The Demon Catchers of Milan. Egmont USA. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9781606843147; ebook $16.99. ISBN 9781606843154.

PETERFREUND, Diana. Rampant. HarperCollins/HarperTeen. 2009. pap. $8.99. ISBN 978-0-06-149004-0; ebook $5.99. ISBN 9780061861475.

CHILD, Tera Lynn. Sweet Venom. HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Bks. 2011. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-200181-8; pap. $9.99. ISBN 9780062001825; ebook $8.99. ISBN 978-0-06-209345-5.

POWELL, Laura. Witch Fire. Bloomsbury. 2013. ISBN 9781619630062. JLG Level: MM : Mystery/Adventure Middle & HS (Grades 7–11).

Lucas and Glory go undercover in an exclusive boarding school for witches. While searching for a supposed terrorist, their budding romance hits a roadblock when Glory overhears that her mother was a double-agent for the Inquisition. No longer able to trust Lucas, she is determined to find her missing mother, only to fall into a dangerous tangle of deception in South America. Will Lucas be able to find her before it’s too late? The fast-paced sequel to Burn Mark (2011) continues to explore the powers of the fae with Bondlike adventures.

SEPETYS, Ruta. Out of the Easy. Philomel. 2013. ISBN 9780399256929. JLG Level: HH : History – High School (Grades 10 & up).

Josie grew up fast. At age 10, she had to start working, cleaning the New Orleans brothel where her mother works as a prostitute. Years later, she’s created a plan to leave The Big Easy for an education, separating herself from the dark underground world in the French Quarter. After her mother is accused of a murder, Josie finds herself having to make hard choices. Can she fight the path that destiny seems determined for her to take, or will her decisions shape destiny instead?

SHULMAN, Polly. The Wells Bequest. Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Bks. 2013. ISBN 9780399256462. JLG Level: MM : Mystery/Adventure Middle & HS (Grades 7–11).

The New York Circulating Material Library is no ordinary warehouse for books. Leo’s meeting with a smaller version of himself comes full circle when he discovers a time machine in its depository. Truth is not stranger than fiction―sometimes fiction is the truth, as Leo learns that story elements literally exist. When a unrequited romance turns to potential end-of-the-world disaster, Nikola Tesla must be warned that his death ray invention could be the victim of a theft. Time travel to the past is the only way to stop the future.

ZINN, Bridget. Poison. Disney/Hyperion. 2013. ISBN 9781423139935. JLG Level: FH : Fantasy/Science Fiction High (Grades 9-12).

Kyra has been a Master Potioner, fallen in love with the wrong man, and betrayed everyone she’d ever known―even before she tried to murder her best friend―the princess. Though her first attempt is unsuccessful, she is determined to kill Ariana in order to save the kingdom. Ironically, a wandering stranger and his pig doggedly get in her way. Full of humor and mystery, Zinn’s debut novel is more than a fairy tale. It’s a story of loyalty and finding yourself. Sadly, Zinn passed away in 2011.

For these and other fabulous books for teens, search Junior Library Guild.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

POLSKY, Sara. This is How I Find Her. Albert Whitman Teen. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.99. 9780807578773.

Sophie takes care of her mother—her bipolar mother, whose manic-depressive light switch disorder has run their lives for years. After her mother’s attempted suicide, Sophie is forced to move in with her Aunt Cynthia, Uncle John, and cousin Leila. She hasn’t spoken to them in years, and as she works to maintain a quiet, undisruptive place in their household she discovers just how much she has missed in both her social and home life. Sophie is determined to do what is best. However, discovering what’s best for her and her entire family might not be what she expects it to be.

Sara Polsky’s This Is How I Find Her takes on mental illness in a way I haven’t read before; instead of telling a story from the point of view of someone with an illness, the reader experiences it from an outside perspective. The focus of this novel is family, and the sacrifices family must make when someone has a mental illness. Additionally, Sophie struggles with the definitions of family as well as friendship, and reading her story exposes struggles one may face while juggling the responsibility of taking care of someone along with trying to take care of themselves. This Is How I Find Her is a compelling novel that makes readers question their definition of family, and how far they would go for the people they love.—Destiny B., age 16

Guest Review

KING, A.S. Reality Boy. Little, Brown. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780316222709.

Gr 9 Up—Gerald’s mother signed him and his sisters up to be on a reality show reminiscent of The Nanny when he was just five years old, and he’s been angry ever since. Nicknamed “Crapper” for how he acted out his frustrations, he’d just rather be a normal teen, but that seems impossible with his completely dysfunctional family. His mother never wanted him or his sister Lisi—firstborn Tasha is the focus of all her attention and reigns as top dog, free to physically and verbally abuse anyone that gets in her way. Add to this that Gerald’s mother put him in special education classes because he seemed “slow,” and he has to fight the stigma that comes with that every day (though this group of classmates are ultimately much more high-functioning than his own family). The occasional escape from the harsh reality of his life is to take a “Gersday,” when he completely zones out and goes to a beautiful happy place, far away from family, bullies, and memories of the reality show.

He’s had enough, and through an unlikely friendship forged while working at a local event venue, Gerald begins to find the strength and motivation to fight back. With Hannah, a fellow cashier and teen with issues of her own, Gerald discovers a sense of normalcy he’s never experienced before, and when push literally comes to shove, he refuses to give up his hard-fought struggle for independence.

King never fails to surprise me—every one of her books has its own particular (and sometimes peculiar) sets of tics and twists and triumphs—and Reality Boy is no exception. Readers will be cheering for Gerald to take back his life, get the girl, and ditch the toxic environment he is forced to live in. We all know at least one teen who needs a book like this; I didn’t know I needed it until I turned the last page.—Dodie Ownes, editor, SLJTeen

How much do our expectations influence our reading? I picked up Allison van Diepen’s newest book Takedown and was expecting a lot. The first pages got me excited: Sick Puppy’s arrest is the beginning of the takedown. YA version of the Wire! But then I got bogged down. Darren’s motivation to play the super dangerous game of informing and risking his life while trying to get out of the game didn’t ring true. However, all the teens that I’ve given the book to have been satisfied and their expectations met.

The cover and trim size of Takedown is different from the author’s previous Street Pharm (2006) and Snitch (2007, both Simon Pulse) and doesn’t shelve well as a set—as a result I’ve had to call the teens’ attention to the author and content. The final cover isn’t out yet—the  two cover versions I’ve seen so far are both just okay. Maybe  the blue one is a little bit better? The nice interior has lots of white space, big enough type, cool font at the beginning of each chapter, and Darren’s rap lyrics in a different type sprinkled throughout.

We are extremely lucky to have some of the best writers for our teens as inner-city school teachers and/or social workers. Coe Booth, Alan Sitomer, and Alison van Diepen are my saviors. I couldn’t do my job without them. I asked Allison about Darren’s motivation, and she said this:

“Making a snitch the hero was a tough sell, especially since it wasn’t because of some dramatic incident, but instead because he’d woken up to the reality that he’d been used—that he’d been the scapegoat—and that he’d lost two years of freedom because of it. My students, both at the alternative school where I teach, and back in Brooklyn, hated snitches, but I’ve always wondered if they might feel differently if they saw the world through the eyes of a snitch.” That’s a worthy cause for writing motivation, and teens will enjoy the read regardless of our lofty hopes for them.

Along the lines of motivating factors, I laughed (silently) when speaker AR brought in a totally hot girl friend (formerly incarcerated, turned her life around) who mentioned Rhonda Byrne’s The Secret. I was flooded by boys requesting the book afterwards. Forget booktalks, just bring in a hot girl to wave a book in the air. Unfortunately, not a one could get into the book—their expectation was way different than the reality. James Allen’s bestseller As a Man Thinketh is a classic version of The Secret, and in many ways the old-school language may be a bit more accessible to teens than The Secret’s lofty new ageism.

Sun Tzu’s classic Art of War is one of my most requested books. One of my teens rattled off all the books that mention it, and I should have written them down, but I was scrambling to find copies to fill all the requests. Especially for reluctant readers, it’s great to have different versions of the same book in order to meet differing expectations. Here are the two other versions of the Art of War I offer besides the original:

Kelly Roman’s adult graphic novel version is amazing. Stark pages feature black and white art that pops with red highlights—thigh high boots, a tattoo, blood, a tie, the American flag—and Sun Tzu’s words in gritty bursts throughout.  A young man with a mohawk and genetic enhancements is released from military prison to face his demons: an ex-girlfriend he severely injured, the ghost of his murdered brother, a sick father, a world at war. Set in the future, the landscape is devastated, except where it’s been purchased—Manhattan has been bought by China. This is one of those “meta-books,” with more meaning and information unfolding with each read.

The Art of War: How to Be Successful in Any Competition isn’t as complex, classy, or gory as Roman’s version, but it’s more accessible and definitely more shelvable in a teen section, and a good choice for less-skilled readers. Tzu’s wisdom is revealed in full-color art in a variety of settings including a SWAT team, jail cell, old school gangsters, and a poker tournament.

The 50th Law by Robert Greene and 50 Cent is perfect for inner-city teens, or any reader looking for an edgy approach. The good cover image of 50 Cent does not carry through to the inside art, but the combination of story—from hustler to hip hop artist—and words of wisdom and keys to power packs a powerful punch.

Kwame Alexander’s He Said, She Said has the winning alternating girl/boy chapter format along with texts and Facebook posts. He also taught high school, so I had high expectations. Omar is the star quarterback and all around full of himself big man. Claudia is a brainy Beyonce look-alike who is done with playas—but can’t deny she feels a spark, especially after Omar surprises her and uses his fame to rally students in a silent protest to bring back the arts programming.  Sigh… Our gritty kids will probably find it too nerdy—in fact they rolled their eyes at me when I booktalked it—and none of them have picked it up. An author visit would rectify and stimulate interest. This isn’t to say that it’s not a great book for lots of teens.

Randy Kearse, after serving 13 years, 6 months and 2 days of a federal prison term, was highly motivated to change his life. In prison he researched and wrote Street Talk and began work on Changin’ Your Game Plan! How to Use Incarceration as a Stepping Stone for Success. Upon his release he applied his drug dealing skills to hustling his books, selling 35 or more a day for three years on streets and subways. Clearly a charismatic and engaging person, Kearse is definitely a speaker I’d bring in. It’s terrific when he gets specific about the steps he took to change, and there are definitely gems amidst all the repetitions, generalities, and preachiness. You will not hear my usual lament of too much of the dirt (which actually hooks the kids and gets them reading), and not enough of the transformation, as this barely skims the surface of what he was incarcerated for. It’s also surprisingly free of the religious factor except for a guest chapter. Teens aren’t going to be flocking to read it, but it’s a must-have for adult facilities and urban libraries, especially on the eastern seaboard, where the majority of his resource list is oriented.

ALEXANDER, Kwame. He Said, She Said. Harper Teen/Amistad. 2013. 336p. Tr $17.99. 9780062118967.

ALLEN, James. As a Man Thinketh. Tribeca Books. 2013. 62p. pap. $6.99. 9781612930220. (Note: I haven’t found the best version of this classic—still looking.)

BYRNE, Rhonda. The Secret. Atria. 2006. 198p. Tr $23.95. 9781582701707.

GREENE, Robert and 50 Cent.The 50th Law. illus. by Dave Crosland. G-Unit Book, Inc., Robert Greene and SmarterComics, LLC. 2012. 60p. $14.95. 978-1-6108-2006-6.

KEARSE, Randy. Changin’ Your Game Plan! How to Use Incarceration as a Stepping Stone for Success. 3rd ed. Positive Urban Literature, Inc. 2012. 248p. $14.99. 978-0-9800-9740-5.

KEARSE, Randy. Street Talk: Da Official Guide to  Hip-Hop & Urban Slanguage. Barricade Books. 2006. 700p. 978-1-5698-0320-2.

ROMAN, Kelly.The Art of War: A Graphic Novel. illus. by Michael DeWeese. Harper Perennial.  2012. 346p. $ 22.99 978-0-06-210394-9.

TZU, Sun. The Art of War: How to Be Successful in Any Competition. illus. by Shane Clester.  Reprint Edition. SmarterComics.  2012. 88p. $12.95. 978-1-6108-2008-0.

VAN DIEPEN,  Allison. Takedown. Simon Pulse. Sept. 2013. 288p. $16.99 978-1-4424-8690-4.

Please tell me about the inspiration behind Somebody Up There Hates You—I understand it grew out of a short story, but your dedication in the foreword  leads me to believe there is a greater personal connection.

Yes, this novel grew out of a short story called “SUTHY Syndrome” that I wrote some years ago. The story was published in the Bellevue Literary Review, one of my favorite literary journals, in 2009.  After the story came out, I thought I’d heard the last from Richie—but, no. He just kept on talking in my head and he let me know that he had a great deal more to say and to do. So I expanded the story into the novel, adding many new characters and events but keeping the time frame of 10 days for the whole story to take place.

But you’re also right that the real origins of this book go back much farther, to the many times that I stayed with my son in Babies Hospital at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City. There, I met all sort of kids—sick, wounded, all hurt in some way. The ones who have always stayed in my mind—and my dreams—are the teenagers, who were both heartbreaking and hilarious. Full of wit and spirit and rebellion, even in the face of devastating illnesses. I’ve never forgotten their voices. That’s really where Richie and Sylvie came from.

Richie, believing this to be his last lap through a hospital, takes Marcus Aurelius’s advice to heart: “Wait for death with a cheerful mind.” And a mischievous mind as well, wouldn’t you say?

Absolutely.  Richie, no matter what his physical condition, is still a seventeen-year-old boy who likes to laugh and who likes to disobey the rules, especially rules that make no sense to him. He has a keen sense of absurdity and a sharp wit. He’s just like any other teenage boy—full of passion and sexual longing. And he has a deep desire to pack as much living as he can into whatever time he’s got.

Early on in the book, I became very aware of Richie’s use of his sense of smell to get a “read” on something or someone. His Uncle Phil, coconspirator in springing Richie from hospice on Halloween night, is described as smelling like “bacon and marijuana smoke and outdoors air.” On the way back to the hospital, Richie again notes the smells—”Exhaust, dead leaves, wetness from the storm drains, and beyond all that, the river.” His Grandma smells like “perfume and hair spray, cigarettes and a little bit of sweat.”

That’s an interesting observation. I hadn’t really thought about it but I do tend to use images of smells in my writing, perhaps because smell is such an evocative sense, one that can transport us to different times and places with one whiff.  Also, it makes sense for Richie to rely on smells to read people, since his eyesight is failing. And he’s in a place where smells are often stale and sterile. So when Richie finally gets to go outdoors, he really inhales the whole rich atmosphere because he misses it so much. And the same holds true when someone comes in from the outside world:  Richie has a deep appreciation for the new air that they carry with them. It’s like a gift to him.

Sylvie is the only other teenager in hospice, and she and Richie quickly become the darlings of the ward. But her illness seems to have come on quickly, while Richie describes himself as the “Incredible Dying Boy” and has been in and out of hospitals since he was 11 years old. It obviously affects their acceptance of the terminal nature of their disease, and the reactions of their families. What made you decide to set it up this way?

I wanted Sylvie and Richie to be very different, in many ways. Sylvie comes from a wealthy family; she was a pretty, popular and successful private school girl before she became sick.  Richie was raised in near-poverty by a single mom and has some fairly disreputable relatives (like his Uncle Phil). Out in the “real world,” Sylvie and Richie would never have been a couple, would probably never have even met. But, here, in the world of hospice, they have been thrown together under the most intense circumstances. So they bond, in all sorts of ways. And, yes, it’s true that Sylvie in no way accepts her diagnosis as terminal. She is fierce in her belief that she will survive. This may be because she hasn’t been sick as long as Richie but her ferocity is also part of her essential personality. She is, in many ways, her father’s daughter; Richie says that both Sylvie and her father have dragon’s blood running in their veins.

I really love the way you played with Richie’s character through the other characters’ nicknames for him. Edward, the tender-tough nurse, calls him Richard. His grandmother calls him Richie Rich, after the comic book character. Uncle Phil treats hims like royalty, calling him King Richard and addressing him as “my liege.” Did you plot this out, or did it just happen as those characters developed?

I had no plan to have various characters use different terms for Richie but as characters entered the book, they just naturally started in using their own pet names for him. I think that the names they choose do help to characterize the people who interact with Richie; the nicknames help to establish individuals as different and each relationship as unique. Phil, for example, tries always to make a game out of their time together; he’s always, in his own way, trying to distract and entertain Richie. That is Phil’s way of showing love. He’s never sappy or sugary, but always funny and a bit outrageous. Phil also has another way of showing his strong feelings for Richie and all of the other hospice patients, and that is through his drawings.

Despite his seemingly powerless position, Richie actually puts a lot of major changes in motion for those around him, some on purpose, some accidental—pushing together his mother and her estranged mother, forcing the issue of getting restitution from his long absent father, and by chance, the cop assigned to guard him has a long-standing crush on his mother. I felt respect for Richie, not pity.

I’m so glad that you feel respect for Richie. I do, too. He’s managed to grow up in this short amount of time. He’s fallen in love and done everything in his power to protect the girl he loves.  He’s tried to provide for his mother, to make her life a bit easier when he’s gone. Richie, by the end of the book, has accomplished what he set out to do, under enormously difficult circumstances. He hasn’t planned it all but he takes advantage of every opportunity to help the people he loves get by when he is gone. For me, Richie really is a hero.

Respected for her adult short stories, Hollis is a recipient of a New York Foundation for the Arts Fiction Fellowship. She is Professor of English at the College of Saint Rose in Albany, NY and teaches for the Fairfield University MFA in Creative Writing Program. Her latest collection of short stories, Corporeality, was published in January 2013 by Able Muse Press. She lives in Kinderhook NY.

Seamon, Hollis. Somebody Up There Hates You (Algonquin Young Readers, Sept.  2013, Tr $16.99, ISBN 9781616202606) Gr 9 Up.

DOKTORSKI, Jennifer Salvato. Famous Last Words. Holt. July 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780805093674.

Gr 9 Up—Sam is just about to turn 17, and like many teenagers, she has a summer job. Sam’s job, however, is quite unique; she writes obituaries for a local newspaper. While writing about people who are no longer living, Sam faces some road bumps in her own life. The secretary in the office hates her, her best friend is driving her crazy, and she might have a crush on the drum playing college intern. As she deals with her teenage struggles, she also works to uncover political corruption in order to make her way up the newspaper-climbing ladder. What ensues is a summer filled with friendship, romance, endings, and a near-death experience.

I was really excited about reading Famous Last Words, but it did not quite live up to my expectations. I did not particularly like Sam, as she sometimes came off as whiny and irresponsible. I felt that a couple of plot points were left unresolved, especially Sam’s conflict with her best friend. However, I really loved Sam’s experiences working with the newspaper and I liked her coworkers, especially AJ. Perhaps if the novel had focused mainly on Sam’s job with the newspaper, I would have enjoyed it more. Still, I am glad that I read Famous Last Words and thought it was a fun, light read.—Kayla T., age 16

Another take… Since You Asked was first reviewed in SLJTeen June 4, 2013.

GOO, Maurene. Since You Asked. Scholastic. 2013. Tr. $17.99. ISBN 9780545448215.

Gr 8 Up—Sophomore Holly Kim is her high school newspaper’s copy editor. Holly  is unlike your typical teenage girl character; she is not boy obsessed, she doesn’t wear makeup, and she follows Korean values even though she may not agree with them. After accidentally submitting an article to the school paper that was written as a joke, she is given her own column. In this column she can write about her opinions on upcoming events such as the homecoming dance or Valentine’s Day. Holly also has to write about things that she is against, like the life of a jock that she and her friends claim to hate. With typical high school dramas, she deals with her Korean family and their values and traditions.

Although I was hesitant to read this book after reading the description, I’m glad I did. It was captivating and witty. There is something in this book that almost every teenage girl can relate to whether it is annoying mothers or secret admirers. I liked the diversity of many of the main characters. It gave me a different perspective on the way of life for other ethnic groups who live in America. I will admit nothing really exciting happens in the story because it is just a slice-of-life of a teenage girl, but it definitely is a page turner. I would recommend this book to teenage girls who are looking for a quick read.—Sarah A., age 15

Random Access Memories, Daft Punk (Columbia)

This fourth studio album from the French duo Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo reflects the disco style of the 70’s and 80’s. It is a mix of soft rock, pop, disco, and some stadium–dance productions inspired by the one and only Giorgio Moroder, an influential Italian record producer and founder of the Oasis label.  Known for a funny and playful essence, this 13-track album continues the trend. Full of catchy beats, the musical sound on Random Access Memories veers from cinematic to disco to jazzy to post-modern funk, using only live instruments, a synthesizer, and vintage vocoders. The opening track “Get Lucky” starts things off with a bang, compliments of Nile Rodgers’s distinctive guitar style. From then on, the album is an all around great ride. Tracks to check out include “Lose Yourself to Dance,” “The Game of Love,” “Touch,” and “Within.”—Geena G., grade 11, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School

Grid 2 (Codemasters)

I have always been drawn to car racing games and am happy to report that Grid 2 makes the cut for me. In this game, players promote the World Series Racing league (WSR) by participating in various racing events around the world to determine who is the best racer. ESPN provides live coverage of your races, and along with your evolving garage hub, this helps increase your fan base. There are 50 cars spread among four tiers, with each tier offering better challenges, vehicles, and events. The different events include Overtake, Checkpoint, Touge, Face Off and Live Route events. The diverse environments add to the excitement and impressiveness of the game. The realism factor is also a plus factor where the extensive detail makes you forget that you are in your own home. The game will provide hours of action-packed fun in a spectacular environment, sure to please all kinds of car racing fans. Rating: E for Everyone. Platform: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC.—James M,  grade 11, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School

Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move (Nintendo)

Minis on the Move is primarily a puzzle game in which the player guides toy versions of Mario, Princess Peach, Toad, Donkey Kong and others around different terrains. The moving characters advance by the player putting the correct directional paths in front of them and avoiding the obstacles. Starting simple, the game gets more complex without becoming frustrating. New elements such as bombs, cubes with springs, and hammers that rotate are introduced every couple of puzzles, keeping things engaging and entertaining. There are 240 stages in the main game, giving the player a lot to contend with. There are four modes in the main game—Mario’s Main Event, Puzzle Palace, Many Minis Mayhem, and Giant Jungle. The most challenging are Many Minis Mayhem and Giant Jungle, and you also have the ability to create your own puzzle to share. Minis on the Move provides hours of fun, but with a more impressive gameplay twist it could have been so much more. Rating: E for Everyone. Platform: Nintendo 3DS.— Nick M, grade 10, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School

So, let’s talk debt. Apparently our country has some. Do you think the debt crisis could someday hijack the society we live in?

I think it already has! About 40 million Americans have student debt. So not even counting medical bills and credit cards and car payments, young people are entering adulthood with huge debt burdens. Right now about 35% of student debtors under 30 are having trouble making their payments. That’s about 2.4 million young adults who are viewed, in the language of debt, as delinquent. I think that has a huge impact, not just on how you enter on the path to adulthood, but even in terms of how our society imagines of us. I feel like 30 years ago a conversation about YA that used the word ‘delinquent’ would be talking about S. E. Hinton’s The Outsiders. Now it goes without saying that we’re talking about debt.

Dude, let’s not even get started with student debt. I’m already seeing it have a crippling effect on my former college mates. And speaking of the effect debt has on young people—Proxy asks a compelling question: what effect does financial debt have on us as humans? What was your inspiration for writing a novel with a central theme of the impact of debt?

It’s a theme in Proxy because I’m fascinated with how debt impacts our relationships and by the morality we assign to debt—the idea of owing a debt to society or that good people pay their debts and bad people don’t.

I couldn’t agree more. Having debt is so linked now with one’s character. It’s a warped view that overwhelmingly favors the rich.

Like in Game of Thrones: “The Lannisters always pay their debts.” It’s a promise and a threat! And a luxury they have that the peasant class doesn’t.

Agh, Game of Thrones! Don’t remind me….

Even in our time, you can lose your house because of debt; your car, everything you own can be taken by the repo man. Somehow, a debt overrules every other obligation and we accept that, even though there’s no reason it has to be that way. It’s not an innate moral feeling we’re born with. Even when we talk casually, people say things like, ‘I owe you one,’ and ‘Can I borrow a stick of gum?” and “extra credit.” Owe, borrow, credit. The language surrounds us and we rarely question it.

Did you always know you wanted to write a novel about debt?

Nope! I knew I wanted to use a medieval concept of the Whipping Boy in a futuristic setting—that concept was there in the beginning, but I didn’t know how some poor kid would end up a whipping boy, or how some rich kid would end up having one… then, looking at my own student loan bills, it seemed like debt was the obvious answer! Debt makes you a proxy.

In creating the system, though, I wanted Syd and Knox to have very different ideas about what it means to owe something to someone. For Knox, debts are basic questions of societal order—you owe something, you are a debtor until you pay it back. That’s just the way it works. The person on the other end of it doesn’t really matter. Syd can’t ignore the person on the other end of his debt, but he also doesn’t see him as a human being, just as an instrument of his suffering. In a way, the story is about these two boys learning to see each other as whole people, rather than as parts of transaction.

That’s one of my favorite things about Proxy, the development of Knox and Syd’s relationship. It’s no secret that I love stories that throw together two people from opposite sides of the tracks and force them to understand the other person’s point of view.

Empathy is a major project of everything I write, even—and perhaps especially—in a world as brutal as Proxy’s. I think it’s such an important journey for teenage characters to go on, seeing that they are not the center of the universe and that their perspectives are not the only ones that count.

I think you do this magnificently.

Thanks! You do it so well with June and Day in Legend; it’s nice to know Knox and Syd can keep up. You think they’d get along in real life?

I could see Day and Knox butting heads a lot, what with their egos! But I think Day would take a liking to Syd immediately; they come from similar hardships and would totally get each other. June might empathize more with Knox’s upbringing. Or she might just end up muttering with Marie in the corner about boys.

I guess she would understand his point of view, but probably not sympathize. When we meet Knox, he uses people for his own enjoyment—that’s basically the extent of how he interacts with people. It’s all transactional to him.

On that note of relationship, let’s talk about Syd. Another unique thing about Proxy is that your main character, Syd, is gay—and yet the plot does not revolve around his sexual orientation (or consequences thereof). He simply is. Publishers Weekly said that, “the matter-of-fact presence of a gay lead in an action driven story is welcome and overdue.” What impact do you hope having a gay main character in an action-packed YA-thriller will have on the genre?

I have no idea, but I like to believe we are in an age when no single facet of your identity limits the kinds of stories you can see yourself in.

In real life we’ve knocked down closet doors from pro sports to the military, and on TV we have gay vampires, and gay show choir singers, and gay kings and swordsmen (can you tell I watch Game of Thrones?), so I like to think, possibilities are opening across genres for all kinds of people to be in all kinds of stories. As a gay man who loves action movies, I always wanted to see an action hero I could identify with that way. It’s not part of the ‘plot’ of Proxy, but it is part of who Syd is, how he sees the world. It affects the story (spoiler alert: Syd doesn’t ‘get the girl’), but it doesn’t dictate the story. In that sense, his sexuality is something new for this kind of book.

But there have been gay characters in all kinds of YA novels for a while now, from Cassie Clare’s “The Mortal Instruments” series (S & S), for example, or David Levithan’s entire body of work, or Bill Konigsberg’s. Malinda Lo was writing sci-fi and fantasy with queer characters while I was still learning the Dewey Decimal System.

All fantastic writers with fantastic books who have paved the road! I’m thinking especially of Malinda’s Adaptation (Little, Brown, 2012).

Yes! There are countless pioneers before me in this. So many pioneers that I feel like I’m probably less pioneering, as arriving with a lot of luggage at well-populated frontier spa.

And now I’m picturing Syd looking rather anxious at a frontier spa.

I can’t picture Syd in one of those robes! He’d be so uncomfortable.

I bet he’d enjoy himself once he’s on the massage table. Nobody leaves a Swedish massage unhappy!

I don’t think Syd likes strangers touching him. He has trust issues.

On second thought, you’re right. Knox probably gets Swedish massages daily, though.

Knox is right at home with anything decadent.

Knox is an interesting (and risky) character to write. He’s not exactly likable, for one—at least, not when we first meet him. I loved his transformation, though. Any specific inspiration for his character?

Me.

As scary as it is to admit, I am (or rather was) far more like Knox than Syd. First of all, Syd is handy—I am not. Syd knows how to fight. I don’t. Syd grew up hard and grew up poor. I grew up, like Knox, with an excess of privilege and comfort. Syd is not in the closet, but as a teen, I was. Knox, as a defense mechanism, as a response to the smothering cutthroat world of wealth he lives in, keeps the generous parts of himself hidden. That’s his closet. He isn’t hiding his sexuality, he’s denying his empathy. Denying a part of yourself can be destructive. It was for me. It is for Knox.

Also Knox is dashingly handsome and, well… I think it goes without saying he’s based on me there too.

He’s also a total smart ass.

Guilty!

I never would’ve guessed it, dude (she says with a straight face…). Now, you used to be a librarian. How did your background inform the creation of Proxy?

I’ve wanted to write for teens for a long time. Even before I was a YA librarian, I worked with adolescents in war-affected areas, and I was always amazed by the capacities of young people to shape the world even as they were still shaping themselves. I was amazed by the power stories had to get these young people through some truly horrific experiences. Whether it was the Eastern Congo or a slum of Bangkok or an isolated enclave in Kosovo, storytelling was a vital part of the life of every young person I met.

Next time we hang out, I must sit with you and hear details about your past work. It’s absolutely fascinating. When did you find yourself drawn to YA literature?

After I burned out on that sort of travel and started serving teens at New York Public Library, I fell in love with young adult literature. I fell in love with the process of matching the right book to the right kid at the right time, and seeing what an unexpected story could do for a teenager, whether it was armor against the blows that this world deals out to the young, or whether it ignited new ideas or confirmed secretly felt old ones, or just provided pure joyous imaginary wandering. I knew I wanted to be a part of creating those experiences. There’s nothing easy about being a teenager and there shouldn’t be anything easy about writing for teens. Everything is in flux and writing means getting into a dialogue with the flux. It can get bumpy. And that’s where it gets fun.

I should add, for all the big ideas in Proxy, my main concern was, truly, that it actually be fun. My writing philosophy was kind of, when in doubt, blow something up.

I think we might have similar writing philosophies.

I think we do! Get the pages turning and let the reader decide what matters. So there’s talk of debt and poverty and forgiveness and empathy, because they matter to me, but there are also genetically engineered armies and killer robots and a joke about making out with a horse.

Okay, so now I have to ask—

The horse joke is NOT autobiographical.

Okay okay! Just curious.

Before we’re through, I need to make a confession. I changed a main character’s name as I revised Proxy from “Mary” to “Marie” because of you. What can I say? You made an impression on me that I had to honor with a seriously passionate and deeply flawed character about whom I shouldn’t say much more, for plot reasons. Except that her flaws bear no relation to you.

I’ll add, aware of the irony, that I’m in your debt.

I am so flattered by Marie’s character! She’s awesome, especially with her flaws. I love it. Who doesn’t love a character with flaws? And you can pay your debt by always letting me read your manuscripts ahead of time.

It’s a deal! I’ll gladly be your proxy. Just don’t get in too much trouble. For my sake.

Want to hear more from Alex? Sign up now for SummerTeen: Hot Books for Young Adults, an all-day virtual event featuring 6 panels and 18 young adult authors! Can’t make it on July 24? Not to worry–register now and we’ll let you know when the event archive is ready for on-demand viewing.

Taking place only a couple of months after India’s Declaration of Independence, Gandhi’s historic 24-day Salt March that began on March 12, 1930, is considered by many to be the turning point of his  nonviolence campaign. Forbidden by law to gather salt from the sea, the Indian people were at the subject to the British taxes on this resource that Gandhi noted was, “Next to air and water,…perhaps the greatest necessity of life.” The same high taxes made cloth unaffordable to the impoverished people. And so, Gandhi inspired them to spin their own fabric, and to walk to the beach to gather their own salt, “step by step to freedom.” In the lyrical Gandhi: A March to the Sea McGinty recounts the momentous trek, (which the leader began with only 70 companions), from his ashram community near Ahmedabad to the coast by the village of Dandi. A perfect tie-in to curriculum on the American colonies’ Boston Tea Party, Gandhi’s fist full of salt was a powerful, nonviolent call to action for India, and to the world that finally took notice of the plight of that nation’s population.

Incorporating quotations from the iconic figure’s speeches, McGinty’s poetic prose weaves historical fact into a stirring account of a divided people coming together behind a charismatic leader to take the first steps toward establishing self-rule. Highlighting Gandhi’s belief in a united country, without regard to religion or caste, the book’s text is matched in beauty by Thomas Gonzalez’s sweeping landscapes and mixed-media depictions of the thousands of people who eventually joined the march. Alternating between emotion-filled close-ups and bird’s-eye views of the man and the epic event, the stunning illustrations will draw in students from the elementary through middle school grades, as they offer a look at another country’s cry for freedom.

While Gandhi takes place at the height of man’s career and popularity, the events in Bradbury’s fictional A Moment Comes occur just months before his assassination. The title is inspired by “Tryst with Destiny,” a speech given by Gandhi successor and protégé Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minster of India, on the eve of India’s official independence and partition, August 14, 1947: “A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new; when an age ends; and when the soul of a nation long suppressed finds utterance.” The three main characters in the young adult novel struggle with obtaining their own kind of independence, even as each passing day hearkens the dawn of a newly-partitioned India and Pakistan.

Though the story has brushes of the love triangle trope often found in young adult novels, the plot’s true stars are the perspectives offered by the three very different narrators and the roles they play against the backdrop of this tumultuous period. Each struggles with the trappings of their station: a Muslim clerk to a British official, surrounded by Sikh servants who despise him; a rebellious young white woman who wishes she could love whomever she wants; and a quiet Sikh servant girl, who must provide for her impoverished family, while every day fearing assault. Readers will sympathize with Tariq, the Muslim teen who will do whatever it takes to study at the university level in England, emulating the heroes of Indian independence, Gandhi, Nehru, and Muslim leader Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The aspiring scholar’s dream is endangered when a childhood friend manipulates him into involvement with a group that is terrorizing the retreating colonizers and the Sikh majority. At the same time, Tariq’s family begins to make arrangements for moving to the area that in two months’ time will appear on maps as Pakistan.

The young people’s worlds collide when Tariq finds a potential sponsor and benefactor in Mr. Darnsley, one of the British cartographers carving up India into the two religious states. The boy uses his charm and good looks to win the Oxford man’s flirtatious daughter Margaret to his side, hoping that she will put in a good word and help him realize his dream of an advanced degree. The beautiful Anupreet looks on, still coping with a near rape, and worrying about her family’s safety. The novel’s dramatic climax unites these teens, despite their differences, and the story ends on a tenuous but hopeful note on August 15, the official establishment of the two separate countries.

Whether focusing on Gandhi’s belief that Hindus and Muslims must work together to create a united India, comparing India’s fight for independence to the American colonies’ battle, or recognizing Gandhi’s nonviolence principles in Dr. King’s civil disobedience movement, Gandhi and A Moment Comes offer springboards for discussion on prejudice, imperialism, independence, and freedom.

Golden, Lady Antebellum (Capital)

Nashville’s leading trio, Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley, and Dave Haywood aka Lady Antebellum, has just released their fourth studio album, Golden. The group’s broad appeal comes from their winning sound that is not only country, with banjos and mandolins, but embraces the mainstream pop scene as well. Although this album was picked as a breakout album, there is not much here that shakes things up—and that is fine with me because I like Lady A just the way they are. Scott and Kelley’s vocals complement each other beautifully on the many really catchy melodies. Scott’s voice is more confident and commanding, while Kelley continues with his distinctive Tom Petty sound. Some of the twelve tracks sing of love and being in love, with others addressing the pain and heartache of breakup and betrayal. Tracks to check out are “Better Off Now (That You’re Gone),” “Downtown,” “Get To Me,”  and “Goodbye Town.”—Latyese M., grade 11, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School

Music From Baz Luhrmann’s Film: The Great Gatsby (Interscope)

Jay Z is truly the perfect choice as the executive producer of the music for Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby. He expertly connects today’s music of rock, rap, hip-hop, and electronica, with the glitzy charm of the 1920’s Jazz Age. Under the guise of various artists such as Beyonce, will.i.am, Andre 3000, Florence Welch, the Bryan Ferry Orchestra, and Lana Del Ray, the essence of the film—love, seduction, money, and an excessive lifestyle—is driven home. Many tracks have a hypnotizing dub beat, conveying a dark and eerie mood reminiscent of doomed love. Some may feel that this blend does not work, but the music is really quite visionary and inspiring, and works to expose a new generation to the classic that is Gatsby. Tracks to check out are “Back to Black,” “Lover Is the Drug,” “Together,” “Love Is Blindness,” and “$100 Bill.”—Eugene K,  grade 12, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School

Star Trek: The Video Game (Namco Bandai Games)

There are a lot of great features awaiting players of Star Trek: The Video Game. The game begins right where the 2009 film ended. In trying to rebuild the planet Vulcan, rifts in space are opened that allow the Gorn, a reptilian race first seen in the original television series, to descend on Federation space. Assuming the role of Kirk or Spock (voiced by the actual actors), you must now combat these lizard-like troublemakers. Unfortunately, the game becomes very Halo or Call of Duty-like, which is not the course of action that Star Trek games have ever taken. It was always diplomacy and problem solving over all out warfare, yet here combat is the name of the game with fancy high tech weapons and lots of shootouts. The action is fun but does become a bit predictable relatively quickly. Thank goodness for the humorous banter between Kirk and Spock, solving many of the mini-game puzzles, and the traversing of areas and the scaling cliffs, ravines, and more. Overall, Star Trek: The Video Game has a lot to offer but falls short of an exceptional gaming experience. Add an extra star if you are a diehard Trekkie. Rating: T for Teen. Platform: PlayStation 3 and Xbox. Stephen E.,  grade 11, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School

KUEHN, Stephanie. Charm & Strange. St. Martin’s Griffin. June 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781250021946.

Gr 8-12—Andrew Winston Winters knows there’s a wolf living inside him, and it is a pure manifestation of evil. From a young age, he has tried desperately to control his random fits of rage or loneliness, helped by his older brother and little sister, only to be the cause of his family’s slow deterioration. Or so it seems to him. But there are other dark forces at play that have nothing to do with magic or transformations, and more to do with the truth of a past Andrew and his siblings are not yet willing to face. He will do anything, from changing his name to leaving his home to escape the monstrous identity he truly believes runs through his veins.

A breathtaking psychological struggle of a world many of us are blessed not to have experienced, Charm & Strange is, without a doubt, one of the best novels I have ever read. With chapters that periodically shift points of view from that of a younger to a present Andrew Winters, Stephanie Kuehn’s novel sets up readers for an emotional, ominous journey climaxing with a vivid reality both Andrew and I could hardly grasp. The book’s beautiful theme is incredibly executed.—Abrania M. age 16

GOO, Maurene. Since You Asked. Scholastic Pr. July 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780545448215.

Gr 8 Up—Holly Kim is just an average teenager except that her family is Korean. She is trying hard to get used to her Korean ideals and still be American. Holly Kim is one of those girls who regularly butts heads with her mother who is always on her case about keeping her grades up and being a respectful member of her Korean family. Holly is one of the editors for her school’s newspaper. But after making a silly mistake that she thought would get her into huge trouble, she actually was made a columnist, which means everyone gets to hear her talk about her problems with her school every month.

I loved Holly’s voice because it is crazy and hilarious. Throughout the book, Holly is in for it—she deals with a secret admirer, is forced to interview the school’s biggest jock, stands accused of bribery, and endures family issues—everything a normal teenager goes through, right? Wrong. In this book Maurene Goo takes a look at how a teenage girl tries to fit in at her high school while dealing with family drama on the side. It sounds just like my life, only different.—Gabby Y., age 14

SCHNEIDER, Robyn. The Beginning of Everything. HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Bks. August 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780062217134.

Gr 8 Up—Ezra Faulkner had it all: he was a tennis star, had a hot girlfriend, and made good grades. That is, until his “tragedy” happened. Ezra has this thing about tragedies—he thinks everyone has one tragedy, and that it is a defining moment in his or her life. His moment is the car accident that shatters his leg and takes away his status as “king” at school. But maybe that isn’t his tragedy, though—maybe it is the one event that will change his life in some of the best ways.

The Beginning of Everything is one of my favorite books this year. It is a book about life—it has romance, humor, and even death. Not only is it about life, it is a realistic depiction of it. The characters are teenagers I could relate to and imagine meeting now. The twists and turns of high school and decision making are what this book bases itself around, and that is something I connected with immediately. I loved every character, even the ones I shouldn’t have, if only because of Schneider’s realistic depictions of every day teens.—Destiny B., age 15

Paramore, Paramore (Fueled by Ramen)

Paramore is Paramore’s fourth studio album but the first since the split with original members Josh and Zac Farro. This Tennessee indie rock band has come along way since their Warped Tour days. The 17-song track list is fresh and upbeat, but the lyrics at times reflect the turmoil and pain of the last two years. Hats off to producer Justin Meldal-Johnsen for unifying and bring out the best in Williams, York, and Davis. The album melds the classic sounds of Paramore with the band’s new-found embrace of electronics, allowing the group to shine. Williams is truly testing the waters with her daring but brilliant vocals. This coupled with the band’s experimentation with instrumentals—triangles, glockenspiels, ukuleles and guitars—all show Paramore’s growth and their willingness to launch themselves to the next level. Check out “(One of Those) Crazy Girls,” “Ain’t It Fun,”  “Still Into You,” “Fast in My Car,” and “Hate to See Your Heart Break.”—Uma N., grade 10, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School

The Next Day, David Bowie (ISO/Columbia)

I have been aware of David Bowie and his importance in the music world, but not a particular fan of him until I recently saw the movie Perks of Being a Wallflower. One of the key songs which represents the movie characters’ struggle for identity and acceptance was by David Bowie. This led me to listening to his music from the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s. I was really surprised to find out that he released a new album entitled The Next Day after an absence of 10 years. Now at the age of 66, Bowie has once again reinvented himself. Like the album title, the album shows some new sides of Bowie but in reality many of the tracks are reminiscent of over three decades of musical genius. His lyrics are clearly more introspective and direct and seem to carry the weight of his age and wisdom. Definitely check out the ballad “Where Are We Now?”, “The Stars (Are Out Tonight)”, “(You Will) Set the World On Fire,” and “Love Is Lost.”—Maureen L., grade 12, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School

Save Rock and Roll, Fall Out Boy (Decaydance/Island)

Fall Out Boy is certainly not new to the music scene. Starting as a hard core punk rock garage band from Chicago, they transformed with each album into a more mainstream music sensation. Save Rock and Roll is their first album in four years and is very reflective of who Fall Out Boy is today. It is a much more personal album where the band is not trying to save rock and roll per se, but rather, reinvent themselves for today’s world. These songs are somewhat theatrical and intense, with driving drumbeats and acoustic guitar melodies. The band’s vocals are engaging, passionate, and at times a touch intimate. This album is certainly all over the place musically, from hip-hop to new wave. Check out “The Phoenix”, “Rat a Tat,” “Just One Yesterday,” “Young Volcanoes,” and the finale with Elton John, “Save Rock and Roll.”—Will P., grade 11, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School

Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon (Nintendo)

Dark Moon gives our hero Luigi a chance to finally outshine his brother Mario, and prove his worth in this ghost-busting adventure. It combines humor with a Disney’s Haunted Mansion-type of scary, spooky atmosphere, making the game a worthwhile experience. The story begins with Professor E. Gadd needing Luigi to find the scattered pieces of the ghost calming artifact, the Dark Moon. Without it, his docile spectral assistants turn hostile. It is up to Luigi and his trusty vacuum, the Poltergust 5000, to save the day. There are five mansions to explore, and the unique objects are uncovered by solving interactive puzzles. Luigi uses his flashlight to uncover items and ghosts lurking in nooks and crannies. There are also many different types of ghosts, each requiring different tactics to capture it.

There is also a four-player cooperative mode called ScareScraper that allows joint ghost hunting, adding to the enjoyment of the game. The only disappointment here is the inability to save checkpoints and having to restart an entire level even if you were 95% done. Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon is a great gaming experience providing hours of fun for everyone. Rating: E for Everyone. Platform: Nintendo 3DS.—Ryan A., Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School