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

What is Mix It Up at Lunch Day? This program, now in its tenth year, was developed by Teaching Tolerance, a project of The Southern Poverty Law Center. Since the cafeteria is common ground to all school students, it also is the place where most cultural and social lines are drawn. By encouraging kids to sit at a different table and hang out with someone new, these divisions can be broken down through the simple act of breaking bread together, and sharing a conversation.

Teaching Tolerance has many resources available, from posters to discussion guides. You can also register your school as an official Mix It Up participant—over 2000 schools have already registered. Plan now to take advantage of this free and easy-to-implement program.

The National Book Foundation has announced the 2013 Young People’s Literature Longlist for the National Book Award, the first time in history that a longlist of nominees will be presented for all four categories of awards: young people’s literature, fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. The finalists will be revealed on October 16, with the winners revealed at the awards ceremony on November 20.

The 10 kid lit novels chosen as nominees for this year’s award address important contemporary issues, including the immigrant experience, coming of age as an LGBT teen, and the impact of technology on civilization. China’s 1898 Boxer Rebellion, futuristic Brazil, and the Louisiana Bayou are just some of the novels’ imaginative settings, and the protagonists range from ordinary children to creatures with extraordinary powers.

Please send your name, the name of your library, and complete mailing address (US only) to leah@beyondword.com with “So, You Want to Be a Chef? Giveaway” as the subject line by September 30, 2013. Fifty winners will be chosen at random and will be notified via email by October 15.

The third title in the “Be What You Want” series, So, You Want to Be a Chef? provides tips and advice from kids as well as seasoned professionals. Recipes, activities, and sidebars with fun factoids, like the history of the cupcake, keep readers engaged.

Discover more in the “Be What You Want” series with So, You Want to Be a Writer? and XXX, both available now. Don’t wait to grow up to discover your dreams, get started today!

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

Amulet Books, an imprint of Abrams, recently announced that the Splintered story will continue as a trilogy. The sequel, Unhinged, releases in January 2014 and will be followed by the final title, Ensnared, the following year. Readers will be thrilled to see that the love triangle heats up in the second installment and they will have to decide if they are Team Jeb or Team Morpheus. Visit the Unhinged blog for more about the trilogy, and to check out the creepy book trailer!

Though R. L. Stine and Christopher Pike may be our quickest associations with teen screams, horror encompasses a wide array of books. As Susan Chang, senior editor of the children’s and young adult division at Tom Doherty Associates (Tor), says, “I think what we define as ‘horror’ has changed since the heyday of the 1980s and 1990s. Boundaries are more blurred and fluid and so it is more difficult to define.” At the Horror Writers Association site, author Jonathan Maberry has developed a YA-specific blog, It’s Scary Out There, to show how horror isn’t just one type of story.

Maberry explains, “The blog is built around exploring the nature of horror and of fear, how that’s different for teens and adults, and why so many of today’s writers tackle that subject matter. The answers are always surprising. What we’re showing is that horror is different for each person.”

The blog offers interviews with authors Kendare Blake, Darren Shan, Barry Lyga, and Holly Black, with more to come.

Categorizing horror

What is horror if the boundaries are difficult to define? It’s any work where the emotions of fear, dread, and/or disgust drive the narrative. Readers either love or hate horror because it forces them to experience reading in a visceral way. Because it’s defined by how individual readers interpret a story, what one sees as horror may not resonate that way to another.

Horror isn’t comprised solely of monsters. It also consists of the everyday darkness YA readers experience. “Horror isn’t always necessarily supernatural,” Maberry notes. “[In a forthcoming blog interview] Ellen Hopkins will discuss peer pressure as horror.” Dark realistic fiction, serial killer stories, and psychological thrillers may not be “traditional” horror, but they can elicit equally strong responses of fear or dread.

Chang suggests that the decline of mass market publishing, common in the 1980s and 1990s, means readers see horror in a new way. “With the change in format to hardcover and trade paperback, horror now seems to be considered more ‘literary’ and ‘upscale,’ and perhaps taken more seriously.”

Defining the horror reader can be challenging. As Brian Farrey-Lutz, acquisitions editor at Flux, says, “I think the true horror fans can be hard to pin down. There are definitely hardcore horror fans who can’t get enough of it. But I think the people who enjoy horror occasionally and don’t seek it out on a regular basis are a larger group.”

Is there a horror trend?

Maybe because we’ve become used to trends and “the next big thing” in YA, we can overlook staples like horror that don’t fall neatly into one genre. Yet, it continues to command shelf space and endear readers.

“If we’re seeing a spike in horror, it’s because there’s a need for something different,” says Farrey-Lutz. “I think horror is sticking its toes in the YA waters to test the temperature and see if there’s enough interest to merit a wave.”

The surge of dystopian and postapocalyptic YA novels in recent years taps directly into the interest in horror, Mayberry says. “[Teens] don’t read it to indulge in downbeat nihilism. Rather the reverse. My generation thought we were going to fix the world and solve all of society’s problems. We tried, we did some good, but let’s face it: the world is a mess. We may have lost some of our optimism about the future, but the teens expect to live in the future. They’re taking the broken fall and they’re going to fix it and run with it.”

Horror captures the attention of teens of all reading abilities–advanced and reluctant readers find it compelling because it’s something to which they relate. Sure, they may not be fighting zombies or ending decades-long curses, but those stories serve as metaphors for the challenges they face every day. In many ways, the ability to slip into fictional horrors offers an escape from their own sometimes-scary realities.

Ripper tales and serial killers

Perhaps due in part to TV shows like Dexter—which stars a Miami Police Department employee who moonlights as a serial killer—there’s been a rise in stories about murder. Starting with The Name of the Star (Putnam, 2012), Maureen Johnson’s “Shades of London” trilogy follows Rory at her boarding school in modern-day London, where a rash of killings echoing those of Jack the Ripper throws everyone into panic.

Stefan Petrucha’s Ripper (Philomel, 2012) is set in New York City, 1895, during a series of Ripper-like murders. When the Pinkerton Agency gives 14-year-old Carver an apprenticeship, the cases multiply. Does Carver have a tie to the killer?

How about having a dad who kills for a living? That’s 17-year-old Jazz’s story in Barry Lyga’s trilogy, which begins with I Hunt Killers (Little, Brown, 2012). Jazz helps police hunt for a new killer in town in an effort to keep his own name clear.

Peter Adam Salomon’s Henry Franks (Flux, 2012)—a modernization of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein—begins when Henry questions the accident that took his mother’s life. Things become stranger when a serial killer emerges in town.

In Kate Brian’s Shadowlands (2012), even the Witness Protection Program can’t shield Rory Miller from a serial killer. In her old hometown, she barely escaped the hand of Steven Nell, and her new town may not be a safe haven, either. The story continues in Hereafter (2013, both Hyperion).

If murder wasn’t complicated enough, it becomes even murkier in two novels that explore the land between the living and the dead. Daniel Marks’s Velveteen (Delacorte, 2012) follows a 16-year-old slain by a serial killer named Bonesaw. Rather than landing in a happy afterlife, Velveteen’s stuck in a space more like purgatory. In Brenna Yovanoff’s Paper Valentine (Penguin, 2013), all Hannah wants to do is grieve best friend Lillian’s death. But then Lillian’s ghost begs Hannah to investigate a string of teen-girl murders in their small town.

Of sanity and spirits

Psychological horror leaves one question in the minds of both characters and readers: Was what happened real, or the work of something supernatural? At times it’s plausible (and even obvious) that there’s a ghost in charge; at others, it’s possible the horror may be internally constructed.

There’s not a question about the existence of ghosts in Kendare Blake’s Anna Dressed in Blood (2011) and Girl of Nightmares (2012, both Tor). Cas hunts and kills ghosts. When the teen comes upon a ghost who has vanquished every hunter who dared set sights on her, Cas discovers that she has chosen to spare him.

Spirits and sanity rub against one another quite literally in Carly Anne West’s The Murmurings (S & S, 2013). Sophie’s sister, Nell, was institutionalized for hearing voices—the same voices Sophie finds herself hearing now. As she investigates further, she learns that there just might be something out to get them.

Nova Ren Suma delves into what it means to be haunted in two stirring novels. In Imaginary Girls (2011), Chloe admires her big sister, Ruby, who is beautiful and mysterious. But when a classmate’s body shows up in the reservoir, Chloe questions what parts of her relationship with Ruby are imagined. 17 & Gone (2013, both Dutton) is an even sharper exploration of madness. Lauren sees girls who have gone missing, and what ties them together is their age when they disappeared. But who are they to her? As her 17th birthday inches closer, Lauren worries she’s destined to disappear, too. Think Shirley Jackson, YA style.

The undead

What’s more horrifying than the thought of the dead rising and coming after those still alive? Maybe having to face undead loved ones and deliver the final blow. Chang notes that while the zombie trend may be over—having hit its peak between 2007 and 2009—it has become more “evergreen,” much like vampires. Maberry agrees, “They’re tidal. They may recede from popularity for a while but they always come back.” Zombies have also been kept fresh and fascinating in the media, with TV’s The Walking Dead and the recent film Warm Bodies.

Sloane Price is determined to kill herself, thanks to an abusive home life and a sister who abandoned her, but things fall apart with the appearance of the undead in Courtney Summers’s This Is Not a Test (St. Martin’s, 2012). She’s saved by five teens who bring her to the local high school to endure the outbreak. Will Sloane find any hope for a future?

It begins as any other game in T. Michael Martin’s The End Games (HarperCollins, 2013). Michael and little brother Patrick follow the rules from The Game Master in order to stay alive while the real world around them crumbles. But as rules are changed on them, the boys may be heading nowhere good. For readers who prefer their undead with laughter, there’s Sean Beaudoin’s The Infects (Candlewick, 2012), and those seeking a Gothic flair should try Susan Dennard’s Something Strange and Deadly (HarperCollins, 2012). For an epic-scale tome, suggest Alexander Gordon Smith’s The Fury (Farrar, 2013).

Readers who like their undead unending will enjoy multivolume works such as Jonathan Maberry’s “Benny Imura” series (S & S), Ilsa Bick’s “Ashes” trilogy (Egmont USA), and Darren Shan’s 12-book “Zom-B” series (Little, Brown).

Going Gothic

An interesting trend in recent Gothic horror is the use of visual “found artifacts” to enhance storytelling, which hit big with Ransom Riggs’s Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (Quirk, 2011). Cat Winters’s In the Shadow of Blackbirds (Abrams, 2013) melds a ghost tale with the occult, as Mary watches those around her panicking due to the 1918 influenza outbreak and war overseas. While fellow citizens seek comfort in spirit photographers and séances, Mary eschews them…until the day she is confronted with the ghost of her former boyfriend.

In Madeleine Roux’s Asylum (HarperCollins, 2013), which features eerie photographs, Dan discovers that his new summer dorm used to be a sanatorium for the criminally insane, and he and his new friends begin unlocking the asylum’s dark secrets.

Sarah Rees Brennan’s humorous Unspoken (2012) follows 17-year-old Kami as she falls in love with a boy who only exists in her head. And who is that murderer on the loose? The story continues in Untold (2013, both Random).

In Lindsey Barraclough’s Long Lankin (Candlewick, 2012), Cora and Mimi are sent to live with their aunt in a remote English town, but they’re not greeted with kindness. Besides Aunt Ida’s eccentricities, the girls find the town is full of eerie secrets, all connected to the last time Ida hosted two sisters.

The occult

A horror staple, stories about the occult fascinate not only because they’re taboo, but also because they’re often tied to history.

These two elements mingle effectively in Libba Bray’s The Diviners (Little, Brown, 2012). Evie’s confronted with a grisly killer in 1920s NYC, and her ability to tap into magical powers might be the key to catching the criminal. Readers taken with the spiritualism craze running through Bray’s novel will want to check out Sonia Gensler’s The Dark Between (Knopf, 2013).

The occult also seeps into modern-day tales. In Claudia Gray’s Spellcaster (HarperCollins, 2013), Nadia knows that something isn’t right after she and her family move to Captive’s Sound, and she detects dark spirits with her witch sensibilities. She and local boy Mateo will need to work together to unlock a curse threatening the entire town.

What happens when you start falling head over heels for the devil? Violet finds out in April Genevieve Tucholke’s Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (Dial, 2013) when the devil takes the form of a new guy in town. She knows she shouldn’t fall for him, but she can’t help herself.

For a solid occult-driven series, try Tessa Gratton’s Blood Magic (2011) and The Blood Keeper (2012, both Random), where practicing blood spells puts two teens in grave danger.

Frightening realities

Sometimes, the most horrific stories happen in the real world, where the monsters and demons reside in and beside us all.

Stephanie Kuehn tackles the beast within in Charm & Strange (St. Martin’s, 2013). When Win is sent to a remote boarding school because of a terrible incident, he comes to terms with his inevitable future: with the full moon, he will transform from boy to deranged wolf, just like his father. This dark contemporary novel explores the haunting effects of abuse and mental illness.

Few fathers are as terrifying as Ry Burke’s in Daniel Kraus’s Scowler (Delacorte, 2013). The maximum security prison inmates, including Marvin Burke, are on the loose, and he’s returning to the Iowa farm where once he reigned supreme—and where his brutal attack on Ry’s mom led to his lifetime sentence. Ry pulls from the power of his childhood toys to conjure enough anger to give his dad a true showdown.

Marianna Baer takes her horror in an unexpected direction with Frost (HarperCollins, 2011), wherein main character Leena falls from pulled-together, top-of-the-class girl to one who can’t get out of bed without serious medication. What could cause such a quick shift in someone who seemed to have it all?

Classics, remodeled

Remixed classics continue to serve YA horror readers well. They also offer possibilities for classroom connections to their original literary works.

Reimagining Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, Gretchen McNeil sets her slasher Ten (2012) on a quiet island over a weekend meant to be a nonstop party, but it also includes a killer and a trail of blood. Megan Shepherd’s trilogy takes on H. G. Wells’s The Island of Dr. Moreau, beginning with The Madman’s Daughter (2013, both HarperCollins), a twisted story that focuses instead on Dr. Moreau’s progeny.

Dangerous Boy (Penguin, 2012) by Mandy Hubbard looks to Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde while Kenneth Oppel’s This Dark Endeavor (S & S, 2011) is the first in a series that revisits Frankenstein. Henry James’s The Turn of the Screw inspired both Adele Griffin’s Tighter (Knopf, 2011) and Francine Prose’s The Turning (HarperCollins, 2012). For readers seeking a weird tale à la Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, try Mary G. Thompson’s Wuftoom (Clarion, 2012).

Scares ahead

Want more tales of horror? It’s worth checking out Johan Harstad’s 172 Hours on the Moon (Little, Brown, 2012), which blends sci-fi with the supernatural; Gwenda Bond’s Blackwood (Angry Robot, 2012), about the lost colony of Roanoke; J. R. Johansson’s Insomnia (Flux, 2013), following a boy who can enter into other people’s dreams; and Katie Williams’s Absent (Chronicle, 2013), in which a ghost is sentenced to afterlife in the high school where she died.

Classic teen horror writers are publishing new thrills, too. R.L. Stine’s A Midsummer Night’s Scream (Feiwel & Friends, 2013) and Christopher Pike’s Witch World (S & S, 2012) are good introductions for new readers and solid additions for already-devoted fans.

Those eager for what’s to come through the end of the year should find scares courtesy of Gretchen McNeil’s 3:59 (HarperCollins), Jason Vanhee’s Engines of the Broken World (Holt), Barbara Stewart’s The In-Between (St. Martin’s Griffin), and Robin Wasserman’s The Waking Dark (Knopf) satisfying.

So why horror?

“I write about people confronting monsters or fear or darkness because I want to explore how those things can be defeated,” Maberry says. “Humans may be by nature a predatory species, but we are also a survivor species with aspirations toward genuine civility.”

Horror is a perennially popular shelf staple because its variety of shapes and styles make it a favorite for many readers, a gateway for reluctant readers, and a crossover sell to older and younger YA readers.

It isn’t “the next big thing,” but an essential. And not because of the scares—but because of how much these books reach teens on a frighteningly human level.

Kelly Jensen is a teen librarian at Beloit Public Library (WI). She blogs about YA books at Stacked (stackedbooks.org) and Book Riot (bookriot.com).

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Doesn’t it seem that wherever romance goes, mayhem follows? And we all know that life as a teenager is full of both of these!

Join SLJTeen‘s Dodie Ownes as she moderates a free one-hour webcast featuring titles presentations from Soho Teen, Tor Teen, and Harlequin Teen,who will offer sneak previews of their new titles for Fall 2013 and 2014. You won’t believe some of the cover art—shocking, sexy, and sensational—that will have your young adult readers picking the book display clean.

HIGHLIGHTS

Panelists
T.S. Ferguson – Associate Editor, Harlequin Teen
Meredith Barnes  - Marketing/Publicity, Soho Teen
Susan Chang – Senior Editor, Children’s and Young Adult Division, Tor Books
Ali Fisher - Publishing Coordinator, Children’s and Young Adult Division, Tor Books

Moderator
Dodie Ownes - Editor, SLJTeen

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The CBC Diversity Committee was established in 2012 as one of the committees created by the Children’s Book Council, the national nonprofit trade association for children’s trade book publishers. It strives to increase the diversity of voices and experiences contributing to children’s and young adult literature. Alvina Ling, executive editor at Little, Brown, is a founder and chair, and has edited titles by Grace Lin, Matthew Quick, Bryan Collier, Libba Bray, and Karen Healey.

Ling says that it is important for young readers to have access to books with diverse characters because “it helps foster acceptance and understanding of different people. These titles are for that child who is not seeing himself in the books he’s reading or a child from a different culture to have compassion towards people who are not like him.”

Stacy Whitman, editorial director of Tu, multicultural publisher Lee & Low’s young adult fantasy and science fiction imprint, agrees. She adds, “In our growing multicultural world, kids need to know what it is to empathize with people that are different. I think fantasy and science fiction does that best, because you’re already putting yourself in a setting that is already so different.”

Whitman cites recent projects such as Joseph Bruchac’s Killer of Enemies—a postapocalyptic Apache steampunk novel—and Karen Sandler’s conclusion to the Tankborn trilogy, Rebellion, as examples of non-Northwest European and Tolkien-influenced fantasies.

In recent weeks, #DiversityinSFF was a trending conversation on Twitter, of which Whitman was an avid participant. And though according to her it is very similar to the Race Fail 2009 discussion—in which fantasy and sci-fi fans lamented the lack of diversity in the genres—she hopes that this recent flare up will stir into action those with influence in the industry. “The recent Twitter conversation pushed agents to change their submission guidelines, encouraging people of diverse backgrounds to send their work. The publisher Tor also changed their guidelines. I hope others will do the same.”

And while Putnam editor Stacey Barney agrees that the clamor for more diverse books isn’t a recent one, she has noted a change in the discussion in recent years. “It’s creeping up to the top of more people’s agenda. The tenor in the conversation has changed in a positive way. It’s moved beyond ‘we need to have more black characters or black authors’ to ‘we need characters of color who are experiencing everyday events,’ not historical landmarks or in an urban setting.” She cites Crystal Allen’s How Lamar’s Bad Prank Won a Bubba-Sized Trophy (HarperCollins, 2011) as a great example of this.

Barney, who has edited several books with diverse characters, such as Tara Sullivan’s Golden Boy (2013), about the albino killings in Tanzania, and Kristin Levine’s The Lions of Little Rock (2012, both Putnam), does believe that more can be done to market books and authors of diverse backgrounds.

“I think people miss the point when they argue that there should be more editors of color, which I think is true,” Barney says. “However, what we lack is an infrastructure that will support these books once they’re published. We’ll see more acquisitions when we have more success stories. We have to remember that this is a business. Editors want to acquire books that will get the best marketing launch possible. We just don’t have that in place yet.”

The desire to promote their books is what inspired Malindo Lo and Cindy Pon to start the Diversity in YA tour and website in 2011. The two authors discovered that they were both publishing Asian-inspired fantasies that year, and wanted to celebrate them and all diverse teen literature with this initiative. Relaunched in 2012 with a Tumblr account, Pon and Lo continue to promote books about all kinds of diversity, from race to sexual orientation to gender identity and disability.

And while Lo agrees that there’s been a recent explosion in the blogosphere about the subject, she’s also discovered that writers continue to struggle to get their LGBQT books to the public. “As I have talked to more authors, I have heard stories about many of them—published and unpublished—who have been blocked in their endeavors,” she says. “I’m getting this impression that we’re in this stuck point. I’m hoping that the continued discussion raises awareness of this issue, and that there will be considered effort to change that for the better.”

What can librarians do? Whitman suggests, “The last few years people have been talking about the need for diversity, but it’s time to put our money where the mouth is. Librarians have always had finger on the pulse of what their readers need, but these resources haven’t always been available to them.”

Responding to the point that Sun made during Summer Teen about the importance of diversity in YA book covers, one attendee asked how librarians should act in regards to cases of “whitewashing.”

Logo for Disability in Kid Lit website.

Klise, an author and a librarian replied, “I work at an urban high school in Chicago, and know that to engage my very diverse student population in reading for fun, I need to display books with faces they can identify with. We have to be aware of the [whitewashing] cases. It makes for really provocative conversation for my book club at school. The teens share my outrage—and outrage, when funneled into activism, is what makes the world change for the better.”

Whitman adds that librarians can make sure to include diverse books in their collection development budget, even if their communities are not diverse. “Look for awesome books no matter what the characters’ backgrounds may be. Even if your community isn’t diverse, the world is. Buy your books accordingly. Seek out resources to help you booktalk those titles. The resources are out there; become aware of them and use and share them with your colleagues.”

RESOURCES FOR FINDING DIVERSE BOOKS FOR TEENS AND KIDS

From School Library Journal:

Collection Development
Tamora Pierce’s Fantasy Novel Picks | SLJ SummerTeen
By Tamora Pierce

Straight Talk on Race: Challenging the Stereotypes in Kids’ Books
By Mitali Perkins

LGBTQ Lit: Speaking Out
By Megan Honig

From Diversity to Civil Rights | Nonfiction Notes
By Daryl Grabarek

Jackie Robinson: Remembering an American Hero | Watch and Read
By Joy Fleishhacker

Islam in the Classroom
By Lauren Barack

Books to Celebrate the Everyday Heroes of the Civil Rights Movement
By Rhona Campbell

Resources for Finding Latino Kid Lit
By Shelley M. Diaz

Kick-Starting a New Life | Recent YA Titles
By Mahnaz Dar

Our Bodies, Our Minds | Confronting Self-Image in YA Fiction
By Mahnaz Dar

YA Underground: Books for Teens You Might Have Missed
By Amy Cheney

Interviews
Between Violence and Tenderness: Aristotle and Dante Author Sáenz Talks to SLJ
By Karyn M. Peterson

Lesléa Newman Discusses her Novel in Verse About the Death of Matthew Shepard, ‘October Mourning’
By Mahnaz Dar

The “Radioactive Energy” of Bullies | An Interview with Meg Medina
By Jennifer M. Brown

The Power of Pictures: A Visit with Bryan Collier
By Rocco Staino

Andrea Cheng on Etched in Clay, Which Charts the Courageous Life of Dave the Potter
By Rick Margolis

Looking for Light: In Darkness Author Nick Lake talks to SLJ
By Karyn M. Peterson

News Articles
First Book’s “Stories for All Project” Lobbies for Kid Lit Diversity
By Karyn M. Peterson

Community Angered by Tossed Black History Collection
By Lauren Barack

Picture Book About Islam Ignites Twitter Battle
By Shelley Diaz

Librarians Sound Off: Not a Lack of Latino Lit for Kids, but a Lack of Awareness
By Shelley Diaz

Kid Lit Authors Discuss Diversity at NYPL
By Mahnaz Dar

Blog Posts/Opinion
2013 Middle Grade Black Boys: Seriously, People?
By Betsy Bird

America’s Changing Face | Consider the Source
By Marc Aronson

From The Horn Book:
A Very Good Question
By Roger Sutton

Young dreamers
By Christopher Myers

Indigenous protagonists and people of color
By Elissa Gershowitz

Horn Book Resources for Talking About Race
By Horn Book Staff

Other recommended sites:
Children’s Books by and about People of Color Published in the United States
CCBC Blog
As Demographics Shift, Kids’ Books Stay Stubbornly White from NPR
CBC Diversity (Maintains a Goodreads account with updated booklists of diverse books and resources.)
Stacy Whitman’s Pinterest Board on Diverse YA Fantasy
Disability in Kid Lit
The Brown Bookshelf
American Indians in Children’s Literature
Rich In Color (Reviews YA books that feature or are by people of color.)
Gay YA
De Colores Blog (Reviews books that feature Mexican American characters.)
Diversify YA (A collection of short interviews that focus on all sorts of diversity.)
Cynthia Leitich Smith has compiled resources on diverse books, including multiracial titles with biracial characters.
Forever Young Adult’s new series on diversity in YA
Articles on Diversity on YALSA’s Hub Blog
It Matters if You’re Black or White: The Racism of YA Book Covers
Lee & Low Blog (The multicultural children’s book publisher’s blog.)
First Book Blog (The organization’s commitment to diversity in children’s books.)
Crazy QuiltEdi (Promoting literacy for teens of color, one book at a time.)

So, what’s the goal of this orientation anyway? First, I’d like all students to learn that the library is a friendly, welcoming place, a safe haven in the storm that is high school. Sometimes all a student needs is a place to hide out. Secondly, I want all students to really know what we have to offer them: fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, audiobooks, magazines, and reference books. I want them to actually log in and access our ebook collection. I want them to use the databases, save articles, and generate citations. All of this is a fairly large hope for a group of kids who’ll undoubtedly ask, “How many points is this worth?”  So knowing my audience fairly well, I’ve decided to resort to outright bribery, and I’m going to convince my staff to be open and prepared for the chaos I’m sure to unleash.

I’m putting together a scavenger hunt. Yes, I know, this is not a terribly new idea.  But I’m planning on throwing a few twists in to make it interesting and keep the students engaged.  Students will travel around the library in groups of no more than three. To begin, each group will receive a clue, in the form of a Call Number, which leads them to a different print location so not all students are converging on the same spot at the same time. I’ll need to develop at least 12 different scavenger paths so students touch on everything fabulous in the library without tripping over each other.  When students locate their book, they’ll find one of those old plastic VHS cases disguised as a book and containing candy (Smarties most likely) and their next clue, which will be one of a variety of things. Several will direct them to specific computer stations with directions to access a specific database. They’ll need to locate an article on a given topic, generate the citation, and email it to me along with their group number so we can keep everyone organized and on individual scavenger paths. I plan to have my assistant back in my office sending out the next clue when she receives correct emails. Other clues will lead to “books” containing QR codes linking to our website. One clue will direct them to check out an ebook. Yet another clue will lead them to iPads loaded with Aurasma videos demonstrating how to download newspapers and periodicals on their laptops and smartphones.

Ultimately, the real goal of this chaotic undertaking is to teach kids that the library is a place where questions are answered, passions are pursued, and where dreams are launched. Obviously, this is a work in progress, but as it takes shape, I’d love to hear what other librarians are doing to spice up their obligatory orientation.

For more ideas on how to spice up your orientation, check out Joyce Valenza‘s Orientation Inspiration post on her Neverending Search blog.

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.

Antonin Karganilla wants to become a comic book artist, but other than that, being gay is the most normal thing about him. His uncle is an aquatic plant man, his aunt is a molecular biologist back from the dead, and his mom is an overprotective pain in the butt. Antonin’s in boarding school and it’s starting to look like he and this Harry kid might have a lot in common… and that means a whole new set of problems.

A thrill ride with superheros, extraordinary science, and unexpected twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat, Jessica Freely’s debut YA novel features a dystopian world where family is what you create. Harmony Ink Press wants to help you expand your LGBT YA offerings and has 30 copies of All the Colors of Love to send to interested libraries. Send an email to nessa@harmonyinkpress.com with your US or Canadian mailing address before September 25; winners, chosen at random, will be notified by September 30.

Crash My Party, Luke Bryan (Capital/Nashville)

Crash My Party is the fourth studio album from Bryan, ACM Entertainer of the Year. This album continues Bryan’s easygoing county style with likable, risk-free songs that fans have come to expect from him. His addictive vocals and natural charm mixed with memorable country lyrics are the perfect recipe for success. His sound is effortless, with acoustics and harmonies that tend to stay with you long after the song is over. Some critics feel he needs to branch out of his comfort zone, but when he does on the two tracks “I See You,” and That’s My Kind of Night,” he seems to be missing something. I say stick with what works and continue to do it well. Check out “Crash My Party,” “Roller Coaster,” “Blood Brothers,” and “Out Like That.”—Uma N., grade 11, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School

The Civil Wars, The Civil Wars (Sensibility Music/Columbia)

When The Civil Wars made their debut in 2011, the alt-country duo of rocker John Paul White and Christian music artist Joy Williams received lots of praise and support.  Their recently released self-titled second album, while consolidating their strengths, comes at a difficult time for the duo. After splitting during their European tour last winter, no one knows if they will work together again. This seems even more of a tragedy as many of the tracks on this album speak of heartache, loss, and the sense for the need to move on. White and Williams pump power into their acoustic base and varied tempos. The album exudes confidence and focus with strong vocals, but is darker and lacks the passion and intimacy we have seen before. Hopefully, The Civil Wars can reunite and overcome their adversity and continue to make great music. Check out “D’Arline,” “Disarm,” “The One That Got Away,” and “Same Old, Same Old.”—Nick M., grade 10, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School

Intertwined within the film are the perspectives of the doctors and nurses at Parkland Hospital, where Kennedy was rushed after the shooting; the Secret Service agent in charge of the Dallas district; the amateur cameraman who caught some of the most sought-after and scrutinized footage ever made; the FBI agents who had interrogated Lee Harvey Oswald and then released him; the president’s security team; and more. The action unfolds with heart-pounding immediacy, as the featured characters react to the crisis with shock, outrage, fortitude, and heroism. Zac Efron, Marcia Gay Harden, Billy Bob Thornton, Jacki Weaver, and Paul Giamatti headline the talented ensemble cast. The film is based on Vincent Bugliosi’s book, Four Days in November (2007), which has been re-issued with a movie tie-in cover and re-titled Parkland (2013, both W.W. Norton).

Gripping Nonfiction Reads

Commemorate the semicentennial of this momentous event with stellar nonfiction titles for teens that will inform film viewers curious to know more, captivate history buffs, and provide insights for classroom exploration and research projects.

Beginning with succinct chapters about Kennedy and his administration, the bulk of James L. Swanson’s “The President Has Been Shot!” (Scholastic, 2013; Gr 6 Up) zooms in on the assassination and its aftermath. The well-written narrative balances in-depth research and illuminating details with the suspenseful pacing and dramatic urgency of a crime thriller. Delving into the shadowy background and murky motives of Oswald, Swanson paints a portrait of “a malcontent with a chip on his shoulder,” a self-styled intellectual who dreamed big but “failed at everything he had ever attempted.” The moment-by-moment account switches back and forth between the perspectives of the assassin and the individuals riding in the motorcade as the happenings unfold before readers’ eyes. Throughout, Swanson identifies “staggering” coincidences, fateful decisions, and unfortunate missteps that contribute to the tragic chain of events. The detailed coverage also includes the swearing in of Lyndon B. Johnson, the capture and on-camera shooting of Oswald, and the president’s funeral, carefully orchestrated by a distraught Jackie Kennedy. An epilogue treats the Warren Report and touches upon Kennedy’s legacy. Numerous archival black-and-white photos, many taken on that ill-fated day, add resonance and detail to the text, and a section of diagrams and illustrations provide additional information. Thoughtful and thorough, Swanson’s account deftly draws teens into the particulars and emotions of the moment, resulting in a look at history that is both revealing and riveting. Also available in audio version.

Bill O’Reilly’s Kennedy’s Last Days: The Assassination That Defined a Generation (Holt, 2013; Gr 5 Up) pairs staccato chapters with a striking selection of archival photographs. The author provides a fast-reading introduction to Kennedy, his rise to the presidency, and the highlights of his administration, including the Bay of Pigs invasion, Cuban Missile Crisis, civil rights conflicts, and the 1963 March on Washington. Interspersed are concurrent glimpses at the life of Lee Harvey Oswald as he defects to and returns from the Soviet Union, drifts from job to job, is left by his Russian wife, and takes a menial post at the Texas School Book Depository. The book culminates with the events of November 22, 1963, as their paths collide with devastating results. Well-chosen black-and-white photos grace almost every page, and a full-color unset features photos off the first family. The side-by-side depictions of the doings of these two very different men—one an intelligent and accomplished world leader and the other a longtime loser with delusions of grandeur—makes for a mesmerizing and informative read. The book is also available in audio version (Macmillan Audio), and a teacher’s guide can be downloaded at the publisher’s website.

Soon to be re-issued in paperback, Ilene Cooper’s Jack: The Early Years of John F. Kennedy (Dutton, 2003; Gr 7 Up) focuses on JFK’s childhood and adolescence. Readers meet a spirited, though often sickly youngster with a winning personality who always seemed destined to play second fiddle to his much-accomplished older brother. Though the Kennedy offspring lived a life of privilege, they were expected to follow strict household rules and meet the high expectations of their demanding father, Joseph (“We want winners in this house, not losers”). Handily setting events in the historical and social context of the times, Cooper provides a vivid look at the family relationships, boyhood challenges, and notable experiences that would help define Kennedy’s character. Quotes and anecdotes from family members and close associates are sprinkled throughout, along with numerous black-and-white photos and reproductions of letters. Jack, with his passion for reading, “happy-go-lucky veneer,” and proclivity for getting into trouble, comes across as a likable young man, and teens will enjoy making his acquaintance.

Go Back to 1963…

Set in the early 1960s, these captivating novels transport readers to days of bouffant hairdos and bellbottom jeans, bomb shelters and air-raid drills, civil rights clashes and Cold War anxiety.

It’s the fall of 1962, and Franny has been bombarded with dilemmas—her best friend has suddenly turned spiteful, her college-age sister has a mysterious secret, her elderly uncle’s behavior is becoming increasingly outlandish (and mortifying), and a cute boy has just moved back to her suburban Maryland town. Meanwhile, everyone is keeping an eye cocked for falling bombs and duck-and-cover drills are part of a typical school day. Doomsday seems even more imminent when President Kennedy informs the American public that Russia is sending nuclear missiles to Cuba. How will Franny find hope for the future? In Countdown (Scholastic, 2010; Gr 5-8), Deborah Wiles balances her protagonist’s personal crises with a compelling depiction of the era. Scattered throughout this “documentary novel’s” first-person narrative are an abundance of archival photographs, newspaper clippings, speech excerpts, safety pamphlets, song lyrics, profiles of famous people, and more. Image-heavy and aptly chosen, these primary source materials add punch to the text and plunge readers into Franny’s world.

Fiona is of Irish descent and Yolanda is African American. Having met at their Bronx, NY, public school, the two eighth graders forged a bond, despite their different backgrounds and the fact that many people—including family members and peers—believe that friendship should not cross the racial divide. The daughter of a violently abusive, alcoholic father, Fiona’s family life is a disaster, while Yolanda constantly deals with prejudice; both girls feel like outsiders and value the understanding and acceptance their camaraderie brings. However, when the popular white girls take an interest in Fiona, her relationship with Yolanda is put to the test. Set against an emotionally charged mural of social issues, family struggles, and coming-of-age concerns, Mary Ann McGuigan’s Morning in a Different Place (Front Street, 2009; Gr 7-9) comes to a climax on the day of Kennedy’s assassination. Inspired by the never-back-down Yolanda, Fiona finally realizes that she must find the strength to take a stand and bring about change…in her own family and in society at large.

Not only does sixth-grader Ellie reside on Witch Tree Lane—a cul-de-sac populated by families considered social outcasts by the conservative residents of small-town Spectacle, NY—but she also lives in a state of constant embarrassment brought on by the antics of her flamboyant mother (the self-dubbed Doris Day Dingman), a would-be starlet whose brazen tackiness is equaled only by her flippant neglectfulness. Ellie is the one who takes on household chores and looks after her siblings. Viciously bullied at school along with her best friend Holly, Ellie is also disturbed by the hate crimes that have been occurring on her street. When President Kennedy is shot, the family is devastated, and Doris, realizing that time is fleeting, departs for the razzle-dazzle of New York City to launch her career. It’s heart-wrenching to be abandoned, but Ellie finds comfort and strength in family and friends. Ultimately, she emerges from the over-inflated shadow of her mother to discover that her life is not empty but delightfully full. Poignant and uplifting, Ann M. Martin’s Here Today (Scholastic, 2004; Gr 6-8) features a likable protagonist and a compelling portrayal of the era.

Grounded for his alleged misdeeds, 12-year-old Jack is spending the summer of 1962 under house arrest, excavating for the family bomb shelter and trying to lay low. Of course he jumps at the opportunity to help his elderly neighbor, whose crippling arthritis has made her job as town coroner, obituary writer, and historian difficult. Under the tutelage of the feisty Miss Volker, Jack soon learns that Norvelt, PA—a community of cooperative homesteads launched during the Great Depression under the auspices of Eleanor Roosevelt—has a fascinating past…and a far-from-boring present marked by hostile visits from the Hells Angels, oddball adventures involving dead bodies (frequently triggering Jack’s stress-induced nosebleeds), and even a murder mystery. Filled with delightfully quirky characters, slice-of-life details, and madcap laugh-out-loud antics, Jack Gantos’s Dead End in Norvelt (FSG, 2011; Gr 5-9) also emphasizes coming-of-age themes, encourages contemplation of political principles (Jack’s mother believes in Norvelt’s extend-a-helping-hand ideals while his father calls it a “Commie town” and can’t wait to fly the coop), and underscores the importance of knowing about—and learning from—history, a message particularly pertinent in this year of anniversaries. An audio version is available from Macmillan Audio, and educators can download a teacher’s guide. Jack’s escapades continue in From Norvelt to Nowhere (2013, both FSG).

Publication Information

SWANSON, James L. “The President Has Been Shot!”: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy. Scholastic. Sept. 2013. Tr $18.99. ISBN 978-0-545-49007-8; Audio Library Ed. $39.99. ISBN 978-0-545-60276-1.

O’REILLY, Bill. Kennedy’s Last Days: The Assassination That Defined a Generation. Holt. 2013. Tr $19.99. ISBN 978-0-8050-9802-0. ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-8050-9974-4; Audio CD. $19.99. ISBN 9781427235169. (Macmillan Audio).

COOPER, Ilene. Jack: The Early Years of John F. Kennedy. Puffin/Penguin. Oct. 2013. pap. $12.99. ISBN 9780147510310.

WILES, Deborah. Countdown. Scholastic. 2010. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-545-10605-4; pap. $7.99. ISBN 978-0-545-10606-1.

MCGUIGAN, Mary Ann. Morning in a Different Place. Front Street. 2009. Tr $17.95. ISBN 978-1-59078-551-5.

MARTIN, Ann M. Here Today. Scholastic. 2004. pap. $7.99. ISBN 9780439579452.

GANTOS, Jack. Dead End in Norvelt. FSG. 2011. Tr $15.99. ISBN 9780374379933; pap. $7.99. ISBN 978-1-250-01023-0 (Square Fish); Audio version. $29.99. ISBN 9781427213563 (Macmillan Audio).

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

Krahnke will use the grant to purchase books to give away as library card registration incentives and for the library’s monthly teen book club, while Rérat’s goal is to partner with the Jasper County (MO) Juvenile Detention Center and update the center’s library.

Funds raised through Books for Teens will be distributed to institutions in communities with a high level of poverty, where librarians and library workers will purchase and distribute new books, encourage teens to get library cards and provide teens with reading-focused events and activities. Visit the Books for Teens website for complete information on grant requirements.

Teen Tech Camp: Raspberry Pi

Photo credit: Rebecca Murphey

Our library partnered with local tech professionals Julia Elman and Sarah Kahn (UNC-SILS MLS 2008) to host a daylong event focused on programming Raspberry Pi using the Python programming language. Thanks to a generous donation from the Python Software Foundation (PSF), we were able to provide each attendee with a Raspberry Pi, power supply, an SD card, and two books on programming in Python to take home.

The event was open to students ages 12 to 18, regardless of previous computer programming experience. Sign up was first-come, first-served, and teens who attended a similar event in Fall 2012 were given a bit of advance notice. Only twenty spots were available due to the limited amount of equipment we received from our PSF grant. Volunteers from the tech community set up the network and provided instruction. Noted Python educator Kurt Grandis developed the curriculum outline for the day, but when Kurt had a family emergency, Clinton Dreisbach stepped in at short notice to provide the actual instruction.

Seventeen students spent from 10 am to 5 pm learning the basics of programming in Python as well as the ins and outs of using a Raspberry Pi. We were able to send them home with the materials provided by the grant, as well as a free monitor, keyboard, and mouse. In other words, a free computer. How much did this cost my library? About $30, spent on name badges and painter’s tape.

Powerful Partnerships

Photo credit: Rebecca Murphey

How was it possible to provide such high quality STEM programming to the teens in Durham for almost no cost to the library? We were able to benefit from powerful partnerships. When the PSF grant came through (in a mere six weeks), Sarah and Julia began canvassing for volunteers and materials.

They gathered gently used peripherals from individual donors as well as from Triangle Ecycling, a local ewaste recycling organization. Julia’s company, Caktus Consulting Group, provided funding for a healthy breakfast and lunch for campers and volunteers. Splatspace, a local hackerspace, donated nifty 3D printed Raspberry Pi cases. The City of Wilson (home of North Carolina’s first community owned gigabit broadband network) provided the campers with goody bags and cool promo sunglasses. Providing these extras was a great way to show teens and their parents that they are valued members of the library community.

Lasting Results

Teen Tech Camp attendees ranged from 12 year-olds with no programming experience to 18-year-old veteran hackers. Teaching complex concepts to a diverse audience was not easy. Some of our attendees were definitely more motivated by the copy of Minecraft we preloaded on to their Pi than anything else.

Photo credit: Rebecca Murphey

But to quote organizer Julia Elman, our “goal for the 2013 Teen Tech Camp was not to have the students walk out of the library, ready to take on complex computer programming challenges. It was to spark interest in the students and get them excited… By using varying techniques and providing a safe space for learning, we were able to engage every student at an individual pace. They will take away the motivation, energy and drive to keep on learning, because someone believes in them.”

During the 2013-2014 school year, we plan to support the young coding community created at Teen Tech Camp by hosting library sponsored hackerthons and providing further resources online. By providing high quality materials and technology instruction to young people, we hope to empower the next generation, increase diversity in the technology field, and encourage teens to be digital content creators as well as consumers. You can do it too!

Autumn Winters, Teen Services Manager at Southwest Regional Library, a regional branch of the Durham County Library system in Durham, North Carolina

The new Teen Center, which will also house books, reference materials, and school work resources, is being built in the lower level of the library. Councilman Comrie allocated $1.342 million toward the project, which will create expanded areas for adults and children on the main level as the teens move downstairs, effectively enlarging the library area by 44 percent. The Teen Center will also have a separate entrance, so it can also be used as a youth community space during non-library hours.

“Queens Libraries remain a critical part of our communities, and I am grateful to have been able to allocate funds to make this expansion possible,” Comrie said.

Local teens Shalleca Broadbelt, Miguel Rodriguez, Shanea Moulta, and Philipia McNabwill presented Comrie with a Proclamation thanking him for funding the center.

“Queens Library joins the young adults of this community in thanking Council Member Comrie for his foresight and commitment to public libraries and teens,” added Galante. “With his support, the library will be the coolest place in Cambria Heights and we couldn’t be happier.”