Railsea by China Miéville

Sham is a young man working as a doctor’s apprentice on the Medes, a train that travels the Railsea hunting for the giant white moldywarpe that took the captain’s arm many years ago. When the Medes comes across an old train wreckage, Sham discovers pictures that hint at a world that cannot possibly exist. Mercilessly hunted by pirates, scavengers, and monsters, Sham and his crew risk their lives to find the truth behind the pictures that will change their lives, and the Railsea, forever.

“’There she blows!’

    An instant frantic readiness.  Mops were abandoned, spanners dropped, letters half-written & carvings half-whittled were thrust into pockets, never mind their wet ink, their sawdusty unfinishedness.  To windows, to guardrails!  Everyone leaned into the whipping air…

    Way off where perspective made the line of old rails meet, soil seethed.  Rocks jostled. The ground violently rearranged.  From beneath came a dust-muffled howl…

    Soaring from its burrow in a clod-cloud & explosion it came.  A monster.  It roared, it soared, into the air.  It hung a crazy moment at the apex of its leap.  As if surveying.  As if to draw attention to its very size.  Crashed at last back down through the topsoil & disappeared into the below.

    The moldywarpe had breached.”

--China Miéville, Railsea

Set in a dystopian world where the endless, twisting lines of the Railsea cover an earth that is full of giant man-eating monsters and provide the only connection between the remote islands of civilization, this story is a new take on the classic tale of Herman Melville's Moby-Dick.  Sham and his crew search for the truth behind this endless world of the Railsea, and the impossibility of what lies beyond it.  Combining fantasy and steampunk in a highly entertaining adventure, this book is recommended for all young adults in a public or school library setting.

Learn More

Learn more about China Miéville (pronounced "mee-AY-vill") and his other books on his author page at Macmillan or Random House. You can also read his blog, Rejectamentalist Manifesto.

Watch an interview with Miéville below where he discusses all things Railsea:

If you liked Railsea, you might like Miéville's other books, such as the award-winning young adult novel, Un Lun Dun.  Watch a book trailer for Un Lun Dun below:

Miéville, China. Railsea. New York: Del Rey/Ballantine Books, 2012. Print.
9780345524522; Hardback; $12.00; 448 pages

Also available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Hugo Cabret is a twelve-year-old orphan and clock winder living in the walls of a Paris train station. His only friend is the broken automaton his dad was trying to repair before he died.  When Hugo is caught stealing parts from an old man’s toy shop to fix his automaton, he begins an unlikely friendship with the man and his young goddaughter. With the help of a heart-shaped key and a picture of a rocket in the eye of the man in the moon, Hugo and his friends begin to create The Invention of Hugo Cabret.

Set in 1930’s Paris, this book tells the story of a lonely young orphan and a disappointed old man who form an unlikely friendship that saves them both. Told in both pictures and words, this award-winning book is highly recommended for all young adults in a public or school library setting.

Teen Interview

"I read this book because I like graphic novels and with all of the pictures in this book I thought it wouldn't be too different to read...  I liked it.  It seems like a huge book, but lots of it is the pictures so it doesn't actually take that long to read... I thought it was cool how he used his drawings to kind of take over telling the story, and then had pictures from the old movies and stuff that he was talking about, too."
--Kyle C., age 13

Kyle mainly reads graphic novels, and has read the steampunk graphic novel Dragonero by Luca Enoch and Stefano Vietti with illustrations by Giuseppe Matteoni.  He reads about 5 graphic novels a month.  Kyle is on Facebook but does not use it very often.  He likes to play online video games (massively multiplayer online [MMO] games) with his friends.

Awards

2008 Caldecott Medal
2007 National Book Award Finalist
2007 New York Time's Top 10 Best Illustrated Children's Book

Learn More

Learn more about Brian Selznick, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, and his other books on his website.  You can also see clips from some of the old movies mentioned in Hugo, read about the directors and writers who influenced Selznick, watch interviews with Selznick, and watch a slideshow of illustrations from Hugo.

Watch an interview with Brian Selznick below where he discusses the making of Hugo.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret was made into the movie Hugo in 2011.  Watch a preview of the movie below:

Selznick, Brian. The Invention of Hugo Cabret. New York: Scholastic Press, 2007. Print.
9780439813785; Hardback; $15.00; 533 pages

Also available in paperback and audiobook format.

Joe Golem and the Drowning City by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden

Set in an alternate reality where Manhattan is drowning in 30 feet of water, this book tells the story of a young girl named Molly, whose friend and mentor, Felix, is kidnapped by strange creatures in rubber suits.  Molly must fight the forces of evil magic to save Felix and the world with the help of detective Simon Hodge and his assistant, Joe Golem.  This illustrated steampunk novel is recommended for all young adults in a public or school library setting.

Index Card Synopsis:
--1970’s New York City
--Manhattan underwater (the Drowning City)
--Scavengers, water rats—very dangerous
--Felix Orlov: psychic and magician in his 80’s
--Molly McHugh: Felix’s friend and assistant, 14 years old
--Simon Hodge: Detective, part man part automaton
--Joe Golem: Simon’s assistant, super-human strength
--Kidnapping
--Magic
--Battle to save Felix and the world

Learn More

Visit the websites of Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden to learn more about them and find out about what other projects they've been working on.  Friend Mignola on Facebook or follow him on Twitter.  You can also read Golden's blog, follow him on Twitter, or friend him on Facebook.

Continue to follow the adventures of Joe Golem in the short story Joe Golem and the Copper Girl by Mignola and Golden.

Joe Golem and the Drowning City is currently being made into a movie.  Stay tuned here for details on its release.

Mike Mignola is well-known for the comic series Hellboy, which was made into a movie in 2004 with a sequel in 2008.  Watch a preview for the first Hellboy movie below:

One of Christopher Golden's many well-known books is Soulless.  Watch a trailer for the book below:

Mignola, Mike, and Christopher Golden. Joe Golem and the Drowning City: An Illustrated Novel. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2012. Print.
9780312644734; Hardback; $18.00; 288 pages

Also available in audiobook and ebook formats.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

How far would you go to save your father?  When 13-year-old Meg’s father disappears in the middle of conducting secret work for the government, a mysterious stranger from another world offers to help her find him.  With her brother, Charles Wallace, and her friend, Calvin, Meg sets off through space and time to try to rescue her father.  Can they survive the process of traveling by wrinkling time?  Will they be able to locate their father in the vastness of the entire universe?  And will they be able to rescue him from the darkness that is holding him prisoner?


This science fiction adventure novel tells the story of an awkward, out of place young girl who travels through space and time to rescue her father with the help of her brother, her friend, and some other-worldly travelers.  Imaginative and unique, this book is recommended for all young adults in a public or school library setting.

Awards

1963 Newbery Medal
1965 Sequoyah Book Award
1965 Lewis Caroll Shelf Award

Learn More

Learn more about Madeleine L'Engle and her other books on her website.  You can also follow a blog about her work. L'Engle died in 2007 at the age of 88, but her work continues to live on.  In 2003, A Wrinkle in Time was made into a movie.  It is rumored that a new version of the movie will be made in 2013.

Watch a book trailer for A Wrinkle in Time below:

A Wrinkle in Time is the first book in the Time Quintet.  Read the rest of the books to find out what happens to Meg, Charles Wallace, Calvin, and their friends, families, and enemies.

Book 2	Book 3
Book 4	Book 5

Note: Book order of the Time Quintet is per Madeleine L'Engle's website and is by chronological order of the storyline, not by publication date.



L’Engle, Madeleine. A Wrinkle in Time. New York: Square Fish, 2007. Print.
9780312367541; Paperback; $7.00; 245 pages

Also available in hardback, audiobook, and ebook formats.

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

What are your chances of survival when the entire German army is hunting you?  That’s what Prince Aleksandar is about to find out when his parents are assassinated on the eve of World War I and the assassins want to stop him from inheriting the throne.  In the process of escape, Alek makes an unlikely ally in Deryn, a girl pretending to be a boy so she can serve in the British Air Service.  Can Alek and his small crew escape the German army and keep their identities a secret from the British?  And will Deryn and her fellow British soldiers help them escape or will they turn them in to the Germans as prisoners of war?  And can Deryn keep her real gender a secret even as she begins to develop feelings for Alek?

Set in an alternative steampunk version of World War I, this exciting adventure tells the story of Prince Aleksandar Ferdinand as he attempts to escape the German army and survive the war so he can take the throne as Archduke of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.  With the help of the British Air Service, and their whale airship, the Leviathan, Alek battles to keep himself and his crew alive and to keep his identity a secret.  Beautiful illustrations throughout the book enhance the story, and a cliffhanger at the end will leave readers eager for the next book in the series.  This book is highly recommended for all young adults in a public or school library setting.

Awards

2010 ALSC Notable Children's Book
2010 YALSA Best Books for Young Adults
2009 Aurealis Award for Best Young Adult Novel

Teen Interview

"My friend told me to read this series...The illustrations are really cool and I like the story a lot.  We learned about World War I in school but this book makes it way more interesting with the animal ships and the Darwinists and Clankers and stuff...I'm definitely reading Goliath when it comes out."
Jacob H., age 16

"I read the Uglies Series and the Midnighters Series and really liked them so I thought I'd probably like this series too. I don't usually read, like, war type books, but this one was really good. Plus it starts to hint that there's something else going on with Alek and Deryn, so it's not just about war, there's some romance, too. I'm excited to find out what happens with them."
April J., age 15

Jacob and April have both read other steampunk novels.  Jacob has read The Hunchback Assignments by Arthur Slade, and April has read the Infernal Devices Series by Cassandra Clare.  Jacob and April both read a couple of books a month, although April said she reads more in the summer when she has more time to read.  Jacob is on Facebook and Twitter, although he doesn't use Twitter very often.  April is not on any social media and prefers to call, email, or text.

Learn More

Read more about Scott Westerfeld and his many other books on his website.  You can also friend him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter.  Learn more about the entire Leviathan Series--listen to audio excerpts, watch interviews, and browse illustrations from the books--on Westerfeld's Leviathan webpage.

To learn more about Keith Thompson, the illustrator of the Leviathan Series, visit his website where you can view a gallery of his artwork or buy some of his art. You can also follow his blog or friend him on Facebook. 

Watch the book trailer for Leviathan below:

Leviathan is the first book in the Leviathan Series.  Read the other books in the series to find out what happens to Alek, Deryn, and their friends and enemies.

Book 2

Book 3 (releases 9/20/12)

Westerfeld, Scott. Leviathan. Illus. Keith Thompson. New York: Simon Pulse, 2009. Print
9781416971733; Hardback; $20.00; 440 pages

Also available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats.

Soulless by Gail Carriger

Alexia Tarabotti has many things working against her in the eyes of Victorian London society: she’s a spinster, she’s part Italian, and she’s smart.  What the elite of London don’t know is that she doesn’t have a soul, which gives her supernatural powers.  As she assists the head of supernatural investigations, the handsome werewolf Lord Maccon, in solving a mystery, she’ll need every bit of her wit and her power to stay alive.  And she’ll need every ounce of her willpower to resist the charms of Lord Maccon, who finds her increasingly enticing…even if she is Soulless.

Set in a steampunk Victorian London, Alexia Tarabotti and Lord Maccon battle human and supernatural forces to solve the mysterious disappearances of rogue vampires and werewolves. This witty story combines elements of Jane Austen with steampunk, science fiction, romance, and fantasy to create a highly entertaining book.  Due to strong sexual references, this book is recommended for older young adults in a public library setting.

Awards

2010 ALA Alex Award
2009 Indie Booksellers Indie Notable

Learn More

Read more about Gail Carriger and her other books on her website.  You can also follow her blog, friend her on Facebook, or follow her on Twitter.  Find out more about the world of steampunk on Carriger's Steampunk page.

Watch a book trailer for Soulless below:

Soulless is the first book in the Parasol Protectorate Series.  Continue to follow the adventures of Alexia, Lord Maccon, and friends in the next books...

Book 2	Book 3
Book 4	Book 5

Carriger is currently writing a series specifically for young adults that takes place 25 years before the Parasol Protectorate Series.  The first book in the new Finishing School Series, Etiquette & Espionage, is scheduled to release in February, 2013.

"The Finishing School Series is set in the same world as The Parasol Protectorate series, only 25 years earlier, and features a finishing academy located in a giant caterpillar-like dirigible floating over Dartmoor in which young ladies are taught to . . . finish . . . everything . . . and everyone . . . as needed. There will be steampunk etiquette! There will be well-dressed espionage! There will be Victorian fake food. There will be flying mechanical sausage dogs named Bumbersnoot."

--Gail Carriger, posted to her blog on 3/25/2011

Carriger, Gail. Soulless. New York: Orbit, 2009. Print.
9780316056632; Paperback; $8.00; 384 pages

Also available in ebook format.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Junior is an outsider in every way. The kids on the reservation don’t like him because he’s skinny, wears super thick glasses, and just transferred to a white school off the reservation. The kids at the white school don’t like him because he’s an Indian and he lives on the reservation. As Junior navigates these and other obstacles—family, poverty, death, alcoholism—in the process of making a better life for himself, he writes it all down in his Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.

Set in a Native-American reservation near Spokane, Washington, Junior tells his story of growing up as an outsider in both the Native-American and white worlds with humor, insight, and illustrations. Beautifully written with a colorful cast of characters and an entertaining and poignant storyline, this book is highly recommended for adults and young adults in a public or school library setting.

Awards

2010 California Young Reader Medal
2009 International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) Peter Pan Prize
2008 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award
2007 National Book Award for Young People's Literature

Learn More

Learn more about Sherman Alexie and his other books on his website.  You can also follow his blog, friend him on Facebook, or follow him on Twitter.

To learn more about Ellen Forney, the illustrator of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, visit her website where you can browse her illustrations, see what else she's been working on, or send her an email.

Watch Alexie read an excerpt from The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and answer questions about the book below:

One of Alexie's most well-known works is the award-winning movie Smoke Signals, which is based on Alexie's collection of short stories, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven.  Watch a preview for Smoke Signals below:

Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Illus. Ellen Forney. New York: Little Brown, 2009. Print.
9780316013697; Paperback; $10.00, 288 pages

Also available in hardback, ebook, and audiobook formats.

A Contract with God by Will Eisner

A Contract with God tells four very unique short stories—in graphic novel format—of tenement life in the Bronx in the 1930’s.  Gritty, raw, and at times tragic, these stories and illustrations provide an unflinching look at the realities of life at 55 Dropsie Avenue: the death, the violence, the sex, the anger, and the despair.  Due to the adult themes and illustrations of this book, it is recommended for mature young adult audiences in a public or school library.

Index Card Synopsis:
-- Graphic Novel
-- Bronx Tenements
-- 1930’s
-- 4 Short Stories
-- “A Contract with God”: Death of a child
-- “The Street Singer”: Busking to survive
-- “The Super”: Enemies—superintendent vs. residents
-- “Cookalein”: Marriage, adultery, and sex

Awards and Recognition

A Contract with God, first published in 1978, is credited as one of the first graphic novels ever written.  Will Eisner himself has won many awards, including the National Cartoonists Society (NCS) Story Comic Book Award in 1979, the NCS Milton Caniff Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994, the NCS Reuben Award in 1998.  In 1971 Eisner was inducted into the Academy of Comic Book Arts Hall of Fame. The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, which are commonly referred to as the Oscar Awards of the comic industry, were established in 1988.

Learn more

Will Eisner died in 2005 at the age of 87, but he continues to influence the comic industry today.  Learn more about Eisner, his life, his work, and his continuing influence on his website.  You can also connect with the Will Eisner Official Site on Facebook, or follow his site on Twitter.

To learn more in-depth information about Eisner, you can read his authorized biography, Will Eisner: A Spirited Life by Bob Andelman.  You can also watch a documentary about him titled Will Eisner: Portrait of a Sequential Artist directed by Andrew D. Cooke.

Watch Stan Lee interview Eisner about his life and work for the Comic Book Greats series below:

Watch Part 2 and Part 3 of the interview.

A film adaptation of A Contract with God is currently in development.  Stay tuned here for more information.

The Spirit is one of Eisner's most popular comic series.  It was made into a movie in 2008.  Watch a preview of the movie below:

Eisner, Will. A Contract with God. New York: DC Comics, 1996. Print.
978-0393328042; Paperback; $10.00; 181 pages

Also available in hardback and ebook formats.

The Hunchback Assignments by Arthur Slade

Modo has been trained his entire life for two things—to be a deadly secret agent and to hide his deformed face from the outside world.  Now at the age of 14, having proven his skill at both, he is assigned to investigate the mysterious disappearance of London’s street children.  With the help of his fellow agent, Octavia, Modo must risk his life to fight the evil Clockwork Guild, rescue the children, and save London from destruction if he wants to successfully completely his first Hunchback Assignment.

Modo is a 14-year-old hunchback orphan with an unusual talent: shapeshifting. While using this talent to hide his face from the outside world, Modo battles evil with the guidance of his mentor, Mr. Socrates, his trainer, Tharpa, and his fellow agent, Octavia.  This book combines elements of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen to create a highly entertaining steampunk adventure.  Recommended for all young adults in a public or school library setting.

Awards

2011 Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire (France)
2010 TD Canadian Children's Literature Book Award
2010 Canadian Library Association Young Adult Book of the Year: Honour Book
2009 Junior Library Guild Selection

Teen Interview

"This was a cool book.  I've actually read all of the books in the series so far.  I like how it's like a new spin on a classic story.  These books actually got me interested in reading older books like The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Time Machine, stuff like that." 
Scott R., age 15

Scott is a fan of the steampunk genre and has read other steampunk books including Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld, Worldshaker by Richard Harland, and Planesrunner by Ian McDonald.  He also reads science fiction and fantasy books.  Scott is busy with school and sports, so he reads about one book every couple of months during the school year, but he reads more in the summer.  Scott has a Facebook account but doesn't use it very often.  He prefers texting.

Learn More

Learn more about all of the books in the The Hunchback Assignments series at the Hunchback Assignments website.  On the website you can read excerpts from the books, play games, learn odd Victorian factoids, or like the series on Facebook.  You can learn more about Arthur Slade and his many other books on his website, or send him a message.

Watch the book trailer for The Hunchback Assignments below.

The Dark Deeps is the second book in the Hunchback Assignments series.  Watch a book trailer for The Dark Deeps below.

Continue the adventure of The Hunchback Assignments series with books 3 and 4:

Book #3

Book #4 (releases 9/11/2012)

Slade, Arthur G. The Hunchback Assignments. New York: Random House Children's Books, 2009. Print.
9780375893896; Hardback; $15.00; 288 pages

Also available in paperback, audiobook, and ebook formats.

The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge

Aiofe (pronounced “EE-fa”) is a 15-year-old girl with a family history of madness—madness that always begins on the 16th birthday.  As Aiofe’s own 16th birthday approaches, she receives a cryptic message from her missing brother.  He is in mortal danger, and, as Aiofe risks everything to try to find him, she begins to discover the truth about the world she lives in and the “madness” of her family.

“There are seventeen madhouses in the city of Lovecraft.  I’ve visited all of them…  My mother likes to tell me about her dreams when I visit.

‘I went to the lily field last night,’ she murmurs…

When I didn’t immediately reply, my mother picked up her hand mirror and threw it at my head.  There was no glass in it—hadn’t been for years, at least six madhouses ago…

‘I’m talking to you!’ she shouted. ‘You might not think it’s important, but I went to the lily field!  I saw the dead girls move their hands!  Open eyes looking up!  Up into the world that they so desperately desire!  …Don’t leave me to look into their eyes alone.  The dead girls will dance, Aoife, dance on the ashes of the world…’”

--Caitlin Kittredge, The Iron Thorn

Set in a world where reason and science reign supreme, where magic and witchcraft are punishable by death, Aiofe Grayson struggles against her impending madness to try to rescue her missing brother with the help of her best friend, Cal, and their street-tough guide, Dean.  Entertaining and imaginative, this steampunk novel is recommended for young adults of all ages in a public or school library setting.

Learn More

Read more about Caitlin Kittredge and her other books on her website.  You can also friend her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.

The Iron Thorn is the first book in the Iron Codex series.  If you liked this book, you might like the sequel, The Nightmare Garden (Iron Codex #2).  Watch a book trailer for The Nightmare Garden below.

Read an interview with Kittredge about The Nightmare Garden (**warning: this interview contains Iron Thorn spoilers**) and her writing inspiration.



Kittredge, Caitlin. The Iron Thorn. New York: Delacorte Press, 2011. Print.
978-0385738309; Paperback; $9.00; 493 pages

Also available in hardback, audiobook, and ebook formats.

Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel

Could you trust your life to a zombie? That is what Nora must decide when she is kidnapped by a zombie army and learns that she must work with Bram, a handsome zombie Lieutenant, to stop the bad zombies from infecting the world. Can Nora and Bram work together when Bram’s basic instinct is to hunt the living? And when their feelings for each other grow beyond co-workers, can they act on those feelings? Can you be in a relationship with someone who is Dearly, Departed?


Nora is a high-society teenager learning to be a proper New Victorian lady when she is kidnapped by Zombies one fateful night.  Nora learns that not only do zombies actually exist, but there are good and bad zombies and only she holds the key to protecting the world from the bad zombies.  Highly entertaining with a unique twist on the steampunk genre, this first book in the Gone with the Respiration series is recommended for all young adults in a public or school library setting.

Teen Interview

“At first I thought this book was weird because, I mean, who falls in love with a zombie?  But then I read it and Bram is so cute and sweet and I can totally see them together now.  Plus I like how Nora isn’t some helpless girl.  She kicks butt.” 
Jennifer G., age 13

“Yeah, I always thought zombies were gross, which I guess they kind of are, but after this book I can totally see how they can be cute, too.  I love Bram and Nora together.  It’s cool how they fight zombies together but also do romantic stuff like dancing and stuff.” 
Gretchen W., age 13

Jennifer and Gretchen have both read steampunk books, although they didn’t know they were called “steampunk.”  They have both read Clockwork Angel and Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare.  Gretchen reads a couple of books a month, while Jennifer reads about one book per week.  Both girls like to read romance and chick lit books, and Gretchen also likes to read reality fiction.  Jennifer and Gretchen are both on Facebook and Twitter, which are their favorite social media platforms.

Learn More

Read about Lia Habel and her books on her website, or see what she's been reading on Goodreads.  You can also follow her on Twitter, friend her on Facebook, or read her blog.

Watch the book trailer for Dearly, Departed below

Dearly, Beloved, book #2 in the Gone with the Respiration series, releases on September 25, 2012.  Read an excerpt from the book here.

Habel, Lia. Dearly, Departed. New York: Del Rey/Ballantine Books, 2011. Print.
9780345523310; Hardback; $11.00; 470 pages

Also available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats.

Two-Way Street by Lauren Barnholdt

Courtney thought breaking up because your boyfriend was in love with someone else was the hardest part.  Then she remembers that she and her ex, Jordan, were supposed to drive to college orientation together.  She’s about to find out that spending three days alone with your ex on a cross-country road trip is even harder than breaking up.

“I sigh and stare out the kitchen window, looking for Jordan’s TrailBlazer.  It’s 8:07, and he was supposed to be here at eight, which makes me think that: a) he’s late, b) he’s acting like an asshole and blowing me off, or c) he’s gotten into a horrible car crash that’s left him dead.

The most likely answer is A…  Although I’m all about option C.  Okay, maybe not the dead part.  Just, like, a broken leg or something.  I mean, his parents have always been really nice to me and I would feel horrible if they lost their youngest child.  Even if he is a liar and a cheat.”

--Lauren Barnholdt, Two-Way Street

Jordan and Courtney are newly broken up when they embark on a cross-country road trip to attend their college orientation.  Over the course of the trip, they learn some hard truths about their families and themselves that cause them to reevaluate their relationship and why they broke up.  This entertaining novel captures the drama and angst of young love in the digital age.  Due to some sexual content, this book is recommended for older young adults in public or school libraries.

Awards

New York Public Library "Books for the Teen Age"
New York Public Library Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults

Learn More

Learn more about Lauren Barnholdt and her other books on her website.  You can also follow her on Twitter or friend her on MySpace.  Browse the e-book version of Two-Way Street on Google Books.

You can read an interview with Barnholdt to find out some unusual things about her--her greatest fear, her fantasy career, and her life in 8 words or less.

Listen to an audio excerpt of Two-Way Street below:


Two-Way Street Audio Clip from Dreamscape Media on Vimeo.




Barnholdt, Lauren. Two-Way Street. New York: Simon Pulse, 2007. Print.
9781416913184; Paperback; $10.00; 288 pages

Also available in ebook and audiobook formats.

Upstate by Kalisha Buckhanon

Can love survive a murder conviction and a prison sentence upstate?  That’s what Natasha and Antonio are about to find out.  When Antonio is convicted of murder and sent to prison, he and Natasha write letters to each other and attempt to keep their love alive through years of fear, violence, growth, and learning, after which neither of them will ever be the same.  Are their letters enough to keep them together?  Or, after years of separation and changes, will their love eventually die in that prison Upstate?

Natasha and Antonio are two teenagers in love whose letters to each other illustrate their worlds of poverty, violence, love, hope, and despair in Harlem and in prison.  At times moving, violent, raw, and heartfelt, this is a powerful story of love and life in impossible circumstances.  Due to some violence and sexual content, this book is recommended for older young adult readers in public or school libraries.

Awards

2006 American Library Association ALEX Award
2006 Audio Publishers Association Award in Literary Fiction

Learn More

Learn more about Buckhanon and her other books by visiting her blog. You can also connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, WordPress, and MySpace.  She also has a YouTube channel.

Listen to an excerpt from Upstate below:

You can also watch Buckhanon read an excerpt from her second novel, Conception:

 Watch Part 2 of the video.

Buckhanon, Kalisha. Upstate. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2005. Print.

978-0312332693; Paperback; $11.00; 247 pages

Also available in hardback, audiobook, and ebook formats.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Eleven-year-old Jonas lives in an ideal world.  There is no crime, no hate, and no fear.  But it is not until Jonas turns 12 and begins working with the Giver that he learns there are things like love, color, sunshine, and music that are also missing from this “ideal” world.  As the new Receiver of Memory, Jonas begins to receive all the secret memories of the less-than-perfect past world that the Giver has to give him.  With each new memory, both good and bad, Jonas begins to question the world he has been brought up in.  There is no suffering, but there is also no joy, no choice, no individuality, and no privacy.  Can Jonas continue living in this “ideal” world when he knows the truth about what he’s missing?  Can he keep his secret memories locked away inside himself until he grows old and it’s finally his turn to be The Giver?

Set in a future world, The Giver examines the high cost of living in a conflict-free world of perfect order and sameness, where every step in life from birth to death is carefully controlled.  A powerful story that combines science fiction and fantasy with history and real life, this book is recommended for young adults of all ages in public and school libraries.

Awards

1994 Newbery Medal
1996 William Allen White Award
1993 Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book
ALA's Best Book for Young Adults
ALA's Notable Children's Book
Booklist Editors' Choice
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

Learn More

Read more about Lois Lowry on her website or her blog.  The Giver is currently being made into a movie, which is scheduled to release in 2013, so be sure to watch out for that.

Watch a short interview with Lowry below:

A quote from the book:

“The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain.  It's the loneliness of it.  Memories need to be shared.”

― Lois Lowry, The Giver

Read the sequels to The Giver to find out what happens Jonas, his family, friends, and the world they live in.

Book #2

Book #3

Book #4

Lowry, Lois.  The Giver.  Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1993.  Print.
9780385732550; Hardback; $8.00; 180 pages

Also available in paperback, audiobook, and ebook formats.

The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause

What could a 300-year-old vampire and a 16-year-old girl possibly have in common? When Zoe meets Simon one night in the park, she is drawn to him in a way that she doesn’t understand or trust. But everything changes when she learns that they share the same sadness—the deaths of their mothers. Zoe’s mother is dying of cancer, and Simon’s mother was brutally murdered.  As the two grow closer over their shared grief, Zoe learns that Simon has been hunting his mother’s killer for the past 300 years trying to avenge her death. Will Zoe risk her life to help Simon seek his revenge?  Is their bond strong enough to defeat such a deadly, dangerous killer?

This book combines fantasy with realistic themes of death, grief, revenge, romance, and friendship as Zoe and Simon deal with the deaths of their mothers and attempt to bring a murderer to justice. Recommended for young adults of all ages in a public or school library setting.

Awards

1990 Michigan Library Association Best Book of the Year Honor Book
1990 School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
1990 Booklist Children's Editors' Choice
1991 ALA's Best Books for Young Adults
1993 The South Carolina Young Adult Book Award
1993 The California Young Reader Medal
1993 The Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award
1993 The Sequoyah Young Adult Award
1994 ALA's Top 100 Best Books for Teens

Learn More

Read an interview with Annette Curtis Klause to find out more about her and her inspiration for writing The Silver Kiss as well as her other books.

Watch a book trailer for The Silver Kiss below:

If you liked The Silver Kiss, you might also like Klause's third book, Blood and Chocolate, about a werewolf woman who falls in love with a human man and must choose between her pack and her love.  It was made into a movie in 2007.  You can watch the trailer here.

Klause, Annette Curtis. The Silver Kiss. New York: Delacorte Press, 1990. Print.

978-0375857829; Paperback; $9.00; 198 pages

Also available in hardback, ebook, and audiobook formats.

Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher

Sage was perfect—she was everything Logan ever wanted in a girlfriend.  But when Logan finds out the secret she’s been keeping from him he realizes that she’s not perfect, but she’s Almost Perfect.

When Logan’s girlfriend cheats on him Senior year, he thinks he’ll never get over the heartbreak.  Then one day he meets Sage, the new girl in town, who is unlike anyone he’s ever known.  Smart, confident, funny, and beautiful, Sage helps Logan move on from his ex and enjoy life again.  As they grow closer, Logan begins to challenge Sage’s “just friends” rule until one night they finally kiss and Sage reveals the secret she’s been keeping from him: she’s a girl trapped in a boy’s body.  Enraged and disgusted, Logan lashes out at Sage, but over time he begins to realize that she’s still his best friend and the girl that he’s grown to love.  As Sage struggles to find her place in the world and with Logan, Logan struggles to understand his feelings for Sage and to accept her for being Almost Perfect.

Set in small town America, this story provides a closer look at what it’s like living as a transgender person in today’s society and the impact on families and friends.  It also explores the societal norms and prejudices that can make it a difficult, even dangerous place for transgender people to live.  Almost Perfect is a powerful, moving story about acceptance, love, and having the courage to be exactly who you are.  Due to some sexual content and violence, this book is recommended for older young adults in a public or school library setting.

Awards

2010 ALA's Best Book for Young Adults
2011 Stonewall Children's and Young Adult Literature Award

Learn More

Find out more about Brian Katcher, Almost Perfect, and his other books on his website, or friend him on Facebook.  You can also read an interview with Brian Katcher to find out what got him started writing, his inspiration for Almost Perfect, and other projects he's working on.

Katcher is also the author of the award-winning book, Playing With Matches.  Watch a book trailer for Playing With Matches below:

To learn more about what it's like growing up as a transgender child, watch the Dateline interview below where Josie and her parents tell their story:

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Watch Part 2 and Part 3 of the video.



Katcher, Brian. Almost Perfect. New York: Delacorte Press, 2009. Print.
9780385736657; Paperback; $9.00; 360 pages

Also available in hardback, ebook, and audiobook formats.