Staff Picks

The Hunger Games
By Suzanne Collins

Gentlemen
by Michael Northrop 

Because I am furniture
by Thalia Chaltas

I love Kelly Link's voice. Her dry humor is especially hilarious in the stories The Wrong Grave and Monster.

For Natalie's amazing older sister, Claire, this summer is fantastic because she's zooming off to college in the fall. For Natalie, it's a fun summer with her friends; nothing special. When Claire is hit by a car, the world changes in a heartbeat.

This tale of a good family that suddenly finds itself in bad trouble is witty and spare and expertly maps the territory of depression.

In an enthralling work of Gothic suspense, Edith Wharton's classic ghost story Kerfol inspires five connected tales set in the same haunted manor over the centuries.

Life is not fine for Samara Tuttle, but she's coping. Her overworked mother is distant and cold, and her mother's boyfriend, Q, attacks Samara when she tries to clean up after his lazy, Funyun-loving self. Samara's a loner. But all of this changes when Mr. Halbrook arrives at school. Samara's English teacher takes ill, and in steps Mr. Jerome Halbrook, a suitwearing, blue-eyed African American man who uses Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress" to inspire a spirited discussion about poetry, love, and truth. Soon Samara is borrowing his collections of poetry, and then she can't stop thinking about Mr. Halbrook. Soon Samara is confiding in him about her less-than-fine past, and dreaming of a different future. But when Mr. Halbrook disappears-and it appears that he may not be all that he seemed-will she be able to picture a future without him?

Beautifully written, impossible to put down, and meticulously researched, "Newes from the Dead" is based on the true story of the real Anne Green, who, in 17th-century England, survived a hanging only to awaken on the dissection table.

Who is Jenna Fox? Seventeen-year-old Jenna has been told that is her name. She has just awoken from a coma, they tell her, and she is still recovering from a terrible accident in which she was involved a year ago. But what happened before that? Jenna doesn't remember her life. Or does she? And are the memories really hers?
This fascinating novel represents a stunning new direction for acclaimed author Mary Pearson. Set in a near future America, it takes readers on an unforgettable journey through questions of bio-medical ethics and the nature of humanity. Mary Pearson's vividly drawn characters and masterful writing soar to a new level of sophistication.

Based on the authors own experiences, this first young adult novel by bestselling author Alexie features poignant drawings by acclaimed artist Ellen Forney that reflect the characters art as it chronicles the contemporary adolescence of one Native American boy attempting to break away from the life he was destined to live.

Mena's year is starting off in the worst way possible. Her best friend hates her and no one will talk to her except for Casey, her supersmart lab partner. When their science class begins studying evolution, school becomes more dramatic that Mena could ever imagine.

The New York Times-bestselling author of Just Listen explores the heart of a gutsy, complex girl dealing with unforeseen circumstances and learning to trust again.

Even if you don't usually go for the weepy "girl gets cancer and dies" type of book, give this stunning and memorable story a try. Sixteen year old Tessa knows she has just months to live now after battling leukemia for years. Tessa's no angel--she certainly doesn't want to die, and she gets angry and rages about how unfair it is. But at the same time she is determined to savor everything beautiful that life has to offer, and to cram all the experiences that she can into her remaining days. So she sets out with her best friend Zoe to accomplish all the items on her (not exactly G-rated) list of things to do before she dies. This book is definitely sad, but it is also, in a strange way, really uplifting and inspiring.

Sixteen year old Deanna has endured what has got to be one of the most exquisitely excruciating experiences ever: when she was 13, her dad caught her having sex with her older brother’s friend in the back seat of his car. The guy told everyone at school and she’s branded the “school slut,” taunted and gossiped about, and her father has barely spoken to or even looked at her since. This quick and engrossing read is a very powerful look at a girl who struggles against being defined by one past mistake.

Logan, an utterly frank, slightly awkward, and extremely lovable outcast, becomes enmeshed in a mysterious psychological drama when he witnesses a horrific event in this powerful novel.

Teen celebrity cooking sensation Sam Stern reinvents the term "fast food" -- thanks to these quick-and-tasty recipes that entice kids to cook for themselves.

British teen Sam Stern is a great cook, and he's on a mission to get everyone else doing it. Now that his COOKING UP A STORM has stirred up a storm of attention, he's offering REAL FOOD, REAL FAST to lure all those time-pressured teens away from their fast-food fixes. Once again, with his engaging conversational tone -- and the help of his friends -- Sam breezily runs through dozens of recipes, using real ingredients and simple techniques. But what makes these dishes a cinch for even cooking-resistant kids are the cool tabs that indicate preparation times of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30 minutes. Brilliant!

Set during World War II in Germany, Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich, scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids. This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul.

The hot boys, to-die-for-clothes, low-down scheming and clandestine hook-ups of the wealthiest, most connected teens in New York...nope, not Gossip Girl. Welcome to 1899 Manhattan. This book is juicy and dishy, full of the backstabbing and forbidden loves that will keep you turning the pages, and yet is also beautifully written, with wonderful period details…not to mention that breathtaking pink dress on the cover.

Clothes, makeup, junk food, Wendy’s restaurant, hiking, a new best friend, a crush, and time…just a few of the things that Mia relies on as she tried to “cure” her heartbreak. I’m not sure how a book about a girl stumbling through life while being nearly immobilized by grief at the sudden death of her beloved mother manages to actually be funny, but this one somehow does. Moving and at times heartbreaking but lightened up by moments of real humor, this is a great choice for those looking for a read that is entertaining but with depth.