Solace of the Road October 27, 2009

Title: Solace of the Road

Author: Siobhan Dowd

Summary: Holly has lived for the past seven years as a ‘care babe,’ in group homes and foster placements in England. When she moves in with a new set of potential foster parents right before her 15th birthday, all she can think about is running and finding her way back to where she was born, and where she knows that her mother is waiting for her: Ireland. One day when she is snooping in the new house, she finds a blond wig. When she puts it on, she is transformed from sad, lonely Holly into the free-spirited, wild girl she names Solace.

Becoming Solace is all the motivation Holly needs to make the break. Soon, armed with only a bit of money and a road map from London to the western coast, she is on her way. During her long, dangerous journey, she is forced to come to terms with the real nature of her mother’s disappearance.

Who will like this book?: This outstanding book is perfect for girls who feel like they are older than their years, fans of realistic fiction, and readers who enjoy stories about the lives of people in difficult family situations.

If you like this, try this: This, quite sadly, is the final book written by the late Siobhan Dowd. She was a masterful storyteller, and her previous books are highly recommended: The London Eye Mystery for middle grade readers, Bog Child, and  A Swift Pure Cry for mature readers.

Recommended by: Nicole, Teen Librarian

After October 14, 2009

Title: After

Author: Amy Efaw

Summary: Devon Davenport: Straight-A sophomore, star goalie, murderer? When a newborn baby is found in a garbage can behind her apartment complex, it doesn’t take long for the cops to find Devon, still suffering through the aftermath of delivery. This chilling, thought-provoking book for mature readers follows Devon from her arrest to her stay at a juvenile detention facility called Remann Hall and subsequent hearing to determine whether or not she will be tried as an adult.

This book reads almost as a mystery: Did Devon really not know, as she insists, that she was pregnant until she gave birth? What exactly happened that night? How could no one around her have noticed that Devon was about to have a baby? As her lawyer and the people she meets at Remann Hall peel back the layers of Devon’s personality and life story, readers see the catastrophic results of obsessively holding oneself to a standard of perfection.

Who will like this book?: Mature readers who like intense, realistic stories.

If you like this, try this: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin. Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles.

Recommended by: Nicole, Teen Librarian

Destroy All Cars September 22, 2009

Title: Destroy All Cars

Author: Blake Nelson

Summary: James Hoff is angry: He is sick of watching the people around him disregard the immediate peril of global warming and environmental destruction just because they like to shop and drink bottled water. He hates new clothes, preferring to cut the elbows out of his sweaters to make them look older than they are. And he hates the way his ex-girlfriend Sadie tries to change the community by working on silly projects like bike paths and conservation that can’t possibly make a difference. But most of all, as he describes in one of the many essays for his AP English class that form the bulk of this funny, quick read, he hates cars.

James is a great character, a dark and jaded loner who says he has no hope in the future but still obsesses over the possibilities of reunion with his ex, and a determined misfit who finds that it isn’t always so easy to practice what you preach. As you follow James through the ups and downs of his junior year, you will be drawn into his world, and maybe consider walking to school instead of grabbing a ride in your family’s giant SUV.

Who will like this book?: Budding political radicals and environmentalists, and the friends who would like them to relax a little bit.

If you  like this, try this: The Carbon Diaries 2015 by Saci Lloyd. If you are interested in making an impact, try The Virtuous Consumer: Your Essential Shopping Guide for a Better, Kinder, Healthier World by Leslie Garrett or Generation Green: The Ultimate Teen Guide to Living an Eco-Friendly Life by Linda Sivertsen.

Recommended by: Nicole, Teen Librarian

Handle With Care August 25, 2009

Title: Handle With Care

Author: Jodi Picoult

Summary: With the recent movie version of My Sister’s Keeper, everyone has been in the library looking for books by Jodi Picoult. And while readers might want to read the book of the movie, I suggest you try this one, her latest, instead. It is a more mature story with the same gripping medical drama and intense relationships.

Five year-old Willow is a wonderful child – bright, funny, kindhearted and incredibly smart for her age. She was born with osteogenesis imperfecta, or brittle bone disease: Stumbling could mean a broken leg, coughing could break her ribs. She will need medical care and supervision for her whole life. Her mother Charlotte decides to sue her doctor, who is also her dearest friend, for ‘wrongful death,’ meaning that if Charlotte had known Willow would be born with a debilitating disease sooner in her pregnancy, she might have chosen not to have her. Told in the voices of Charlotte, her best friend, husband, lawyer, and other daughter Amelia, this wrenching story tackles the complex idea of who should decide if a life is worth living.

Who will like this book: Mature readers who enjoy dramatic stories about families and friendship.

If you like this, try this: My Sister’s Keeperby Jodi Picoult. All We Know of Heavenby Jacqueline Mitchard.

Recommended by: Nicole, Teen Librarian

Marcelo in the Real World June 10, 2009

Title: Marcelo in the Real World

Author: Francisco X. Stork

Summary: Marcelo is different – he is not very good at interacting with new people or understanding the nuances in their conversation, but he can hear music no one else does and is deeply interested in matters of faith. At the end of his junior year, he is excited about his new job at his school, caring for the ponies that are used in student therapy. But his dad thinks he is ready to go to ‘regular’ school and tests him: If Marcelo can work the summer in the family law firm, he can return to his beloved school. If he fails or quits he must attend public school.

Marcelo takes up the challenge and enters the ‘real world,’ away from his familiar surroundings. In the office he makes friends, enemies, and discovers that it’s not so easy to determine who is bad and who is good. This beautifully written story is about growing up, testing yourself, and learning to stand up for what you believe.

Who will like this book?: People interested in the way differently-abled minds work. This is a great coming of age story for teens and adults to enjoy.

If you like this, try this: A Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon. For younger readers, The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd.

Recommended by: Nicole, Teen Librarian

Why I Fight April 30, 2009

Title: Why I Fight

Author: J. Adams Oaks

Summary: When Wyatt is 12, his house burns down. Leaving his uncaring mom and dad behind, he is taken in by his Uncle Spade, and begins his new life, moving from town to town, living with Spade’s various ‘ladyfriends.’  Wyatt, neglected and ignored, is gigantic – six feet tall and still growing. And when Spade realizes that Wyatt’s size and strength might be put to practical use as a fighter, things will never be the same. As he brawls with strangers in the backs of bars and in parking lots, Wyatt becomes more and more detached from the world around him, until an unplanned reunion forces him to change direction.

This is an intriguing story that is perfect for mature guys – especially those interested in MMA and fighting in general. It is gritty and intense, a sad story about a lost child never given the opportunities that most of us take for granted. You will be drawn into Wyatt’s world, hoping that he can find a way out before he loses himself completely in violence and desperation.

Who will like this book?: Guys looking for realistic fiction, or sports readers who are looking for something new. People who like to read stories written from a different perspective – in this case, a kid with little education but a lot of life experience.

If you like this, try this: The World Made Straight by Ron Rash. Fight fans should look at A Fighter’s Heart by Sam Sheridan or American Shaolin by Matthew Polley.  These books, like Why I Fight, are recommended for mature readers.

Recommended by: Nicole, Teen Librarian