Category Archives: Young Adult

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

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Starr Carter and her friend Kahlil leave a neighborhood party when things start to get out of hand.  Not far from the party, the two are pulled over by a white police officer.  While being questioned by the officer, Kahlil leans in the car to check on Starr.  The officer believing that Kahlil has a weapon shoots and kills the unarmed Kahlil in front of Starr. After the shock of the incident starts to dissipate, Starr finds herself facing decisions of whether to keep quiet to protect herself and her family or to speak up to honor Kahlil.

 

Boy 21 by Matthew Quick

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Finley McManus is a quiet Irish American who escapes his dismal environment of Bellmont by focussing on his love of basketball and his basketball-playing girlfriend, Erin.  The only white player on his high school varsity basketball team, Finley works with determination during the off-season to be in the best condition for the team.  Finley lives with his dad and grandfather, and assists with his disabled grandfather’s care when his father works the night shift. Finley and Erin’s plan to work hard to get scholarships to get out of Bellmont away from the Irish mob and the other negative aspects of their hometown seems to be on track until Coach asks Finley to befriend Russ Allen and keep his secret.  Russ Allen, the former high school basketball phenom from California, refers to himself as Boy 21.  Russ believes he is an alien and not long for this world.  Coach has instructed Finley to get Boy 21 ready for the upcoming basketball season, but the problem is Boy 21 plays the same position as Finley.

Solo by Kwame Alexander with Mary Rand Hess

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Blade’s celebrity hard rocker father, Rutherford Morrison, is in and out of rehab.  Rutherford is one of  the paparazzi’s favorite subjects, and when he’s not sober, he’s Blade’s worst nightmare.  Blade finds solace with his girlfriend, Chapel and playing soft rock his acoustic guitar.  But when Rutherford crashes Blade’s last minute valedictorian  speech at graduation, it sets a series of events in motion that send Blade on a journey to find out himself. This story is told in Kwame Alexander’s lyrical verse style.

 

If I Ever Get Out Of Here by Erick Gansworth

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Lewis Blake is lonely. Because Lewis is so smart, he is one of the only “rez” kids in his classes at the white school. He is completely ignored by his prejudicial peers. Then George Haddonfield, a new kid from the Air Force base, meets Lewis and they strike up a friendship. Lewis and George share an interest in rock and roll, especially anything Beatles. Because of his friendship with George, Lewis isn’t “invisible” any more. Unfortunately, Lewis attracts the attention of a particularly vicious and powerful bully, Evan Reiniger. Lewis spends his time navigating reservation and family “rules” while trying to maintain a friendship with his white friend, and avoiding Evan Reiniger whenever possible.

Scythe by Neal Shusterman

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The world has conquered disease, hunger, war, and death.  To deal with the challenges of immortality and crowding on the planet, only scythes can take lives.  Scythes can glean people from the population. Honorable Scythe Faraday has taken on two apprentices, Citra and Rowan.  This is unprecedented!  If they fail their apprenticeship, it could mean the end of their lives. There are those is Scythedom that would do anything to see them fail. Scythes must follow The Scythe Commandments, but there are some up-and-coming scythes that are challenging these edicts and pushing the limits of their power. This clash of old ways and new ways will not be beneficial for H.S. Faraday’s apprentices!

Samurai Rising: The Epic Life of Minamoto Yoshitsune by Pamela S. Turner

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Minamoto Yoshitsune is perhaps the most famous of all Japanese samurai.  To quote the author, Pamela S. Turner, “More than three hundred years have passed since Basho inked his poem (about Yoshitsune). Yet Yoshitsune’s life and his quest for glory have been remembered and reimagined across the centuries, from medieval songs, Noh dramas, Kabuki plays, and Bunraku puppetry to modern novels, short stories, poems, movies, manga, anime, visual novels, and video games.”(p. 163) Turner’s biography paints a picture of Yoshitsune’s harsh beginnings and his determination to become a great samurai warrior.  He was smart and daring, and he became a samurai legend against many obstacles.

The Reunion (Mediator Series #3) by Meg Cabot

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Suze’s best friend from Brooklyn, Gina visits during spring break.  Suze’s step-brothers, Brad and Jake are attracted to Gina and Gina is attracted to them.  Suze finds this very confusing. Then the RLS Angels (four teenage ghosts from a nearby high school killed in a car accident) start harassing a student from Junipero Serra Mission Academy.  Suze has her hands full with this mediation.

The Ninth Key (Mediator Series #2) by Meg Cabot

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Suze is approached by a screaming ghost needing to get a message to Red.  Father Dominic, the principal at Junipero Serra Mission Academy and fellow mediator, is desperately trying to get Suze to be more gentle with the ghosts and less combative.  Suze often finds most ghosts annoying and doesn’t listen carefully to their needs.  This fault puts Suze in a very dangerous situation with a serial killer in The Ninth Key.

The Mediator (Shadowland) by Meg Cabot

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Susannah (Suze) Simon’s mom has remarried and moved from New York City to Carmel, California.  Suze leaves Brooklyn to join her television journalist mom, her stepfather, and three stepbrothers in Carmel.  Suze is your normal every day sixteen-year-old girl except for one thing.  She’s a mediator.  She can see ghosts, and it’s her job to help them find their way to wherever ghosts go.  Sometimes she needs to get a little rough with the stubborn ones.  Suze also has to keep this mediator business on the down low, so her family and friends don’t think she’s weird.  This is her chance to get a fresh start in California.  The Mediator is a series.  Shadowland, the first book in the series, introduces Suze to her new surroundings which besides her new school Junipero Serra Mission Academy, new family situation, and new friends includes Jesse, a fine-looking ghost that hangs around her house, and the recently deceased Heather Chambers.  Heather hangs out at school and is one angry, vengeful ghost.  Suze will have to use all her mediator skills to get Heather to crossover.

The Passion of Dolssa by Julie Berry

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The year is 1241. Sweet Dolssa flees Tolosa accused of heresy by Father Lucien.  Father Lucien tracks his heretic with determination.  Botille, a young matchmaker from Bajas, discovers Dolssa near death along the river.  Feeling the call to protect Dolssa, Botille with the help of a few others, assists and hides the young girl.  Botille and her sisters nurse Dolssa back to life, and care for her as she regains her strength.  Harboring a heretic brings the penalty of death.  Father Lucien searches doggedly for Dolssa for he wants nothing more than to burn this dangerous heretic at the stake.  Unexplainable events start to happen in Bajas, and word of the young girl’s miracles spread throughout the region. Dolssa’s passion will change the lives she touches forever.