America by E. R. Frank - At age 15, a boy named America has spent years lost in the system. Dr. B., a psychiatrist at Ridgeway Hospital, nudges America's life story from him. Dr. B. learns America was abandoned twice by his mother, about his bad brothers, and others in his life who care more than America does whether he lives or dies.

Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher - T. J. Jones, the mixed-race, larger-than-life, heroic, first-person narrator of this novel, lays out the events of his senior year, with many digressions along the way. The central plot involves T. J.'s efforts to put together a swim team of misfits, as he tries to upset the balance of power at his central Washington high school, where jocks and the narrow-minded rule. However, a number of subplots deal with racism, child abuse, and the efforts of the protagonist's adopted father to come to grips with a terrible mistake in his past.

Bruises by Anke de Vries - Judith is a battered 12-year-old who blames herself rather than her mother for her mother's constant and increasing physical abuse. Michael, one of her classmates, recently suffered from the emotional abuse of his severely critical father. When Michael befriends Judith, he is able to slowly, cautiously lead her toward self-confidence while he takes his own tentative steps toward forgiving his newly repentant father. With compelling drama and authenticity, Michael's and Judith's stories unfold toward hope-filled yet realistic resolutions.

Breaking Point by Alex Flinn - Invited to join Charlie Good's elite inner circle at school, newcomer Paul doesn't mind doing a few small things in return. And then one day, Charlie wants something big--really big. Now Paul has to decide how far he'll go to be one of the gang.

Chinese Handcuffs by Chris Crutcher - Still troubled by his older brother's violent suicide, eighteen-year-old Dillon becomes deeply involved in the terrible secret of his friend Jennifer, who feels she can tell no one what her stepfather is doing to her.

Counterfeit Son by Elaine Marie Alphin - When serial killer Hank Miller is killed in a shoot-out with police, his abused son Cameron adopts the identity of one of his father's victims in order to find a better life. But when his father's old accomplice tracks him down, will Cameron give up his new identity to protect the victim's family?

You Don't Know Me by David Klass - John wrestles with the uncertainty that no one really knows him. Although his hidden thoughts are hilarious, with razor-sharp observations about lust, love, algebra, and everything, John's home life involves an absent father, a mother who works long hours, and her boyfriend, who is abusive to John.

Shattering Glass by Gail Giles - In this dark novel, Simon Glass is a clumsy nerd who learns the horror of high school cliques. Rob, the leader of the shallow group of bullies who entertain themselves at Simon's expense, decides to turn the frog into a prince. There is no altruistic motive for this plan as Rob takes on the role of puppet master and the others offer to help with the transformation. They teach Simon to drive, take him shopping for clothes, and put him on a diet and exercise regimen. The plan goes awry as Simon gains self-confidence, becoming more popular than Rob, and begins some manipulating of his own.

Forged by Fire by Sharon M. Draper - After he was almost killed in an apartment fire while his mother went to buy drugs, Gerald was raised by his aunt. Then one day, six years later, his mother returns with her new husband and Angel, Gerald's little sister. As the children grow up, it becomes more and more apparent that Angel needs Gerald's protection from her father's abuse. But who will protect Gerald?

The Hanged Man by Francesca Lia Block - Francesca Lia Block explores love in The Hanged Man a novel that is not part of the Weetzie Bat series even though it shares the same Los Angeles backdrop. It's the story of 17-year-old Laurel, who lives just below the famous Hollywood sign. Her mind twisted and scarred from painful childhood experiences, Laurel becomes an addict and is driven toward reckless passions and empty mirages of "love." Only when she finds the strength to confront her inner demons is she able to reach out and feel a strong, true love for others, and herself.

Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn - Nick is one of the chosen few at his high school: intelligent, popular, and wealthy. While everyone thinks Nick has it easy, he has never told anyone of his father's violent temper. When Nick meets Caitlin, she's all he's ever wanted. But then everything changes.

Freewill by Chris Lynch - Will finds himself with a bunch of kids in wood shop in a school that's known as Hopeless High. Will doesn't know what he's doing there--or maybe he just doesn't want to admit the truth. No one knows why local teens are committing suicide, either. The deaths all have one thing in common: beautifully carved wooden tributes that appear just after--or just before--the bodies are found. Will's afraid he knows who's responsible for the deaths.

Hate You by Graham McNamee - Alice Silvers writes songs she can never sing, because she has a broken "Frankenstein" voice. Her father choked her years before when she got in his way while he was fighting with her mother. After that night, her mother threw him out. Alice hasn't seen him since. Now she's 17. Alice has her songs, her words, her mother, her boyfriend, her life. Everything but her voice. Years have passed since that terrifying night, but Alice burns with a hate stronger that anything she's ever known.

I Hadn't Meant to Tell You This by Jacqueline Woodson - Twelve-year-old Marie is African American. When Lena, a white girl, appears at school, they are drawn to each other because both have lost their mothers--and they know how to keep a secret. For Lena has a terrifying secret--her father is sexually abusing her. Marie must decide if she can help Lena more by keeping her secret--or by telling it.

I was a Teenage Fairy by Francesca Lia Block - This is the story of Barbie Marks, who dreams of being the one behind the camera, not some barely flesh-and-blood version of the plastic doll she was named after. It is the story of Griffin Tyler, whose androgynous beauty hides the dark pain within him. And finally, it is the story of Mab, a pinkie-sized, magenta-haired, straight-talking fairy who may or may not be real. With the same lush, electrifying prose that made Weetzie Bat a cult classic, Francesca Lia Block concocts a potent brew of magic and transformation to stir the soul, revealing that love can heal even the deepest scars.

Claws by Will Weaver - Sixteen-year-old Jed Berg meets his nemesis--Gertrude, a punk chick with pink hair. Shifting back and forth between the streets of Duluth and the wilderness of northern Minnesota, the mesmerizing story of two unforgettable teenagers caught in a web of love, betrayal, and survival is told.

Uncle Vampire by Cynthia D. Grant - Sixteen-year-old twins Carolyn and Honey cannot agree whether to reveal the terrible secret they share about Uncle Toddy, in a psychological thriller that is also a portrait of personal victory and courage.
 

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson - After Melinda goes through a traumatic and violent incident at a summer party, she calls the cops and becomes a social outcast. Her freshman year is a disaster. As time passes, she stops talking--except through her paintings in art class. Her healing process has just begun when her perpetrator attacks again. Only this time, she doesn't keep silent.

When Jeff Comes Home by Catherine Atkins - Sixteen-year-old Jeff, returning home after having been kidnapped and held prisoner for three years, must face his family, friends and school and the widespread assumption that he engaged in sexual activity with his kidnapper.

When Kambia Elaine flew in from Neptune by Lori Aurelia Williams - Shayla Dubois considers herself a reader and a writer, and lately she's put a lot in her notebook. Her sister, Tia, has run away because of their mother's rules. Then there's Shayla's new neighbor, Kambia Elaine, who tells all kinds of fantastic stories. But as Kambia's stories grow more scary, Shayla realizes Kambia is trying to tell her something--something that she can't say out loud.

 
When She Hollers by Cynthia Voigt - With the first sentence of this searingly honest novel, readers are plunged into the consciousness of a teenage girl who is fighting for her life. Tish's adversary isn't disease or physical injury; instead, it is the devastation of ongoing sexual abuse. The novel spans one day, from the moment at breakfast when she warns her stepfather to stay away from her, to the realization-in the late afternoon-that she can escape his domination.

The Eagle Kite by Paula Fox - Liam broke and buried the eagle kite the day he saw his father embracing another man. Liam never told his mother and now, three years later, she tells him that Daddy is seriously ill from a blood transfusion he needed a while ago. Liam cannot accept what he fears is the truth or come to terms with his mothers version of it.
 

Alt Ed by Catherine Atkins - Atkins paints a gripping portrait of an overweight teenage girl who's coming to terms with her father's estrangement, her brother's hostility, and the slow torture she's received at the hands of her classmates.

Rules of the Road by Joan Bauer - Hired by Madeline Gladstone, the president of a shoe company, to help her prevent a corporate takeover, 16-year-old Jenna Boller embarks on an eye-opening adventure that teaches both of them the rules of the road--and the rules of life.

Whirligig by Paul Fleischman - When 16-year-old Brent Bishop inadvertently causes the death of a young woman, he is sent on an unusual journey of repentance. In his most ambitious novel yet, Newbery winner Paul Fleischman traces Brent's healing pilgrimage from Washington State to California, Maine, and Florida, and describes the many lives set into new motion by the ingenious creations Brent leaves behind.

Ironman by Chris Crutcher - Bo Brewster has been at war with his father for as long as he can remember. Following angry outbursts at his football coach and English teacher that have cost him his spot on the football team and moved him dangerously close to expulsion from school, he turns to the only adult he believes will listen--Larry King.

Somewhere in the Darkness by Walter Dean Myers - A teenage boy accompanies his father, who has recently escaped from prison, on a trip that turns out to be an, often painful, time of discovery for them both.

Tears of a Tiger by Sharon Draper - The death of high school basketball star Rob Washington in an automobile accident affects the lives of his close friend Andy, who was driving the car, and many others in the school.

Bad by Jean Ferris - In an attempt to please her friends, sixteen-year-old Dallas goes along with their plan to rob a convenience store and when her father refuses to allow her to come home, she is sentenced to six months in the Girls' Rehabilitation Center.

The Brimstone Journals by Ron Koergte - The Branston High School Class of 2001 seems familiar enough on the surface: there's the smart one, the fat kid, the bad girl, the good girl, the jock, the anorexic, the rich kid, the stud. Then there's Boyd, the angry young man who has just made a dangerous friend. Now he's making a list.

Fair Game by Erika Tamar - High school senior Laura Jean is shocked when the school jocks are accused of gang-raping a retarded girl and her boyfriend Scott appears to be involved.

Give a Boy a Gun by Todd Strasser - The horrors of teen violence is explored in this eye-opening novel through the lens of one shattering event where two armed students hold terrified classmates and teachers hostage in a school gym.

Monster by Walter Dean Myers - Sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon is on trial for murder. A Harlem drugstore owner was shot and killed in his store, and the word is that Steve served as the lookout. Guilty or innocent, Steve becomes a pawn in the hands of "the system, " cluttered with cynical authority figures and unscrupulous inmates, who will turn in anyone to shorten their own sentences. For the first time, Steve is forced to think about who he is as he faces prison, where he may spend all the tomorrows of his life. As way of coping with the horrific events that entangle him, Steve, an amateur filmmaker decides to transcribe his trial into a script, just like in the movies. He writes it all down, scene by scene, the story of how his whole life was turned around in an instant. But despite his efforts, reality is blurred and his vision obscured until he can no longer tell who he is or what is the truth.

Crosses by Shelley Stoehr - Nancy doesn't have a best friend, until she meets Katie in the bathroom at school. She and Katie have something in common. They both like to cut themselves. At first, it's just fun and Nancy and Katie don't talk about why they do it. But soon Nancy realizes that she and Katie need cutting to get through the day. Nancy can cover the scars on her body. It's the ones inside that are becoming hard to hide.

Damage by A. M. Jenkins - Senior year should be a breeze for a guy like Austin Reid, a popular all-star football player with talent, charm, and a beautiful girlfriend. At least he thinks it should be. But sometimes it's hard just to get out of bed. Anything but a typical book about teenage depression, this is a rare and unsentimental novel for anyone who has ever wanted to just quit.

Shadow man by Cynthia D. Grant - Gabriel McCloud is 18 when he crashes his old pickup truck into a tree. The effect of his death on the entire community of Willow Creek spills into the pages of this poignant first-person novel.

Target by Katherine Jeffries Johnson - A teenage boy retreats into silence after being violated by two strangers.

Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman - Fourteen-year-old Shawn McDaniel, who suffers from severe cerebral palsy and cannot function, relates his perceptions of his life, family, and condition, especially as he believes his father is planning to kill him. In this powerful novel, readers can learn to look beyond the obvious and find a character whose spirit is rich beyond imagination.

Tangerine by Edward Bloor - Twelve-year-old Paul, who lives in the shadow of his football hero brother Erik, fights for the right to play soccer despite his near blindness and slowly begins to remember the incident that damaged his eyesight.

A Time for Dancing by Davida Hurwin - Samantha and Juliana. Sam and Jules--they've been best friends forever. Now, in the summer before their senior year, they're ready for anything! College? Professional dance careers? They'll share the triumphs and face the fears together. But neither of them is prepared for what happens when Jules is diagnosed with an incurable cancer.

Lizard by Dennis Covington - Even though Lucius (Lizard) Sims suffers only from a facial deformity and other birth defects, his guardian sends him off to the State School for Retarded Boys because she is getting married and wants him out from underfoot. When a man claiming to be Lizard's long-lost father takes him out of the institution, he's off on a series of tragicomic adventures that include an interstate chase, his first--unrequited--love, his acting debut (in The Tempest ), murder, fraud and a kind of homecoming.

Dancing on the Edge by Han Nolan - A National Book Award finalist tells a poignant story of a young girl teetering on the edge of insanity. Miracle McCloy has always known that there is something different about her. Having been raised according to a set of mystical rules and beliefs, she is unable to cope in the real world. After accidentally setting herself on fire, Miracle meets a kind psychiatrist who helps her through the painful struggle to take charge of her life.

Born Blue by Han Nolan - "Born Blue" is the hard-hitting story of a girl who searches for love and security despite the roadblocks in her way--a gritty story that inspires understanding, tolerance, and compassion.

First Part Last by Angela Johnson - With powerful language and keen insight, Johnson tells the story of a teen father's struggle to figure out what "the right thing" is and then to do it.

Hanging on to Max by Margaret Bechard - Sam's girlfriend is pregnant -- but Sam is keeping the baby. Sam should be planning for college and trying out for the football team with his best friend, Andy. Instead he's up to his ears in diapers and formula, caring for his baby son, Max. Will Sam now have to make a gut-wrenching decision about Max's future -- and his own? A poignant and humorous look at an old problem . . . with a new twist.

Smack by Melvin Burgess - A penetrating story about heroin use, "Smack" revolves around two 14-year-olds who run away from home. After Tar and Gemma try their first hit of smack, they begin an all-consuming search for the next hit--until a disaster forces Gemma to take matters into her own hands.

Authors

M.E. Kerr
Chris Crutcher
Cynthia Voigt
Robert Cormier
John Marsden
Walter Dean Myers

~Young Adult Librarian ~
Kristin Lade
klade@west-bendlibrary.org
262.335.5151 x128

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Updated October 25, 2006

"Organized education gives us information, but there are things we have to learn ourselves" ~ Lauryn Hill