ChaseR: a novel in e-mails. Michael Rosen, 2002
A move of 60 miles from an Ohio city to a rural farmhouse reveals a
whole new world to 14-year-old Chase. His adjustment is recorded in frequent
creative emails to friends and an older sister. Check out his use of emoticons!
Demon in the Teahouse. Dorothy and Thomas Hobbler, 2001
The beautiful, mysterious women of Japan
are being killed one by one.
Fourteen-year-old Seikei, determined to prove his worth as a samurai,
goes undercover as a teahouse attendant in an exotic "floating city",
where demons lurk among the pleasure seekers and no one is safe-not even a
samurai.
Fearless Fernie: Hanging
Out with Fernie and Me. Gary Soto, 2002
For Fernie and his best friend, the fun
begins when they are babies who crawl across the lawn towards each other and
continues through middle school. An inseparable pair, the friend’s poems cover
topics from the humiliation of sports try-outs and first dances; to dealing
with body images and swinging moods.
Flip. David Lubar, 2003
13-year-old twins, Taylor and Ryan, experiment with mysterious disks
dropped by aliens. These disks allow them to experience life through the
personalities of famous historical figures such as Babe Ruth and Albert
Einstein. The results are both humorous and educational.
How Angel Peterson Got His Name: And Other Outrageous
Tales About Extreme Sports. Gary Paulsen, 2003.
Growing up in a small Minnesota town during the
early 1950’s author Gary Paulsen recalls outrageously funny tales from his 13th
year -- bear wrestling to impress girls and setting a speed record on
skis. Many things have changed for
teens since the 1950’s but one thing remains constant--the exuberant spirit of
13-year-old boys, and how they manage to survive to 14. A great book for fathers and sons to share.
Once Upon a Marigold. Jean Ferris,
2002
A practical princess and a young man raised by a kindly troll become
acquainted through “p-mail” and join forces to vanquish an evil Queen.
“P-mail”? (Think carrier pigeons). Will they live happily ever after?
The Outcasts
of 19 Schuyler Place. E.L. Konigsburg,
2004.
When Margaret Rose is rescued from a horrible summer
camp by her favorite great uncles, she looks forward to spending time helping
them continue construction on “The Towers,” a set of gigantic sculptures they
have been building for the past 45 years.
When she learns that the local community has taken steps to have The
Towers torn down, she returns the favor as she tries to rescue her uncles’
life-long work.
Phineas Gage: A Gruesome But True Story About Brain
Science. John Fleischman, 2002
In
1848, a three-foot iron rod is rocketed into the head of blasting expert and
railroad foreman Phineas Gage. The
believe-it-or-not account of his survival and of 19th century
medicine will surprise you.
The
Ransom Of Mercy Carter. Caroline Cooney,
2001.
11-year old Mercy Carter from Deerfield, MA is taken
captive by Mohawk Indians. Mercy and
other captives force-march 300 miles to Canada where they spend the next year
living among the Mohawks and dreaming of ransom. When ransom arrives Mercy must make a tough choice. Based on an actual 1704 raid author notes
describe the real events this great book is based on.
The
Rumplestilskin Problem.
Vivian Vande Velde, 2000.
We all know the story of Rumplestilskin, the little
man who spins straw into gold to save the poor miller’s daughter. But, according to author Vivian Vande Velde,
this classic fairy tale leaves some puzzling unanswered questions. In The Rumplestilskin Problem, some of these
questions are answered with hilarious results.
The Skin I’m In. Sharon Flake, 2000
Thirteen-year-old Maleeka, uncomfortable because her
skin is extremely dark, meets a new teacher with blotched skin caused by a rare
skin disease. Miss Saunders is tough and helps Maleeka make some discoveries
about how to love who she is and accept the skin she’s in.
Surviving the Applewhites. Stephanie S.
Tolan, 2002
Jake Semple, potential juvenile delinquent, ends up in rural North
Carolina at the home of the eccentric and laughable Applewhite family with
their various artistic projects, their unstructured Creative Academy and their
overweight basset hound.
Things Not Seen. Andrew Clements, 2002
Bobby Phillips, age 15, wakes up one morning, goes
to comb his hair in the mirror—and sees no reflection. He's become invisible,
and while there are some advantages, like sneaking around unseen, it soon
becomes a big problem. His parents, fearing he would become an experimental
subject, try to keep Bobby's condition hidden from the world but are having a
hard time explaining his extended absence from school. Bobby and his new blind
friend, Alicia, try to find out what caused his condition and how to reverse
it.
The World According To Dog: Poems And Teen Voices. Joyce Sidman,
2003.
A heartfelt collection of poems and photos
with essays written by teens about dogs--why we love them -- why they love
us. Guaranteed to make even the most
ardent of cat lovers give dogs a second look.