Young Teen

Tight

Bryan is a quiet, Afro-Puerto Rican boy who enjoys comic books, video games and drawing.  His dad, recently released from jail, and older sister worry that the sixth grader is “soft” and advise him that it is better to be feared than liked.  His level-headed mother encourages him to focus on school and to make good choices. When she encourages him to become friends with Mike, a seventh grader she believes is a good student and role model, Bryan is initially excited to find that he and this new friend share a love of superheroes and may be the brother he has always wanted.  When Mike begins challenging Bryan to join him in skipping school and subway surfing, however, Bryan feels conflicted about how to handle this new aspect of their friendship. Frustrated by his father’s inability to control his temper and subsequent return to jail, Bryan fears that his own anger at being manipulated by Mike may cause him to lose control as well.  This realistic look at making choices when the correct path seems less than certain is a good choice for tween readers who prefer a fast-paced story that reflects their own friendship and identity issues.

Seafire

Set in a vaguely defined future, this adventure tale of sisterhood on the high seas is the first in a fast-paced trilogy featuring diverse characters and strong female protagonists.  Ever since Caledonia Styx’s mother was killed and her brother taken by the Bullets, an army under the control of the ruthless warlord Aric Althair, the young heroine has vowed revenge and rescue.  Now the captain of her mother’s ship, Caledonia almost loses her best friend and second in command, Pisces, while on a mission to destroy a barge containing large quantities of a drug Althair uses to keep his crews under control.  When Pisces, feared dead, emerges from the sea, she declares that her life was saved by a Bullet, a young man who is with her and claims to be a deserter with valuable information about the evil dictator, his massive fleet of warships, and the brothers Cal and Pisces believe are dead.  Will Cal and her crew trust this stranger and his offer to help them reunite their families, confronting an overwhelming enemy with little chance of survival? Their decision and the actions that follow will mean the difference between life and death. (Note: There is a vague inference of romantic attraction between two of the female characters.)

Two Roads

 It is 1932 and twelve-year-old Cal Blackbird and his father, a World War I veteran, have been riding the rails after losing their farm in the Great Depression, eking out a living as “knights of the road”.  When Cal’s dad hears that many of his fellow vets plan to gather in Washington D.C. to demand the government payments they were promised but never received, he decides he must join the effort. To keep Cal safe while he is away, Pop, who is a Creek Indian, sends him to a boarding school for native Americans in Oklahoma.  The other Creek boys at the school take Cal under their wing, support direly needed in the face of the harsh and often miserable conditions he encounters. As Cal begins to learn about his people’s history, language, and heritage, he grows to value his Creek identity and the strength of the friends he makes. Written by Joseph Bruchac, the author of Code Talker, this is must-read historical fiction.

Fourth Dimension

Fifteen-year-old Emma, her ex-Marine mother, and younger brother have recently moved to Chicago.  They are living in a brand-new condominium, which explains the semi-regular power outages as workers complete construction of units around theirs.  The family isn’t initially concerned when the latest blackout occurs just as they are loading the car for a long weekend camping trip. When their car won’t start and cellphones appear dead, however, Emma’s mother decides they will use their rowboat to paddle to an isolated island off the mainland to wait it out.  Able to see across the bay, they realize that the power has yet to come back on and its residents have lost all modern amenities. While Emma and her family are at a relatively hidden site, they are far from safe. While her mother’s military and nursing background provides them with some of the knowledge and skills to find food and construct a shelter, most people are not equipped to face life without power.  As people become desperate to find food and protect their resources from others intent on taking them, chaos soon descends. When they stumble upon a community at the other side of the island, the family must decide whether they should let its residents know of their presence and explore the possibility of an alliance or stay hidden, unable to trust these unknown neighbors. The disintegration of life as they know it soon leads to violence, forcing every person to make decisions that may mean the difference between life and death.  A fast-paced, adventure-filled look at a society where none of the rules of order are in play any longer.  

Wild Blues

As her mother begins weeks of radioactive cancer treatment, thirteen-year-old Lizzie jumps at the chance to spend the summer with her mother’s brother, Uncle Davy, in the refurbished schoolhouse he calls home in the Adirondacks.  Lizzie treasures the time she spends with her uncle and with his neighbor, a Salvadoran immigrant boy with dwarfism named Matias. The two enjoy spending time outdoors while he paints and she writes. When Matias fails to show up one afternoon, however, Lizzie fears the worst.  Two dangerous convicts have escaped from a nearby prison and the authorities fear they have taken Matias. When Uncle Davy goes missing as well, Lizzie believes she is the only one who knows these woods well enough to find and save them. Told in short chapters addressed to an unknown listener whose identity is revealed only at the end of the book, this story of one girl’s courage in the wilds of the Adirondack mountains is perfect for fans of tales of challenge and survival. (Note:  There is one reference to a previous same sex relationship of Uncle Davy’s.)

Ghost Boys

Set in Chicago, this New York Times bestseller blends history with current events.  A twelve-year-old black boy, Jerome, is shot and killed by a white police officer who mistakes his toy gun for a real one.  As a ghost, Jerome witnesses the aftermath and devastation of his death on his family, the police officer, and the community.  The only person who can see Jerome is Sarah, the daughter of the police officer, and through her eyes, the reader sees the tragedy of this mistake on all those involved.  Jerome also meets another ghost, that of Emmett Till, and learns the horrific details of his murder in 1955 and of the existence of other “ghost boys” who hope to keep history from repeating itself.  Told in short, poetic chapters, this book is a must-read for middle school students struggling to deal with the racial complexities of today’s world.  

Time Bomb

Diana, Frankie, Tad, Cas, Z, and Rashid couldn’t be more different, but they all have reasons to be inside their high school before the semester begins.  Before the morning is over, however, they will all find themselves trapped in a building rocked by a bombing. Trapped in the wreckage, the students learn that law enforcement believes more explosions are likely and that the bomber is still inside the school.  Is the perpetrator Diana, the popular daughter of a congressman, biracial and newly out Tad, star athlete Frankie, socially awkward musician Cas, bad-boy rebel Z, or Rashid, a Muslim student who wants people to see more than just his religion? As more bombs explode and the chance of rescue grows slim, fragile alliances are threatened by distrust and paranoia.  A powerful page-turner that will keep readers engaged to the end of this terrifying thriller. 

Someone Like Me: How One Undocumented Girl Fought for Her American Dream

In this true story of hard work and determination, social justice advocate and vice president at Goldman Sachs, Julissa Arce tells of her journey to belong in America while growing up as an undocumented immigrant living in Texas.  Left behind in her hometown of Taxco, Mexico with her sisters and grandmother while her parents worked tirelessly in America in hopes of providing a better life for their children, Julissa keenly felt her parents’ absence and began to get in trouble.  Her parents brought her to live with them in San Antonio where she continued to live even after her tourist visa expired. Despite a constant fear of deportation, she was determined to succeed in school and in life, facing numerous challenges along the way but also finding friendship and support from many she met.  An inspiring look at both the determination and flaws of a new generation of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. today, this is a book that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Strong Inside: The True Story of How Perry Wallace Broke College Basketball’s Color Line (Young Readers Edition) by Andrew Maraniss

This nonfiction selection, part biography and part sports history, is the inspirational story of Perry Wallace, an outstanding African-American basketball player from Tennessee who, in 1966, signed to play college ball at Vanderbilt University – the first black player in the SEC.  The racism that was prevalent in the South during the years of the rise of the civil rights movement was experienced by Wallace, even from his own teammates and coaches, yet his determination to succeed on and off the court remained strong.  A testimony to self-discipline and hard work, this book will inform and inspire readers 11+.

House Arrest by K.A. Holt

Told in first person verse, this book is the story of twelve year-old Tim Davidson’s year of house arrest, a consequence of stealing a credit card and using it to purchase medicine for his baby brother.  Allowed to leave his house only to attend school and for mandated visits with a probation officer and a psychologist, Tim deals with the stress of his brother’s life-threatening health issues, the financial struggles of his single parent mom, and the court required journal that he must keep while trying to stay out of trouble and avoid being sent to a juvenile facility.  This realistic look at the dilemma of a boy trying to do what is right in the midst of a life where most everything seems to be going wrong will appeal to readers 11+.

I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives by Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda

This true story of the friendship between a seventh grade Pennsylvania girl and a boy living in
distant Zimbabwe begins with a simple class pen pal project but changes both their lives
forever. Long after other class members have stopped corresponding, Caitlin and Martin
continue to write, learning more about each other and their very different lives. As Caitlin
becomes aware of the extreme financial struggles of Martin’s family and the very real
possibility that this bright and hard-working young man will have to stop going to school, she
becomes determined to help him continue his education and his family overcome their daily
struggle to survive. Can one young woman and her supportive family really make a difference I
the world? An inspiring story that readers 11+ will never forget!

The Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse

It is 1943 in Amsterdam and teen Hanneke Bakker is trying to survive the German Occupation that took the life of her boyfriend.  She works at a funeral home and delivers black market goods to support her family.  When an elderly neighbor, one of her black market customers, seeks Hanneke’s help in finding a Jewish teen that she had been hiding but has mysteriously disappeared from her secret room, the Dutch girl is initially reluctant to help.  Hanneke’s growing awareness of the German treatment of Jews and the woman’s persistence, however, result in her decision to use her underground connections to help solve the mystery of the missing girl.  As she is drawn into the workings of the Dutch resistance organization, Hanneke must decide if she is willing to risk her own safety to find a girl she has never met.  A perfect choice for fans of The Book Thief 12+.