CHILDREN'S
Released: Dec. 18, 2012
"Be prepared--the darkest minds do indeed "hide behind the most unlikely faces." (Dystopian thriller. 14 & up)"
Imagine a not-too-distant future in which 98 percent of America's 10- to 17-year-olds have fallen victim to disease, and the remaining 2 percent are imprisoned in "rehabilitation camps," thanks to a paranoid government that fears the powers they possess.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Dec. 11, 2012
"For readers who find George R.R. Martin's epic too much, here's considerably less. Sequels are certain. (Fantasy. 13-17)"
Lips meet, hearts blaze, blood gushes and kingdoms clash in this thoroughly predictable Song of Ice and Fire wannabe.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 31, 2012
"Some gems for readers willing to get out the sieve. (Nonfiction. 12 & up)"
Plodding through this mostly disposable collection of blog posts is claustrophobically tiring, like watching someone else reflected in a hall of mirrors.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 30, 2012
"Those reading the book for the mystery will have given up long before it grinds to its tepid, 400-plus–page conclusion. (Historical mystery. 14 & up)"
CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 25, 2012
"Nevertheless, a vividly depicted and gripping tragedy. (Thriller. 12 & up)"
In this fast-paced, suspenseful thriller, two high-school seniors and a classroom full of first-graders are held hostage at gunpoint by a distraught, emotionally disturbed parent.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 16, 2012
"If there's little doubt about the end of the trip, readers will be happy they've gone along for the ride. (Fiction. 14 & up)"
Angry, just-turned-16-year-old Alex, a white boy, and equally angry but very old Lester, a black man, are unlikely road-trip buddies in this novel that transcends its conventions.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 9, 2012
"An uncommon (to say the least) coming-of-age, retraced with well-deserved pride but not self-aggrandizement, and as thought-provoking as it is entertaining. (endnotes, bibliography [not seen]) (Memoir. 14-18)"
Selecting high and low points from his experiences as a child, college student, teacher, refugee-camp worker, amateur boxer, Rhodes scholar, Navy SEAL and worker with disabled vets, Greitens both charts his philosophical evolution and challenges young readers to think about "a better way to walk in the world."
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 9, 2012
"A gripping Romeo-and-Juliet exploration of deception, espionage, revolution, the greater good and love conquering all--with the aid of magical green lights and a peculiar little locket. (Urban fantasy/science fiction. 14 & up)"
Marriage is a lesson in self-discovery, particularly if your fiancé is the golden son of a rival political family you've been bred to hate.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 8, 2012
"A violent, desperate adventure in a chaotic, post-disaster world. (author's note) (Adventure. 14 & up)"
Almost a year after the Yellowstone eruption in
Ashfall (2011), Alex and Darla are drawn back to dangerous Illinois, which has only grown worse.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 4, 2012
"With characters this nuanced, many teens won't mind all the issues flying fast and furious. (Fiction. 14 & up)"
Readers of this teen novel will appreciate its realistic and witty dialogue as they navigate its tightly packed plot.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 2, 2012
"An auspicious, thought-provoking series opener. (Science fiction/romance. 12 & up)"
The husband-wife team behind the Animorphs series returns with the first installment of an entertaining saga that pits smart teens against high-tech evildoers and bionic skullduggery.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 2, 2012
"For computer-savvy kids who like to think. (Science fiction. 13 & up)"
The near future's oppressive copyright laws criminalize creativity in the name of protecting it.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 2, 2012
"A touching story. (Fiction. 12 & up)"
Samantha feels so guilty after her kiss actually kills a boy that she ends her champion swimming career.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 1, 2012
"For those with dark hearts looking for the edgier side of paranormal fiction, this will be something to stay up with at night. (Anthology/paranormal. 14 & up)"
The paranormal trio of Gratton, Stiefvater and Yovanoff here translate their collective writings from their blog,
Merry Sisters of Fate, into a collection of stories that feature Nordic mythology, murderers and secrets.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 1, 2012
"At the end, though, it doesn't stand out from the throng of like dystopias. Only for those who will read nothing else. (Dystopian adventure. 14 & up) "
CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 1, 2012
"Beautifully drawn and quietly evocative. (glossary, timeline, author biography, translations of Chinese characters, maps) (Graphic memoir. 9-12)"
A striking glimpse into Chinese girlhood during the 1970s and '80s.Beginning with a breathtaking dream of riding a golden crane over the city of Wuhan, China, Liu Na, recounts her subsequent waking only to discover that Chairman Mao has passed away.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 25, 2012
"Great geeky fun. (Fantasy. 13 & up)"
A shy role-playing-game aficionado finds slaying monsters easier than kissing a girl in this appealing adventure by the author of
It's Kind of a Funny Story (2006).
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 25, 2012
"An amusing blend of whimsy and humor with serious drama and blood. (Fantasy. 14 & up)"
Teenage grim reaper Lex and the rest of the underworldly inclined residents of a magical upstate–New York town return for this entertaining follow-up to
Croak (2012).
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 24, 2012
"A heartfelt and visually appealing window into Regine's last year. (Nonfiction. 12 & up)"
"My ultimate dream for this blog is that it will be published as a book after my death," wrote Norwegian teenager Stokke, who blogged about her experience living with leukemia.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 18, 2012
"Required reading if you own the first title. (Thriller. 12 & up)"
In this sequel to
All These Things I've Done (2011), 17-year-old Anya Balanchine, heir apparent to the illegal chocolate trade in 2083 New York City, attempts to leave her criminal past behind with mixed results.
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