CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 1, 2011
"In this chilling debut, Mullin seamlessly weaves meticulous details about science, geography, agriculture and slaughter into his prose, creating a fully immersive and internally consistent world scarily close to reality. (author's note) (Speculative fiction. 14 & up)"
"The pre-Friday world of school, cell phones, and refrigerators dissolved into this post-Friday world of ash, darkness, and hunger."
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CHILDREN'S
Released: April 1, 2012
"A good bet for readers mostly interested in the romance. (Fantasy. 12 & up)"
Fasten your seatbelts, lower your expectations, then sit back and enjoy the modest pleasures of this mostly smooth sequel.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: May 1, 2012
"Devastating and heartbreaking, this will be a disappointment for readers looking for a conventional happy ending. But those willing to take the risk will--like Bitterblue--achieve something even more precious: a hopeful beginning. (Fantasy. 14 & up)"
Building on the plots and themes of the award-winning
Graceling (2008) and its companion
Fire (2009), this rich and poignant fantasy grapples with the messy aftermath of destroying an evil overlord.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: May 1, 2012
"Allie's a smart, strong and compelling heroine, and readers will gladly join her for this adrenaline-rich ride. (Paranormal/dystopian romance. 14 & up)"
Meet 17-year-old Allie Sekemoto, a reluctant vampire struggling to hold on to her humanity and stave off the demon that lies in wait, thinly veiled beneath the surface of her undead skin.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: March 13, 2012
"No simple coming-out story, this many-layered effort is gritty, warm and ultimately hopeful. (Fiction. 14 & up)"
Compassionate, thoughtful and expressive, this New Zealand import traces a Maori teen's journey through friendships, family, work and the realization that he is gay.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: June 1, 2012
"Surprising, vivid and cohesive--the work of a pro. (Steampunk. 13 & up)"
A steampunk adventure in which an omniscient narrator delves into multiple heads and a quartet of friends take lurid risks to save their fifth counterpart.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Aug. 1, 2012
"A probing, captivating story. (Romance. 12 & up)"
This intense and intriguing debut delves into the psychological difficulties of two teens who fall in love.
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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: 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: 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: Aug. 14, 2012
"Nothing new here, but readers more interested in plot than depth will find it an appealing segue from summer into school. (Action. 10-14)"
Teens with mysterious abilities and the possibly sinister people who seek to control them are the ingredients for this end-of-summer thriller.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Aug. 7, 2012
"This commingling of comedy, brutality and fantasy evokes a rich alternate universe with a spitfire young woman as its brightest star. (Fantasy. 14 & up)"
A teenage assassin, a rebel princess, menacing gargoyles, supernatural portals and a glass castle prove to be as thrilling as they sound.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Aug. 21, 2012
"It's the twins' culturally barren, dreary yet violent world--a realm of broken dreams--that resonates most in this haunting, moody, character-driven thriller. (Paranormal thriller. 12 & up)"
Alice and Rachel are even closer than most identical twins, having shared a single amniotic sac in utero and a psychic bond ever since.
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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. 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: Sept. 1, 2012
"This is bound to have huge appeal to kids whose lives are being mirrored, and it may prompt luckier readers to take some positive action. (Fiction. 14 & up)"
CHILDREN'S
Released: June 1, 2012
"An engaging pair of tales that communicate a thoughtful message with a light touch. (Fiction. 12-16) "
Husband-and-wife team Stephanie Perry Moore (
Get What You Give, 2010) and Derrick Moore (
It's Possible!, 2008) deliver a pair of intersecting but distinct stories from the points of view of a cheerleader and a quarterback at a predominantly African-American Atlanta high school.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: April 1, 2012
"A strong new voice. (Fiction. 12 & up)"
This engrossing story of a good girl's fascination with her wild new friend strikes chords that will resonate with many teens.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: April 1, 2012
"Not so much a coming out as a coming up, Anna's quiet, rich story will work its way into readers' hearts. (Fiction. 14 & up)"
"I want to file it in a folder labeled FAITH and close the drawer, no more questions. No more doubt."
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