Here's a wealth of excellent books that explore the here and now, some just-the-facts-ma'am realistic and some more fantastical--pick and choose what you like.
CHILDREN'S
Released: May 1, 2012
"Tart, funny and fast-moving, with a touch of rueful realism and a lot of heart. (Fiction. 12 & up)"
Lia Latimer is more than ready to take her future in her own hands when she wins £8 million in the lottery. She'll drop out of school, buy a flat, leave her annoying family behind. What could go wrong?
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CHILDREN'S
Released: June 1, 2012
"As the clock ticks down on Heidi's soul, readers will be rooting for both Jerome and Heidi with all their hearts. (Paranormal adventure. 12 & up)"
CHILDREN'S
Released: June 19, 2012
"This smart, stylish series opener raises the bar for paranormal fiction, leaving readers impatient for the next installment. (author's note) (Urban fantasy. 12 & up)"
Crime noir meets paranormal romance in this addictive thriller about two London teens in whom the fae awakens, conferring abilities at once exhilarating and harshly stigmatized.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: July 17, 2012
"Simply lovely. (Fiction. 12 & up)"
CHILDREN'S
Released: July 17, 2012
"Meticulously researched and told with inspiring prose and stirring images, this is a gripping, triumphant story of science and survival. (photographs, source notes, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 10 & up)"
As he did in The Race to Save the Lord God Bird (2004), Hoose explores the tragedy of extinction through a single bird species, but there is hope for survival in this story, and that hope is pinned on understanding the remarkable longevity of a single bird.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Aug. 7, 2012
"Pulse-pounding thrills leavened with laughter. (Paranormal thriller. 12 & up)"
A satisfying conclusion to ghostly Anna's terrifying story comes with more heart-thumping suspense and clever quips as Cas tries to save her from an undeserved, dreadful fate.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Aug. 7, 2012
"Though hamstrung by a depressingly chick-lit-y cover, this total-immersion emotional experience is one readers will both recognize and thoroughly enjoy. (Fiction. 12 & up)"
A girl in love with the theater tells the story of her first great love in the form of a script.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Aug. 14, 2012
"Far more than a summer romance, this is a tribute to those left behind. (Fiction. 11-15)"
Daniel (E.) Anderson looks back on the summer he fell in love and finally came to terms with his soldier brother's death.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Aug. 21, 2012
"Intense, keenly insightful, nuanced and affecting. (Fiction. 14 & up)"
At the heart of Oates' riveting and poignant story of three teenage girls in crisis is the notion that a "secret can be too toxic to expose to a friend."
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Aug. 28, 2012
"An awe-inspiring, thought-provoking reminder that love reaches beyond physical appearances or gender. (Fiction. 14 & up)"
CHILDREN'S
Released: Aug. 28, 2012
"A wonderfully crafted and deeply satisfying novel, full of detail that provides texture and meaning. (Fiction. 14 & up)"
Scotty's world is turned upside down when an accident leaves her brother severely injured, an acquaintance dead and Scotty feeling responsible.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Aug. 28, 2012
"This one goes to the head of the class. (Fantasy. 12 & up)"
To the recent crop of strong debuts in an overcrowded literary arena add this series opener, a tale of demonic possession and a centuries-old family trade in exorcism.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 1, 2012
"Brava! (Graphic fiction. 10-14)"
From award winner Telgemeier (
Smile, 2010), a pitch-perfect graphic novel portrayal of a middle school musical, adroitly capturing the drama both on and offstage.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 4, 2012
"An astonishing, wrenching achievement. (author's note) (Fiction. 14 & up)"
CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 11, 2012
"This book won't make readers proud to be Jewish. It will make them proud to be a pool player in a porkpie hat, a tattooed punk or anyone who survives all the way to 13. Everyone should read it the moment he becomes a man. (Fiction. 13-17) "
CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 11, 2012
"Fearlessly foul, this consistently comical series should be required reading for all teenage boys and anyone else with a strong stomach and highly sensitive funny bone. (Fiction. 14 & up)"
It's nice guy Sean's turn to shine in this hilarious follow-up to
Swim the Fly (2009) and
Beat the Band (2010).
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 11, 2012
"Girl with the Dragon Tattoo for preteens and teens, a surefire hit. (Thriller. 12-16)"
Teenage hackers Noa and Peter band together for vengeance and discover an inconceivable conspiracy.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 18, 2012
"The magic is entirely pragmatic; the impossible, extraordinarily true. (Fantasy. 13 & up)"
An ancient Welsh king may be buried in the Virginia countryside; three privileged boys hope to disinter him.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 18, 2012
"Deeply moving and fast-paced, this life-affirming effort is a worthy addition to the bookshelves of sturdy readers. (Fiction. 12 & up)"
Key (
Alabama Moon, 2006, etc.) has crafted another powerful, riveting coming-of-age tale that doesn't stint on violence to advance the action.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 1, 2012
"Readers will learn much about the war in Afghanistan even as they cheer on this feisty protagonist. (author's note) (Fiction. 11 & up)"
In a follow-up that turns the Breadwinner Trilogy into a quartet, 15-year-old Parvana is imprisoned and interrogated as a suspected terrorist in Afghanistan.
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