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: 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. 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: 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: 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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CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 1, 2012
"An uplifting story that convincingly celebrates the power of perseverance. (Fiction. 14 & up)"
Two unlikely teens find a connection despite the reluctance of one and the vastly different life obstacles they confront.
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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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