I'll Read Anything . . . Except Romance

Sometimes you want a story with action.  Sometimes you want a story with magic.  And sometimes you will read anything . . . as long as it doesn't have romance in it.  Here are some of my favorite teen books that don't have any romance in them . . . .

Plain Kate by Erin Bow
Plain Kate's odd appearance and expertise as a woodcarver cause some to think her a witch, but friendship with a talking cat and, later, with humans help her to survive and even thrive in a world of magic, charms, and fear.

The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
Gen flaunts his ingenuity as a thief and relishes the adventure which takes him to a remote temple of the gods where he will attempt to steal a precious stone.

Deadline by Chris Crutcher
Given the medical diagnosis of one year to live, high school senior Ben Wolf decides to fulfill his greatest fantasies, ponders his life's purpose and legacy, and converses through dreams with a spiritual guide known as "Hey-Soos."

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Through journal entries sixteen-year-old Miranda describes her family's struggle to survive after a meteor hits the moon, causing worldwide tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
When a plane crash strands thirteen teen beauty contestants on a mysterious island, they struggle to survive, to get along with one another, to combat the island's other diabolical occupants, and to learn their dance numbers in case they are rescued in time for the competition.


More Teen Books Without Romance --
Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins
Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman
Cuckoo Song by Frances Hardinger
Dangerous by Shannon Hale
Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
The Eye of Minds by James Dashner
The Gardener by S.A. Bodeen
The Golden Day by Ursula Dubosarsky
Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride
How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon
I Am Princess X by Cherie Priest
Jackaby by William Ritter
Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis
Monster by Walter Dean Myers
The Monstrumologist by Richard Yancey
Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi
Terrier by Tamora Pierce


Check these books out on display at the Arnold Branch through May 28, 2021.

Picture Books on the Go!

 Transportation books are always a big hit with kids.  Here are a few of my favorites to read . . . .

Sakes Alive! A Cattle Drive by Karma Wilson

Two cows, Mabel and Molly, take the farmer's truck and go for an eventful joyride into town.

And the Train Goes -- by William Bee

As assorted passengers comment on their train ride, and the train itself goes "Clickerty click, clickerty clack, " the station parrot is carefully listening to every sound.

Truck Full of Ducks by Ross Burach

Did you call for a truck full of ducks? Join the flock on this wacky call-and-response ride to find out just WHO did--and why.

Freight Train by Donald Crews

Brief text and illustrations trace the journey of a colorful train as it goes through tunnels, by cities, and over trestles.

Zoom, Rocket, Zoom by Margaret Mayo

Rhythmic text depicts astronauts exploring outer space.

More Transportation Picture Books --

Away We Go by Migy

Boats: Speeding! Sailing! Cruising! by Patricia Hubbell

The Bus Is for Us by Michael Rosen

Choo-Choo School by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Flight 1-2-3 by Maria Van Lieshout

From Ed's to Ned's by Gideon Sterer

How to Track a Truck by Jason Carter Eaton

I'm Smart! by Kate McMullan

Let's Go: The Story of Getting from There to Here by Lizann Flatt

Maxi the Taxi by Elizabeth Upton

Motor Mouse by Cynthia Rylant

My Bike by Byron Barton

Old MacDonald's Things That Go by Jane Clarke

The Princess and the Pit Stop by Tom Angleberger

Red Truck by Kersten Hamilton

The Runaway No-Wheeler by Peter Stein

Sebastian and the Balloon by Philip Christian Stead

Speed by Nathan Clement

Subway Story by Julia Sarcone-Roach

The Thunderbolt Express by Matthew Porter

Tiny Little Rocket by Richard Collingridge

Trucker and Train by Hannah Stork

Two Dogs on a Trike by Gabrielle Snyder

Two Little Trains by Margaret Wise Brown

We're All in the Same Boat by Zachary Shapiro

Check out these and more transportation picture books on display at the Arnold Branch through May 21, 2021.

Read! Laugh! Repeat! Funny Chapter Books

Sometimes we all need a good laugh!  So today, I'm sharing some funny chapter books for kids.  Here a few of my favorites . . . .

Not Just a Witch by Eva Ibbotson
Determined to be more than just an ordinary witch, Heckie, whose speciality is changing people into animals, settles in a small town determined to use her powers for good purposes.

Superfudge by Judy Blume

Not only must Peter Hatcher cope with the mischievous antics of his younger brother Fudge, but also with the arrival of a new baby and his family's impending move to New Jersey.

Flat Broke by Gary Paulsen

Fourteen-year-old Kevin is a hard worker, so when his income is cut off he begins a series of businesses, from poker games to selling snacks, earning money to take a girl to a dance, but his partners soon tire of his methods.

Petlandia by Peter Hannan

Feline Madame Wigglesworth is outraged when her privileged position in the house is usurped by a mere dog, Grub, so she comes up with a plan to expel the humans and put the pets, namely herself, in charge.

The Crims by Kate Davies

When her notoriously inept family of criminals is wrongly accused, Imogen, the only truly skilled criminal, uses her skills to clear their names

More Funny Books --

The Day the Mustache Took Over by Alan Katz

Camp Shady Crook by Lee Gjertsen Malone

Guys Read: Funny Business edited by Jon Sciescka

Hunter Moran Saves the Universe by Patricia Reilly Giff

Jake the Fake Keeps It Real by Craig Robinson

Kid Normal by Greg James

The League of Unexceptional Children by Gitty Daneshvari

Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds

The Magicians of Elephant County by Adam Perry

My Zombie Hamster by Havelock McCreely

Olivia Kidney by Ellen Potter

The Wild Bunch by Jan Gangsei

Check these books out on display at the Arnold Branch through May 14, 2021.

Novels in Verse for Teens

 April is National Poetry Month.  Celebrate this year by reading a novel in verse.  Here are a few of my favorites for teens . . . .

Keesha's House by Helen Frost

Seven teens facing such problems as pregnancy, closeted homosexuality, and abuse each describe in poetic forms what caused them to leave home and where they found home again.

Kissing Annabel by Steven Herrick

Sixteen-year-old Jack woos beautiful Annabel, and, through their relationship, he copes with his mother's death.

Vanilla by Billy Merrell

Told in a series of blank verse poems, two boys Van (called Vanilla) and Hunter tell of their relationship which began before they were teenagers, but foundered in high school, mostly because Hunter thinks they should be having sex and Vanilla is not so sure.

One by Sarah Crossan

Despite problems at home, sixteen-year-old conjoined twins Tippi and Grace are loving going to school for the first time and making real friends when they learn that a cardiac problem will force them to have separation surgery, which they have never before considered.

White Rose by Kip Wilson

Tells the story of Sophie Scholl, a young German college student who challenges the Nazi regime during World War II as part of the White Rose, a non-violent resistance group.

More Novels in Verse for Teens --

500 Words of Less by Juleah Del Rosario

And We Stay by Jenny Hubbard

Ask Me How I Got Here by Christine Heppermann

Being Toffee by Sarah Crossan

Every Body Looking by Candice Iloh

Exposed by Kimberly Marcus

Freakboy by Kristen Elizabeth Clark

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

Perfect by Ellen Hopkins

Punching the Air by Ibi Aanu Zoboi

Saving Red by Sonia Sones

The Snow Fell Three Graves Deep: Voices from the Donner Party by Allan Wolf

Sold by Patricia McCormick
Three Things I Know Are True by Betty Culley

Voices: The Final Hours of Joan of Arc by David Elliott

The Way the Light Bends by Cordelia Jensen

Wicked Girls: A Novel of the Salem Witch Trials by Stephanie Hemphill

Check these books out on display at the Arnold Branch through April 30, 2021.