Go On an Adventure (With a Book)

This week, I'm sharing some great teen fiction adventure stories . . . .

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber
Perry's parents insist that he take Gobi, their quiet, Lithuanian exchange student, to senior prom but after an incident at the dance he learns that Gobi is actually a trained assassin who needs him as a henchman, behind the wheel of his father's precious Jaguar, on a mission in Manhattan.

Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid
A love-seeking mechanic, a dramatic petty thief, a disappointed planner, and a broken-hearted teen all find their lives transformed as each shares whirlwind adventures with a girl in an insanely red car.

Newt's Emerald by Garth Nix
After the Newington Emerald is stolen at the height of a conjured storm, eighteen-year-old Lady Truthful Newington goes to London, disguised as a man, to search for the magical heirloom of her house, and is soon caught up in a dangerous adventure where she must risk her life, her reputation, and her heart.

The Murderer's Ape by Jackob Wegelius
When her best friend, the sailor Henry Koskela, is falsely accused of murder, a gorilla named Sally Jones visits the run-down docks of Lisbon, embarks on a dizzying journey across the seven seas, and calls on the Maharaja of Bhapur's magnificent court--all in an attempt to clear Henry's name.


More Adventurous Books --
After the Snow by S.D. Crockett
Burning Midngiht by Will McIntosh
Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson
Heaven Eyes by David Almond
Hunted by Megan Spooner
The Lioness & Her Knight by Gerald Morris
Palace of Spies by Sarah Zettel
Paper Towns by John Green
The Prom Goer's Interstellar Excursion by Chris McCoy
The Reader by Traci Chee
Soundless by Richelle Mead
Starflight by Melissa Landers
Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee
Vango: Between the Sky and Earth by Timothee de Fombelle
Waste of Space by Gina Damico
Wild Blues by Beth Kephart

Check these books out on display at the Arnold Branch through September 7, 2018.

Laugh Out Loud

Sometimes we just need a good laugh.  So this week, I'm sharing some of my favorite funny teen books . . . .

Dealing With Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
Bored with traditional palace life, a princess goes off to live with a group of dragons and soon becomes involved with fighting against some disreputable wizards who want to steal away the dragons' kingdom.

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.

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schrieber
Perry's parents insist that he take Gobi, their Lithuanian exchange student, to senior prom but after an incident at the dance he learns that Gobi is actually an assassin who needs him as a henchman on a mission in Manhattan.

There Is No Dog by Meg Rosoff
When the beautiful Lucy prays to fall in love, God, an irresponsible youth named Bob, chooses to answer her prayer personally, to the dismay of this assistant, Mr. B who must try to clean up the resulting catastrophes.

My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins & Fenway Park by Steve Kluger
Three teenagers in Boston narrate their experiences of a year of new friendships, first loves, and coming into their own.


More Funny Books --
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway
The Boy Recession by Flynn Meaney
Boys Don't Knit (In Public) by T.S. Easton
Evil Librarian by Michelle Knudsen
Fat Kid Rules the World by K.L. Going
Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith
I Woke Up Dead at the Mall by Judy Sheehan
Noggin by John Corey Whaley
Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg
Seriously Wicked by Tina Connolly
Soul Enchilada by David Gill
Thieving Weasels by Billy Taylor
Three Clams and an Oyster by Randy Powell
The Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy by Kate Hattemer
We Are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielsen

Check these books out on display at the Arnold Branch through October 13, 2017.

Plugged In: Books About Gaming & Computers

Do you have a computer obsessed kid?  They only want to play video games?  Try one of these books about gaming or computers . . .

Game Over, Pete Watson by Joe Schreiber
When videogame obsessed Pete Watson discovers his dad is not only a super-spy but has been kidnapped and is now trapped inside a video game, he has to use his super gaming skills and enter the game to rescue him.

Secret Coders by Gene  Luan Yang
Attending an elite school where enterprising students are challenged to solve a variety of clues and puzzles using computer programming, Hopper and her friend, Eni, resolve to crack the school founder's most elusive mystery together.

Trackers by Patrick Carman
Adam, Finn, Lewis, and Emily use their computer coding skills and high-tech equipment to catch criminals, but when they begin to track Shantorian, a dangerous hacker, things do not play out as easily as the four Trackers predict. Includes passwords for Web content.

Saving Thanehaven by Catherine Jinks
Set in a computer game, a knight is swayed away from the game's rules by the promise of winning the affections of a princess and ending his life of torment.


More Books --
Brainboy and the Deathmaster by Tor Seidler
Herbert's Wormhole by Peter Nelson
Into the Labyrinth by Rod Townley
Lunch Lady and the Video Game Villain by Jarrett Krosoczka
The Nerdy Dozen by Jeff Miller
Seriously, Norman! by Christopher Raschka
Slacker by Gordan Korman
The Tapper Twins Got to War (With Each Other) by Geoff Rodkey
The Time Hackers by Gary Paulsen
Virtual Fred and the Big Dip by Vincent Courtney


Check out these books on display at the Arnold Branch through September 2, 2016.

Fierce Females -- They Don't Need a Hero, They Are the Hero

I love stories with a great female lead.  It's wonderful to read of the girl saving the day instead of waiting meekly for a guy to do it.  So here are some of my favorite fierce females in teen stories . . .

Graceling by Kristin Cashore
In a world where some people are born with extreme and often-feared skills called Graces, Katsa struggles for redemption from her own horrifying Grace, the Grace of killing, and teams up with another young fighter to save their land from a corrupt king.

Avalon High by Meg Cabot
Having moved to Annapolis, Maryland, with her medievalist parents, high school junior Ellie enrolls at Avalon High School where several students may or may not be reincarnations of King Arthur and his court.

Prom Dates from Hell by Rosemary Clement-Moore
High school senior and yearbook photographer Maggie thought she would rather die than go to prom, but when a classmate summons a revenge-seeking demon, she has no choice but to buy herself a dress and prepare to face jocks, cheerleaders, and Evil Incarnate.

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber
Perry's parents insist that he take Gobi, their quiet, Lithuanian exchange student, to senior prom but after an incident at the dance he learns that Gobi is actually a trained assassin who needs him as a henchman, behind the wheel of his father's precious Jaguar, on a mission in Manhattan.

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 Fierce Females --
Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld
Dangerous by Shannon Hale
Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Dumplin' by Julie Murphy
Dust Girl by Sarah Zettel
Fallout by Gwenda Bond
Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
Hunter by Mercedes Lackey
I Become Shadow by Joe Shine
Impossible by Nancy Werlin
Picture Me Gone by Meg Rosoff
Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins
Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein
A School for Unusual Girls by Kathleen Baldwin
Seeker by Arwen Dayton
Sorrow's Knot by Erin Bow
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
The Wicked and the Just by Jillian Coats


Check out these books on display at the Arnold Branch through April 8, 2016.

Teenage Assassins

This past weekend I watched the movie Hanna about a teen girl who was trained by her father to assassinate the woman who killed her mother.  This led me to thinking how many teen books feature teen assassins.  Here's just a few of them . .  .

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber
Perry's parents insist that he take Gobi, their quiet, Lithuanian exchange student, to senior prom but after an incident at the dance he learns that Gobi is actually a trained assassin who needs him as a henchman, behind the wheel of his father's precious Jaguar, on a mission in Manhattan.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore
In a world where some people are born with extreme and often-feared skills called Graces, Katsa struggles for redemption from her own horrifying Grace, the Grace of killing, and teams up with another young fighter to save their land from a corrupt king.

Boy Nobody by Allen Zadoff
Sixteen-year-old Boy Nobody, an assassin controlled by a shadowy government organization, The Program, considers sabotaging his latest mission because his target reminds him of the normal life he craves.

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
After she has served a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, Crown Prince Dorian offers eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien her freedom on the condition that she act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Grave Mercy by Robin La Fevers
In the fifteenth-century kingdom of Brittany, seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where she learns that the god of Death has blessed her with dangerous gifts--and a violent destiny.