Click on the cover to find it in a library near you!
Belles
By Jen Calonita. Fifteen-year-old Izzie's life is turned upside down when her aging grandmother's health declines and she is sent from her oceanside hometown to Emerald Cove, NC to live with wealthy relatives and in anmore privileged society. While Izzie struggles to fit in as a "have-not" among the "haves," her cousin Mira is under increasing pressure from social queen Savannah to sabotage Izzie's adjustment.
The Perks of Being A Wallflower
By Stephen Chbosky. In letters to an unknown friend, Charlie records the struggles of his freshman year in high school, exacerbated by the suicide of his best friend. While making new friends, experimenting with drugs, alcohol, and sex, and articulating his struggles to make sense of it all, Charlie progresses from a friendless wallflower to an emerging adult, willing to face the ghosts of his own past.
Cheeseland
By Randy Richardson. Two friends torn apart by a suicide seek to mend their relationship on a road trip to Wisconsin. Lance and Daniel come to terms with the tragedy in their lives in different ways along the road.
Crossing the Tracks
By Barbara Stuber. Iris, a fifteen-year-old girl living in Missouri in the 1920's, is initially unhappy when her distant father sends her away to serve as caregiver to a country doctor's elderly mother. She ends up finding more there than she expected, however, in a new friendship, her first love, and the ethical dilemma of an abusive neighbor. Morris Award Finalist (2011).
Stolen: A Letter to My Captor
By Lucy Christopher. While on vacation, Gemma is abducted and taken to the Australian outback by handsome Ty, who's been obsessed with her for years. Gemma wrestles with fluctuating emotions towards both Ty and the beautiful outback as she discovers more of his past. Printz Honor Book (2011).
The Virgin Suicides
By Jeffrey Eugenides. In the 1970's, the five teenage daughters of the Lisbon family each committed suicide. Decades later, the nameless narrator relates the obsession that drove him and his friends to investigate, and attempt to rescue, the Lisbon girls, even as each one slipped away from them.
Paper Covers Rock
By Jenny Hubbard. When Alex witnesses the drunken, drowning death of a good friend the summer before his junior year, he is overcome with guilt but controlled by fear. He lies about what happened to cover his tracks and to protect Glen, who was also present. The young new English teacher who is encouraging his poetic abilities suspects there is more to the story, and Alex faces a difficult choice between loyalty to Glenn and honesty to Miss Dovecott. Morris Award Nominee (2012).
The Freak Observer
By Blythe Woolston. When Loa witnesses the tragic accident that kills her friend Esther, it is only the latest in a series of distressing events in her life. Her little sister Asta has also died of a genetic disorder, leaving Loa confused, nightmare-ridden, and searching for answers. Morris Award (2011).
PUnkzilla
By Adam Rapp. Jamie, better known as Punkzilla, ditches military school and a life of petty crime for a road trip across the country. His mission: to reconnect with his gay playwright brother, who is dying from cancer. Printz Honor Book (2010).
Absolute Brightness
By James Lecesne. Phoebe is less than thrilled when her outlandish cousin Leonard comes to live with her family. He doesn't fit in anywhere but also doesn't seem to care. When he suddenly disappears, Phoebe realizes she misses him more than she expected and struggles with regret and anger as the family seeks answers. Morris Award Finalist (2009).