Laybourne, Emmy. BERSERKER

Laybourne, Emmy. 
BERSERKER
New York : Feiwel and Friends, 2017
IL YA
ISBN 1250055202
This is part historical fiction and part fantasy. Hanne and her family live in Norway in 1883. Most of the children have inherited the power of the Nytte. These powers are a gift from the Norse gods and are handed down from generation to generation.  Hanne's father is a ship-wright. Older brother Steig is a storm-born.  But Hanne is a Berserker. These are the most dangerous of the Nyttes.  The Berserkers are killers.  If anyone Hanne loves is in danger, she can't help herself. And that is what happens.  Her father is in danger and Hanne's Nytte takes over. The men who threatened them are now dead as is her father. And now the kids are running for their lives. If they are found out, they will be killed.  They take a ship to America and head west searching for an uncle who they believe can help Hanne control her Nytte. But they are being chased by men who have a different idea of what should happen to them.

Green, John. TURTLES ALL THE WAY DOWN

Green, John. 
TURTLES ALL THE WAY DOWN
New York : Dutton, 2017
IL YA
ISBN 0525555366


Aza Holmes is 16 years old and losing her mind. She knows she should take her meds but just doesn't. Her anxiety is becoming more and more destructive. When the father of a boy she met in "Sad Camp" after her father died goes missing, she reconnects with Davis and learns that he has demons of his own that he is fighting. The two become close but Aza's demons won't let her be reallyclose to anyone. Aza questions her own existence and tries to find a way out of her fears. The spiral is getting tighter and she is not sure that she will ever learn to live with her demons.

Kessler, Liz. HAUNT ME

Kessler, Liz.
HAUNT ME
Somerville : Candlewick Press, 2017
IL YA
ISBN 0763691623


Joe doesn't quite understand what is happening. As he looks out his bedroom window, he sees his family leaving. For good. They are moving away and leaving him behind. He tries to shout and run after them but he can't. He is dead. He is a ghost and he is left in this room forever. But now a young girl has moved in. Erin can't see him or hear him but he relates to her. She is also a poet and seems as sad and confused as he is. When he tries to touch her, an amazing thing happens. She sees him. She knows he is there. They become friends and maybe a bit more. But this is crazy. Joe is dead and Erin is alive. Can they help each other go on?

Grehan, Meg. THE SPACE BETWEEN

Grehan, Meg.
THE SPACE BETWEEN
Dublin : Little Island, 2017
IL YA
ISBN 1910411590


New Year's Day. A time for new beginnings. A time for resolutions. For Beth, a time for a new start. A start as a recluse. She is battling mental illness and depression and she is terrified of the world. She believes the best way to get through her life is to close herself off. Each day is the same. She wakes up. She gets dressed. She reads. She goes back to bed. But then one day, there is a face at her window. It is a dog. A beautiful, friendly dog. Beth loves playing with him. But how will she cope when the dog's owner comes to get him? 

Charbonneau, Joelle. DIVIDING EDEN

Charbonneau, Joelle. 
DIVIDING EDEN

New York : HarperTeen, 2017
IL YA
ISBN 006245384X

Twins Carys and Andreus find themselves in a position they never imagined. Their father and older brother have been killed and now there is a need for a new ruler of Eden. Everyone expected it to be their mother but this is not to be. Since no one who attend their birth is still alive, there is no way to know which twin is the eldest and the rightful heir of the crown. This puts everyone in an awkward position.  The elders decide that there must be a series of challenges between Carys and Andreus that will determine who will wear the crown. How will that work? And will the kingdom discover that one of the twins is cursed? When the crown is on the line, will the twins stick together?

Thomas, Angie. THE HATE U GIVE

Thomas, Angie.  
THE HATE U GIVE
New York : Balzer + Bray, 2017
IL YA
ISBN  0062498533

Starr is straddling two worlds.  There is the black girl who lives in a poor black neighborhood with drugs and gang shootings. But during the day, she attends a fancy private school.  When she attends a party in the hood, things go terribly wrong.  There is a shooting and Starr and her friend Khalil leave to avoid the hassle.  On the way home, they are stopped by a policeman.  Starr remembers the rules her father told her -- be polite, keep your hands in sight, don't make any sudden moves.  But Khalil makes the mistake of questioning the police officer.  When Khalil looks back in the car to be sure Starr is OK, he is shot in the back of the head.  Now there are riots and lawyers and the grand jury.  Starr is the only witness and must come to terms with the fact that what she says can change the lives of so many people.  It could also end her's.

Daniels, April. DREADNOUGHT

Daniels, April. 
DREADNOUGHT
New York : Diversion Books, 2017

IL YA
ISBN 1682300684

One minute Danny is hiding behind the mall applying polish to her toes and wishing she could tell people that she is really a girl but in a boy's body.  The next minute, a flash of light and a dying superhero make her wish come true.  Sort of.  Danny can't believe when she looks down and sees that she is now a beautiful girl.  A picture perfect girl. But Dreadnought has also given his mantle to her. She now has superpowers!  She is only 15 and new to her girl body, how can she be expected to be the new Dreadnougt superhero?  She has her doubts as do others in the Legion. These are the white cape superheroes that protect the world from the black capes.  When she is told that she cannot be trained as a superhero until she turns 18, she is disappointed and relieved at the same time. After all, she doesn't feel very heroic and can't imagine fighting crime.  This is not going to go well for our hero.
Podcast: https://spark.adobe.com/video/eqneLLYDtT36U

Cumyn, Alan. HOT PTERODACTYL BOYFRIEND

Cumyn, Alan. 
HOT PTERODACTYL BOYFRIEND

New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2016
IL YA
ISBN 1481439804


Imagine that you are the student body president and everyone looks up to you. You have your whole life organized and everything is where it should be. Now imagine you are outside and see a black dot coming closer and closer in the sky.  And then your realize that the black dot is actually a pterodactyl!  What??  How is that even possible? Well, Pyke is the first interspecies exchange student at the school.  And as student body president, it is up to you to be sure he feels welcomed and fits in.  Did I mention that Pyke is a pterodactyl?  Who speaks English but not so well.  And all the girls think he's hot and want to date him.  Did I mention that he is a pterodactyl?
Podcast: https://spark.adobe.com/video/6BGpOc0vzIh5k

Charbonneau, Joelle. NEED

Charbonneau, Joelle.
NEED
New York : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015
IL YA

ISBN 0544416694


Do you know the difference between a "want" and a "need"? A "want" is a desire to possess or do something. A wish. A "need" is something required because it is essential. Something very important that you cannot live without. When the students of a small school in Wisconsin are invited to join a new social media site, the question is "What do you need?" Some students ask for new phones or new exercise equipment or good grades. The site, NEED, grants the requests with a demand that the students invite others at the school to join the network. Easy enough. When Kaylee joins, she asks for a new kidney for her brother who will die without one. NEED tells her it will be granted. She isn't required to invite any students. But once all the students are members, NEED requests the students perform certain tasks in order to be granted their need . They seem like pranks. Putting a box on a door step or delivering notes to people. But are these harmless pranks what they seem to be? Just who is behind  NEED? And why is it limited to students of Nottawa High School?
Podcast:  https://spark.adobe.com/video/TlbdkNwxS4UnF

Walters, Eric. WILL TO SURVIV3

Walters, Eric.  
WILL TO SURVIV3   
New York : Farrar, Straus Giroux, 2016

IL YA
ISBN 0374301816


It has been a few months since the world went dark.  All devices that were controlled by computers have failed.  The residents of Eden Mills have been doing better than most.  They have banded together and fortified their neighborhood.  Life isn't perfect, but they are doing OK.  Now it is time to look outward for more allies.  Some neighborhoods have things to trade and Herb, Adam and the rest of the community is out to find out what. It is not always safe to approach new people. But maybe the biggest threat they will face comes from within.


Podcast: https://spark.adobe.com/video/vElNxihSzlTHF

Walters, Eric. FIGHT FOR POW3R

Walters, Eric.  
FIGHT FOR POW3R
New York : Farrar, Straus Giroux, 2016
IL YA

ISBN 0374301794


It's been 66 days since the power went out and things are changing for those in the the Eden Mills neighborhood.  They have barricaded the neighborhood behind a wall and they are probably doing better than most.  But when you have a good thing, others are always trying to take it away.  They have been able to eliminate one major threat but they know that there are others out there who want to destroy them.  The neighborhood is being lead by Herb, an ex-spy, and they are lucky to have him.  Teenager Adam has proven his worth by piloting the ultralight that allows him to monitor the surrounding areas and look for danger.  A tent city has grown up around the walls that may mean danger as well.  Although Adam and his girlfriend Lori have befriended some of the people in the city, there isn't enough food in Eden Mills to welcome any more residents.  Tensions are mounting.  What will our survivors face as the blackout continues and the food runs out?   



Podcast: https://spark.adobe.com/video/1lDvhMf4xwfR0

Nielsen-Fernlund, Susin. WE ARE ALL MADE OF MOLECULES

Nielsen-Fernlund, Susin.  
WE ARE ALL MADE OF MOLECULES
New York : Ember, 2016
IL YAISBN 0553496891

Told in alternate perspectives, we meet Stewart and Ashley and their families as they try to come together and merge into one.  Stewart is 13 and he is a socially clueless genius.  He is still mourning his mother's death but willing to try to make the new arrangement work. He has had to leave his school, Little Genius Academy and transfer to public school. But he has been put in 9th grade in the high school. Ashley is rather vapid and only concerned with appearances. She is popular with the other kids but not good with academics. She is still reeling from her parent's breakup. Not only did they not get along, it turns out her father is gay. She just can't accept that. .  Appearance is everything. And her father is now living in the small house out back.  And she won't accept that her mother has moved on and brought this geeky kid into their home.  So now we have two families who are very different trying to blend. Both funny and moving, this is a book full of molecules colliding.

Podcast: https://spark.adobe.com/video/wxL0qWgV3Jesq

Grigson, Natalie. THE FANTASTIC FABLE OF PETER ABLE

Grigson, Natalie.  
THE FANTASTIC FABLE OF PETER ABLE
Kindle Press, 2015
IL YA

Peter is a boy wizard.  He is the hero of his own series of books. He lives in the land of Fiction and he is dependent on his Real World Author to keep him going.  But now the author has decided to end the series. Peter is now free of plotlines and can do what he wants. He is even free to appear in other books.  But what is freedom?  Will Peter be able to find a life without a plot line?

Podcast: https://spark.adobe.com/video/4pd5oQympj2Wm

Dowd, Siobhan. THE PAVEE AND THE BUFFER GIRL

Dowd, Siobhan.
THE PAVEE AND THE BUFFER GIRL
Edinburgh : The Bucket List, 2017
IL YA

ISBN 018172832

Jim and his family are Travellers living in Ireland.  Jim doesn't want to go to school where the kids call him a tinker or dirty gyp or worse.  But the law is the law and the Irish government has dictated that the Travellers must send their children to school.  Now Jim has to spend time with the buffers or settled children.  And he knows the taunts and beatings will begin.  What he doesn't expect is that there is one buffer girl who is kind to him.  Is that enough to get him through this?

Podcast: https://spark.adobe.com/video/ksD2snIVjo1yb

Cass, Kiera. THE SIREN

Cass, Kiera.  
THE SIREN

HarperTeen, 2016
IL YA
ISBN 0062391992

Even though it has been 80 years, Kahlen still has trouble living the life of a siren.  She loves the ocean and her sister sirens, but she just can't stand their mission.  They sing and cause disasters at sea.  Each time the ocean tells them to sing, Kahlen dreads their mission.  In between singings, they live very nice lives. The only stipulation is that they can't talk to humans.  Their voices cause humans to drown so they live lives as mutes.  And they have no human friends.  When Kahlen meets a wonderful young man, she knows she can't be involved with him. But there is just something about him that keeps her coming back.Podcast: https://spark.adobe.com/video/1FUJDXWWchWA1

Castroman, Nicole. BLACKSOULS

Castroman, Nicole.  

BLACKSOULS
New York : Simon Pulse, 2017

IL YA
ISBN 1481491059

In the second volume of the series, we find Anne and Teach each crossing the ocean to Nassau on separate ships.  Neither of them have an easy passage.  Anne is on a ship where the crew is as dangerous as the voyage.  Fortunately, another passenger keeps her safe.  Teach's ship is attacked by pirates and the captain is totally unable to deal with the situation.  This leads Teach to mutiny to save the ship.  This leads to all sorts of problems when they get to Nassau.  As much as Anne and Teach want to be together and make a new life in Nassau, things are getting worse.

Podcast: https://spark.adobe.com/video/hxig1fqF7YzeR

Leveen, Tom. SHACKLED

Leveen, Tom.  
SHACKLED
New York : Simon Pulse, 2015
IL YA
ISBN 1481422499
Pelly struggles with mood swings and anxiety. She has trouble being in public and has tried for years to overcome her issues.  They stem back to six years ago when she and her best friend were little.  They were playing a game of hide and seek in a department store. And Tara disappeared.  Pelly blames herself and has been trying to cope ever since.  She now works part time in a coffee shop and takes classes online.  When she thinks she sees Tara at the shop, her world starts spinning.  No one believes her that it was Tara.  After all, everyone assumes she died years ago.  As Pelly continues to investigate, she is joined by another employee of the coffee shop.  This girl really couldn't have been Tara, could it?



Podcast: https://spark.adobe.com/video/h07vQ9VJgnqL0

Jones, Tayari. LEAVING ATLANTA

Jones, Tayari. 
LEAVING ATLANTA   
New York : Warner Books, 2002
IL YA
ISBN 0446528307

Three children growing up in Atlanta in 1979 find their world complicated by unimaginable events.  We meet LaTasha.  Social dynamics are changing and girls she thought were her friends are treating her badly.  When Jashante shows some interest in her, she is really torn about what is going on.  Then there is Rodney, too weird to have any friends. He is the brunt of jokes and is usually seen by himself reading.  The last part of the story is told by Octavia -- too black and too outspoken. She tries to be nice to other students but she still finds herself sitting alone in the lunchroom while kids call her names.  All the kids are also going through issues at home.  When the child murders begin, the kids' lives get even harder.

Podcast: https://spark.adobe.com/video/uzQ2V2oVTus8b

Atkins, Jeanne. STONE MIRRORS : THE SCULPTURE AND SILENCE OF EDMONIA LEWIS

Atkins, Jeanne.  STONE MIRRORS : THE SCULPTURE AND SILENCE OF EDMONIA LEWIS
New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2017
IL YA
ISBN 1481459058

This is a fictional account of sculptor Edmonia Lewis.  Lewis was the daughter of an Ojibwe woman and an African Haitian man.  Her father left before she was born and her mother passed away when she was young.  Lewis studied at Oberlin but was asked to leave after being falsely accused of poisoning and theft.  She moved to Boston and was able to get some work creating busts of famous Civil War heroes.  The world really opened for her when she received a commission to create a marble statue of Abraham Lincoln.  Lewis was able to move to Italy and began working in marble.  Although not much is known about Lewis, Atkins uses verse to tell the story of what we do know.

Podcast: https://spark.adobe.com/video/WuabWKYtDhJHI

Madonia, Kristen-Paige. INVISIBLE FAULT LINES

Madonia, Kristen-Paige. INVISIBLE FAULT LINES
New York : Simon & Schuster, 2016
IL YA
ISBN 1481430718

Callie's father has disappeared.  He simply didn't come home from work one day.  No warning.  No reason.  He is just gone.  As Callie tries to come to terms with her father's disappearance, her friends try to help her cope.  When they take her to an art exhibit, Callie cannot believe her eyes.  There in a photograph from the 1906 earthquake is a man who looks exactly like Callie's father.  Of course that can't be him.  The story then shifts to the earthquake's aftermath and we meet a man who cannot remember who he is and how he got there.  How can these two stories be related?


Podcast:  https://spark.adobe.com/video/myNVGP8P8U47G

Karo, Aaron. ME YOU US

Karo, Aaron.  ME YOU US
New York : Simon Pulse, 2016
IL YA
ISBN 1481440640
Shane has had his heart broken.  Many high school kids feel this at one time or other.  But for Shane, it came out of the blue and he vowed to try to figure out why.  While studying the situation, Shane comes up with the secret of dating.  He devises a formula, or Galgorithm and becomes the go to guy for students (and a teacher or two).  He tries to keep his role a secret and certainly doesn't take any money for the lessons.  His Galgorithm works great for others.  So why is he alone?


Podcast:  https://spark.adobe.com/video/qjgsing1qNr3D

Carbone, Courtney. MACBETH #KILLINGIT

Carbone, Courtney.  MACBETH #KILLINGIT
New York : Random House, 2016
IL YA
ISBN 0553538802

Have you heard of the Shakespeare play Macbeth?  It is one of his better-known tragedies that has been a favorite for centuries.  But you probably have never seen it like this.  Carbone has adapted this play and retold the story in texts!  What do you think?
Podcast:  https://spark.adobe.com/video/glNTW8P5lbf5g

Budhos, Marina Tamar. WATCHED

Budhos, Marina Tamar.  WATCHED
New York : Wendy Lamb, 2016
IL YAISBN 0553534181

Meet Naeem Rahman.  He spends his days cutting classes and running the streets of Queens.  Since his family immigrated from Bangledesh, he feels like he has to keep running.  When a friend tricks him into shoplifting, Naeem's life takes a drastic turn.  Instead of feeling he is being watched by all the cameras and police, Naeem agrees to become the one watching.  To stay out of jail, he agrees to spy on his neighbors and report back about suspicious activities.  From the mosque to the streets to the people in the neighborhood, Naeem reports on them all.
Podcast:  https://spark.adobe.com/video/5PNBJlBNpfQmn

Tremayne, Peter. ABSOLUTION BY MURDER : A SISTER FIDELMA MYSTERY

Tremayne, Peter.  ABSOLUTION BY MURDER : A SISTER FIDELMA MYSTERY
New York : Signet, 1994
IL AD
ISBN 0451192990
The story takes place in medieval England in the seventh-century.  King Oswy of Northunbria has called an assembly of representatives from Ireland, Britain and Rome to determine which Church doctrine the Kingdom of Northumbria will follow. There is a divide between the Irish faction and the Roman faction.  But all this takes a new direction when one of the main speakers is murdered.  Sister Fidelma, an advocate of the courts of Ireland, is called upon to solve the murder.  Did the murder have anything to do with the assembly?  Or were there other motives involved? This is the first of a series about Sister Fidelma.


Podcast: https://spark.adobe.com/video/dR9HUZLqt98lU