"It's as if they take all our questions and offer them straight back: Who are you? Why are you here? What do you want?"
~ from Shaun Tan's Tales from Outer Suburbia |
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New and Recently Released!
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Afterworlds
by Scott Westerfeld
Fiction. Afterworlds contains two parallel stories: half of the chapters focus on Lizzie, who survives a terrorist attack only to discover that she's become a psychopomp who can see departed souls. The other chapters focus on Darcy, the 18-year-old author of Lizzie's story, which she's just sold to a major publisher. As Darcy edits her book and fumbles through life after high school, her experiences -- including falling for fellow YA author Imogen -- impact Lizzie's life and love in fascinating ways. Combining paranormal romance and coming-of-age drama, this novel-within-a-novel holds special appeal for die-hard YA readers, who will enjoy guessing which of Darcy's writer friends represent their favorite real-life authors.
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| Glory O'Brien's History of the Future by A.S. KingFiction. After a bizarre incident involving a mummified bat (don't ask), high school senior Glory O'Brien and her best frenemy Ellie suddenly develop the ability to see into a person's past and future. The shadow of her mother's suicide has always made Glory doubt her own fate, and as she's flooded with visions of an upcoming war in which women's rights are annihilated, Glory struggles to decide whether or not the future is worth fighting for. Smart, edgy, and darkly funny, Glory O'Brien's History of the Future is a great pick for older readers who enjoy exploring provocative ideas. |
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| The Young Elites by Marie LuFantasy. The author of the popular Legend trilogy is back with another series set in a dangerous dystopian world. Just like Legend, The Young Elites is told from multiple points of view, though the focus is on Adelina, a "malfetto" who survived the blood fever epidemic. Marked by mutations (she has silver hair and a missing eye), Adelina is cruelly abused by her father. After she realizes that her mutations include unusual powers, Adelina is recruited by the Young Elites -- a group of similarly talented malfettos -- and targeted by the sinister Inquisitor. Fans of Kristin Cashore's Fire won't want to miss this intense, captivating fantasy. |
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| How It Went Down by Kekla MagoonFiction. Everyone agrees on one thing: African-American teen Tariq Johnson was shot and killed in the street. What's unclear is what happened before. The shooter, who claims it was self-defense, is a white gang member -- so was Tariq was in a gang too? Some eyewitnesses say that Tariq had a gun, but others say it was a candy bar. Everyone has a different story, and as Tariq's loved ones grieve, the police, the media, and the community all take sides. With brief, fast-moving chapters that reveal the perspectives of Tariq's neighbors, family, friends, and enemies, this complex look at an all-too-realistic tragedy is sure to get people talking. |
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| Clariel: The Lost Abhorsen by Garth NixFantasy. Though many people in the Old Kingdom would love to live in the capital city of Belisaere, Clariel is resentful that her mother's job has forced them to move there. Prickly and willful, Clariel would rather be in the Great Forest, far from the King's court, boring Charter magic lessons, and an unwanted engagement. When political unrest explodes into violence and Free Magic rages through the city, Clariel's desire for freedom leads her to make choices that could have far-reaching and devastating effects. Set in a breathtaking fantasy world with an intricate system of magic, this prequel to the Abhorsen trilogy is a "thunderstorm of a tale" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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Focus on: Australia and New Zealand
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| Does My Head Look Big in This? by Randa Abdel-FattahFiction. Amal, a smart, funny 11th grader at a ritzy prep school in Melbourne, Australia has made a big (and, in her own words, possibly "psychotic") decision: she is going to start wearing the Muslim hijab, or head covering, all the time. Even though she wants to publicly affirm her Muslim faith, Amal isn't sure how to cope with her classmates' negative reactions...or how to deal with falling for a non-Muslim boy. Luckily, Amal has some very good friends who know what it's like to be different. |
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| The Midnight Dress by Karen FoxleeMystery. After the Harvest Parade in the coastal Australian town of Leonora, a girl in a midnight blue dress goes missing. But who was the girl? Was it pretty, spirited Pearl, or lonely outsider Rose? In lyrical, haunting language, The Midnight Dress gradually reveals the events leading up to the disappearance, including the growing friendship between the two girls, and Rose's sewing lessons with seamstress (and rumored witch) Edie Baker. Simmering with quiet suspense, this atmospheric read is perfect for fans of moody, multilayered mysteries. For another eerie tale that begins at the end, pick up Franny Billingsley's Chime. |
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| The Shattering by Karen HealeyParanormal Suspense. There's a serial killer on the loose in Summerton -- at least, that's what 17-year-old Keri suspects. Every year, one boy who visits the lush New Zealand resort takes his own life. Keri and her friends Janna and Sione all lost their brothers in this rash of suicides, and they're convinced that it's not just a horrible coincidence. Yet as they investigate the annual deaths, they learn that the truth may be even more unthinkable than murder. Check out author Karen Healey's first book, Guardian of the Dead, for another fantasy-infused story about diverse characters uncovering the dark side of a local legend. |
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| Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun TanFiction. A lot of different words could be used to describe this book: somber, mysteriously peculiar, beautiful, magical, weird, wonderful. Amazing, offbeat illustrations bring these 15 stories to life, taking ordinary settings in the 'burbs and mixing fantasy and enchantment into them. Dreamers, artists, and others who like to use their imaginations will love the strange (and yet oddly familiar) worlds that Australian author and artist Shaun Tan creates in Tales from Outer Suburbia. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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