Steampunk-style jewelry : Victorian, fantasy, and mechanical designs, necklaces,bracelets, and earrings

by Jean Campbell
The popularity of steampunk, a subgenre of science fiction, has branched out to clothing and jewelry, which incorporates watch gears, chains, and filigree to create an industrial look. Beadwork magazine founding editor Campbell's projects involve found materials, so creative substitution is required. Covering a growing trend, this is recommended,

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Enchanted adornments : creating mixed-media jewelry with metal clay, wire, resin + more

by Cynthia Thornton
Presented in the style of an artist's journal, this handbook uses an informal, conversational approach to teach a wide variety of innovative mixed-media jewelry techniques. All basic techniques are made clear via step-by-step photography.

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The poison diaries

by Maryrose Wood
Readers will be intrigued by both the romance and complex moral questions in this fantasy set in late-18th-century England. Jessamine, 16, lives with her apothecary father, in the remote countryside near Alnwick Castle. As she keeps house and tends to the gardens, there is one place she is forbidden to go: only her father enters the locked apothecary garden where he nurtures poisonous plants collected from all over the world. Their pastoral existence is interrupted by the unexpected arrival of Weed, a straggly teenage orphan who has an inexplicable knowledge of the medicinal uses of plants.

Told mostly in Jessamine's voice, the story has a compelling sense of urgency and mystery. The book is based on a concept by the current Duchess of Northumberland who created the real Poison Garden at Alnwick Castle.
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Dr. Horrible and other horrible stories

by Zach WhedonBased on the Emmy Award-winning web series Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, this collection of stories written by Zack Whedon (Deadwood, Fringe) chronicles some of the earliest adventures in the lives of archenemies Captain Hammer and Dr. Horrible. This anthology solves many unanswered questions left over from the show. For instance: What event inspired Dr. Horrible to become the world's greatest criminal mastermind? Why is Penny, the beautiful girl from the Laundromat, still single? How can you, the reader, be like blustering do-gooder Captain Hammer? And why is Horrible's sidekick, Moist, so... um... well, you'll find out!

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Brains for lunch : a zombie novel in haiku?!

by K.A.Holt
How many stories feature a middle school with a student body composed of zombies, monsters, and regular kids, and how often are such stories told through a series of nearly 100 haiku poems? Loeb, a zombie, is the main character, and he manages to win a poetry competition, develop a crush on the school librarian, and wind up with a regular-kid girlfriend, all despite his taste for human brains. Teachers preparing to introduce their classes to haiku are bound to welcome this outrageous effort. A funny, irreverent, and unconventional verse offering that's sure to find wide curricular appeal.
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Earth (the book) : a visitor's guide to the human race

by Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart and the writers of The Daily Show embark on a massive mission to write a book that summed up the human race: What we looked like; what we accomplished; our achievements in society, government, religion, science and culture. Here is the definitive guide to our species--completely unburdened by objectivity, journalistic integrity, or even accuracy.


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Beautiful brows : the ultimate guide to styling, shaping, and maintaining your eyebrows

by Nancy Parker
Discover the best brow shape for your face. Learn what to do with too much or too little hair. Determine the pros and cons of waxing vs. tweezing. Maintain your new look. Filled with illustrations and easy-to-follow instructions,Beautiful Browswill show you the secrets for getting the look you want, whether it's sexy, elegant, polished, professional, or just plain beautiful.
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Backyard Ballistics

by William GurstelleOrdinary folks can construct 13 awesome ballistic devices in their garage or basement workshops using inexpensive household or hardware store materials and this step-by-step guide. Clear instructions, diagrams, and photographs show how to build projects ranging from the simple—a match-powered rocket—to the more complex—a scale-model, table-top catapult—to the offbeat—a tennis ball cannon. With a strong emphasis on safety, the book also gives tips on troubleshooting, explains the physics behind the projects, and profiles scientists and extraordinary experimenters such as Alfred Nobel, Robert Goddard, and Isaac Newton. This book will be indispensable for the legions of backyard toy-rocket launchers and fireworks fanatics who wish every day was the fourth of July.
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Wanted: A Pretty Little Liars Novel

by Sara Shepard
The eighth title in the popular Pretty Little Liars series is here!

Former best friends Hanna, Aria, Spencer, and Emily, who lost their best friend and leader, Alison, years ago when she disappeared, find themselves in grave danger when they pursue the truth about Alison.

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Glee: The Beginning

By Sophia Lowell
This prequel to the television show explores what happened before Mr. Schuester took over the glee club, showing the beginning of Puck and Quinn's romance and how the club functioned without its leader. Based on the blockbuster musical-comedy on FOX, this original novel reflects the show's intelligent comedic sensibility and quirky, heartfelt storylines.

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The Ghost and the Goth

by Stacey Kade
Gr 8 Up-Alona Dare was the most popular girl in her high school class, or at least she was until she was run over by a school bus. Returning to the scene of her death as a ghost, she anticipates overwhelming grief at her untimely death. To her surprise, her classmates quickly move on. Not only that, but weird outcast Will Killian can see and hear her. Alona, used to getting her own way, haunts Will until he agrees to help her figure out how to progress from ghosthood to the big white light that she keeps expecting. Will has problems of his own; namely that every ghost in Groundsboro High, including a seething black mass of energy, now knows that he can see them, and they all want him to carry out their last wishes. Will and Alona have to work together to get the ghosts to stop tormenting Will, and to figure out exactly what Alona has to do in order to move on from this world. Their new relationship is full of surprises as they each experience a side of the other that neither expected. This tale of friendship from unexpected corners shows how two people can grow tremendously over time. The tale is absorbing, and Kade successfully portrays a typical present-day high school. This novel will appeal to fans of romances and ghost stories alike.

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The fat boy chronicles : inspired by a true story

by Diane Lang
As efforts to combat childhood obesity continue to make headlines, Lang and Buchanan delve into their experiences as teachers to tell the story of Jimmy, a not-so-slim high-school freshman. In his English-class journal, Jimmy records his efforts to make friends and escape bullying over the course of his first year in a new town. Although some of his old and new friends face more dramatic problems, such as abusive parents, Jimmy's day-to-day struggles are compelling. A self-acknowledged good kid who loves video games and finds inspiration at church youth group, Jimmy has a refreshingly down-to-earth point of view. His honest, likable voice makes his effort to lose weight, his faith, and his growing social confidence believable. Throughout, Lang and Buchanan manage to work in words of wisdom about healthy eating and exercise. Whether or not they struggle with their own weight, many readers will both relate to and learn from Jimmy.--



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Time You Let Me In: 25 Poets Under 25

by Naomi Shihab
Moderation can wait--plenty of time for that later, says acclaimed poet and anthologist Nye. She knows how to reach teens, and this lively collection by young contemporary writers is rooted in the strong, emotional particulars of family, friendship, childhood memories, school, dislocation, war, and more; interestingly, there is almost no talk of sex or romance. The spare lines are passionate, wry, irreverent, and eloquent about meaning found in daily-life scenarios. One poet describes a meditative moment with her cat that destroys all my knitting to teach me about impermanence. Another prays for a soldier, a kindergarten best friend who has returned from Baghdad. In several selections, immigrants remember their arrival in the U.S. In a brief, appended biography, one poet describes her draw to poetry: Unresolved, uncomfortable, and sometimes repulsive moments of memory can be made somehow graceful through writing. Teens will connect with the passionate, unmoderated feelings that are given clarity and shape in each poem.
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A wealth of information awaits college-bound students in this interesting book. There's even information for those who may want to consider alternatives to the college route. The authors clearly indicate that their aim is to answer questions that seventh- to tenth-grade students have about their futures. Topics addressed include the differences between two-year and four-year colleges, the different kinds of colleges and universities (i.e. research universities, liberal arts colleges, etc), financial aid, grants and scholarships, college life, college administration, application processes, and much more. A chapter devoted to choices other than college such as technical schools, apprenticeships, government training programs like the Job Corps, and the military One of the assets of this book is its very readable text. Readers can open the book to any page and find information presented clearly and succinctly. The format is attractive with lots of charts, sidebars and white space. Useful, concrete aids include a sample chart to use when comparing colleges, a list of books that are frequently found on suggested reading lists, and a list of important study skills to hone now. This a great resource.

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Mockingjay

by Suzanne Collins

The final book in the very popular Hunger Games series has arrived amd will be available for check out at the end of this month. Place your reserve now!

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins's groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.
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Med head : my knock-down, drag-out, drugged-up battle with my brain

by James Patterson and Hal Friedman
A first-person voice gets inside the head of Cory, who we met as a four-year-old recently prescribed Ritalin. It is the beginning of a grueling 13-year saga that is as much a struggle against Tourette's as it is an endless war drug cocktails wage inside his body. His condition is alarming: OCD impulses create violent tics that sometimes knock him over or compel him to grab the steering wheels of moving cars. Soon the happy child becomes a slave to capricious masters by the names of Paxil, Risperdal, Klonopin, and more. Patterson's infamously choppy chapters actually reinforce the twitching and lurching physicality of Cody's existence, though the lack of dialogue and overall swiftness do prevent him from becoming a fully fleshed out. It's hard to deny the power of this story, though, or its ultimate inspirational effect.

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Welcome to the jungle: everything you ever wanted to know about bi-polar but were too freaked out to ask

by Hilary Smith
Bipolar is currently the most commonly diagnosed emotional/psychiatric condition and diagnosis tends to come when one is in one's late teens or early 20s. And yet almost nothing has been written about it from eye level and a young person's perspective. Welcome to the Jungle fills that gap with its upfront, empowering approach to the challenges of being diagnosed bipolar. Both humorous and immensely honest, it offers a true "in the trenches" perspective young readers will trust.

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Dragonart Fantasy Characters: How to Draw Fantastic Beings and Incredible Creatures

Peffer's first book DragonArt: How to Draw Dragons and Fantasy Creatures has been wildly successful--over 60,000 copies sold in the first 12 months middot; No other book provides as much in-depth instruction on how to draw fantasy-style people in a simple step-by-step format Readers will experience immediate success by starting with extremely easy, basic anatomy that most fantasy characters share (simple shapes, easy views, easy to copy) then be able to move on to more interesting and complex characters that go past initial pencils into a shaded and colored finish. Many of the features in the first book are carried over into Fantasy Characters such as historical facts about fantasy people; cool flipbook feature on the bottom right-hand pages and the book mascot, Dolosus. Characters include: warriors, wizards, rangers, samurais, dwarves, elves, gnomes, trolls, orcs, ogres, goblins, merfolk, harpies, faurs centaurs, werewolves, vampires, banshees, zombies and more!
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Dawn of the Dreadfuls

by Steve Hockensmith
Ever wondered how the Bennett sisters got to be such great zombie killers? Hockensmith explains all in the story of the return of the zombie plague and Mr. Bennett's secret history. Hockensmith does not abandon Austen's original characters. Mrs. Bennett is the most true to the original, and even silly Kitty and Lydia are the same, only they fight instead of fuss over men. Elizabeth, from whose point of view significant elements of the story are told, is the most fully developed, and while she departs a little from the original, it's not so far as to make Austen fans cringe (given that they're OK with zombies, of course). This is a must-read for the growing legion of alternate-Austen fans.

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Compromised

by Heidi Ayarbe
Gr 9 Up-The daughter of a con man, Maya's been on the a run all her life, but when her dad's bad deals finally catch up to them, she loses the only family she's ever had and ends up in the Nevada foster-care system. Passionate about science, the 15-year-old seeks to develop a hypothesis and follow the scientific method to get her father out of prison. Realizing this plan's futility, she goes back to the only other thing she really knows how to do: run. Maya formulates a new hypothesis that will hopefully lead her to an aunt in Idaho whom she's never met and some type of normalcy. One variable that she doesn't anticipate, however, is the addition of two other runaways who are also looking for something more. Gritty and realistic in action and language, this novel brings to light the plight of displaced teens. Maya is a strong character who tries to be true to herself while playing the caregiver role she always seems to fall into-first to her dad and now to her fellow runaways. The three form a strong bond that rings true even though the setting will likely be unfamiliar to many readers. While sympathy is evoked for the characters, emotions are not overplayed. The quick pace and flesh-and-blood main characters will appeal to avid and reluctant readers alike.

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Dead Tossed Waves

By Carrie Ryan
Gabry lives a quiet life in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, hemmed in by the dead who hunger for the living, but her mother Mary's secrets, a cult of religious zealots who worship the dead, and a stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry threaten to destroy her world.


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Fang: A Maximum Ride Novel

By James Patterson
Being a kid with wings--constantly on the run--has never been easy, and Max and her flock are getting tenser than ever. First, on a trip to Africa, they meet a mysterious billionaire whose intense scrutiny of the Flock makes her fear the worst. Then, a cryptic message from a young girl arrives, warning them "The sky will fall." And as if an impending apocalypse weren't bad enough, canny birdkid Angel makes a dire prophecy about Max's soul mate:Fang will be the first to die. Max's desperate desire to protect Fang brings the two closer than ever. But can the team weather the storm, or will the turmoil rip them apart for the last time?


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Stage a Poetry Slam

by Marc Kelly Smith—the father of the poetry slam himself—shares his experiences from thousands of shows to get readers started, covering everything, including finding a venue, lighting and sound, managing performers, even getting publicity.
Stage a Poetry Slam is filled with insider tips, backstage advice, and examples that will wake up an audience and keep them coming back. You'll also be able to go online to the PoetrySpeaks.com community to listen to the samples, meet poets, and discover new inspirations. It's showtime!

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Caletti invites readers into Scarlet Hughes's life and all its "maybes." The introspective teen copes when her charismatic older sister, Juliet, shows up suddenly married (and pregnant) after time away at a Portland hotel singing gig. Both Scarlet and her mother quickly come to adore her husband-Scarlet perhaps a little too much. Hayden is not only smart and good-looking, but he is also funny, great at listening, and deeply in love with Juliet. He writes her poetry and love notes, which Scarlet cannot help but read. She also can't seem to stop trying to help her motley collection of neighbors. The elderly couple too easily conned by Internet scams, the Goth girl whose chalk drawings inspire some prom date interference, and the retired postal worker who is flirting with senility are all part of Scarlet's habit of trying to fix things. Maybe she can stop her sister's tendency to run scared of the commitment Hayden offers her and her yearning for her train wreck of an old boyfriend. Maybe she can convince her mother that she shouldn't marry someone who spends all his time criticizing her. Maybe she can make up with the friend whose crush seems to like Scarlet instead. All of these dealings are about hope as the fuel of one's dreams and efforts, about the frequent necessity of persistence, and about how to know when to let go. Reminiscent of the best of Sarah Dessen's work, this novel is beautifully written, deftly plotted, and movingly characterized.

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The Poison Eaters

by Holly Black
Gr 9 Up-This collection of 12 short stories is sure to satisfy readers who crave something magical. Black's got all the supernatural bases covered: vampires, fairies, an elf, a unicorn, wolves, the devil, and a spell-wielding high school Latin club. Included is a tale of a boy tempted to eat a flower that he's read can turn him into a werewolf, as well as a story set in a world where vampirism is like an infectious disease and a girl resists the urge for blood by numbing her desire with alcohol. Although they are often centered on bleak, dark characters, the pieces inspire hope, are touching and delightful, and even turn the most ghoulish characters into feeling beings. Some sexual situations and mature settings make this a collection for older teens.

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Twilight : the graphic novel. Volume 1

by Stephanie Meyer

In the tradition of Anne Rice and YA titles such as Annette Curtis Klause's The Silver Kiss comes this heady romance that intertwines Bella Swan's life with that of Edward, an alluring and tormented vampire. Bella's life changes when she moves to perpetually rain-soaked Forks, Washington. She is instantly drawn to a fellow student, Edward Cullen, beautiful beyond belief and angrily aloof. Bella senses there is more behind Edward's hostility, and in a plot that slowly and frighteningly unfolds, she learns that Edward and his family are vampires--though they do not hunt humans. Yet Edward cannot promise that his powerful attraction to Bella won't put in her in danger, or worse. Recklessly in love, Bella wants only to be with Edward, but when a vicious, blood-lusting predator complicates her world, Bella's peril is brutally revealed. This is a book of the senses: Edward is first attracted by Bella's scent; ironically, Bella is repelled when she sees blood. Their love is palpable, heightened by their touches, and teens will respond viscerally.

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Girls well versed in the world of magazines will find themselves on familiar ground with this book. Bergamotto draws from her beauty-industry experience to discuss every conceivable skin-related issue: protection from the sun, figuring out skin type, best cleansing rituals, hair removal, etc. Particularly helpful are the makeup primers that include an overview of the products and comparison of different brands, a realistic response to pimples (it is a bad idea to pop them, but since you can't resist, here's the best way to do it), and simple recipes for concocting at-home facial treatments. There's something for every girl here, whether she's just had her first breakout or needs a refresher on which sunscreen to use and when to reapply. Colorful spot art decorates the pages and gives the book an open, attractive look.-Check Our Catalog

How to be a vampire : a fangs-on guide for the undead

by Amy Tipton Gray
In this visually appealing guide, readers learn the secrets of the world of vampires, their behavior, necessary etiquette, and the possible hazards facing them. The table of contents breaks the information into three distinct segments: "Leaving the Mortal Realm," "Living the Undead Lifestyle," and "Armchair Vampire." Each segment begins with a quiz to test readers' persona, style, and knowledge of the undead. The book then discusses types of vampires, with each one illustrated, how to be turned, how to feed, forming covens, dressing the part, travel hot spots, famous real-life vampires, and the vampire in film and literature. The striking art, including many full-page, full-color photos, along with the captivating layout and design, sets an eerie tone. A true temptation for all who love vampires and the supernatural.

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The Life of Glass

by Jillian Cantor

Cantor (The September Sisters) introduces inquisitive 14-year-old Melissa and her somewhat shallow older sister, Ashley, who live in Arizona. A year and a half after their father dies of lung cancer, their mother starts dating again, and Melissa becomes desperate to preserve the memory of her father. She begins reading his journal, which contains family members' love stories-notes for a book he was writing-and starts creating love stories for her relatives while investigating a woman from her father's past. Melissa's emotions are authentically chaotic as she fears losing her best friend, Ryan, to a charming yet insincere new student; feels abandoned by her mother and sister; and has to decipher her true feelings for Ryan when a popular stud takes an interest in her. Melissa's first-person narrative and pithy remarks ("I always thought that there was one person you were supposed to love.... It had never occurred to me... that my mother was going to look for that love all over again") are realistic and relatable as she comes to terms with the inevitability-and also the possibilities-of the future. Ages 12-up. 

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Freak Show

by James St. James
Gr 9 Up-Teenage drag queen Billy Bloom explodes onto the conservative scene at Eisenhower Academy, where he finds love and a band of blond sadists. St. James tells the oldest story in the book, the one where an outcast seeks the homecoming crown, only this time a queen wants to be Queen. Billy's bold, bawdy narration makes Freak Show not only cohesive but also immensely entertaining. Readers will relish his conversational voice, naughty humor, celebrity put-downs, unabashed exuberance, and ALL CAPS expletives. Beneath the sequins, feathers, and foundation, Billy nurses an ardent desire for acceptance. Teens will quickly identify with his worries and needs, even as he dons lip gloss and a beehive wig. Billy shirks labels (he calls himself a "Gender Obscurist"), and this book also refuses to be defined by sexuality. Yes, Billy falls for another boy, and yes, they do kiss. Teens will find this romance fresh and fun, but they will also enjoy exploring complicated issues of empowerment, bigotry, self-esteem, and fear. Freak Show visits these difficult regions of adolescence with gracious candor and humor. More buoyant than weighty, this book flows as a fast-paced, snarky story of high school horrors. Mature readers will love St. James's playful rendition of a conventional American tale

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My anxious mind : a teen's guide to managing anxiety and panic

by Michael A. Tompkins
According to the authors, one in 20 teens in the U.S. suffers from extreme anxiety. If you know one, you could do a lot worse than handing over this reassuring manual. Short enough to read in a couple sittings and embued with an optimistic tone that rarely talks down, the book lays out common kinds of anxiety and triggers, describes breathing and relaxation techniques to stave off and coast through nervous episodes, and offers up various logs to fill out as the sufferer begins to make progress. As is to be expected, some suggestions feel ingenious (the Time Machine method of de-catastrophizing an apparent disaster), while others feel overly complicated (tools with such acronyms as ABCDE and ICAAN although it's true that even the most convoluted of routines can be comforting). In a departure from similar adult titles, the authors stress the importance of finding a supportive helper, and the conversational language, including analogies to everything from LeBron James to MP3 playlists, creates an aura of familiarity. The cool cover doesn't hurt, either.

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Click : the ultimate photography guide for generation now

Teens love to take pictures of their friends, their families, their dogs, their noses . . . now they can get serious withClick,the first how-to photography book written by teens for teens. The author is eighteen-year-old Charlie Styr, assisted by writer and photography editor Maria Wakem, and the book is illustrated with more than 150 photos taken by teen photographers around the world. After discovering basic equipment, composition, and lighting, readers explore 27 high-interest techniques, from portraits to action, macro, shooting at night, special effects, and more, with Styr’s clear how-to advice plus sample photos by teens. Tips from new and established pros, including industry veteran Art Wolfe, Pulitzer Prize winner Vincent Laforet,National Geographicphotographer David McLain, and celebrity photographer Chris Buck, bring great photographs totally within reach. Ready? Set?Click!

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Eat Fresh Foods: Awesome Recipes For Teen Chefs

by Rozanne Gold
This joyful recipe book features fresh, healthful ingredients and encourages ambitious young chefs to collaborate on such mature dishes as Grape-and-Pignoli Breakfast Cake, Crunchy Wasabi-Lime Salmon with red cabbage and sugar snaps and orange-ginger sweet potato puree. Each recipe includes colorful photographs of teens selecting and preparing the foods, emphasizing the creative potential behind cooking with diverse flavors and the importance of using a natural cornucopia of fruits and vegetables in season (the "fresh" in the title is an acronym for farmer friendly, ripe-ready, easy-exciting, sustainable and honest-healthy). A prime pick for adventurous eaters and a potential catalyst for those in a junk food rut.

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Bring your "A" game : a young athlete's guide to mental toughness

by Jennifer L. Etnier
Mental training is just as important as physical training when it comes to success in sport. And like physical fitness, mental toughness is something that can be taught and learned. Yet many young athletes have not learned the psychological skills needed to develop their best game. This book was written specifically for young athletes interested in improving their performance and reaching their potential in sport. Bring Your "A" Gameintroduces key strategies for mental training, such as goal setting, pre-performance routines, confidence building, and imagery. Each of the seventeen chapters focuses on a single mental skill and offers key points and exercises designed to reinforce the concepts. The book encourages athletes to incorporate these mental skills into their daily lives and practice sessions so that they become second nature during competition. Whether used at home by student athletes or assigned by coaches as part of team development, Bring Your "A" Game will help young performers develop a plan for success and learn to deal with the challenges of pursuing excellence in sport.
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The girls' guide to rocking : how to start a band, book gigs, and get rolling to rock stardom

Popular music and culture critic and former girl rocker Hopper provides girls who want to rock with all the insider information and tips about starting a rock band. Hopper takes it from the top with details about choosing and learning to play the guitar, bass, drum set, and piano, as well as how to work with amps, microphones, and speakers; assembling and naming the band; practicing and learning songs; recording a solid demo; booking and publicizing performances and touring; and playing a killer show. With checklists, work sheets, and recommended reading and listening lists, Hopper also includes inspirational quotes from music legends such as Joan Jett, Patti Smith, Pat Benatar, and Nancy Wilson. Hopper provides practical information that will make parents happy, too, including how to soundproof the garage for the band's practices. VERDICT This highly informational and inspiring do-it-yourself resource will guide girls toward their rocker dreams. It will also appeal to the young-at-heart who dream of being a rock star and readers and researchers of girl culture

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Goingf Bovine

WINNER OF THE 2010 PRINZE AWARD FOR YA LITERATURE
By Libba Bray
*Starred Review* In a giant departure from her Gemma Doyle historical fiction trilogy, Bray's latest offering is an unforgettable, nearly indefinable fantasy adventure, as immense and sprawling as Cervantes' Don Quixote, on which it's based. Here the hero is Cameron, a 16-year-old C-plus-average slacker who likens himself to driftwood, but he suddenly becomes the center of attention after he is diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, the human variant of mad cow disease. In the hospital, he meets Dulcie, an alluring angel clad in fishnet stockings and combat boots, who presents him with a heroic quest to rescue the planet from an otherworldly, evil force. Guided by random signs and accompanied by a teen dwarf named Gonzo, Cameron sets off on a wild road trip across the U.S. to save the world, and perhaps his own life. Talking yard gnomes, quantum physics, cults of happiness, mythology, religion, time travel, the blues, Disney World, the vacuous machine behind reality TV shows, and spring break's beer-and-bikini culture all figure prominently in the plot, and readers may not feel equally engaged in each of the novel's lengthy episodes. But Bray's wildly imagined novel, narrated in Cameron's sardonic, believable voice, is wholly unique, ambitious, tender, thought-provoking, and often fall-off-the-chair funny, even as she writes with powerful lyricism about the nature of existence, love, and death.

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*Starred Review* Growing up in a progressive family in Bombay during World War II, 15-year-old Vidya hopes that college is in her future, though her classmates are preparing for arranged marriages. After her father is severely injured in a riot, her life suddenly, irrevocably changes. Vidya, her older brother, and their parents move to Madras to join her grandfather's traditional household, where men and women live separately and Vidya's powerful aunt disdains the newcomers. When Vidya finds time after chores and schoolwork, she escapes upstairs to her grandfather's library, where she meets a young man who seems to understand her. The striking cover art, which suggests Vidya's isolation, as well as the unusual setting, will draw readers to this vividly told story.

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The smart aleck's guide to American history

by Adam Selzer

In the style of acclaimed writers Jon Stewart (The Daily Show) and Steven Colbert (The Colbert Report), this witty, comedic, and appealing volume abandons the world of historical dates and battles to fill in some of the gaps in young Americans' knowledge of their country's history. Readers learn of General Washington's rebellion against the "basic rules of boating safety" as well as encounter James K. Polk's mullet ("Business up front, party in the back, baby.") while benefiting greatly from the book's efficient presentation of pivotal themes and events such as the American Revolution, Civil War, and Civil Rights Movement. This clever and informative work follows a chronological arrangement from early exploration to the inauguration of President Barack Obama in January 2009. Each chapter concludes with a "Some of the Stuff We Missed" section, essay questions such as "Who was the bigger jerk, Hitler or Stalin?"; vocabulary words; and multiple choice "End-of-Chapter Questions" that range from "What do you think happened to those Croatoan guys-and what gave you that idea?" to "What Civil War guy had the best nickname?" Small black-and-white photos and reproductions appear throughout. The companion Web site contains supplemental information, links to relevant documents and other sites, and "Assignment Alerts!" for further exploration. This informal approach is sure to appeal to even the most reluctant of readers.

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The Body Eclectic : An Anthology of Poems

The first poetry anthology for teens to address one of their foremost concerns-the body. Experienced anthologist and teacher Patrice Vecchione has put together an immensely powerful group of poems, all of which address a unifying theme of major interest to teens-the body. Drawing on poems both serious and silly and poets from Shakespeare to Lucille Clifton, The Body Eclectic looks at what our bodies are, what they are not, how we love them and taunt them, what they give us, and what they take away. A wonderful collection of poems on a hot topic for teens, and a perfect gift and companion in one of the most universal struggles of adolescence.

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All Unquiet Things

by Anna Jarzab

With smooth assurance, Jarzab transforms what could have been a formulaic story of boarding-school students behaving badly into a fresh, compelling tale. Part mystery, part character study, the story hooks readers immediately, propelling them through a serpentine path of secrets and lies. Seventeen-year-old Neily found the body of his ex-girlfriend, Carly, on the Empire Creek bridge. A year later, Carly's uncle is imprisoned for the crime, but neither Neily nor the victim's cousin, Audrey, is convinced that he is the murderer. Forming an often-acrimonious partnership, the two teens narrate the chapters in alternating voices as they follow the clues to a nail-biting conclusion and discover the truth not only about the murder but also about themselves. The characters are distinct and memorable, but it is Neily who stands out with a pitch-perfect, sarcastic voice and a personality that surges from the pages of this promising debut.

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Liar

by Justine Larbalestier
Gr 9 Up-Biracial Micah Wilkins, 17, is the quintessential unreliable narrator. On the first page, she readily admits she's a liar though now she wants to tell her story straight. She attends a progressive private high school in New York City. She's a bit peculiar, with extra-human speed and sense of smell, and has few friends. After another student, a popular senior named Zach, is found brutally murdered, it comes to light that he and Micah had a relationship outside of school. Now she is considered a suspect. Her suspenseful, supernatural tale is engrossing and readers will be tempted to fly through it, though the wise will be wary of her spin and read carefully for subtle slipups and foreshadowing. The chilling story that she spins will have readers' hearts racing as in three sections she goes from "Telling the Truth," to "Telling the True Truth," to "Telling the Actual Real Truth," uncovering previous lies and revealing bizarre occurrences in the process. Micah's narrative is convincing, and in the end readers will delve into the psyche of a troubled teen and decide for themselves the truths and lies. This one is sure to generate discussion.

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The Manga Guide To Physics

If this reviewer were an undergraduate student having a hard time understanding basic Newtonian physics, this book would certainly provide an alternative view of the subject. About two-thirds of the book is written in manga style and format. The other third consists of textbook-like discussions of the mathematics and calculus involved. The book has two main characters. Ryota, a noted physics student, teaches Megumi about the basics of Newtonian physics. Ryota is a stereotypical bookish physics nerd--he is somewhat clumsy, and his socialization skills are less than perfect. Megumi seems somewhat emotional, but thankfully, Nitta (physics, Tokyo Gakugei Univ.) and Takatsu do not give her a stereotypical "dumb jock" personality. Since Megumi is involved in tennis and other sports, these activities are used in the demonstrations and illustrations. To keep the reader's interest, superheroes pop in and out of the book, and the main characters suddenly find themselves in different settings or outfits. The academic content seems fine. There is not enough material to warrant its use as a textbook, but students should enjoy reading this work to see basic Newtonian physics from a different perspective. Summing Up: Recommended.

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