Cool Reads & Hot Picks

Anna Dressed in Blood

2012-01-26T17:17:00.000-05:00

By Kendare Blake
(YA F Blak)
315 pages 2011 Horror Fiction

Seventeen-year-old Cas inherited a gift from his father – the ability to see and kill murderous ghosts. Cas travels North America dispatching those that are particularly violent. A tip leads him to Thunder Bay where he intends to kill Anna Dressed in Blood, the ghost of a girl murdered in 1958, who slaughters anyone who comes into her house. When Anna spares Cas’s life, a mystery and curse begin to unravel. Full of humor, romance, and a hefty dose of gore, you won’t be able to get this horror-thriller out of your mind. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Sara H.

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The Crepe Makers' Bond

2012-01-19T17:12:00.000-05:00

By Julie Crabtree
(YA F Crab)
245 pages 2011 Realistic Fiction

Looking for a yummy read and tasty recipes? Food holds together eighth graders Ariel, Nicki and M. Whenever a problem arises, Ariel is quick to create a food solution. The trio has been inseparable since youngsters. When M’s mom drops the bomb they’re moving up the coast for her new job, the girls hatch an idea to keep M with them. Ariel doesn’t expect the growing friction and feelings of jealousy she feels after M moves in with her family. A major blowup finds M headed to her mom’s home, Nicki feeling miserable, and Ariel without a recipe to make things right between them. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

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Wisdom's Kiss

2012-01-12T16:29:00.000-05:00

By Catherine Gilbert Murdock
(YA F Murd)
284 pages 2011 Fantasy Fiction

Trudy is a serving girl at an inn who happens to be able to see into the future. Wisdom is a princess on her way to get married, who also happens to have magical powers. Tips is Trudy’s best childhood friend and her true love, now working in the kingdom that is Wisdom’s destination. When their three paths cross, Trudy senses unhappiness ahead, confirmed when Tips and Wisdom fall in love. This love triangle and the events that surround it is told through letters, journals, a play, and encyclopedia entries. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Shelly P.

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Seizure

2012-01-05T16:03:00.000-05:00

By Kathy Reichs
(YA F Reic)
491 pages 2011 Mystery/Science Fiction

Tory and her friends are back, and this time they are hunting buried treasure. When the island’s Loggerhead Research Institute is threatened with closing due to lack of funding, the kids decide they may be able to save it if they can find the hidden treasure of she-pirate Anne Bonny. After all, the treasure is rumored to be hidden in Charleston. Just one problem…they aren’t the only ones searching for the treasure, and they will have to rely on their special powers to help them prevail. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

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Best of TAB 2011 - Linger

2011-12-28T14:55:00.001-05:00

By Maggie Stiefvater
(YA F Stie)
362 pages 2010 Fantasy Fiction

For Grace, Sam and Cole, it’s a constant struggle between staying human and being a wolf. It doesn’t just take your pride to become a werewolf, it takes your life and who you love. This book is full of love, grief, and hope. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Michelle J.

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Best of TAB 2011 - The Lost Hero

2011-12-28T14:46:00.000-05:00

By Rick Riordan
(YA F Rior)
557 pages 2010 Fantasy Fiction

Join Jason in this breathtaking book to save Hera and get his memory back. Will he be able to conquer all of the monsters in time to save his memory? With a little Greek mythology and a lot of fun, this book is certainly a winner. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Michelle J.

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Best of TAB 2011 - I Am Number Four

2011-12-28T14:32:00.000-05:00

By Pittacus Lore
(YA F Lore)
440 pages 2010 Science Fiction

John Smith and his guardian Henri came to Earth from the planet Lorien. He and the other eight special kids are being chased by the Mogadorians. The Mogadorians have killed three. John Smith is next. Filled with action-packed scenes and romance, here comes the first novel in the thrilling series. (Grades 7 & up)
Reviewed by TAB member Ben B.
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Best of TAB 2011 - Plague

2011-12-28T14:26:00.002-05:00

By Michael Grant
(YA F Gran)
512 pages 2011 Science Fiction

If you have read the Gone series you will enjoy this book as long as you understand the confusing inferences. Most of the characters in this book are nearly identical. They are all power-hungry and overwhelmed by the multiple plagues. The plot carries the series on well, yet it does feature a lot of main characters’ deaths. Upon finishing this book, you realize that you can’t wait for the sequel, Fear. The kids of Perdido Beach have fought disappearance, starvation, deception, illness, and now, desperation. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Andrew C.

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Best of TAB 2011 - The Andromeda Strain

2011-12-28T14:21:00.000-05:00

By Michael Crichton
(F Cric)
364 pages 1969 Science Fiction

The Andromeda Strain is an amazing medical thriller about what happens when an alien virus spreads on Earth. This is one of my favorite books, but it is not appropriate for everyone. I would recommend this book for readers twelve years of age or older. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Alex A.

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Hot Pick from TAB - The Never War

2011-12-28T14:07:00.000-05:00

By D.J. MacHale
(YA F Mach)
336 pages 2003 Fantasy Fiction

This third installment of the Pendragon series takes place in the early twentieth century of Earth. A fast-paced riveting Bobby faces a plethora of foes while dealing with his own personal loss. D.J. MacHale does not fail to surprise readers and leaves the biggest surprise for the end! (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Michael B.

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Back When You Were Easier to Love

2011-12-22T13:33:00.000-05:00

By Emily Wing Smith
(YA F Smit)
296 pages 2011 Realistic Fiction

In alternating chapters, Joy reveals what life was like with Zan and what her life is like without him. They were the nonconforming couple in a Mormon-based school until he took early graduation and headed to a California college without her. Distraught over his abrupt departure, Joy coerces Zan’s best friend Noah to drive her to Zan’s campus and when she encounters him, she’s unprepared for the results. Her attention turns to Noah, who not only is a genuine person, but also reveals his feelings for her on the road trip. (Grades 8 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

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The Vespertine

2011-12-22T13:27:00.000-05:00

By Saundra Mitchell
YA F Mitc
296 pages 2011 Paranormal Fiction

“I whispered, ‘I have seen the future.’ He didn’t laugh…He stopped nose to nose with me…and his question told me everything, ‘Am I there with you?’” Amelia is sent to stay with her cousin, Zora, in order to find a husband. Once there, she begins seeing strange visions of peoples’ futures, and catches the eye of the poor and handsome Nathaniel. Word of Amelia’s gift spreads and she and Zora have the time of their lives making house calls to society’s wealthiest so that Amelia might predict their futures. As Amelia’s prophecies start taking a dark turn, she faces suspicion, violence, and separation from her forbidden love. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Sara H.

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Cleopatra Confesses

2011-12-22T13:20:00.001-05:00

By Carolyn Meyer
(YA F Meye) CV Only
289 pages 2011 Historical Fiction

“Someday I could become a great ruler of Egypt, better than my sisters can dream of being, but I must be careful not to let them know how I feel…” thinks a young Cleopatra. Her father, Ptolemy, has chosen her as the next queen. When he is forced into exile, her two older sisters seize the throne and Cleopatra is left to fend for herself. There are spies and intrigue everywhere, and Cleopatra’s very existence is viewed as a threat to her sisters’ power. She must hide what she’s really thinking and bide her time. Will her father return from exile, and when will Cleopatra become the rightful queen of Egypt? (Grades 7 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

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Glow

2011-12-15T15:57:00.000-05:00

By Amy Kathleen Ryan
(YA F Ryan)
307 pages 2011 Science Fiction

Waverly and Kieran, passengers on the spaceship Empyrean, know that someday soon they will likely marry each other and start a family. After all, their role is to populate New Earth when they reach it. However, this destiny is shattered when their sister ship ambushes them, kills or captures many of the adults, and kidnaps all the girls in an attempt to populate New Earth first. Now separated, Waverly and Kieran each find themselves unlikely leaders of dangerous missions. Will they feel the same way about each other if they meet again? (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Shelly P.

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Hot Pick from TAB - I am Number Four

2011-12-08T18:17:00.000-05:00

By Pittacus Lore
(YA F Lore)
440 pages 2010 Fantasy Fiction

John Smith and his guardian Henri came to Earth from the planet Lorien. He and the other eight special kids are being chased by the Mogadorians. The Mogadorians have killed three. John Smith is next. Filled with action-packed scenes and romance, here comes the first novel in the thrilling series. (Grades 7 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Ben B.

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Born at Midnight

2011-12-01T13:07:00.000-05:00

By CC Hunter
(YA F Hunt)
406 pages 2011 Supernatural Fiction

Kylie’s life is in shambles. Her parents are divorcing, her grandmother died, her boyfriend ditched her, and she thought attending a wild end-of-school unchaperoned party with Sara would cure her funk. After she’s sprung from jail, sixteen-year-old Kylie finds herself headed to Shadow Falls on a bus full of freaks. She spends the first week pleading with the counselors that she’s not like them, she just sees ghosts. The other campers keep their distance except for two hot guys, one of which reminds her of her old boyfriend. Did her parents make a terrible mistake sending her to a training camp for werewolves and vampires? Book one in the Shadow Falls series. (Grades 8 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

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Supernaturally

2011-11-23T11:03:00.000-05:00

By Kiersten White
(YA F Whit)
342 pages 2011 Paranormal Fiction

Evie finally gets a normal life after escaping from the International Paranormal Containment Agency (IPCA). She attends high school and has a part-time job—except it’s boring. She jumps at the chance to work for IPCA again. Things prove a little too exciting, what with Uber Vampire, a hot new guy named Jack, and don’t forget Reth, her faerie ex-boyfriend. As Evie goes from one disastrous mission to another she wonders if there isn’t something deeper at work than just the usual paranormal chaos. Sequel to Paranormalcy. (Grades 7 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

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Sweetly

2011-11-17T16:58:00.000-05:00

By Jackson Pearce
(YA F Pear)
310 pages 2011 Fantasy Fiction

A modern retelling of the Hansel and Gretel story for teens. Ansel and Gretchen were children when their sister was taken by a witch in the forest. Now grown, they’ve left home to distance themselves from the memory. Their car breaks down outside a small town and Ansel starts doing odd jobs at Sophia’s candy shop. Sophia’s not universally liked, however, as each year more girls disappear after her chocolate festival. Gretchen soon discovers that what’s happening to the girls may be the same thing that happened to her sister. Companion book to Sisters Red. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Shelly P.

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Ten Things We Did (and probably shouldn't have)

2011-11-10T16:37:00.000-05:00

By Sarah Mlynowski
(YA F Mlyn)
357 pages 2011 Realistic Fiction

“#1. Lied to our parents.” High-school junior April refuses to move to Cleveland with her dad in the middle of the year. She and friend Vi concoct a plan: Vi’s mom is traveling for work and is leaving her alone for months. April simply has to convince her dad that Vi’s mom will be home and has agreed to let her move in. Vi and April soon have the house to themselves and more freedom than they imagined. Nine more bad ideas follow, including buying a hot tub, throwing a crazy party, and skipping school. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Sara H.

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Hot Pick from TAB - Never Sit Down in a Hoop Skirt and Other Things I Learned in Southern Belle Hell

2011-11-03T15:40:00.000-04:00

By Crickett Rumley
(YA F Ruml)
296 pages 2011 Realistic Fiction

Told from the point of view of a spunky narrator, this book details the experiences of well-traveled, kicked-out-of-multiple-boarding-schools Jane when she returns to her home in the deep, deep south, only to be forced into a beauty pageant by her grandmother’s expectations. Far from the classic Southern belle, Jane has a lot to learn. Full of laughs and unexpected twists, this quirky novel is a must-read. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Colleen K.

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The Girl is Murder

2011-10-27T14:46:00.000-04:00

By Kathryn Miller Haines
(YA F Hain)
342 pages 2011 Mystery Fiction

New York City, 1942. Fifteen-year-old Iris has just moved from a swanky uptown neighborhood to the Lower East Side after her mother’s death and her wounded father’s return from the war. Now she has to attend public school, make all new friends, and deal with her detective father, who forbids her to assist with his cases even though he can’t get around very well with a missing leg. But Iris can’t resist doing her own detective work when a boy from her school ends up missing. Soon she’s lying to her father and her new friends, staying out late at dance clubs, and doing what she can to solve the case. Will her snooping get her into more trouble than it’s worth? (Grades 7 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Shelly P.

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Anna and the French Kiss

2011-10-20T12:04:00.001-04:00

By Stephanie Perkins
(YA F Perk)
372 pages 2010 Chick Lit

Anna is devastated when her father sends her to a boarding school in Paris for senior year, forcing her to leave her friends, home, and would-be boyfriend. However, it isn’t long before the magic of the city and new friends, including the alluring St. Clair, have her opening her eyes to new ways of life. But Paris comes with complications - as Anna’s friendship with St. Clair grows, so does her desire for more. St. Clair is beautiful and completely unavailable, but he seems to be interested in more than friendship too. Why then, won’t he make a move? Romance and hilarity ensue. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Sara H.

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Storm Runners

2011-10-14T13:56:00.001-04:00

By Roland Smith
(YA F Smit)
143 pages 2011 Adventure

Chase, 13, is on his fourth school this year and his temporary home is a farm for circus animals. His first day turns into possibly his last as a category 4 hurricane bears down on St. Pete. Had the principal heeded his warning, then he and two companions would not be fighting for their lives after their bus is hit by raging waters. Their only hope is to trek to the farm through gator country. When they approach the farm they find animal barns destroyed, rising water and a dangerous leopard on the loose. Being the son of a storm chaser has its own hazards. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

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Uncommon Criminals

2011-10-06T10:15:00.002-04:00

By Ally Carter
(YA F Cart)
298 pages 2011 Mystery

Fifteen-year-old Kat and her talented crew must work together to find and steal the "Cleopatra Emerald" from an unscrupulous dealer and return it to its rightful owner, while a former love of her Uncle Eddie tries to get the gem for herself. Did we mention that the emerald hasn’t been seen in 30 years or that it’s cursed? Definitely not your typical five-finger discount. As Kat travels the world chasing the Cleopatra, she begins to wonder if she’s in over her head. A smart, fun read. Sequel to Heist Society. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

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Hot Pick from TAB - Plague

2011-10-06T10:00:00.002-04:00

By Michael Grant
(YA F Gran)
512 pages 2011 Science Fiction

If you have read the books in the Gone series I believe that you will enjoy this book as long as you understand the confusing inferences. Most of the characters in this book are nearly identical. They are all power-hungry and overwhelmed by the multiple plagues. The plot carries the series on well, yet it does feature a lot of main characters’ deaths. Upon finishing this book, you realize that you can’t wait for the sequel, Fear, to be released. The kids of Perdido Beach have fought disappearance, starvation, deception, illness, and now, desperation. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Andrew C.

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Thunder Over Kandahar

2011-09-29T11:00:00.002-04:00

By Sharon E. McKay
(YA F Mcka)
260 pages 2010 Realistic Fiction (CV only)

When the Taliban targets Yasmine’s Western-educated family, they decide to return to England but not before her parents are gravely injured and airlifted to a UN base in Kandahar. Scared and alone, Yasmine turns to her fourteen-year-old friend Tamanna who faces an arranged marriage. The two unaccompanied teens flee into the mountains towards the safety of Kandahar avoiding land mines and a suicide bomber. Yasmine’s decision to help the battered Tamanna by secretly switching places with her puts her back in harm’s way, alone and trying to stay alive. (Grades 7 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

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Steel

2011-09-22T12:27:00.001-04:00

By Carrie Vaughn
(YA F Vaug)
294 pages 2011 Historical/Fantasy Fiction

Sixteen-year-old Jill is an accomplished fencer. When she loses her last match, the disappointment stays with her-even on a family trip to the Bahamas. While walking on the beach she finds a corroded sword tip which she keeps as her own. But the sword is powerful and Jill is transported back several centuries to the deck of a pirate ship. She is forced to become a pirate and learn the ways of the ship. She also learns a pirate’s life is bloody and brief. In a desperate attempt to get back home, she will have to risk her life in a duel to the death. (Grades 7 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

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Tighter

2011-09-15T12:30:00.000-04:00

By Adele Griffin
(YA F Grif)
216 pages 2011 Mystery

Recovering from a bad relationship, Jamie takes a summer job as an au pair for eleven-year-old Isa. The discovery that she closely resembles Isa’s last au pair, Jessie, who died in a plane crash the year before with her boyfriend Pete, may explain why Jamie’s suddenly seeing their ghosts. Her attempts to lay them to rest are complicated by the return of Isa’s older brother Milo, as he seems to hinder her pursuit of the truth. This is a tense, modern retelling of Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Shelly P.

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Wither

2011-09-08T11:19:00.001-04:00

By Lauren DeStefano
(YA F Dest)
358 pages 2011 Science Fiction

Nearly a century ago, science created a perfect generation free from disease and premature death. Every generation following has been cursed with a virus that kills females at 20 and males at 25. When sixteen-year-old Rhine is kidnapped and sold into a polygamous marriage, she dreams only of escape. Her new husband is wealthy and gentle, but her new father-in-law, a member of that one perfect generation, is a terrifying and sinister geneticist. Rhine soon realizes in order to gain her freedom she must use her cunning to become the favorite wife and daughter-in-law. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Sara H.

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Hot Pick from TAB - Linger

2011-09-01T10:18:00.000-04:00

Between Shades of Gray

2011-09-01T10:08:00.001-04:00

By Ruta Sepetys
(YA F Sepe)
344 pages 2011 Historical Fiction

Lina lives happily with her family in 1941 Lithuania. Tensions are rising in her country now that the Soviets occupy it. Then the worst happens – her father doesn’t come home one day. Soviet soldiers come for her and her little brother and mother in the night. They are forced onto a cattle train with other Lithuanians, who the Soviets call thieves and prostitutes, and taken deep into Siberia and forced to work at labor camps for little to no food or shelter. Can Lina find it in herself to carry on when the rest of the world seems to have forgotten her people? An eye-opening story of a dark and little-known history that remained secret far too long. (Grades 8 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Sara H.

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The Education of Hailey Kendrick

2011-08-25T16:23:00.000-04:00

By Eileen Cook
(YA F Cook)
256 pages 2011 Realistic Fiction

Hailey looks forward to her last perfect year at an elite boarding school. Now her life is spiraling out of control. Her dad is mad, her best friend is mad, her boyfriend of four years is uncertain he wants to be with her, her best guy friend kissed her, and she’s falling in love with the janitor. Just when she thinks things can’t get worse, the school body is restricted to the campus because of her silly little stunt. She breaks her leg falling out of a tree—but that’s another story. This is not how Hailey envisioned senior year. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

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Desires of the Dead

2011-08-20T11:34:00.000-04:00

By Kimberly Derting
(YA F Dert)
358 pages 2011 Mystery/Paranormal Fiction

In this follow-up to The Body Finder, sixteen-year-old Violet, who can sense murder victims, stumbles across a body in a shipping container. When she anonymously reports this, she draws the attention of an FBI consultant, but she would rather her special ability remain secret. Meanwhile, Violet is being targeted by someone who is jealous of her relationship with boyfriend Jay. She thinks she can keep that private too, but finds that keeping too many secrets takes a toll on her relationships and puts her in real danger. A fast-paced and suspenseful read. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

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Trapped

2011-08-11T15:04:00.000-04:00

By Michael Northrup
(YA F Nort)
232 pages 2011 Adventure Fiction

When the snow starts falling, Scotty and his friends Pete and Jason hope for an early dismissal so they can work on Jason’s go-kart in the shop classroom. No one predicted that the snow would keep falling for days and they, along with four other students, would be trapped in the high school. With no heat, cell phone reception, and dwindling electricity, the seven students must figure out how to survive. And with no way to contact the outside world, chances are they won’t be rescued unless one of them is able to leave and find help. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Shelly P.

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Hot Pick from TAB - Dream Factory

2011-08-04T16:02:00.001-04:00

By Brad Barkley
(YA F Bark)
250 pages 2007 Realistic Fiction

The normal Disney character workers have gone on strike, and anyone who showed up got an audition right away. This novel tells the story of two friends, brought together by the random new jobs of replacing the princess Cinderella and the chipmunk Dale. Told from the viewpoints of both characters, this book has hilarious characters and dialogue, a unique plot and setting, and a story that tries to figure out if dreams really do come true. (Grades 8 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Colleen K.

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Virals

2011-07-28T15:23:00.000-04:00

By Kathy Reichs
(YA F Reic)
454 pages 2010 Mystery/Science Fiction

Fourteen-year-old Tory feels like an outcast for being geeky-smart at her new ritzy prep school. Befriended by three guys with similar science interests, they set off exploring the outer islands in search of wildlife. What they thought was a deserted lab complex turns out to be a secret program. When a wild wolfpup goes missing, the group breaks into the lab and takes the pup to their island hideout. The mystery deepens when they are shot at, followed, and stumble onto island secrets that place them in danger. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

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City of Fallen Angels

2011-07-21T19:01:00.000-04:00

By Cassandra Clare
(YA F Clar)
424 pages 2011 Fantasy

The gang is back in this unexpected sequel to the Mortal Instruments Trilogy. Simon, Clary, and Jace all thought they had finally found peace once Valentine was destroyed. However, Simon is finding himself stuck in the middle of a vampire feud, and as a Daylighter vampire cursed with the Mark of Cain, everyone wants him on their side. Jace and Clary are finally free to embrace their feelings for each other, but Jace is plagued by nightmares he fears will come true. Now with Shadowhunters turning up dead, the group realizes their difficult days may not be behind them after all. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Sara H.

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Stay

2011-07-14T17:52:00.000-04:00

By Deb Caletti
(YA F Cale)
313 pages 2011 Realistic Fiction

Clara and her boyfriend Christian are inseparable, until his devotion becomes obsession and things turn abusive. This isn’t the first time a relationship has ended badly; ex-boyfriend Dylan was much the same. So spending the summer with her dad in a small town by the beach seems like a good way for Clara to clear her head, but as soon as she begins to accept that his behavior was not her fault, Christian tracks her down. Will she be strong enough to confront him and move on? (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Shelly P.

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Cloaked

2011-07-07T17:29:00.000-04:00

By Alex Flinn
(YA F Flin)
341 pages 2011 Fantasy Fiction

A princess, a cobbler, a witch, two giants and some talking animals—in South Beach? That’s exactly what you will find in Flinn’s latest retelling of several fairy tales. Seventeen-year-old Johnny, who dreams of being a high end shoe designer, works hard in his family’s shoe repair shop located in a posh hotel. When a beautiful princess arrives for a visit, she promises to marry Johnny if he will help her find her brother who has been turned into a frog by an evil witch. (Grades 7 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

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Hot Pick from TAB - Fablehaven

2011-06-30T15:04:00.000-04:00

By Brandon Mull
(YA F Mull)
351 pages 2006 Fantasy Fiction

From evil fairies disguised as tarantulas to good fairies disguised as butterflies; from milking a giant cow to rescuing a very important chicken; and from a suspiciously absent grandmother to hidden keys, this book is packed with adventure, mystery, and hilarious characters. Kendra and Seth are very realistic characters set in a world that is something beyond what it seems. This book will hook you on the whole series, but it is a great stand-alone story, too! (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Colleen K.

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Delirium

2011-06-23T13:38:00.001-04:00

By Lauren Oliver
(YA F Oliv)
441 pages 2011 Dystopia

Lena can’t wait to be 18. That’s when she’ll get the cure – the surgery that everyone gets to prevent them from feeling love. In her futuristic society, Amor Deliria Nervosa is the ultimate disease, and anyone infected with it is an outlaw and could be killed. But weeks before Lena turns 18, she meets Alex and inevitably falls in love. Soon Lena starts to recognize society’s lies; she knows love is not a disease, and as the days tick down to her birthday, she realizes she’d rather risk dying than live without it. (Grades 8 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Sara H.

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The Second Base Club

2011-06-16T17:52:00.000-04:00

By Greg Trine
(YA F Trin)
213 pages 2010 Realistic Fiction

Sixteen-year-old Elroy overhears the jocks discussing a sensitive topic he’s heard about, but doesn’t understand what it all means. He wants a girlfriend—he just doesn’t know how to attract one. Failed social attempts provide embarrassing results, the wrestling team scheme results in bruises, and his friends turn him down in his efforts to form a band. Rachel’s left hook to his cheek doesn’t stop him from attending the party, only to realize he doesn’t want anything to do with the party action or second base. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

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Strings Attached

2011-06-09T18:28:00.000-04:00

By Judy Blundell
(YA F Blun)
310 pages 2011 Historical Fiction

When seventeen-year-old Kit leaves her family and boyfriend behind to try to make it big as a dancer in 1950s New York City, she never imagines how hard it will be. Her luck changes when her boyfriend’s father, a big time mob lawyer, gets her an apartment and a job in exchange for doing him an occasional favor. When those favors include tracking the movements of a mobster who later turns up dead, Kit begins to wonder what she’s gotten herself into. But the more she tries to distance herself from the situation, the more entangled she becomes. (Grades 7 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Shelly P.

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Prom and Prejudice

2011-06-02T10:09:00.000-04:00

By Elizabeth Eulberg
(YA F Eulb)
231 pages 2011 Realistic Fiction

Lizzie, a scholarship student from Hoboken, attends Longbourn Academy, a posh Connecticut boarding school where her classmates are rich, rude and hostile. She meets the smug Will and takes an instant dislike to him, but puts up with him to appease her roommate Jane who likes Darcy’s best friend. Prejudiced against the upper crust, Lizzie realizes almost too late that Will’s intentions are honorable, and Wick, the handsome townie she thought she liked, is really a scoundrel. This retelling of Jane Austen’s classic tale of love and class is like a good cup of hot chocolate—sweet with the right amount of fluff. (Grades 8 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

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Hot Pick from TAB - The Lost Hero

2011-05-26T14:10:00.000-04:00

By Rick Riordan

(YA F Rior)
557 pages 2010 Fantasy

Join Jason in this breathtaking book to save Hera and get his memory back. Will he be able to conquer all of the monsters in time to save his memory? With a little Greek mythology and a lot of fun, this book is certainly a winner. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Michelle J.

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Soccerland

2011-05-19T11:19:00.000-04:00

By Beth Choat
(YA F Choa)
231 pages 2010 Sports Fiction

Star soccer forward Flora lives for soccer and nothing else. When this fourteen-year-old, 5’9” small-town Maine standout receives a coveted invite to the U-14 Girls’ National Team ID Camp in Colorado, her dream comes true. Facing stiff competition from 99 other elite players, Flora’s attempt to impress coaches backfires and results in a humiliating “oh-gee,” a flub almost certain to keep her from making the final cut. Harassed by the “Queen B’s,” embarrassed over her final performance, she awaits her fate and the final announcement. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

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Rosebush

2011-05-14T10:28:00.000-04:00

By Michele Jaffe
(YA F Jaff)
2010 326 pages Mystery Fiction

Popular Jane's got it all - great friends, an attentive boyfriend, and a gift for photography. Yet someone tried to kill her the night of the Memorial Day party. Waking up in the hospital is no fun, especially when bits and pieces of the night start coming back to her. When the killer starts to send her ominous messages, Jane questions the loyalty of everyone around her. Will she be able to piece together what happened before the killer finishes the job? (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Shelly P.

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Stolen

2011-05-05T11:37:00.000-04:00

By Lucy Christopher
(YA F Chri)
299 pages 2010 Psychological Thriller

Gemma, 16, meets mysterious, attractive Ty in the airport. He seems familiar even if he is a little too old. She never imagines he’ll drug and kidnap her. When she awakes in a makeshift house in the Australian Outback surrounded by desert, Ty says he took her to save her, insisting that he’s loved her for years. He thwarts all attempts at escape. As she dreams of rescue Gemma can’t help listening to Ty’s stories, sympathizing with his troubled past, and starts wondering if the budding feelings she has for him are real or a survival mechanism. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Sara H.

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Five Flavors of Dumb

2011-04-28T13:00:00.000-04:00

By Antony John
(YA F John)
337 pages 2010 Realistic Fiction

Eighteen-year-old Piper, in an uncharacteristic move, offers to manage Dumb, her school’s most popular rock band. She knows nothing about managing a rock band, the band members don’t really get along, and since Piper is profoundly deaf, she can’t even hear the band play. But she’s determined to get the band more exposure and earn a paycheck for herself. Sounds like a recipe for disaster, but Piper is smart and tough, and the way she handles the ups and downs of the band, her family, and school makes for a satisfying read. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

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Hot Pick from TAB - The Merchant of Death

2011-04-22T14:56:00.000-04:00

By D.J. MacHale
(YA F Mach)
375 pages 2002 Fantasy

This book is a fabulous cross between fantasy, science fiction and realistic fiction, with fantastic characters and a realistic parallel world, along with the one we might be more used to (known as Second Earth). This is the first book to a rockin’ series called Pendragon and it totally got me hooked. You should try it! (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Colleen K.

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Ship Breaker

2011-04-14T16:54:00.000-04:00

By Paolo Bacigalupi
(YA F Baci)
326 pages 2010 Science Fiction

Along the ruins of the Gulf Coast, teenaged Nailer survives by scavenging wrecked oil tankers for copper wiring. Every day is a struggle for food, watching out for betrayals, and avoiding his abusive father. When Nailer stumbles upon a beached clipper ship, he is convinced his luck has finally changed and envisions leaving his life of ship breaking for the riches from scavenging the destroyed ship. When he finds a beautiful girl on board who is still breathing, everything in his world changes. (Grades 8 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Sara H.

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The Things a Brother Knows

2011-04-07T16:46:00.000-04:00

By Dana Reinhardt
(YA F Rein)
345 pages 2010 Realistic Fiction

Levi is seventeen when his older brother Boaz returns from duty in Iraq broken. This prior high school star student is sullen, won’t speak, won’t ride in a car, and prohibits anyone from entering his bedroom. Boaz abruptly leaves saying he’s walking the Appalachian Trail solo. Levi doesn’t buy it after finding Boaz’s bedroom wall covered in maps marked with destinations and names. Worried his brother will self-destruct, Levi strikes out to locate him, uncover what secrets lie buried inside him, and is surprised to learn of his final destination. (Grades 8 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

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The Sky is Every Where

2011-03-31T12:51:00.000-04:00

By Jandy Nelson
(YA F Nels)
375 pages 2010 Realistic Fiction

Lennie, 17, is absolutely devastated after her older sister Bailey dies. She deals with her grief by playing her clarinet, writing poetry on scraps of paper that she leaves around town, and falling into the arms of Bailey’s boyfriend, the only other person who understands how she feels. When Joe, the new boy in town, catches her eye, she finds herself caught in a love triangle. One boy represents a bittersweet past; the other an uncertain future. As Lennie comes to terms with the choices she has to make, she slowly learns to move on from her sister’s death. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Shelly P.

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The Mockingbirds

2011-03-24T10:49:00.000-04:00

By Daisy Whitney
(YA F Whit)
339 pages 2010 Realist Fiction

“Silence does not equal consent…the only thing that means yes, is yes,” so learns Alex, a junior at a prestigious boarding school. When she wakes up in bed with a strange boy, after a drunken night she can barely remember, she has a hard time putting the pieces together. As disjointed memories of the night before begin to surface she realizes she’s a victim of date rape. Instead of going to the police or the school administration, Alex seeks justice through the Mockingbirds, an underground justice system inspired by Harper Lee’s novel. But will it be enough to help her feel normal again? (Grades 8 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

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Hot Pick from TAB - Last Sacrifice

2011-03-17T18:16:00.000-04:00

By Richelle Mead
(YA F Mead)
594 pages 2010 Supernatural Fiction

Rose must escape from prison to find the true murderer of Queen Tatiana. With the help of her friends, Rose discovers the reality surrounding the murder of the queen and uncovers a secret that will change the vampire world forever. Mead expertly balances the right mix of thrilling action with heart-wrenching emotion to keep readers wanting more! To find out what ultimately happens with Rose, be sure to check out the last book in the Vampire Academy series. (Grades 7 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Shivani S.

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Elixir

2011-03-10T16:29:00.000-05:00

By Hilary Duff
(YA F Duff)
327 pages 2010 Paranormal Romance

Clea, a budding photographer, is puzzled when she notices a shadowy figure of a guy in several of her recent photos. She’s even more perplexed when she starts dreaming about him. Her dreams span several time periods, and she’s always there. Was she his girlfriend in past lives? When she meets him in person, she becomes more confused. Why hasn’t he aged? How will her attraction to him affect her relationship with her good friend Ben, who’s in love with her? A bit of mystery and adventure combine to make a paranormal puzzle hinting at a sequel. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Shelly P.

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Three Quarters Dead

2011-02-25T10:57:00.000-05:00

By Richard Peck
(YA F Peck)
193 pages 2010 Horror Fiction

Kerry has finally made it. The three coolest girls in the school have invited her to sit at their lunch table and suddenly she’s one of the elite. But how much will she have to put up with to hang with the most popular girls in the school who appear to be using her? And when her “friends” are killed in a car accident, Kerry feels three-quarters dead. But the dead return and a simple tale of high school hierarchy becomes a creepy ghost story. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

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I Am Number Four

2011-02-17T15:50:00.000-05:00

By Pittacus Lore
(YA F Lore)
440 pages 2010 Science Fiction

Escaping the planet Lorien and living on earth the past 10 years, nine children avoid detection by the Mogadorians. Number Four, fifteen-year-old John, discovers the first three died and he’s next. John and his protector flee to Ohio where he’s befriended by schoolmate Sam, an expert on aliens. John fears exposure when his legacies begin to uncontrollably appear while in the presence of humans. Chaos erupts when John’s cover is blown and his friends are innocently drawn into a battle with the Mogs. Leave it to the stray mutt John named Bernie Kosar to save the day. (Grades 7 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

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The DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend.)

2011-02-10T17:13:00.000-05:00

By Kody Keplingber
(YA F Kepl)
280 pages 2010 Realistic Fiction

High school senior Bianca has always felt like the plain one when compared to her two gorgeous best friends. Her belief is confirmed when the school womanizer Wesley tells her she is the DUFF. She gets paired with Wesley for a school project and is forced to spend extra time with him. When her parents’ marriage breaks up, and her recovering alcoholic father begins drinking again, Bianca feels like there is no way to escape her reality. Surprisingly, she finds a much needed distraction in Wesley, and the two begin a steamy love/hate relationship in secret. Eventually Bianca starts to realize there is more to Wesley than what she originally thought, and that they might have more than physical chemistry in common. (Grades 11 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Sara H.

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Hot Pick from TAB - The Reformed Vampire Support Group

2011-02-03T15:52:00.001-05:00

By Catherine Jinks
(YA F Jink)
362 pages 2009 Fantasy/Mystery Fiction

Being a vampire is not a blessing for this group—it’s a disease. They have found a way to not have to drink human blood, but it’s hard on their systems. They can’t go out during the daytime because they are knocked unconscious and look dead. When one of the vamps gets staked, turned to ashes, and shot by a silver bullet, the others along with a priest drive all over Australia with fear in their hearts and guinea pigs in the bed of their truck. This book has a great plot, is fast-paced, and definitely not your average vampire novel. (Grades 8 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Colleen K.

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Starcrossed

2011-01-27T14:43:00.000-05:00

By Elizabeth Bunce
(YA F Bunc)
259 pages 2010 Fantasy Fiction

This tightly plotted fantasy begins with sixteen-year-old Digger on the run from a botched robbery. She has to get out of the city fast, and through a series of fortunate circumstances, she becomes a lady’s maid in a snowbound castle. Her old life catches up with her as one of the castle’s inhabitants forces her to spy. She’s caught up in dangerous political secrets and realizes no one is who they seem to be. Digger is a resourceful, feisty heroine and her story makes for an entertaining read. (Grades 8 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

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Forge

2011-01-20T11:23:00.000-05:00

By Laurie Halse Anderson
(YA F Ande)
297 pages 2010 Historical Fiction

Sequel to Chains. After escaping from slavery, Curzon and Isabel get separated. Curson joins the Continental Army at Valley Forge, but is recaptured when his old master, Mister Bellingham, visits the camp. Forced once again into his service, he’s astonished to find Isabel was captured by him as well. As Curson works to rebuild their relationship, his feelings towards Isabel begin to change into something more than friendship. Together they plan a daring escape. Will they succeed again? (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Shelly P.

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Caleb + Kate

2011-01-13T10:12:00.000-05:00

By Cindy Martinusen-Coloma
(YA F Mart)
279 pages 2010 Christian Fiction

This novel unfolds as an updated version of Romeo and Juliet and with a little Shakespeare introducing each chapter. Caleb, Hawaiian by birth, and Kate, heiress to the Monrovi Inn fortune, are drawn to each other in spite of their backgrounds. Kate’s friends wonder how the inn employee’s son can afford the elite prep school. Uncovering the feud between their grandfathers brings them closer and an unexpected love affair blossoms. All of this tests their faith in God and pushes them to question what is true love. (Grades 8 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

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Paranormalcy

2011-01-06T13:43:00.001-05:00

By Kiersten White
(YA F Whit)
335 pages 2010 Fantasy

Sixteen-year-old Evie just wants to be normal. However, that doesn’t come easily when you work for the International Paranormal Containment Agency (IPCA) as the agent who brings to justice rogue paranormals like vampires, werewolves, hags, and fairies. Evie is the only known person who can see through a paranormal’s glamour and it is this ability that brings her to meet Lend, a teenage boy who can change his appearance at will. When paranormals start winding up dead, Evie begins to wonder if allegiance to IPCA is the right choice, and together with Lend, begins to uncover the reason behind the strange killings...a reason she has everything to do with. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Sara H.

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Best of TAB 2010 - Persuasion

2011-01-03T13:22:00.000-05:00

By Jane Austen
(F Aust)
298 pages 2008 (1964) Classic Fiction

As one of Jane Austen’s most unique novels, Persuasion is a story of romance and guiding oneself through the oscillations of life. Anne Elliot found love in naval officer Frederick Wentworth; however, his low birth made him unfit for a daughter of the baronet Sir Walter Elliot of Kellynch Hall, or so she was persuaded by Lady Russell. While Anne never stopped loving Frederick, 8-1/2 years later it appears that he might have moved on and found another. The characters take on lives of their own, eliciting love, hate, jealousy, sympathy, and rage. Austen demonstrates the effects of allowing oneself to be persuaded too easily. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Kieren S.

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Best of TAB 2010 - Atlas Shrugged

2011-01-03T13:19:00.000-05:00

By Ayn Rand (F Rand)
1168 Pages 1992 (1957)
Realistic Fiction

Atlas Shrugged was published more than 50 years ago, yet it is extremely prevalent in our current day and age. Ayn Rand takes a stand against the government’s actions for “the public welfare.” While it may sound like a callous notion, Ms. Rand uses extremely interesting points of reason and logic from her philosophy, objectivism. She occasionally hits you over the head with her ideals. Her writing style is detailed and captivating. Overall, if you wish to tackle a mountain of a book, Atlas Shrugged is sure to get you thinking about our current society. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Tom R.

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Best of TAB 2010 - Moby Dick

2010-12-30T16:17:00.000-05:00

By Herman Melville
(F Melv)
660 Pages 1991 Classic Adventure

While Moby Dick is considered a timeless classic, Melville’s masterpiece certainly isn’t for everyone. If you have no interest in whaling, then Melville’s sporadic chapters involving all of its processes will cause you to go insane. If, however, you’re interested in a fantastic adventure story full of memorable characters, interesting whaling facts, intense scenes of whaling, and a fascinating look into the logic behind Captain Ahab’s insanity, I cannot recommend this book enough. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Tom R.

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Best of TAB 2010 - Fang

2010-12-29T11:26:00.001-05:00

By James Patterson
(YA F Patt)
309 pages 2010 Fantasy Fiction

Your younger flock member just told you that you are going to be the first to die. And you thought nothing in your life could get any stranger! This is what is happening to Fang, a mutant bird freak created along with 5 others out of a test tube as a scientific mistake. His relationship with Max has been put on hold as scientists try to make a new Fang that is supposedly Max’s soul mate. If you have read the past books in the Maximum Ride series, you know that Max is destined to save the world. Will Max’s destiny involve Fang, or will Fang disappear forever from the flock’s life? This book includes romance, action, drama, comedy, and much more. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Shivani S.

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Best of TAB 2010 - Eyes Like Stars

2010-12-28T12:13:00.000-05:00

By Lisa Mantchev
(YA F Mant)
356 pages 2009 Fantasy Fiction

As the tagline says, "All Her World's A Stage." Beatrice Shakespeare Smith, known as Bertie, lives in The Theatre--on The Stage. The Theatre is where all plays, everywhere, are performed. The Players live in The Theatre too--and they're not actors playing Ophelia and Macbeth--they are Ophelia and Macbeth. If you like hilarious writing, fairies going commando, tap-dancing starfish, references to Shakespearean and other plays, cursed protective charms, a magical stage, and laughing-out-loud moments, you will love this book. (Grades 8 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Colleen K.

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Hot Pick from TAB - Catalyst

2010-12-21T13:09:00.001-05:00

By Laurie Halse Anderson
(YA F Ande)
232 pages 2002 Realistic Fiction

Insomniac Kate Malone has only applied to one college—MIT. The stress of that combined with taking care of her brother, dealing with all honors classes, and having a preacher for a father seems to be bogging her down. When her arch-enemy’s family home burns down, they move in with Kate’s family. You’d think that’d be enough calamity...but things can always go downhill. The author spins a story that hits close to home in this novel. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Colleen K.

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The Wake of the Lorelei Lee: being an account of the adventures of Jacky Faber on her way to Botany Bay

2010-12-15T16:12:00.000-05:00

By L. A. Meyer
(YA F Meye)
554 pages 2010 Historical Fiction

In this 8th installment Jackie, now rich from the treasure of a sunken Spanish galleon, buys a ship with the intention of ferrying passengers back and forth between England and America. However, when she returns to England her old enemies conspire to have her arrested for crimes against the crown and sentenced to life in a penal colony in Australia. But hey, this is Jackie, so you know she will turn trouble to her advantage. Suffice it to say prison, mutiny, elephants, tattoos, and Chinese pirates are all part of the rollicking adventures that make this such an entertaining read. (Grades 7 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

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Shade

2010-12-11T10:24:00.000-05:00

By Jeri Smith-Ready
(YA F Smit)
307 pages 2010 Fantasy Fiction

Sixteen-year-old Aura, along with anyone born after the Shift, can see and talk to ghosts. So when her boyfriend Logan suddenly dies, she finds some peace in her ability. But when a new boy, Zachary, catches her eye, she wonders if she’s being unfaithful to him. Things grow even more complicated when she discovers a link between her and Zachary. As things grow more intense, she fears Logan will decide to turn into a Shade and never pass peacefully from this world. Can her ability save him before it’s too late? (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Shelly P.

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The Karma Club

2010-12-08T10:38:00.000-05:00

By Jessica Brody
(YA F Brod)
258 pages 2010 Realistic Fiction

Revenge and manipulating karma seems easy for seniors Maddy, Jade and Angie. The girls’ charm bracelets say it all—a baseball bat, a graduation cap, a pharmacy mortar and pestle, a broken heart, and what set the whole sequence in motion, a Yin-Yang. Setting things right didn’t produce the comedic results hoped for and the trio is at fault. Lesson learned? Clean up the mess and don’t play with karma. Can they rectify their wrongs and correct the damage? (Grades 8 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

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The Clockwork Angel

2010-12-02T16:33:00.000-05:00

By Cassandra Clare
(YA F Clar)
479 pages 2010 Fantasy Fiction

In the late 19th century, sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray does not know she is special. When her aunt dies Tessa must move to London to live with her older brother. She’s kidnapped after stepping off the boat and her captors force her to use magic she never knew she had – shape-shifting. They claim they are preparing her for a man called the Magister. When Tessa is rescued by an arrogant yet alluring shadow-hunter named Will, he and Tessa try to uncover who the Magister is and what his plans are before he destroys London. The first book in the Infernal Devices series, the prequel to The Mortal Instruments. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Sara H.

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Hot Pick from TAB - A Match Made in High School

2010-11-29T12:04:00.000-05:00

By Kristin Walker
(YA F Walk)
278 pages 2009 Realistic Fiction

This is a hilarious book about a high school and the principal whose husband left her for their nanny. Torn up about the desertion, she forces the senior class to be “married” to another, randomly chosen senior for a year-long project--or else they don't graduate. You don't get to pick the partner. Fun, huh? Fiona is forced, by the rules of the project and her practical-joke-loving, cheerleader-dating, male arch-nemesis, to be the cheerleaders’ water girl, to babysit with her arch-nemesis, and give the profit to the school. (Grades 8 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Colleen K.

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The Ghosts of Ashbury High

2010-11-18T10:20:00.000-05:00

By Jaclyn Moriarty
(YA F Mori)
480 pages 2010 Realistic Fiction

Told in multiple formats using letters, journals, exam essays and transcripts, it is senior year at Ashbury. Readers will recognize familiar characters from previous novels, facing multiple issues and testing longtime friendships. Riley fears he’s losing the mysterious brooding Amelia who’s been his girlfriend since the age of fourteen. Storyline twists captivate the reader as does figuring out the true identities of this mysterious couple. (Grades 7 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

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Mockingjay

2010-11-11T13:32:00.001-05:00

By Suzanne Collins
(YA F Coll)
398 pages 2010 Science Fiction

In the suspenseful conclusion to the Hunger Games Trilogy, Katniss Everdeen has made it out of two trips to the Hunger Games alive. Now safe in District 13, Katniss must decide to become the Mockingjay, the symbol of hope for all the rebelling districts of Panem. But how will she cope being the leader of a cause when she is riddled with fear and guilt for her fellow tribute Peeta, who was captured by the Capitol, or when she begins to see for herself the true atrocities of war? (Grades 8 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Sara H.

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Beat the Band

2010-11-04T15:44:00.000-04:00

By Don Calame
(YA F Cala)
400 pages 2010 Humorous Fiction

It’s sophomore year for friends Matt, Sean and Coop, the hilarious boys from Swim the Fly. Coop is determined that he’s going to rock this year, until he gets paired with “Hot Dog” Helen to present a lesson on safe sex in health class. Coop knows working with her is social suicide, so to boost his “coolness factor” he enters Matt, Sean and himself in a Battle of the Bands contest. Only one small problem: they can’t play. At all. Not to be deterred by such a minor problem, the guys forge ahead, trying to sound like a rock band. Will the guys win the contest or sound like an alien life form? A funny, ribald sequel to Swim the Fly. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

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Hot Pick from TAB - Eyes Like Stars

2010-10-28T12:46:00.000-04:00

By Lisa Mantchev
(YA F Mant)
356 pages 2009 Fantasy

As the tagline says, "All Her World's A Stage." Beatrice Shakespeare Smith, known as Bertie, lives in The Theatre--on The Stage. The Theatre is where all plays, everywhere, are performed. The Players live in The Theatre too--and they're not actors playing Ophelia and Macbeth--they are Ophelia and Macbeth. If you like hilarious writing, danish-induced panic, fairies going commando, tap-dancing starfish, references to Shakespearean and other plays, cursed protective charms, a magical stage, and laughing-out-loud moments nearly every other line, you will love this book. (Grades 8 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Colleen K.

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Carter's Big Break

2010-10-21T11:38:00.001-04:00

By Brent Crawford
(YA F Craw)
231 pages 2010 Humorous Fiction

It’s summer and Carter is looking forward to hanging with his buds and spending time with Abby, his girlfriend. Too bad he totally screws up a movie date with Abby and finds himself without a girlfriend. But he lands the lead in a movie opposite the gorgeous teen celebrity, Hilary Idaho, so maybe this summer won’t be too bad after all. But this is Carter we’re talking about so things are bound to spiral out of control…it’s in the genes! A laugh out loud read. (Grades 7 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

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Finnikin of the Rock

2010-10-16T12:35:00.000-04:00

By Melina Marchetta
(YA Marc)
399 pages 2010 Fantasy

Finnikin has spent the last ten years of his life roaming all over the land of Skuldenore after his home country of Lumatere’s royal family was murdered and the land placed under a curse, barring all who escaped from entering it again. Reluctantly Finnikin takes up the task of aiding a young woman named Evanjalin, who claims she can walk in the dreams of the people still trapped inside Lumatere and that a true heir to the throne lives. Together, Finnikin and Evanjalin set out on an adventure to find the heir who can break the curse and lead them home. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Sara H.

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Thirteen Reasons Why

2010-10-07T11:24:00.000-04:00

By Jay Asher
(YA F Ashe)
288 pages 2007 Realistic Fiction

Two weeks after Hannah kills herself, a mysterious package arrives addressed to Clay. Inside is a series of cassette tapes, each one numbered with blue nail polish. When he begins to listen, he discovers they’re from Hannah, who painstakingly details all the reasons behind her death, and the fact that if you’re listening to the tapes, you were one of them. As Clay struggles to make sense of what she reveals, he begins to realize that his actions and those of his friends sometimes have unintended consequences. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Shelly P.

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Join the author for a conversation about his book. Tuesday October 19 from 4-5 pm at Centerville Library. Grades 6-12 only. Registration required. Open public session held 7-8:30pm & book signing.

A Spy in the House

2010-09-30T12:13:00.000-04:00

By Y.S. Lee
(YA F Lee)
335 pages 2010 Mystery

In Victorian London, orphan Mary Quinn is rescued from a life of thievery and pickpocketing by Miss Scrimshaw’s Academy for Girls. Five years later, she discovers that the Academy is really a cover for a spy organization called The Agency. Her first mission involves acting as a companion for the daughter of a rich merchant whose ships have been sinking at an alarming rate. Is he sabotaging his own ships or is it someone else’s work? Some keen detective work and a little help from an unlikely partner help Mary get to the bottom of her first case. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Shelly P.

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The Secret to Lying

2010-09-23T15:02:00.000-04:00

By Todd Mitchell
(YA F Mitc)
328 pages 2010 Realistic Fiction

James, fifteen-years-old, goes unnoticed at his old school. When a scholarship opportunity is offered for him to attend a public boarding school for the intellectually gifted, he seizes the opportunity and the chance to reinvent himself. He convinces new friends that he’s lived on the wild side. Slipping into a “punk” persona is seamless until he encounters IMs from ghost44. Demon-filled dreams clash with reality which soon takes control of his life. Does the true James ever reveal himself? (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

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Hot Pick from TAB - Darkness Creeping: Twenty Twisted Tales

2010-09-16T12:07:00.000-04:00

By Neal Shusterman
(YA F Shus)
291 pages 2007 Horror

Pick up this book, and you may want to be safe in bed, or only read it outside in brightest sunshine. Pick up this book, and you will read tales of dark, dark humor, almost all of them with twists at the end. Pick up this book, and you will read about the weirdest ice-cream truck ever, a grandmother who screams at walls and pets dogs who aren’t there,and a not-so-secure security blanket. I picked up this book, and I am still closing my eyes while walking into a room until I switch on the lights at night. Scary but not too intense, with laughter sprinkled throughout, this book will keep you thinking fast, trying to be one step ahead of what happens on the next page—read it, or else! Grades 6 & up.

Reviewed by TAB member Colleen K.

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The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin

2010-09-09T12:19:00.000-04:00

By Josh Berk
(YA F Berk)
250 pages 2010 Realistic Fiction

Will Halpin is the new kid at school, which is tough, but being deaf and overweight makes it even more difficult. Luckily, Will is pretty good at reading lips, a skill that eases his adjustment to his first public school, and comes in handy when a classmate is murdered on a field trip. Will and his new friend Devon, another social outcast, investigate the murder, forming an oddball Hardy Boys duo that results in some pretty funny situations. Will has a pretty good sense of humor and he’ll need it to solve this crime. A witty and clever work from first time author Josh Berk. Grades 8 & up.

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

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Beautiful Creatures

2010-09-02T12:31:00.000-04:00

By Kami Garcia
(YA F Garc)
563 pages 2009 Fantasy

Sixteen-year-old Ethan is used to everything staying the same in his tiny South Carolina town that has changed little since the Civil War. But then Lena moves to town and everything transforms when Ethan finds himself able to communicate with her telepathically. Lena, he learns, is a caster – a person with magical powers – and on her sixteenth birthday it will be determined by a curse if she is a light (good) caster or a dark (bad) caster. Ethan is so intensely connected to Lena that he finds himself risking everything, including his own life, to save her from going dark. Grades 9 & up.

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Sara H.

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The Tension of Opposites

2010-08-26T12:24:00.000-04:00

By Kristina McBride
(YA F Mcbr)
277 pages 2010 Realistic Fiction

A debut book by a Centerville author! Tessa’s been mourning her best friend Noelle ever since she went missing two years ago. So when Noelle miraculously escapes her kidnapper and reappears, Tessa’s hopeful they can pick up right where they left off. But Noelle has changed, and Tessa doesn’t know how to act around her. Meanwhile, Tessa’s budding relationship with a boy from her photography class starts to suffer as she constantly puts her feelings for Noelle ahead of him. As Noelle slowly adapts to life after her abduction, Tessa begins to reconcile the old version of her best friend with the new one. Grades 9 & up.

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Shelly P.

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Heist Society

2010-08-19T12:14:00.000-04:00

By Ally Carter
(YA F Cart)
287 pages 2010 Adventure

Growing up in a family of international art thieves, fifteen-year-old Katarina flees the family business and enrolls in a prestigious boarding school where she’s not known for her “talents”. Kat is pulled back into her old life when famous Italian paintings go missing and her father is the prime suspect. She has two weeks to pull off the art heist of the century and save her father. Grades 7 & up.

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

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The Year of Secret Assignments

2010-08-12T12:26:00.000-04:00

By Jaclyn Moriarty
(YA F Mori)
340 pages Realistic Fiction

The second book in a quasi-series, The Year of Secret Assignments is an interesting peek into the lives of six Australian teens in the form of letters, diaries, and sarcastic responses to a condescending fill-in-the-blank notebook. The teachers of Ashbury high have decided that their students should engage in a pen-pal project with a neighboring school, but this neighboring school is rumored to teach only delinquents. This book has such a quirky tone to it—it keeps the reader laughing! This author has written two other books involving teenagers from the same school, which, altogether, create a highly engaging world...but this book is my absolute favorite of the three! If you’re interested, the other two books are Feeling Sorry for Celia and The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie—but I recommend reading this one first! (Grades 7 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Colleen K.

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Fat Cat

2010-08-05T12:12:00.000-04:00

By Robin Brande
(YA F Bran)
330 pages 2009 Humorous Fiction

Meet Cat Locke, a junior in high school, smart, and funny. Oh, and did I mention severely overweight? But, that’s about to change when she takes on a science fair project that forces her to live a prehistoric life for seven months. It won’t be easy to give up fast food, cell phones and the Internet, but it’s worth it if she can win the competition and beat Matt McKinney, former backstabbing friend. An added incentive will be losing weight, but as Cat sheds the pounds and attracts several boyfriends, she learns more about herself as well as lessons on friendship and forgiveness. Grades 9 & up.

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

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The Lonely Hearts Club

2010-07-29T12:28:00.000-04:00

By Elizabeth Eulberg
(YA F Eulb)
290 pages 2010 Chick Lit

Penny Lane Bloom has had it with boys. She’s had her heart broken one too many times and has watched her friends give up everything in their lives for guys. Going into her junior year of high school she creates “The Lonely Hearts Club,” and starts out as its sole member, vowing not to date until after graduation. However, news of her club soon gets around, and girls are flocking to join it. But what will Penny do when she finds herself crushing hard on a guy when she is supposed to be the leader of a club that has sworn off dating? Grades 9 & up.

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Sara H.

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The Omnivore's Dilemma: The Secrets Behind What You Eat

2010-07-22T12:35:00.000-04:00

By Michael Pollan
(YA 338.10973 Poll)
298 pages 2009 Nonfiction

Did you know that a soda is made up almost completely of corn, or that some of the organic brands we buy are actually subsidiaries of large corporations? Michael Pollan examines these and many other food facts in this investigative look at the way our food is grown, raised, and processed. He takes the reader through four types of meals, uncovering the hidden costs of continuing to eat for convenience and challenges you to consider where your food comes from before taking a bite. Grades 6 & up.

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Shelly P.

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Every Little Thing in the World

2010-07-15T13:05:00.000-04:00

By Nina de Gramont
(YA F Gram)
282 pages 2010 Realistic Fiction

“I don’t know why such a smart girl does such stupid things,” wonders sixteen-year-old Sydney as she sits in the middle of the bug-infested Canadian wilderness for four weeks. Shipped off by parents to stop their errant behavior, Sydney and best friend Natalia find themselves searching for food, camping, and canoeing among a group that includes a major thug, a TV soap star, and inexperienced counselors. A huge secret Sydney is carrying intensifies the drama. Grades 9 & up.

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

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Hot Pick from TAB - Fang

2010-07-08T12:19:00.001-04:00

By James Patterson
(YA F Patt)
309 pages Science Fiction

Your younger flock member just told you that you are going to be the first to die. And you thought nothing in your life could get any stranger! This is what is happening to Fang. First of all, he is a mutant bird freak along with 5 others that were made out of a test tube as a scientific mistake. And on top of that he is going to die just when he is having a great relationship with fellow flock member Max. But their relationship had temporarily been put on hold as scientists try to make a new Fang named Dylan that is supposedly Max’s soul mate. On top of that, an evil scientist is trying to ruin the flock’s life. If you have read the past books in the Maximum Ride series, you know that Max is destined to save the world. Will Max’s destiny involve Fang, or will Fang disappear forever from the flock’s life? This book includes romance, action, drama, comedy, and much more. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Shivani S.

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Project Sweet Life

2010-07-01T16:16:00.000-04:00

By Brent Hartinger
(YA F Hart)
282 pages 2010 Humorous Fiction

Ah, it’s summer and fifteen-year-old Dave and his buddies, Victor and Curtis, are going to have a summer of absolute freedom. Swimming, biking, relaxing, and watching TV are the only items on their agenda. But when their parents force the boys to get summer jobs, they decide to get “fake” jobs and spend the summer having fun. There’s just one small problem—their parents expect to see paychecks. In a series of hilarious and entertaining get-rich-quick schemes, the boys plot, plan, and end up working their butts off all in the name of “project sweet life”. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

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Boys, Girls, and Other Hazardous Materials

2010-06-24T12:20:00.000-04:00

By Rosalind Wiseman
(YA F Wise)
282 pages 2010 Realistic Fiction

Charlie decides to transfer schools to begin her freshman year in an attempt to leave her mean girl past behind her. However, it’s not as easy as Charlie hoped when she discovers the girl she guiltily took a part in tormenting has transferred to her new school too. If that wasn’t enough, she also runs into her old neighbor and ex-best friend, Will, who is now a varsity lacrosse player and surprisingly good-looking. As Charlie spends more time with Will, she’s alarmed about the lacrosse team’s extreme hazing traditions and struggles between doing the right thing or falling back into the role of standing silently by while people do things she knows is wrong. (Grades 8 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Sara H.

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Before I Fall

2010-06-17T12:00:00.001-04:00

By Lauren Oliver
(YA F Oliv)
470 pages 2010 Realistic Fiction

From the outside, popular Samantha seems to have it all: friends, a boyfriend, and top social status. But when she dies in a car crash only to wake up and realize she has to relive that day over and over again, she begins to examine her life and discovers that maybe things weren’t so great after all. It’s not until the seventh day that she finally realizes what she needs to do to stop the cycle. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Shelly P.

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The Indigo Notebook

2010-06-10T12:07:00.000-04:00

By Laura Resau
(YA F Resa)
324 pages 2009 Realistic Fiction

As Zeeta journals daily, she longs for a “normal” life. Currently in Ecuador with her free-spirit, globe-trotting, Rumi chanting mother, she decides she’s ready for some stability after living in fifteen countries in fifteen years. Zeeta acts as a translator for Wendell who has traced his birth parents to the region. The villagers stay silent when asked questions and both receive warnings to stay away from the angry, crazy man on the mountain. Panic sets in when Wendell goes missing after being seen hiking up the mountain. (Grades 7 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

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Hot Pick from TAB - Moby Dick

2010-06-03T12:00:00.002-04:00

By Herman Melville
(F Melv)
660 pages Classic Adventure

While Moby Dick is considered a timeless classic, Melville’s masterpiece certainly isn’t for everyone. If you have no interest in whaling, then Melville’s sporadic chapters involving all of its processes will cause you to go insane. If, however, you’re interested in a fantastic adventure story full of memorable characters, interesting whaling facts, intense scenes of whaling, and a fascinating look into the logic behind Captain Ahab’s insanity, I cannot recommend this book enough. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Tom R.

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