F VAI	If We Kiss (age 12+) by Rachel Vail school ... humor Publisher comments: What would happen if we kiss? Kevin led me quickly around the side of the building, then stopped. I managed not to crash into him. I tried to look calm, cool, unperturbed. I told myself not to laugh, especially not a snorting kind of laugh. "Wha . . .what did . . ." And then he kissed me. If We Kiss is the story of Charlotte (Charlie to her friends), who finds herself falling for a boy who is off-limits. Her best friend is in love with him, and her mother and his father are dating. Still, Charlie can't help but wonder, what would happen if we kiss?
F SCO	I Was a Non-Blonde Cheerleader (age 12+) by Kieran Scott school ... humor Publisher comments: Everyone at Annisa Gobrowski's new high school in Florida is blonde. If Annisa's Jersey attitude doesn't make her stand out enough, her dark hair does. Yet no lack of golden highlights is going to stop Annisa from making the best of Sand Dune High, especially once she checks out the competition-level cheerleading squad. sequel: Brunettes Strike Back
F RAL	Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Free Throws (age 12+) by Janette Rallison school ... friendship ... sports Publisher comments: Going head-to-head with your best friend is never easy, on the court or off. Josie loves hottie Ethan Lancaster, the captain of the basketball team, but she never can do or say the right thing in front of him. So how can it be fair that Ethan is only interested in her best friend, Cami, when Cami isnt even trying for his affection? Or is she? Cami dreams of winning her basketball teams coveted MVP award, and earning the chance to take the court during a special halftime demonstration with WNBA star Rebecca Lobo, but her best friend, Josie, is a better player. So how can it be fair that Josie is a shoo-in for the honor if she is barely interested in basketball in the first place and isnt even trying to be the best? Or is she?
F POL	The Pity Party: 8th Grade in the Life of Me, Cass (age 12+) by Alison Pollet humor ... friendship ... school Publisher comments: When eighth grade begins, Cass feels like the entire school is out to get her. She's stuck in classes without her closest friends Penelope and Tillie to keep her company. And as if that weren't bad enough, this is the year that students take an extended field trip to Elston Prep's nature retreat in the countryside. Cass confronts her problems with spirited resilience, and she forges an unexpected friendship with Rod Punkin, the school's biggest behavior problem. When Rod goes missing, Cass embarks on a secret rescue mission in this funny, witty, and utterly moving story about being thirteen.
F POL	Nobody Was Here: 7th Grade in the Life of Me, Penelope (age 12+) by Alison Pollet family ... school Publisher comments: It's 1981, and nothing is going right in Penelope's life. She has just started seventh grade at Elston Prep, and she and her best friend Stacy aren't getting along. Stacy is all caught up in who's wearing what to whose Bar Mitzvah, and has even become friends with Annabella and Pia, two of the biggest snobs at Elston! At home, things are no better: there's a new mother's helper to contend with, and Penelope's little brother Nathaniel just won't leave her alone. And when her parents are at home--which is rare--all they do is fight.
F PET	Define Normal: a Novel (age 12+) by Julie Anne Peters school ... friendship Catalog: When she agrees to meet with Jasmine as a peer counselor at their middle school, Antonia never dreams that this girl with the black lipstick and pierced eyebrow will end up helping her deal with the serious problems she faces at home and become a good friend.
F O'C	The Calypso Chronicles (age 12+) by Tyne O'Connell humor ... school ... friendship Publisher comments: When Calypso returns from Los Angeles to her English boarding school for the summer term, she is determined to fit in with the popular crowd. Her plan is to pretend her mother's gay assistant back home is her boyfriend. And to her surprise, the trick works...at least at first. She makes a whole batch of new friends, and even finds herself winning the unwritten contest to woo the prince at the boys' school next door. But one girl, Honey, undermines all her efforts. When Calypso and Prince Freddy end up in the tabloids and everything seems set to go down the drain, it's Calypso's parents and sense of humor that save her from utter humiliation. title: Pulling Princes title: Dueling Princes
F MOR	The Year of Secret Assignments (age 12+) by Jaclyn Moriarty realistic ... friendship ... humor ... school ... letters/journal Publisher comments: The Ashbury-Brookfield pen pal program is designed to bring together the two rival schools in a spirit of harmony and "the Joy of the Envelope." But when Cassie, Lydia, and Emily send their first letters to Matthew, Charlie, and Sebastian, things don't go quite as planned. What starts out as a simple letter exchange soon leads to secret missions, false alarms, lock picking, mistaken identities, and an all-out war between the schools--not to mention some really excellent kissing.
F KAN	Confessions of a Not It Girl (age 12+) by Melissa Kantor realistic ... friendship ... school ... growing up ... humor Publisher comments: Catalog: High schooler Jan Miller, hoping for a senior year romance, just cannot seem to do anything right, especially when compared to her best friend Rebecca who has just been named a New York "It Girl," but things start looking up when an old crush moves back to town.
F JUB	Alice, I Think (age 12+) by Susan Juby realistic ... school ... letters/journal ... humor ... friendship ... growing up Publisher comments: "I grew up in one of those loving families that fails to prepare a person for real life..." A few weeks into first grade Alice's parents took her out of school and have taught her at home ever since. Now she's about to enter high school, with the stated goal of boosting the self-esteem of her counselor, Death Lord Bob. Bob is happy now. But what about Alice? Will she be able to interact with people her own age who are not home-based learners? Will she be able to survive some sort of boy-girl interaction? Or is this best left until after high school? Until middle age? What about a unique and innovative career path? A new look? (This must, like career choice, reflect uniqueness.) Alice, I Thinkis the story of a teenager attempting to survive her parents, her hometown, and her reentry into society. Told through keenly observant, satirical journal entries, Susan Juby's first novel is wise, witty, and utterly original.
F JON	Am I Right Or Am I Right? (age 12+) by Barry Jonsberg school ... realistic ... family ... humor ... growing up Publisher comments: Calma Harrison is in love. Not just with herself, but also with the handsome checkout guy at Crazi-Cheep. So stocking shelves at the Crazi-Cheep seems like the perfect job, until that annoying customer tries to hold up the store. And then there's the small matter of the rest of Calma's life, which is fast falling apart: her absent father turns up after five years and wants to "talk," her mother is clearly living a secret second life, and her new best friend is hiding something horrible. Calma is sure she knows exactly what's going on. And clearly her direct, personal intervention is required to make things right. Except, if she's wrong. And then her butting in will make everything much, much worse. Am I Right or Am I Right? is a whip-smart, wise-cracking, big-hearted novel about a girl who is learning that things are not always what they seem, and how to start again when you've gotten it all so very wrong.
F HAR	The Clique Series (age 12+) by Lisi Harrison school ... friendship Publisher comments: This juicy new series introduces a group of girls who are navigating the social minefields of eighth grade at New York's Westchester County's most exclusive private school. title: The Clique title: Best Friends for Never: A Clique Novel title: Revenge of the Wannabes: A Clique Novel title: Invasion of the Boy Snatchers: A Clique Novel title: The Pretty Committee Strikes Back: A Clique Novel title: Dial L for Loser: A Clique Novel title: It's Not Easy Being Mean: A Clique Novel title: Sealed with a Diss: A Clique Novel title: Bratfest at Tiffany's: A Clique Novel
F CAB	All-American Girl (age 12+) by Meg Cabot school ... humor Publisher comments: Top Ten Reasons Samantha Madison is in Deep Trouble: 10. Her big sister is the most popular girl in school. 9. Her little sister is a certified genius. 8. She's in love with her big sister's boyfriend. 7. She got caught selling celebrity portraits in school. 6. And now she's being forced to take art classes. 5. She's just saved the president of the United States from an assassination attempt. 4. So the whole world thinks she is a hero. 3. Even though Sam knows she is far, far from being a hero. 2. And now she's been appointed teen ambassador to the UN. And the number-one reason Sam's life is over? 1. The president's son just might be in love with her.
F BRA	24 Girls in 7 Days (age 12+) by Alex Bradley humor ... traditions ... school Publisher comments: Jack Grammar, average American senior, has no date to the prom. Or so he thinks. Percy and Natalie, Jack's so-called best friends, posted an ad in the classified section of the online version of the school newspaper. They figured it couldn't hurt; after all, there's not much in this world sadder than Jack's love life. Soon Percy and Natalie have assembled a list of girls eager to go to the prom with Jack, including one mysterious girl known only as FancyPants. He has just seven days to meet and date them before he will ask one special girl to the prom. Newcomer Alex Bradley shares a fresh and funny boy perspective in a genre dominated by girls. With snappy dialogue and hip, smart writing, this is a hilarious take on the trauma and pageantry that is prom.
F MLY	Magic in Manhattan Series (age 12+) by Sarah Mlynowski magic ... school ... humor ... fantasy Publisher comments: What if all your wishes could come true? Blink your eyes, drink a fizzing pink potion, and poof! Life is perfect. That's Rachel's situation. Except she's not the one who suddenly has magical powers. Her younger sister is. And as Rachel would tell you, spellbooks are wasted on the young! Yes, yes, of course world peace and cures for horrible diseases are important. But so is dancing without looking like she's being electrocuted, winning back her best friend, stopping her dad's wedding, and finding a date for Spring Fling. title: Bras and Broomsticks title: Frogs and French Kisses title: Spells and Sleeping Bags title: Parties and Potions
F GRA	Samurai Shortstop (age 12+) by Alan Gratz family ... historical ... sports ... school Publisher comments: Tokyo, 1890. Toyo is caught up in the competitive world of boarding school, and must prove himself to make the team in a new sport called besuboru. But he grieves for his uncle, a samurai who sacrificed himself for his beliefs, at a time when most of Japan is eager to shed ancient traditions. It's only when his father decides to teach him the way of the samurai that Toyo grows to better understand his uncle and father. And to his surprise, the warrior training guides him to excel at baseball, a sport his father despises as yet another modern Western menace. Toyo searches desperately for a way to prove there is a place for his family's samurai values in modern Japan. Baseball might just be the answer, but will his father ever accept a "Western" game that stands for everything he despises?
F MAR	Baby-Sitters Club Friends Forever Series (age 12+) by Ann M. Martin realistic ... friendship ... school Members of the Baby-Sitters Club rely on each other as they move into high school. They truly are friends forever. title: Graduation Day title: Mary Anne's Big Break-up title: Claudia and the Disaster Date title: Stacey and the Boyfriend Trap title: Stacey's Problem title: Welcome Home Mary Anne title: Kristy and the Kidnapper
F REE	Vampire High (age 12+) by Douglas Rees fantasy ... humor ... school Publisher comments: It doesn't take long for Cody Elliot to realize that his new high school is a little different. The other students are supernaturally strong, don't like the sunlight, and are always placing orders at the local blood bank. When his new friend shows him his fangs, Cody doesn't need any more clues; these kids are vampires! As Cody struggles to fit into this secretive community, he disrupts centuries of human-vampire segregation, with some serious (and some seriously funny) consequences. In sharp, humorous, and insightful prose, Douglas Rees creates a world of vampires where the real issue for humans is not the fear of being bitten, but the need to get along.
F CHO	If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period (age 12+) by Gennifer Choldenko realistic ... humor ... friendship ... school Publisher comments: Kirsten's parents are barely speaking to each other, and her best friend has fallen under the spell of the school's queen bee, Brianna. It seems like only Kirsten's younger science-geek sister is on her side. Walker's goal is to survive at the new white private school his mom has sent him to because she thinks he's going to screw up like his cousin. But he's a good kid. So is his friend Matteo, though no one knows why he'll do absolutely anything that hot blond Brianna asks of him. But all of this feels almost trivial when Kirsten and Walker discover a secret that shakes them both to the core. Fast paced, marvelously funny, and brutally honest, If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period touches on universal truths about human nature.
F DUN	Daughters of Eve (age 12+) by Lois Duncan mystery ... school Publisher comments: Sworn to secrecy. Bound by loyalty. It's the high school's most exclusive club--but now a twisted mind is leading it. Who will be the first victim?
F DUN	Down a Dark Hall (age 12+) by Lois Duncan mystery ... school Catalog: Suspicious and uneasy about the atmosphere at her new boarding school, fourteen-year-old Kit slowly realizes why she and the other three students at the school were selected.
F GEO	Looks (age 12+) by Madeleine George growing up ... school ... friendship Publisher comments: Meghan Ball is both the most visible and the most invisible person in school. Her massive size is impossible to ignore, yet people freely spill their secrets in front of her, perhaps because they think she isn't listening. But she is. Now her attention has turned to a new girl: Aimee Zorn, with her stick-figure body and defiant attitude. Meghan is determined to befriend Aimee, and when she ultimately succeeds, the two join forces to take down their shared enemy. This provocative story explores the ways in which girls use food and their bodies to say what they cannot: I'm lonely.
F MEY	The Twilight Saga (age 12+) by Stephanie Meyer fantasy ... school Publisher comments: Isabella Swan's move to Forks, a small, perpetually rainy town in Washington, could have been the most boring move she ever made. But once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Isabella's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Isabella, the person Edward holds most dear. The lovers find themselves balanced precariously on the point of a knife, between desire and danger. Deeply romantic and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight captures the struggle between defying our instincts and satisfying our desires. This is a love story with bite. title: Twilight title: New Moon: A Novel title: Eclipse title: Breaking Dawn
F HUR	Ghostgirl (age 12+) by Tonya Hurley friendship ... humor ... school Publisher comments: Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. And if I should die before I awake, I pray the popular attend my wake. Charlotte Usher feels practically invisible at school, and then one day she really is invisible. Even worse: she's dead. And all because she choked on a gummy bear. But being dead doesn't stop Charlotte from wanting to be popular; it just makes her more creative about achieving her goal. If you thought high school was a matter of life or death, wait till you see just how true that is. In this satirical, yet heartfelt novel, Hurley explores the invisibility we all feel at some times and the lengths we'll go to be seen.
F JIM	Reaching Out (age 12+) by Francisco Jimenez historical ... family ... growing up ... school Publisher comments: From the perspective of the young adult he was then, Francisco Jimenez describes the challenges he faced in his efforts to continue his education. During his college years, the very family solidarity that allowed Francisco to survive as a child is tested. Not only must he leave his family behind when he goes to Santa Clara University, but while Francisco is there, his father abandons the family and returns to Mexico. This is the story of how Francisco coped with poverty, with his guilt over leaving his family financially strapped, with his self-doubt about succeeding academically, and with separation. Once again his telling is honest, true, and inspiring.
F JIN	Evil Genius Series (age 12+) by Catherine Jinks fantasy ... science fiction ... mystery ... identity ... adventure ... action ... brilliant protagonist ... school Publisher comments: Cadel Piggott has a genius IQ and a fascination with systems of all kinds. At seven, he was illegally hacking into computers. Now he's fourteen and studying for his World Domination degree, taking classes like embezzlement, misinformation, forgery, and infiltration at the institute founded by criminal mastermind Dr. Phineas Darkkon. Although Cadel may be advanced beyond his years, at heart he's a lonely kid. When he falls for the mysterious and brilliant Kay-Lee, he begins to question the moral implications of his studies for the first time. But is it too late to stop Dr. Darkkon from carrying out his evil plot? An engrossing thriller with darkness and humor, freaks and geeks, Evil Genius explores the fine line between good and evil in a strange world of manipulations and subterfuge where nothing is as it seems. title: Evil Genius title: Genius Squad title: Genius Wars
F KAI	The Social Experiments of Dorie Dilts (age 12+) by P. G. Kain humor ... math/science/technology ... friendship ... school ... brilliant protagonist Publisher comments: Objective: Be Selected to Present at Academy Day. Process: Scientific Method. Step 1: Formulate a Question. What would it take to get Tiffany to notice Igor? Dorie is in science geek heaven at the National Academy for Gifted Youth's science program until she realizes she has gone from being a big fish in a small pond to a typically sized Amphiprion percula in a hyperacclimated environment of equally skilled Amphiprion percula. More simply, Dorie no longer rules the lab. Igor Ellis, however, does. Unlike popularity, being cool isn't about fitting in - it's about standing out. This eureka discovery leads Dorie to the solution of her latest puzzle. Eager to prove her science skills, Dorie is conducting a new social experiment. With assistance from her fabulous and fashionable best friend, Dixie, she's about to take Igor from geek to chic. title: The School For Cool title: Dumped by Popular Demand
F CAB	The Princess Diaries (age 12+) by Meg Cabot princesses ... letters/journal ... growing up ... authorship ... school ... humor Publisher comments: She's just a New York City girl living with her artist mom... News Flash: Dad is prince of Genovia. (So that's why a limo meets her at the airport!) Downer: Dad can't have any more kids. (So no heir to the throne.) Shock of the Century: Like it or not, Mia Thermopolis is prime princess material. Mia must take princess lessons from her dreaded grandmere, the dowager princess of Genovia, who thinks Mia has a thing or two to learn before she steps up to the throne. Well, her father can lecture her until he's royal-blue in the face about her princessly duty, no way is she moving to Genovia and leaving Manhattan behind. But what's a girl to do when her name is Princess Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo? title: The Princess Diaries title: Princess in the Spotlight title: Princess in Love title: Princess in Waiting title: Project Princess title: Princess in Pink title: Princess in Training title: Party Princess title: Valentine Princess title: Princess on the Brink title: Sweet Sixteen Princess title: Perfect Princess title: Princess Mia title: Forever Princess title: The Princess Present: A Princess Diaries Book title: Holiday Princess
F PAL	Cindy Ella (age 12+) by Robin Palmer growing up ... school ... friendship Publisher comments: Prom fever has infected LA, especially Cindy's two annoying stepsisters, and her overly Botoxed stepmother. Cindy seems to be the only one immune to it all. But her anti-prom letter in the school newspaper does more to turn Cindy into Queen of the Freaks than close the gap between the popular kids and the rest of the students. Everyone thinks she's committed social suicide, except for her two best friends, the yoga goddess India and John Hughes-worshiping Malcolm, and shockingly, the most popular senior at Castle Heights High and Cindy's crush, Adam Silver. Suddenly Cindy starts to think that maybe her social life could have a happily ever after. But there's still the rest of the school to deal with. With a little bit of help from an unexpected source and a fabulous pair of heels, Cindy realizes that she still has a chance at a happily ever after.
F PER	Dead is the New Black (age 12+) by Marlene Perez mystery ... school Publisher comments: Welcome to Nightshade, California, small town full of secrets. It's home to the pyschic Giordano sisters, who have a way of getting mixed up in mysteries. During their investigations, they run across everything from pom-pom-shaking vampires to shape-shifting boyfriends to a clue-spewing jukebox. With their psychic powers and some sisterly support, they can crack any case! Teenage girls are being mysteriously attacked all over town, including at Nightshade High School, where Daisy Giordano is a junior. When Daisy discovers that a vampire may be the culprit, she cant help but suspect head cheerleader Samantha Devereaux, who returned from summer break with a new "look." Samantha appears a little . . . well, dead, and all the most popular kids at school are copying her style. Is looking dead just another fashion trend for Samantha, or is there something more sinister going on? To find out, Daisy joins the cheerleading squad.
F PET	The Rule of Won (age 12+) by Stefan Petrucha realistic ... action ... adventure ... friendship ... school Publisher comments: The secret of The Rule of Won is simple, yet its power has been suppressed for generations. The universe is one of infinite abundance. Ask, and you shall receive. Umm, yeah right. Meet Caleb Dunne, slacker extraordinaire. Caleb prefers to glide through life with the minimal amount of effort, so he isnt too jazzed when his overachieving girlfriend, Vicky, convinces him to join a new school club based on a controversial book, The Rule of Won. Slackers dont join school clubs, do they? As The Rule gains popularity, though, the club members start to gain power within the school. From dark posts on the clubs online message board to all-out threats in the hallways, it becomes apparent that the group is getting out of control. For slacker Caleb, though, the only thing worse than doing something is not doing something. Darkly funny and exceptionally thought-provoking, The Rule of Won, inspired by the ideas behind books like the runaway hit The Secret, shines a light on the dangers of group thinking and the inner desires that can sometimes get the best of us all.
F SHU	Antsy Does Time (age 12+) by Neal Shusterman school ... humor ... friendship Fueled by friendship and sympathy, Antsy Bonano signs a month of his life over to his adyinga classmate Gunnar Umlaut. Soon everyone at school follows suit, giving new meaning to the idea of aliving on borrowed time. But does Gunnar really have six months to live, or is news of his imminent death greatly exaggerated? When a family member suffers a heart attack after donating two years to Gunnar, Antsy wonders if he has tempted fate by playing God. Fans of the Schwa will welcome favorite and new characters in this wholly fresh tale, which is as touchingly poignant as it is darkly comical.
F DYG	Backfield Package (age 12+) by Thomas Dygard friendship ... school ... sports The decision of four high school friends to go to the same college so that they can continue playing football together is shaken when one of them begins to receive attention as a star quarterback.

Sat Aug 25 11:55:25 2012 Other themes and genres