The Boy Who Dared

YA FIC BAR


In October, 1942 when 16-year-old Helmut Hubner listens to the BBC news on an illegal short-wave radio, he quickly discovers Germany is lying to the people. But when he tries to expose the truth with leaflets, he's tried for treason. Sentenced to death and waiting in a jail cell, Helmut's story emerges in a series of flashbacks that show his growth from a naive child caught up in the patriotism of the times, to a sensitive and mature young man who thinks for himself.

(Book description from Amazon.com)

The official book trailer, including author Susan Campbell Bartoletti discussing her novel:

Picture the Dead

YA FIC GRI

On the home front near Boston in 1864, Jennie feels her twin’s presence like “a wave crashing over me” moments after he dies in a Union field hospital. Over the next year, she senses his presence and, more strongly, that of her fiancé, their cousin Will, who also died in the war. Will’s brother Quinn arrives home wounded, gaunt, and haunted by his experiences. When his painful revelations change the way she thinks about Will, Jennie faces hard choices and tries to contact the dead for guidance in discovering the truth. Brown’s evocative black-and-white drawings of photographs, letters, and other documents such as newspaper clippings appear between chapters in four-page, black-paper sections representing Jennie’s scrapbooks and, equally, possible evidence in the mystery.

(Review from Booklist)

The Books of Fell

 

YA FIC KER

If things seem too good to be true, they probably are.

A fateful car accident with a mysterious stranger sets a young man on a startling new path, tangled with promise, mystery, and danger. Presented with an offer too good to refuse, working-class John Fell gives up his name to run with the rich kids at a fancy prep school. It's a place ruled by an elite association of young men, whose members pledge to watch out for their own -- for life. Soon, like it or not, Fell is drawn into a complicated world. And even when the last thing he wants to do is get involved, it seems that somehow, he already is...and getting deeper by the minute.

(Book Description from Amazon.com)

The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin

YA FIC BER

Being a hefty, deaf newcomer almost makes Will Halpin the least popular guy at Coaler High. But when he befriends the only guy less popular than him, the dork-namic duo has the smarts and guts to figure out who knocked off the star quarterback. Will can’t hear what’s going on, but he’s a great observer. So, who did it? And why does that guy talk to his fingers? And will the beautiful girl ever notice him? (Okay, so Will’s interested in more than just murder . . .)

(Book Description from Amazon.com)

Little Brother

YA FIC DOC

Chaos ensues when the San Francesco Bridge is destroyed by a terrorist attack. The only ones found at the scene by the Department of Home Land Security are:

Marcus Yellow - a 17 year-old tech junkie who enjoys cutting school to play alternate reality games as the leader of his foursome of friends.

Darryl Glover - the best friend of Marcus who handles all the details of the group’s gaming plans.

Vanessa Park - a North Korean techy who attends an all-girls Catholic school and comes up with all the ideas.

Jois Torrez - The vain, tech savvy, genius who handles all the technical aspects of the group.

Together do they make 4 average, game playing, high-school students, just ditching school to play the latest round of Harajuku Fun Madness? Or are they really a threat to national security?

If I Stay

YA FIC FOR

Slam

YA FIC HOR

15 year old Sam’s life has been pretty on track for him lately. His teachers finally think he has college potential, his mom has dumped her loser boyfriend, he’s mastered some new, more difficult skateboarding tricks (with the help of his idol, Tony Hawke, whose poster talks back to Sam: ok so it's actually quotes from Tony Hawke's autobiography), and he’s even started dating Alicia, a girl who he thought was way out of his league. Live is perfect until Alicia tells Sam that she’s pregnant and going to keep the baby. SLAM!

“It took years for everything to come together like that, and it took two seconds to screw it all up. One mistake and my life would never be the same.”