S.C. Young Adult Book Award Nominees

Great Books for S.C. High Schoolers!!

The South Carolina YA Book Award Nominees are in for 2012-2013!

Our state's students, librarians, teachers, parents, and others chose these books as the very best for high schoolers. (Heads up: Teachers like to pick summer reading requirements from these lists...so get a head start!)

Click on any title to reserve a copy:



Pathfinder
By Orson Scott Card

Rigg has a secret ability to see the paths of others' pasts. However, revelations after his father's death set him on a dangerous quest that brings new threats from those who would either control his destiny or kill him.

Jen's Pick: The Future of Us...Your Future on Facebook

Greetings! My name is Jennifer, and I work with young adult books at the Charleston County Public Library. Welcome to my random thoughts about books for teens. If a book grabs you, click on the title to reserve a copy…or click here to search CCPL's e-books. Happy reading!






The Future of Us

       The Future of Us

By Jay Asher

and

Carolyn Mackler
 

 

Imagine seeing your Facebook self 15 years in the future. Maybe you’re married to the hottest guy or girl in school, you’re making big bucks, and you have a gaggle of cute kids? Awesome!

Sure, but what if your future life really stinks?

So goes the premise of The Future of Us, the new book by Jay Asher (Thirteen Reasons Why) and Carolyn Mackler (The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things).

New Books Feature Ghosts, Insanity, and a Sunken Ship

Be First to Get These New Books!

Our new books feature ghosts, murder, cover ups, entire worlds gone bad, the Titanic, an alien abduction, and more! Click on any title to reserve a copy at your favorite CCPL branch.

Everybody Sees the Ants
By A.S. King

Fed up with his parents' fighting and a bully's attacks, 15-year-old Lucky Linderman dreams of being with his grandfather, who went missing during the Vietnam War. However, during a visit to Arizona, his aunt and uncle and their beautiful neighbor, Ginny, help him find a new perspective.

By the author of Please Ignore Vera Dietz.

Legend
By Marie Lu

A future America is at war. Born into an elite family, June is being groomed for the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, Day is the country's most wanted criminal. They have no reason to cross paths -- until June's brother is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Is Day really to blame, or was he set up to cover a darker secret?

New Books, Get Them First

We're Bursting With New Teen Titles!


Here at CCPL, we've just received a slew of fantastic new teen books from bestselling authors, including Elizabeth Scott and Susan Beth Pfeffer, along with some great debut writers. Click on titles to get your hands on them first!


As I Wake
By Elizabeth Scott

Ava wakes up in a house she doesn't know, into a life she doesn't recognize. Recently released from the hospital, she's welcomed home by family and friends. But Ava can't remember any of them -- and she can't shake the strange feeling that she's not who they say she is.

Author Interview: Ellen Hopkins!!!!!

Author Interview: Ellen Hopkins

Imagine that you're adopted, love your adoptive parents, and then meet your birth mother -- only to find that she's written poetry her whole life. Just like you! That really happened to Ellen Hopkins, an amazingly gifted poet writing for teens (and adults) today.

Ellen has written five New York Times bestsellers, all in verse. Her poetry, written as full-length novels, tackles such real-life struggles as addiction and abuse. Suffice it say that here at CCPL, her books are HUGELY popular. Check out a few (click on the titles) and meet this amazing writer at YALLFest! But first, read our interview with her:


We’re all so excited that you're coming to Charleston for YALLFest! What made you decide to come?

I love Charleston! Was just there a couple of weeks ago, in fact, so am looking forward to a return visit. Your food rocks! And so do my Charleston readers.

That Reminds Me of a...Hurricane

Welcome to That Reminds Me of a Book, a regular feature where we link current events and pop-culture happenings with YA books.

Storm day!

Happy day off school thanks to Hurricane Irene! (Too bad you have to make it up later.) Still, why not spend today hiding from the rain with a great book? Try these titles about two of America's most horrific storms.

Hurricane Song
By Paul Volponi

When Miles's mother remarries, Miles decides to move to New Orleans to be with his father. But he and his father are so different. Miles's dad lives for jazz. Miles's loves football. Then, Hurricane Katrina hits, and the two seek refuge in the Superdome. The safe haven becomes a nightmare when the power fails and gangs take over. When his father decides to rebel, Miles faces a choice that will alter their relationship -- and their lives -- forever.

             AND

Dark Water Rising
By Marion Hale

Seth's family has just moved to Galveston, Texas, and the 17-year-old is unhappy. Yet, his uncle finds him a summer job, he meets a girl he likes, and Galveston is a fun place to live. But Sept. 8, 1900, changes everything. The town is obliterated by a storm that kills nearly all of its 8,000 residents. Through Seth's eyes, relive one of the worst storms in U.S. history.


Click on the titles to reserve them at a CCPL branch!

Meet Author Katie Crouch

Author Katie Crouch Pens New YA Book

Katie Crouch, bestselling author of the adult books Men and Dogs and Girls in Trucks, has just released a new teen book set in Savannah. Check out Magnolia League now (click on the title)!

In it, 16-year-old Alexandria Lee must move in with a wealthy grandmother she's never known who lives in Savannah. By birth, Alex is a rightful (if unwilling) member of the Magnolia League -- Savannah's long-standing debutante society.

White gloves and silk gowns are a far cry from the vintage t-shirts and torn jeans shorts she's used to. Yet, even as Alex questions the Magnolia League's intentions, she becomes entangled in their seductive world.

(Watch for Crouch's sequel later...)



What inspired you to write Magnolia League?

When I was growing up, my babysitter often spoke of Hoodoo. I think she might have practiced it. Salt by the door, burying the hair left in the comb, grave decoration -- that sort of thing. It caused me to get interested in the Gullah culture of the Sea Islands. I wrote my thesis on it in college. I also love writing about high school, so when it came to creating this series, the peanut butter sort of went with the jelly, you might say.

New School Year, New You

Books For a Better You

A new school year is the perfect time for self-improvement! Whether you need to brush up on style, diet, stress management, study habits, body changes, friend drama, dating, whatever -- we have a book for you. (Click on any title to reserve a copy at a CCPL branch.)

Lauren Conrad Style
By Lauren Conrad

Hit the halls of school knowing how to get your red lips just right, when to buy cheap jewelry, and how to decode invitations so you know what to wear. This book is full of fashion and make-up tips from Lauren Conrad, star of the MTV hit The Hills and author of L.A. Candy and Sweet Little Lies.

Books Need Buddies, Too!

Duets: When One Book Isn't Enough

When are two related books better than one? How about when you want to get another character's perspective. Or to find out what happens next. Or to tie up all those loose plot threads. People aren't the only ones who like to pair up. Some books need buddies, too! Here are a few that prove it:

(Click on any title to reserve it at a CCPL branch.)

If I Stay and Where She Went

By Gayle Forman

In If I Stay, 17-year-old Mia's parents and brother are killed in a car wreck that leaves her in a coma. Should she fight to survive for her boyfriend, Adam, and the rest of the living? Or, should she let go to be with her family? Three years later in Where She Went, Adam is a rising rock star who reconnects with an old friend after the horrific events tore them apart.

What You (and Your Friends) Are Reading

Here's What You Have to Say....

Thanks to all who've entered our summer reading contest! So, what's everyone reading? Tons of Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and the Hunger Games. But what else? Here's what you recommend -- in your own words!

(Keep the entries coming…we have lots more prizes to give away.
Click on titles below to put the books on hold.)

City of Bones
By Cassandra Clare

"Clary is thrown into a world where fairies, vampires, werewolves, and demons are real. Then she finds out that her mother is a Shadowhunter, a group of humans who have angel blood and kill demons. But her father is Valentine -- the evil Shadowhunter trying to destroy all the other Shadowhunters."

(Read City of Ashes next!)

Rating: Excellent

-- 8th grader, Laing Middle School








City of Glass
By Cassandra Clare

"Clary sneaks into the City of Glass and is immediately caught up in a life-and-death battle as the werewolves, vampires, and faerie gather for a war that will 'rend the heavens.'" (Next read the new sequel City of Fallen Angels!)

Rating: Excellent

-- 12th grader, Charleston County School of the Arts

Hottest Summer Reads

Escape the Dog Days of Summer

Summer is time for fun and adventure! Right? Unless, of course, you're facing a 14-hour drive to Aunt Nellie's. Or a flight with two layovers and a storm delay. Or maybe you get can't even get out of town because the gas funds dried up. Hey, they're all good reasons to escape into these great summer reads.

Click on titles to reserve them at your favorite CCPL branch. If it says "on order," place a hold on the book. You'll be one of the first to get it once we do!

We'll Always Have Summer
By Jenny Han

The summer after her first year of college, Isobel "Belly" Conklin is faced with a choice between Jeremiah and Conrad Fisher -- the brothers she has always loved -- when Jeremiah proposes marriage and Conrad confesses that he still loves her.

This is the brand new sequel to The Summer I Turned Pretty and It's Not Summer Without You.




 
 

Take a Trip Back in Time

Updated with new books at the top!

History's Intrigue

Clandestine meetings, killings and torture, romance, scandal, betrayal, adventures on the high seas...who says history is boring? Meet some of history's feisty women and courageous guys by taking a trip back in time. 
(Click on any title to put it on hold!)

Between Shades of Gray
By Ruta Sepetys

It's 1941 when Lina, her mother, and her  brother are pulled from their Lithuanian home by Soviet secret police and sent to a freezing work camp in Siberia. Her father is taken away and sentenced to death. Lina clings to the drawings she hopes will find their way to him, if he's still alive--and if she can survive the horrors.

Book-O-Scope: Your Summer Reading Forecast

Wondering what to read next?

Find answers in the stars!

Gemini
May 21 -- June 21

You’ve been feeling confused lately. Yet, the answers are all there for you to find -- if you look. Read Beatle Meets Destiny by Gabrielle Williams, and find out if John decides to stay with his girlfriend, Cilla, or to take a chance with Destiny.

S.C. Young Adult Book Award

FALL FOR GREAT BOOKS!

From bloody wars and school violence to bullies and cults, there's something for every teen among the South Carolina Young Adult Book Award nominees for 2011-2012. (If you've read any of the books, leave your opinions in the comments section below!) Then, check out some new titles:


Before I Fall
By Lauren Oliver

Samantha Kingston has worked her way up the popularity ladder. Now a senior, she and her friends rule their school. But after she dies in a car crash, Samantha finds herself reliving the day of her death over and over and over again. 





Angry Management
By Chris Crutcher

Chris Crutcher fanatics rejoice! Your favorite characters are back. Mr. Nak from Ironman is holding Angry Management classes with other characters from the Crutcher archives. After a brief intro, each of the three stand-alone stories is preceded by Mr. Nak's file notes on the teen subjects.

South Carolina Junior Book Awards

Updated with Goliath, new Skeleton Creek books!

What Should I Read Now?

From silly humor to chilling war stories, check out these South Carolina Junior Book Award nominees for 2011-2012. (They're great for middle schoolers --and might appear on your school summer reading lists!) Last year's nominees included The Hunger Games. Which of this new batch will be the next Big Thing?





Anything But Typical
By Nora Raleigh Baskin

What is it like to be an autistic boy facing daily sixth-grade life, not to mention lifelong struggles, in a "neurotypical" world? Jason Blake is most comfortable in an online writing forum called Storyboard, where his stories spark an email friendship with a girl. But what would happen if he had to meet her in real life?

Cliques, Cats, and Bullies

Keep Your Friends Close...

If the first season of Pretty Little Liars left you hanging, where else can you get a fix of backstabbing, cattiness, and terror? Start reading, of course.

The TV show is based on Sara Shepard's books, which dish up a snarky amalgam of queen bees, fashion, beauty, crushes, and lies -- all wrapped up in a mystery.

The series begins when a mysterious person sends creepy -- and oddly personal -- texts to Aria, Emily, Hanna, and Spencer. The girls used to be best friends until their leader, Alison, vanished a few years earlier. She'd ruled Rosewood Day, which meant they had, too. Then suddenly, the texts appear, signed simply by --A, each with threats or secrets only the girls should know. But who's sending them? And why?

The eight books in the Pretty Little Liars series are easy to spot thanks to the Barbie wannabe on each cover. (The ninth book, Twisted, comes out July 5.)

Sequels: Flawless, Perfect, Unbelievable, Wicked, Killer, Heartless, Wanted



Meanwhile, check out these other titles that feature mean girls -- some just catty, others dangerous bullies (click on any title to put it on hold):

Book-O-Scope: Your reading forecast for Spring 2011

Wondering what to read next?  The answer is in the stars!

Aquarius  Jan 20 - Feb 18:  You're feeling extra emotional these days.  Take a deep breath and keep your cool, but trust your feelings.  Read Delirium by Lauren Oliver, and see what happens to a society where people have been "cured" of all strong emotions, even love.

Pisces   Feb 19 - Mar 20:  You may run into a sticky situation soon, but your perceptiveness will keep things going smoothly.  Read  The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May & June by 

Robin Benway, about a group of sisters whose extra-special perceptions save the day.  

Aries  Mar 21 - April 19:  Stop worrying about what you're going to do with your life -- your hidden talents will take you to surprising places.   Read Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry, about a boy who finds his true calling as a zombie killer.

Taurus  April 20 - May 20:   Strike up a conversation with someone you've never talked with before. You may make a new friend and learn something about yourself, too.  Read Sellout by Ebony Joy Wilkins and see how Natasha's life changes when she befriends girls at a crisis center.

Gemini  May 21 - Jun 21:  A lot of pressure and expectations are piled on you right now, but stay calm and have faith in your abilities.  Read Hero by Mike Lupica and meet Zach, a remarkable teenager who, like you, has more power than he realizes.

Cancer  Jun 22 - Jul 22:  Perserverance is what you need to focus on now -- don't let anything distract you from your goals.  Read Teenie by Christopher Grant, and see how Teenie keeps it together while dealing with the drama of her BFF's online crush and her own dangerous relationship.

Leo July 21 - Aug 22:  A new person is coming into your life soon, bringing exciting changes and opportunities. read 13 to Life by Shannon Delany, where a mysterious stranger with a dangerous secret changes Jessie's life forever.

 Virgo  Aug 23 - Sep 22:  You hate to see your friends upset and are always trying to keep them from getting hurt, but maybe you're protecting them too much.  Read Bruiser by Neal Shusterman, about a boy who takes on the pain of the people he loves.

  

 Libra  Sep 23 - Oct 22:  Someone is underestimating you, but you are about to surprise them with an impressive accomplishment.  Read Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin and see if Phoebe has also been misunderstood - or is she really special enough to break an ancient curse and save her life? 

Scorpio Oct 23 - Nov 21:  You have two choices facing you right now:  stay silent and do nothing, or speak out and right a wrong.  Read The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney, and find out how Alex finds the courage to stand up for herself. 

Sagittarius  Nov 22 - Dec 21:  Right now, you need to be as clear as you can, even when you think your intentions are obvious.  Read Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, in which two teenagers get to know each other by trading cryptic clues and challenges in a notebook they take turns hiding around NYC.

Capricorn   Dec 22 - Jan 19:  There is high drama surrounding you right now, so try to focus on your own needs and stay calm in the midst of chaos.  Read Maxine Banks is Getting Married by Lori Aurelia Williams - all the drama in Maxine's life will prepare you for dealing with your own!

From Tsunamis to Supermoons

Welcome to That Reminds Me of a Book, a regular feature where we link current events and pop-culture happenings with YA books.

 Is the Moon Getting A Bad Rap? 

 

The Dead & The Gone

Talk about a depressing week. With the tsunami of news from Japan, it's hard to look at the waves off Folly quite the same way. Don't even mention the moon.

Yes, some people think the moon caused it all -- namely, the Supermoon expected on Saturday. Disasters have occurred near past Supermoons. Mere coincidence? Discover Magazine sets us straight. 

Still, at Teen Underground we're in a fiction sort of mind -- so we're busy freaking ourselves out by reading The Last Survivors trilogy. It includes:

1. a seriously messed up moon
2. earthquakes and tsunamis
3. death and destruction
4. a reminder to hug everyone you love (no matter how much they annoy you).



      Check it out:



Life As We Knew It

Life As We Knew It

(The Last Survivors trilogy)

By Susan Beth Pfeffer

It all starts with a chance to watch a really big meteor smash into the moon. Cool, right? For sophomore Miranda, it means a bunch of last-minute class assignments on the moon.

But the meteor shocks everyone -- it knocks the moon off its proper axis, causing massive worldwide earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcano eruptions. In the end, Miranda and her family face life with no power, little food, dwindling water, freezing temps, and lots of fear.

Sequels: The Dead & the Gone and This World We Live In

(Click on titles to reserve them at your favorite library branch!)

When Race is a Family Issue

Welcome to That Reminds Me of a Book, a regular feature where we link current events and pop-culture happenings with YA books.

The Other Half of My Heart

Have you heard about this ABC News story about twins born to a Caucasian mother and an African-American father? Gabe has ivory skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes. His sister, Trinity, has ebony skin, black hair, and brown eyes. 

The Cunningham family gets some curious looks -- and perhaps a few behind-the-back whispers, too. It all raises questions about how we view race in this country. 

Which reminds us of a book...



The Other Half of My Heart
By Sundee Frazier

When Minerva and Keira were born, they made headlines: Keira appears black like Mama; Minni looks white like Daddy. The twins are close, but their relationship is tested when their grandmother invites them down South to compete for the title of Miss Black Pearl Preteen America. The sisters have always shared a special bond. But is it strong enough to overcome racial biases?

Click on the title to reserve it at your favorite library branch.

Say Yes to the Mess

Maxine Banks is Getting Married

by Lori Aurelia Williams

Maxine Banks is the kind of girl who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to make it happen, and what she wants right now is to get married. Well, what she REALLY wants is to get out of her mother’s house, and a wedding seems like the best way to do that and be treated like a queen for a day.  She's seventeen, and has seen enough of her mother’s bad boyfriends to know that her man Brian is a keeper. She convinces him that they should get married but their parents object – they’re still in high school, after all – but Maxine knows how to get her way...and tells everyone that she’s pregnant. She’s not. But it works. Maxine Banks gets married.