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Kern County Library Staff Suggests...: May Recommendations for Teens


Thursday, May 1, 2008

May Recommendations for Teens

Fiction

Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill - Aging former death-metal rocker Jude Coyne collects unusual objects: among his many macabre collectibles are an used hangman's noose and a 16th century trepanned skull which serves nicely as a pen holder. But nothing he possesses is as dreadful as his latest discovery for sale on the Internet, a thing so terribly strange, Jude can't help but reach for his wallet. For a thousand dollars, Jude will become the proud owner of a dead man's suit, said to be haunted by a restless spirit. He isn't afraid. He has spent a lifetime coping with ghosts — of an abusive father, of the lovers he callously abandoned, of the bandmates he betrayed. What's one more? But what UPS delivers to his door in a black heart-shaped box is no imaginary or metaphorical ghost, no benign conversation piece. It's the real thing. Tip of the hat to Nirvana for the title, no complaints here, this is a tale of true horror, a perverse homage to our compulsive need to own things.

Lemonade Mouth by Mark Peter Hughes - Five teens with nothing in common, except their love of music, start a band during detention one day. Though the group faces many challenges, they find ways to help each other while inspiring everyone with their unique brand of music.

Before I Die by Jenny Downham - What would you do if you only had months to live? Seventeen year old Tessa has a list, that grows and changes, even as she slowly fades away. When she does die, she does so knowing that she has lived fully every day she was given.

Kamichama Karin ( Series ) by Koge Donbo - This 7-volume graphic novel introduces Karin, a orphaned teen, who has just lost her best friend, her cat, Si-chan. Enter a mysterious boy and his cousin, who know more about Karin than they should, a potential boyfriend who may or may not be out to kill her, and a twist to end all twists, Kamichama Karin is fun and intriguing from start to finish. (A second series will start in June of 2008.)


Nonfiction

Island of the Lost: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World by Joan Druett - What is the most important thing to have in a shipwreck? The surprising answer is: a good leader. The year was 1864. Two ships wrecked off the coast of New Zealand. One survived and even thrived over their two year stay on the island. The other group was not so fortunate…

Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure (Rachel Fershleiser and Larry Smith, Editors) - If you could use only six words to describe your life, what would you say? The editors of Smith Magazine, "Everyone has a story," have published a collection of submissions to the Featured Stories Project Wall (which by the way is an ongoing project, you can still submit). Funny, thought provoking, incomprehensible, profound, random, succinct, it's amazing how much six words can convey. Better than bathroom grafitti, not quite haiku.

Please Excuse My Daughter: A Memoir by Julie Klam - The only daughter of a privileged family, Klam grew up in a family of career-shunning, dependence-seeking, fun-loving, and extravagent women. While this worked for her mother, Klam found that being unmarried and unemployed was not all that much fun. Marriage and motherhood forced her to take the first steps toward twenty-first-century self-reliance. Delivered in an uproariously funny, sweet, self-effacing, and utterly memorable voice, Please Excuse My Daughter is a bighearted memoir from an irresistible new writer.

Lily Dale: The True Story of the Town that Talks to the Dead by Christine Wicker - Is it a hoax, or real? In upstate New York, the town of Lily Dale has existed for over a hundred years. It is a town founded by Spiritualists and peopled by those who say they can communicate with the dead. Every summer, twenty thousand people descend on Lily Dale, hoping to make contact with their loved ones who have crossed over.

The Dangerous Book for Boys by Conn Iggulden - With computers taking over every aspect of life, what essential skills do we miss out on? This book for guys and their dads teaches all the old skills: knot tying, hide tanning, map reading, and battle planning, among so much else. Learn everything you need to survive in real life, read this book.

The Daring Book for Girls by Andrea Buchanan - Don't worry girls, there's a version of the Dangerous Book for Boys for you, too. No learning how to sew here, this book covers everything a girl needs to know to live a full life of adventure. This book as it all, check it out.

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