• Alexi, Sherman
  The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian
  Little Brown, 2007
  YA Ale
  Budding cartoonist, Junior, leaves his troubled school on the Indian reservation to attend an all white farm school, where he finds himself as the only Indian, with the exception of the school mascot.
• Alshine, Elaine
  The Perfect Shot
  Carolrhoda books, 2005
  YA Als
  An engrossing thriller which weaves civil rights, the judicial system, racial prejudices and history. Brian uses basketball to mask the pain of his girlfriend, her sister and their mother being shot to death in the family garage, but the upcoming murder trail and a history assignment forces him to face the facts, and decide how far he should go to see justice served.
• Anderson, Laurie Halse
  Twisted
  Viking , 2007
  YA And
  Always considered a socially invisible nerd, Tyler finally gets noticed by someone other that the school bullies and his ever angry father by being involved in a graffiti prank. Tyler enjoys his tough new reputation and the attentions of a popular girl, but all too quickly Tyler spirals out of control. As he becomes a victim of twisted perception, Tyler must choose between transforming himself or giving in to his destructive thoughts.
• Bruchac, Joseph
  BearWalker
  Harper Collins, 2007
  YA Bru
  Although the littlest student in his class, thirteen year old Baron Braun calls upon all of the strength and wisdom of his Mohawk ancestors to try and get help for his classmates who are being terrorized while on a field trip to the Adirondacks.
• Crutcher, Chris
  Whale Talk
  Greenwillow, 2001
  YA Cru
  Intellectually and athletically gifted TR, a multiracial and adopted teenager, shuns organized sports and the gung ho athletes at his school, until he agrees to form a swimming team and recruits some of the school's less popular students.
• Cummings, Priscilla
  Red Kayak
  Penguin, 2004
  YA Cum
  Brady loves babysitting for 2 year old Ben DiAngeli, and when he and his brother are missing in their kayak, he joins the search. When tragedy ensues, Brady and his best friends, J.T. and Digger, become involved in a tragedy which tests their friendship, and their ideas about right and wrong.
• Flinn, Alex
  Breathing Underwater
  Harper, 2002
  YA Fli
  Nick learns that hitting your girlfriend gets you thrown into anger management class, with a less than stellar group of young men with who have also hit their girlfriends. Nick knows he doesn't belong there because he was only keeping Caitlin in her place, but as he watches the other members of the group, he begins to understand the immensity of what he has done.
• Flinn, Alex
  Nothing to Lose
  Harper/Tempest 2004
  YA Fli
  After running away from an intolerable home life, Michael joins the circus, but is forced to return to Miami, the city he lived before running away . This coincides with the time his mother is going on trial for the murder of his abusive stepfather. A compelling story about abusive relationships and the trauma they cause.
• Howe, James
  Parrotfish
  Simon and Schuster, 2007
  YA How
  Grady, a transgenered high school student, yearns for acceptance by his classmates and family as he struggles to adjust to his new found identity.
• Hughes, Dean
  Soldier Boys
  Antheneum, 2001
  YA PB Hug
  Two boys, one German, one American, are eager to join their respective armies during World War II, and their perspective paths cross at the Battle of the Bulge.
• Lawrence, Iain
  B for Buster
  Delacorte, 2004
  YA Law
  In the spring of 1943, sixteen year old Kak, desperate to escape his abusive parents, lies about his age to enlist in the Canadian Air Force, and soon finds himself based in England as part of a group flying bombing raids over Germany.
• Lawrence, Iain
  Convicts
  Delacorte, 2005
  YA Law
  His efforts to avenge his father's unjust imprisonment forces Tom Tip into the streets of 19th century London. When Tom is unfairly accused of murder, Tom is sent to a prison in Australia ,where there is a surprise reunion.
• Lawrence, Iain
  The Wreckers
  Delacorte, 1998
  YA Law
  Shipwrecked after a vicious storm, fourteen year John Spencer attempts to save his father and himself while also dealing with an evil secret about the English town where they are stranded.
• McNamee, Graham
  Acceleration
  Wendy Lamb books, 2003
  YA McN
  Working in the Lost and Found of the Toronto authority for the summer, seventeen year old Duncan finds the diary of a serial killer, and sets out to stop him.
• Sachar, Louis
  Small Steps
  Delacort Press, 2006
  YA Sac
  Three years after being released from Camp Greenlake, Armpit is trying to keep his life on track, but then his old friend, X-ray, shows up with a plan to scalp concert tickets to earn some extra money. Armpit reluctantly agrees.
• Smith, Roland
  Peak
  Harcourt, 2007
  YA Smi
  A fourteen year old boy attempts to be the youngest person to reach the top of Mount Everest.
• Yolen, Jane
  Rogues
  Philomel Books, 2007
  YA Yol
  After his family is evicted from their Scottish farm, fifteen year old Roddy forms an unlikely relationship with a notorious rogue who helps him outwit a tyrant landlord in order to find a family treasure and make his way to America.

Past Featured Books