Bauer, Joan
Hope was Here
Putnam, 2000
YA Bau
When 16 year-old Hope and her aunt move to a small Wisconsin town to
work in a diner, they both become political activists and become
involved in the diner owner's attempt to remove the politically
corrupt mayor from office.
Bauer, Joan
Squashed
Dell, 1992
YA Bau
At the same time country girl Ellie tries to get her prize winning
pumpkin to gain weight, she tries to loose weight, thinking that it
will make her look more attractive.
Beale, Fleur
I Am Not Esther
Hyperion, 1998
YA Bea
After her mother unexpectedly leaves her with her uncle's family,
members of a cult, Kirby struggles to learn what became of her mother,
and deals with the repressiveness of her own family as she struggle to
maintain her own identity.
Chambers, Aidan
Postcards from No Man's Land
Dutton Books, 2002
YA Cha
Alternates between two stories, contemporarily, seventeen year-old
Jacob visits a daunting Amsterdam at the request of his English
grandmother and historically nineteen year-old Geertrusi relates her
experience of the British soldiers attempts to liberate Holland from
it's German occupation.
Dessen, Sarah
Someone Like You
Viking, 1998
YA Des
The Junior year of high school for Halley includes the death of her
best friend's Scarlett's boy friend, discovering that Scarlett is
pregnant, and her own first real romance.
Fleischman, Paul
Whirligig
Harper, 1998
YA Fle
While traveling to the four corners of the country to build a
whirligig, in memory of a girl whose death he caused, he finds
forgiveness and atonement.
Flinn, Alex
Breathing Underwater
Harper Collins, 2001
YA Fli
Nick has always lived with an abusive father, but when at 16 he
develops a relationship with beautiful Caitlin, he finds that he got
more than green eyes and money from his father. He discovers that his
controlling behavior forces him to hit Caitlin, and when he's sent to
anger management classes he is forced to keep a journal and examine
himself and his relationship with his father.
Garden, Nancy
Annie On My Mind
Farrar , Straus and Giroux, 1992
YA Gar
Liza puts aside her feelings for Annie after the disaster at school, but eventually she allows love to triumph over the ignorance of people.
Griffin, Adele
Amandine
Hyperion, 2003
YA Gri
A novel about friendship, revenge and the darker side of human nature.
Her first weeks in a new school, shy, plain Delia befriends Amandine,
not suspecting the dangerous turn their friendship would take.
Grimes, Nikki
Bronx Masquerade
Dial Books, 2002
YA Gri
While studying the Harlem Renaissance, students at a Bronx high school
read aloud poems they've written revealing their innermost thoughts
and fears to their formerly clueless classmates.
Hidier, Tanuka Deai
Born Confused
Scholastic, 2002
YA Hid
Seventeen year old Dimples, whose family is from India, discovers that
she is not Indian enough for the Indians and not American enough for
the Americans, as she sees a beautiful, manipulative best friend
taking possession of both her heritage and the boy she likes.
Manry,Paul
Walk Away Home
Walker and Co., 2002
YA Man
Nick, to escape his problems at home and school, prefers walking
to automobiles, and walks to his aunt's remote cabin, where she is
living as part of a commune. Nick fits right in, but becomes friendly
with a girl who has many more severe problems than Nick. He knows he
must help her, gain his parents trust again, and convince himself to
not walk away next time.
Ryan, Sara
Empress of the World
Viking, 2001
YA Rya
While attending a summer institute, 15 year old Nic meets another girl
named Battle, falls in love with her, and finds the relationship to be
difficult and confusing.
Sones, Sonya
What My Mother Doesn't Know
Simon and Schuster, 2001
YA Son
Sophie described her relationships with a series of boys , and
discovers that her mind, body, and heart don't seem to agree on
anything.
Wolff, Virginia
Make Lemonade
Henry, Holt, 1993
YA Wol
Fourteen year old LaVaughn has high aspirations for college, and
attempts to earn money for it by babysitting. Reality hits her hard in
the face, when her babysitting pulls her into the life of a single
teenage mom and her baby.
Wolff, Virginia
True Believer
Antheneum, 2001
YA Wol
Fifteen year old college bound LaVaughn lives in utmost poverty,
surrounded by guns and gangs, and learns from friends, old and new,
young and old, that life is what you make it, and aspires to it.
Zeises,Lara M.
Bringing up the Bones
Delacorte, 2002
YA Zei
Bridgett is trying to heal form the loss of her boyfriend , Ben from
death, and while turning away from her family, she turns to a young
man named Jasper, who helps her to discover the truth about her and
Benji's relationship, and that fact that happiness pinned to another
person is only an illusion.