Clik here to view.
Playing With the Narrative | SLJ Spotlight
Fiction for teens continues to evolve, and authors are pushing the boundaries of the genre in creative ways. Whether it’s a heavily illustrated volume or a multi-perspective narrative, YA books have...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Preapocalyptic Time-Travel, Turn-of-the-Century California, and High School...
Series Continuations Corp, Carey & Lorie Langdon. Destined for Doon. 368p. (Doon: Bk. 2). Blink. Sept. 2014. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780310742333. Gr 9 Up –This sequel to Doon (Blink, 2013)finds Mackenna...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Fabulous Debuts, Dark Fantasies, and Haunting Tales | What’s Hot in YA
Annie Cardi and Dawn O’Porter’s debut novels deal with tough stuff and Brenna Yovanoff and Cat Winters return with spooky works that are sure to give teens nightmares. Long anticipated books by A. S....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Stolen Kisses | Romances to Tempt Teen Readers
Whether it’s falling for someone your family won’t approve of or nursing a crush on a best friend’s significant other, forbidden relationships are a tried-and-true trope that conjures up illicit yet...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Hollywood Starlets, Charming Con Men, & Lethal Assassins | What’s Hot in YA
Whether it’s a cunning grifter with a heart of gold, or an aspiring actress with stars in her eyes, the protagonists in these latest books for teens will inspire, infuriate, and tug at the hearstrings...
View ArticleClik here to view.
#WeNeedDiverseBooks: Realistic fiction with diverse protagonists | SLJ Spotlight
With the recent call for diverse books for kids of all ages (http://ow.ly/B2X2w), we’re happy to see new titles by debut and celebrated authors with protagonists who haven’t always been in the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Newest from Stiefvater, Lyga, and Napoli | Fiction Grades 9 & Up
See our complete list of November 2014 SLJ Stars. Gibbons, Faye. Halley. 208p. NewSouth. 2014. Tr $21.95. ISBN 9781588382900; ebk. ISBN 9781603063289. LC 2014933020. Gr 7 Up –As this historical novel...
View ArticleClik here to view.
November Starred Reviews
Graphic Novels Nonfiction DVD Audio Music Fiction Alakija, Polly. Counting Chickens. illus. by Polly Alakija. 32p. Frances Lincoln/Janetta Otter-Barry Bks. 2014. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781847804372. PreS-Gr...
View ArticleClik here to view.
LGBTQ Fiction, Reimagined Fairy Tales, & Horror | What’s Hot in YA
Sexual orientation is a big part of a teen’s identity and the protagonists in the latest books for young adults grapple with that complex question, including Alyssa Brugman’s Alex as Well, Samantha...
View ArticleClik here to view.
College Daze: YA Novels that Tackle the Undergraduate Years | SLJ Spotlight
As teens make their final decisions on their higher education options, they’ve already begun fantasizing about their post-high school lives. The following novels explore that time before college, in...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Upcoming Diverse Titles, Light Romance, and Magical Realism | What’s Hot in YA
As we close 2014, it’s heartening to see that the new year will be filled with novels featuring diverse teens, including Cindy Rodriguez’s When Reason Breaks, Hannah Moskowitz’s Not Otherwise...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Far-Out Science Fiction | SLJ Spotlight
Whether it’s fighting for interstellar peace, falling in love with a time traveler, or trying to rescue your family (and spacecraft) from the clutches of outerspace baddies, the protagonists in these...
View ArticleClik here to view.
High Marks from Teens for Medieval Magic and McCloud’s “The Sculptor”
Science continues to surface in contemporary fiction, and titles with magical settings still hold their edge. Scott McCloud’s impactful graphic novel The Sculptor examines one man’s countdown through...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Girl Power, High Fantasy, and Unconventional Lit | What’s Hot in YA
Fans of Kristen Cashore’s “Graceling” books (Dial) and Robin LaFevers’s “His Fair Assassins” novels (Houghton Harcourt) will find their next go-to series in Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen, Arwen Elys...
View ArticleClik here to view.
February Starred Reviews
Middle Grade YA Nonfiction Graphic Novels Adult Books 4 Teens DVD Audio Music Picture Books Cronin, Doreen. Smick! illus. by Juana Medina. 40p. Viking. Feb. 2015. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780670785780....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Much-Anticipated Sequels and the Latest from Avi, Suma, and Wein | SLJ Sneak...
From the new installment in the beloved “Penderwicks” series (Knopf) to the long-awaited follow-up to The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate (Holt, 2009) to the sequel to E.K. Johnston’s The Story of Owen...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Growing Up in a Cult | SLJ Spotlight
There’s been such a rise of young adult novels set in cultlike environments that, however queasy-making, has been difficult to ignore. The teens in the following works grapple with coming of age in...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Aliens, Mean Girls, and “Speak” Readalikes | What’s Hot in YA
From Michael Buckley’s alien-infested YA debut to poignant explorations of sexual violence and mental illness, the following titles for teens will keep young people coming back for more. Science...
View ArticleClik here to view.
March Starred Reviews
Picture Books Picture Books Middle Grade YA Nonfiction Graphic Novels Adult Books 4 Teens DVD Audio Argueta, Jorge. Salsa: Un Poema Para Cocinar/A Cooking Poem. tr. from Spanish by Elisa Amado. illus....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Get Your Head in the Game: Sports in YA | SLJ Spotlight
Whether it be martial arts or swimming, sports are a big part of teens’ lives. From high stakes to heartbreak, the following YA titles are sure to get readers’ adrenaline pumping. For athletes and...
View Article
