msjamgochian'sinfinitebooklist

Sara Zarr writes realistic fiction with completely believable characters and situations that nearly every teen can relate to in some fashion. Her books always make readers cry - but they also make them feel less lonely. Sweethearts tells the story of 17-year-old Jenna Vaughn, formerly known as Jennifer Harris. Jenna started a new school in Grade 9, leaving (or at least trying to leave) behind her rotten childhood memories: getting bullied in school, compulsively eating, and spending most of her evenings alone while her waitress/nursing student mom was at school or work. At her new alternative high school she has a cute boyfriend, a group of friends, and a new start. What she can't forget is her childhood friend and love Cameron Quick. When Cam unexpectedly shows up at her doorstep, forcing their shared past and the present to collide. Another excellent unforgettable story from my favorite young adult author, Sara Zarr. Click here to see Sara talk about all of her books. Grade 8+

Pure fun. Twelve-year-old genius Oliver uses his brainpower to gain wealth and fame - then decides to run for Grade 7 class president. The humor will appeal to fans of Mad magazine. Don't miss Jon Stewart and author Josh Lieb (executive producer of the Daily Show) discussing the book . Grade 6+

Blake has a girlfriend and a friend that is a girl. He loves Shannon but he ends up spending most of his time with Marissa, who is trying to deal with her meth-addict mom and turns to Blake for help and companionship. A romance told from the guy's point of view that deals with what it's like to have to choose between two people you care about; and what happens when you don't choose and just let nature take its course... give to fans of K.L. Going and Frank Portman. William Morris Award 2010. Grade 9+

Ten-year-old Kate Meaney is an aspiring detective. She spends her time meticulously observing the world around her, looking for evidence of a wrongdoing, and hanging out with her older friend, twenty-two-year-old Adrian. When Kate disappears, Adrian is fingered for the crime, but Kate's body is never found, and Adrian leaves town, effectively disappearing himself. Flash forward twenty years to 2004 and the Green Oaks shopping center, where Lisa, Adrian's younger sister, and Kurt, a sad and bored security guard, both work. Haunted by an image of Kate on the mall's surveillance cameras, Lisa and Kurt come together, accidentally solve the crime, and escape the drudgery of their suburban existences. This is a beautiful story about a single incident that effects multiple lives, the simplicity of letting life simply pass and the strength required to seek meaning, and the loneliness that can permeate empty spaces full of people. Catherine O'Flynn talks about the book here . Co

The first book in Rick Riordan's new series, The Kane Chronicles, was just as fun as his well-loved Percy Jackson series. The fast-paced action moves from London to Brooklyn to Paris to Ancient Egypt, as brother and sister team Carter and Sadie discover their ancestry and fight the forces that seek to destroy them. Even at 514 pages the book felt like a quick read, and fans of Percy Jackson will eat this title up like candy. The book also honestly addresses the unpleasant issues and racism that many mixed-race kids face without being patronizing. Highly recommended! Grade 4+

I was intrigued by the title of this book; my childhood experience with religion draws me to works about extreme faith and the nearly ubiquitous abuse that results when parents choose evangelical Christianity over their own children. Gabrielle Fox has been appointed psychologist to sixteen-year-old Bethany Krall, who has killed her mother with a screwdriver and has frequent visions that come true: an Earthquake in Istanbul, a hurricane in Florida, and other eco-related events. Gabrielle has her own issues to deal with - she's confined to a wheelchair as the result of a car accident that took the life of her partner, Alex - and she finds it hard to deny Bethany's Nostradamusesque powers. When a group of scientists, including Gabrielle's love interest physicist Frazer Melville, kidnap Bethany, events take a turn for the worse, and the plot moves quickly to its unhappy ending. Teen readers will empathize with Bethany and enjoy the fast pace of this eco-thriller. Click here for