Iāve been reading ever since kindergarten, and when I entered high school and discovered YA books, I found my home. Even when I read adult books now, I tend to gravitate towards rough-around-the-edges male leads. Thereās just something fun and tempting about an anti-hero, bad boy, or morally gray male lead that always delivers spice and yearning. Iām a sucker for those bad boys who are only good for the girl who has their heart. While not all of my male leads are ābad boys,ā naturally, I do tend to find myself writing quite a few of them and enjoying them, especially when you can show theyāre multidimensional and have a soft side.
Two words: Wesley Rush. Iām a sucker for a bad boy with charisma. And Biancaāmy girl!ādefinitely gives Wesley a run for his money. I love her feistiness. Wesley dubs Bianca the āDesignated Ugly Fat Friendā which is a huge no-no, but somehow he and Bianca began a steamy enemies with benefits fling and I lived for it. Naturally, their walls began to come down the closer they got, and thereās a line in the book (I will not spoil it) that took my breath away and made me fall completely in love with Wesley. Skip the movie, read the book! I loved Keplingerās authentic uncensored teen voice in this. It made me a fan.
Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is smart, cynical, loyal - and well aware that she's not the hot one in her group of friends. But when high-school jock and all round moron Wesley Rush tells her she's a DUFF - a Designated, Ugly Fat Friend - Bianca does not the see funny side. She may not be a beauty but she'd never stoop so low as to go anywhere near the likes of Wesley ... Or would she? Bianca is about to find out that attraction defies looks and that sometimes your sworn enemies can become your best friends ...
The author-illustrator spoke at our library, showing both movingly and hilariously how his life informed his books.
He said middle school is the worst, but exhorted the young people in the audience that they can thrive even after humiliation. In this graphic novel, he offers up the 1989 group tour he took to Europe after becoming a laughingstock at school. Itās astonishing how much freedom these young teens have exploring Paris, Munich, London, and more.
I enjoy his visual style, from facial expressions to iconic tourist sights. Dan gets into scrapes (he steals a bike from punks!) and tries new things (disco!). He forges new relationships with harassers (āBarf. Look at how he kisses. Iām happy for him, though.ā), new acquaintances, and a girl he likes. She likes him back.
At first, he's right. Stuck with the same girls from his middle school who love to make fun of him, Dan doesn't know why his teacher insisted he come on this trip. But as he travels through France, Germany, Switzerland, and England, a series of first experiences begin to change him - first Fanta, first fondue, first time stealing a bike from German punk rockers . . . and first love.
Funny, heartwarming, and poignant, A First Time for Everything is a feel-good coming-of-age memoir based on New York Times bestselling author and Caldecott Medal winner Dan Santat's awkward schoolā¦
I was a scared kid who loved spooky stories. I can still remember sitting on the couch, reading Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, mumbling the words aloud, both terrified and enthralled. I checked out every book in the library on Bigfoot, the Abominable Snowman, the Loch Ness Monster, werewolves, and vampires. Iāve hiked the Pacific Northwest, sailed Loch Ness, and chased a ghost light on a mountain. While I missed Bigfoot and Nessie, I caught the ghost. Now I write the kind of spooky monster mystery books Iāve loved for a lifetime.
Gallant resists being categorized. Itās a middle grade book that feels like a literary adult novel. Itās a horror story, but also a gripping coming-of-age tale. Itās about ghouls, ghosts, and Death, but also found family, self-sacrifice, and acceptance.
A wonderfully Gothic atmosphere pervades this melancholy book, yet thereās hope in this story of a family called to give everything to protect the world from a great evil. And did I mention the young protagonist never says a word?
Beautifully written in a way that makes me jealous of the authorās skill, its haunting effect lingered with me for weeks after turning the final page.
The Number 1 Sunday Times-bestselling novel, from the author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, and A Darker Shade of Magic.
A darkly magical and thrilling tale of a young woman caught between the world and its shadows, who must embrace her legacy to stop the approaching darkness. The Secret Garden meets Crimson Peak, perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman, Holly Black and Susan Cooper.
Fourteen-year-old Olivia Prior is missing three things: a mother, a father, and a voice. Her mother vanished all at once, and her father by degrees, and her voice was a thing she never hadā¦
Iām a YA contemporary author that enjoys falling back into the realm of the teenager with all its newness, awkwardness, and angst. I grew up with the Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles, the genre that encapsulated and empowered the young adult voice. The coming-of-age story is so important because it molds the future of that character which in turn can mold the reader as well. What happens to a young person in their developing years will set the tone for their entire life. As a writer and a mother, I want to share stories that not only entertain but help young adults navigate difficult situations.
Humor. Sometimes I need some humor. I read a lot of heavy stories about young adults trudging through an unfair world that beats them down for 300 pages or intricate fantasy worlds with oppressed creatures and evil beings. So reading an uplifting, fun story between more daunting stories can be just what I need.
#famous is a breath of fresh air. And I admit I swooned over the love interest, Kyle. He is just so likeable.
Debut author Jilly Gagnon bursts onto the scene with a story equal parts bite and romance, perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Jennifer E. Smith, about falling for someone in front of everyone. In this modern day love story: Girl likes boy. Girl snaps photo and posts it online. Boy becomes insta-famous. And what starts out as an innocent photo turns into a whirlwind adventure that forces them both to question whether fame-and love-are worth the price...and changes both of their lives forever. Told from alternating points of view, #famous captures the sometimes-crazy thrill ride of social media andā¦
