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Starred YA Books of 2012

Like last year, I’ve started keeping track of the starred reviews for YA books published in the big six review publications — The Horn Book, Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, and The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books. The reviews for books published in 2012 are rolling in and here is the list so far:

Five Stars
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (Penguin)
Horn Book, PW, SLJ, Booklist, Kirkus

Four Stars
Crow by Barbara Wright (Random House)
Horn Book, PW, SLJ, Kirkus

There is No Dog by Meg Rosoff (Penguin)
Horn Book, PW, Booklist, Kirkus

Three Stars
Miles to Go for Freedom: Segregation and Civil Rights in the Jim Crow Years by Linda Barrett Osborne (Abrams Books for Young Readers)
PW, SLJ, Kirkus

The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour (Penguin)
PW, SLJ, Kirkus

Two Stars
Beneath a Meth Moon by Jacqueline Woodson (Penguin)
PW, Kirkus

Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey (Dial)
SLJ, Kirkus

Try Not to Breathe by Jennifer R. Hubbard (Penguin)
PW, Kirkus

I’m having a hard time getting the stars from Booklist and Publisher’s Weekly — I only have access to them via a database and they’re embargoed for a month or two each. If you have access to a print subscription and would like to help me compile this list, please let me know!

January 26th, 2012  ♥  Books  ♥  No Comments »

Mock Printz Roundup 2012

The Youth Media Awards, the collection of awards handed out by the American Library Association, will be presented this Monday, January 23. For young adult literature, the Michael L. Printz award is considered the highest achievement. Awarded annually since 2000, it honors the best book (fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or anthology) in terms of literary merit and up to four honor books that were published in the United States during the award year. A committee of nine YALSA members discuss the eligible titles at the Annual and Midwinter ALA meetings and choose the winner and honor books in a closed door session.

To promote the reading and discussion of quality YA books, many library systems and regional library groups organize Mock Printz events. Typically, librarians will choose a shortlist of titles that they think merit inclusion on the Printz list. They then meet to discuss the books and choose their own winner and honor books before the official ceremony.

I’m always curious to see what books look like contenders for the award, so for the last two years (2011, 2010) I have compiled Mock Printz lists and winners. It’s not the best predictor of the eventual winner, especially since a lot of the groups share lists to some extent, but still an interesting exercise. Last year, for example, Ship Breaker and Nothing had a lot of Mock Printz buzz, while the others were pretty much under the radar.

This year, I looked at 20 lists. Several titles appear on multiple lists, but there are a lot that only appear on one list. A total of 55 individual books were listed.

Of the lists I looked at, here are the books that appeared on the most lists and the number of lists they appeared on:

I also weighted the lists that picked honor and award books (15 of the lists) to generate a slightly different list. Award books got three points, honor books got two points, and other nominees got one point:

Other winning Mock Printz titles include:

What do you think? Who will take home the big award on Monday morning?

The full lists from each library or library system appear below.

Read the rest of this entry »

January 19th, 2012  ♥  Books  ♥  3 Comments »

ARCs I’m Pining For

With the ALA Midwinter Meeting just days away, I’m getting excited to see and learn about all of the books that will be coming out in the first part of the year. While I do like the serendipity of discovering new titles on the exhibit hall floor, there are a few that I’ve heard buzz about that I will definitely be looking out for. What books are you looking forward to in the next several months?


Drowned Cities by Paolo Bacigalupi
May 2012 (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
The sequel to the Printz Award-winning The Ship Breaker

Perfect Escape by Jennifer Brown
July 2012 (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
Looks like an interesting brother/sister road trip book from the author of Hate List and Bitter End

Messy by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
6/5/12 (Little, Brown/Poppy)
The sequel to Spoiled from the FugGirls

The Rivals by Daisy Whitney
February 2012 (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
The sequel to the Mockingbirds (which I still haven’t read, but just picked up the paperback from my local indie bookstore!)


Boy 21 by Matthew Quick
3/5/12 (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
I loved Quick’s Sorta Like a Rock Star, so am curious to see read his next book

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
2/28/12 (HarperCollins)
The sequel to the dystopian Delirium

Insurgent by Veronica Roth
5/1/12 (HarperCollins)
The sequel to Divergent

Bitterblue by Kristen Cashore
5/1/12 (Penguin)
The long-awaited third book in the Seven Kingdoms series (Graceling, Fire)


Fake Mustache by Tom Angleberger
4/1/12 (Abrams Books for Young Readers/Amulet Books)
Though I still haven’t read the Origami Yoda books, I know they’re popular and want to check this one out for my school library internship site.

Explorer edited by Kazu Kibuishi
3/1/12 (Abrams Books for Young Readers/Amulet Books)
This graphic novel anthology looks gorgeous with lots of contributors from the popular Flight anthologies.

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson
5/8/12 (S&S Books for Young Readers)
The second novel from the author of Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour

Black Heart by Holly Black
4/3/12 (Margaret K. McElderry Books/S&S)
The third book in the Curse Workers series (White Cat, Red Glove) — love the new covers too!


The Year of the Beasts by Cecil Castellucci and Nate Powell
5/22/12 (Roaring Brook Press/MacMillan)
An alternating prose/graphic novel from one of my favorite authors, Castellucci.

Perception by Kim Harrington
3/1/12 (Scholastic Point)
The sequel to Clarity

The List by Siobhan Vivian
4/1/12 (Scholastic Push)
Another interesting looking contemporary novel from Vivian (Not That Kind of Girl, Same Difference)

This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers
6/19/12 (St. Martin’s Press)
Excited to see this zombie(?) book from one of my favorite contemp authors. (This one’s up on NetGalley already!)

January 18th, 2012  ♥  Books  ♥  1 Comment »

Downton Abbey Read-Alikes for Teens


It seems everyone around the internet has Downton Abbey fever. This British period drama set in the 1910s follows the lives of an aristocratic family and their servants during a time of great social and cultural change. The first series aired in the UK in 2010 and the US in early 2011. The second series, already aired in the UK, is currently broadcasting in the US on PBS on Sunday nights.

Here are a few titles that relate to some aspects of the series. Know any other good read-alikes? Let us know in the comments!

For the era:
Shirley by Kaoru Mori
A collection of manga stories about teenage maids in Edwardian England. The artist produced another series, Emma, about maids in the Victorian era.

 

 

 

The Entomological Tales of Augustus T. Percival: Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone by Dene Low
Sixteen-year-old Petronella teams up with her eccentric uncle, her best friend Jane, and Jane’s brother to find the important guests who were kidnapped from her birthday party in Edwardian London.

 

 

 

For the World War I aspects:
Without Warning: Ellen’s Story 1914-1918 by Dennis Hamley
The account of a working-class English girl as she comes of age during World War I, witnessing the horrors of war first at home and then as a nurse in France.

 

 

 

The Foreshadowing by Marcus Sedgwick
Able to see when someone is going to die, Alexandra travels to France as a nurse to save her brother from the fate of war.

 

 

 

For the era from an American perspective:
Bright Young Things series by Anna Godbersen
Two teen girls from the midwest run away to New York and find themselves swept up into the glamour of big city high society in the 1920s.

 

 

 

Timeless by Alexandra Monir
Sent to live with her estranged grandparents in New York, Michele discovers she can transport herself to 1910 through a diary. There, she meets the dashing Phillip Walker and becomes embroiled in a longstanding family feud.

 

 

For a bit of a twist:
The Leviathan trilogy by Scott Westerfeld
An alernate steampunk history of World War I in which a young Austrian prince on the run and a British girl disguised as a boy join forces to help end the war.

 

 

(Thanks to Lexi and other YALSA-BKers for some of the ideas on this list!)

January 16th, 2012  ♥  Books  ♥  2 Comments »

2011 in Books



Even though it’s already two weeks into the new year, I still wanted to review my reading from 2011. It was my biggest reading year yet! Inspired by some other YA bloggers who read hundreds of books a year, I set my own reading goal at 150 — and I made it (just barely!). For my purposes, I don’t count picture books or easy reading books, but most other books add to the total. Let’s take a look at the breakdowns.

In 2011, I read:

Favorite 2011 Releases:
Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt
Hopefully a shoe-in for a Newbery Medal or Honor, Doug Swieteck’s sometimes humorous, sometimes heartbreaking, story got me right in the gut.

Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard
This debut novel about an intense friendship between two girls in rural Wyoming blew me away with lyrical prose that perfectly evoked its setting and made the characters come alive.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
An honest story about the hurt cancer wreaks on a family, from the perspective of a young boy, that expertly incorporates elements of magical realism.

I’ll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan
I adored this heart-wrenching novel about two homeless brothers and their journey to find a place for themselves.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
I didn’t know I could love a book about fallen angels, but I fell in love with this world with its fantastical creatures and its kick-ass, blue-haired heroine.

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
It’s safe to say that Stephanie Perkins has perfected the contemporary YA romance novel with her second installment about two quirky teens in San Francisco.

Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan
This space-travel epic is filled with deceit, religious awakenings, coups, romance, and so much more, and is a thrilling, can’t-put-it-down read. Can’t wait for book two!

Pink by Lili Wilkinson
A contemporary novel set in Australia tells an endearing story about an offbeat girl coming to terms with her sexual orientation against a backdrop of theater shenanigans and other fun teen escapades.

Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King
It deals with some intense bullying and imagined Vietnam War scenes, but Lucky’s emotional journey over one summer vacation in Arizona is super compelling and ends optimistically. Lots of rich, well-developed characters here!

Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke
Zita and her best friend get transported to a fantastical planet and go on a grand adventure in this colorful, action-packed, funny graphic novel with an awesome girl protagonist for younger readers.

Non-2011 Releases That I Read and Loved in 2011:
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary D. Schmidt
The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
Tales From Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan
Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

(To see all the books I read in 2011 including ratings, visit my LibraryThing page.)

Here’s to another great year of reading!

January 13th, 2012  ♥  Books  ♥  No Comments »

Movies Based on Books: January to March 2012

(1. One for the Money 2. The Woman in Black 3. Big Miracle
4. The Secret World of Arrietty 5. Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax 6. Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters
7. Mirror Mirror 8. Hunger Games 9. The Pirates! Band of Misfits)

January 20

Coriolanus
Based on the play by William Shakespeare
Starring Ralph Fiennes, Gerard Butler, and Brian Cox
(Limited Release — Rated R)

January 27

The Grey
Based on the short story “Ghost Walker” by Ian Mackenzie Jeffers
Starring Liam Neeson, Dermot Mulroney, and Frank Grillo

One for the Money
Based on the novel by Janet Evanovich
Starring Katherine Heigl, Jason O’Mara, and Daniel Sunjata

Albert Nobbs
Based on a short story by George Moore
Starring Glenn Close, Mia Wasikowska, and Aaron Johnson
(Rated R)

In Darkness
Based on In the Sewers of Lvov by Robert Marshall
Starring Robert Wieckiewicz, Benno Fürmann, and Agnieszka Grochowska
(Rated R)

February 3

The Woman in Black
Based on the novel by Susan Hill
Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Janet McTeer, and Ciarán Hinds

Big Miracle
Based on Freeing the Whales by Thomas Rose
Starring Drew Barrymore, John Krasinski, and Kristen Bell

February 17

The Secret World of Arrietty
Based on The Borrowers by Mary Norton
Screenplay by Hayao Miyazaki
Starring the voices of Bridgit Mendler, Amy Poehler, and Will Arnett

March 2

Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax
Based on the book by Dr. Seuss
Starring the voices of Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, and Danny DeVito

Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters
Loosely based on the story by the Brothers Grimm
Starring Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton, and Peter Stormare

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Based on the novel by Paul Torday
Starring Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, and Amr Waked
(Limited Release)

March 9

John Carter
Based on the novel John Carter of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Starring Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, and Willem Dafoe

The Raven
A fictionalized account of the last days of Edgar Allan Poe’s life, in which the poet pursues a serial killer whose murders mirror those in the writer’s stories.
Starring John Cusack, Alice Eve, and Luke Evans

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Based on the novel by Deborah Moggach
Starring Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, and Maggie Smith

Think Like a Man
Based on the book Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man by Steve Harvey
Starring Chris Brown, Gabrielle Union, and Kevin Hart

March 16

Mirror Mirror
Loosely based on the Snow White tale by the Brothers Grimm
Starring Lily Collins, Julia Roberts, and Armie Hammer

March 23

Hunger Games
Based on the novel by Suzanne Collins
Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth

March 30

The Pirates! Band of Misfits
Based on Gideon Defoe’s Pirates! series
Starring the voices of Hugh Grant, Salma Hayek and Jeremy Piven

December 29th, 2011  ♥  Books, Movies  ♥  No Comments »

Book List: Games in Fiction

In anticipation of National Gaming Day @ your Library on Saturday, November 12, an initiative to bring games of all kinds into libraries, I’ve compiled a list of books that prominently feature board, card, and role playing games. The list includes both recent and classic titles for both YA and middle grade readers. Enjoy!

The Cardturner: A Novel about a King, a Queen, and a Joker by Louis Sachar (2010)
Alton Richards is facing a boring summer when his parents enlist him to serve as a cardturner for his blind great-uncle at his regular bridge tournaments. While bored at first, Alton soon becomes entranced with the game and the intriguing Toni Castaneda, the only other person his age at the bridge club.

 

 

Into the Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern (2009)
Jess is perfectly content staying home on Friday nights sewing her signature skirts, but her longtime friends would rather hang out with her brother’s punk rock buddies. So Jess looks for a new crowd to hang out with and finds herself playing D&D with a group of lovable nerds.

 

 

The Girl Who Invented Romance by Caroline B. Cooney (1988)
Frustrated with her own love life, Kelly decides to make a board game fashioned after the real life ups and downs of love and dating, called Romance.
 

Interstellar Pig by William Sleator (1984)
In this 1980s sci-fi story, 16-year-old Barney befriends his mysterious neighbors who are addicted to a strange board game called Interstellar Pig. When he starts noticing weird coincidences with his life and the game, Barney realizes that there may be more at stake than just winning or losing. A sequel, Parasite Pig was released in 2002.

 

Games: A Tale of Two Bullies by Carol Gorman (2007)
Instead of suspension, eighth graders and enemies Mick and Boot are ordered to spend every afternoon playing board games until they can work out their issues.

 

 

 

Wizards of The Game by David Lubar (2003)
Eight grader Mercer Dickensen stirs up controversy when he tries to organize a gaming convention based on his favorite role-playing game ‘Wizards of the Warrior World.’ But all of that is overshadowed when he attracts the attention of a group of real wizards who need his help.

 

Perpetual Check by Rich Wallace (2009)
Two brothers, who couldn’t be more different in most areas, both excel at chess and come head-to-head in the final match of the Pennsylvania High School Chess Championships.

 

 

 

Hikaru no Go: Descent of the Go Master, Vol. 1 by Yumi Hotta (2004)
In this popular manga series, Hikaru finds an old Go board at his grandfather’s house that happens to be inhabited by the spirit of an old Go master. With the help of the spirit, Hikaru starts playing and excelling at the game, much to the chagrin of his competitors.

 

 

The Game of Sunken Places by M.T. Anderson (2004)
Thirteen-year-old Gregory and his best friend Brian find an old board game while vacationing at Gregory’s uncle’s mansion. But the game becomes reality and the boys must win in order to settle an age-old battle.

 

 

The Revenge of the Shadow King by Derek Benz and J.S. Lewis (2006)
The Grey Griffins are a group of friends, Max, Harley, Ernie, and Natalia, who all love the card game Round Table. When creatures from the game start to show up in real life, the Griffins must band together to save their town. First in a series.

 

 

The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman by Meg Wolitzer (2011)
Three very different kids, all with a love of Scrabble, come together at the National Youth Scrabble Tournament and their stories intertwine in interesting and magical ways.

 

 

 

November 7th, 2011  ♥  Books  ♥  2 Comments »

This Week in Reading: October 10

Read

Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard
Sixteen-year-old Alex attends an all-boys boarding school in the mid-1980s. One of his best friends dies in a swimming accident, so Alex takes to keeping a diary of his life as it unfolds over the following months, especially detailing his crush on the young English teacher and the cover-up of the true story surrounding his friend’s death. In the vein of classic boarding school stories like A Separate Peace, this story is full of angst, literary references, and unrequited love. While this has received some high praise in review publications, probably because of its literary aspirations, the story and Alex’s voice fell flat for me. The mystery surrounding the death was not surprising and did not get a satisfying resolution. It’s especially difficult to imagine most teens enjoying this book with its 1980s pop culture references (Cheryl Tiegs is the pin-up du jour) and uninspired plotline.

Destroy All Cars by Blake Nelson
I’ve heard a lot of good things about Blake Nelson, so when I saw this on the shelves at the library I picked it up on a whim. Told in a sort of diary format, interspersed with dialogue transcripts and English assignments, we get a look into the life of high school junior James Hoff. He’s anti-car and anti-consumerism and not afraid to speak his mind, especially in his school essays. But he’s still not over his break-up with Sadie and not sure how to deal with his mainstream classmates, especially the girls. Nelson does a fantastic job articulating James’s voice — I felt like I could have gone to high school with a guy like him. Similarly disaffected readers will enjoy his sarcasm, but it may be off-putting to others who don’t buy into his worldview. It’s quick to read at just over 200 pages, though the end does feel a bit rushed.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Karou, a teenaged, blue-haired, art student living in Prague, leads a secret life where she runs errands for a teeth-collecting chimera in an parallel world full of fantastical creatures and powerful wishes. While not the normal teen experience, it’s all she’s known as an orphan growing up in this magical environment. When a mysterious something threatens Karou’s world, a breathtaking stranger enters her life and a bevy of secrets about her past starts to unfold.

I absolutely adored this novel from Laini Taylor. While it could technically be classified as a paranormal romance, it sort of transcends the genre. The world-building is fantastic, Karou is a kick-butt heroine, and the romance is swoon-worthy. This one definitely lives up to its hype and will even appeal to non-fantasy/paranormal readers.

Reading

Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen
I love the YA trend of historical chick lit as perfected by Anna Godbersen. The Luxe novels were a delight read, so I’ve been meaning to pick up the 1920s-set Bright Young Things for a while now. Luckily it was offered as a free ebook a couple weeks back, so I’ve finally started reading it. It’s breezy and fun so far!

 

 

Pirates! by Celia Rees
I’m listening to this as an audiobook and it’s a treat. It tells the story of upper-class teenager Anna? Kington as she journeys from Bristol, England to Kingston, Jamaica and eventually to life on a pirate ship in 17??. The narration is lively, the story fast-paced, and the plot unpredictable. Can’t wait to see where this is going — if only I spent more than 20 minutes in my car each day!

 

To Read

Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey
This Australian coming-of age story set in the 1960s won several awards in Australia and has earned several starred reviews in its American release. It has some Printz buzz, but I haven’t heard great things from other librarians who have read it. My hold finally came in after months of waiting, so I need to pick this up soon.

 

Between Shades of Grey by Ruta Sepetys
Another Printz contender that I’ve heard rave reviews about. The subject matter is bleak — a family sent to a Siberian prison camp during World War II — so I’m not excited to read it, but hope the prose and story are engaging.

 

 

October 10th, 2011  ♥  Books  ♥  No Comments »

YA Starred Books of 2011

I’ve been keeping track of the starred reviews for YA books published this year in the big six reviewing publications — The Horn Book, Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, and The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books. Some movers and shakers within the last month or so are:

Four Stars

Three Stars

Two Stars

Check out the full list here. Let me know if you notice any omissions!

October 4th, 2011  ♥  Books, Resource Spotlight  ♥  1 Comment »

Book List: Santa Barbara Reads

Santa Barbara, CA (p3281243)
Looking for a last-minute summer escape? Here are four books featuring the beachside town of Santa Barbara, CA (my current home!).

Sophomore Switch by Abby McDonald
UC Santa Barbara party girl Tasha signs up for a last-minute foreign exchange to Oxford, England to escape a hot-tub video scandal. In return, mild-mannered Emily heads to Santa Barbara to expand her horizons. Both get life-changing experiences filled with new friendships, cultural mishaps, and budding romances.

 

 

 

 

the perfect boy by hailey abbottThe Perfect Boy by Hailey Abbott
Hip-hop aficionado Ciara moves to her dad’s house in Santa Barbara for the summer, hoping for a couple months filled with great music and a cute boy. When she spots AJ rapping at a local night club, she sets out to make him fall for her.

 

 

 

 

 

party by tom leveenParty by Tom Leveen
This debut novel follows the lives of eleven Santa Barbara high school students as their lives intersect on the night of the big end-of-the-school-year party.

 

 

 

 

 

anything but ordinaryAnything But Ordinary by Valerie Hobbs
High school sweethearts Bernie and Winifred struggle to maintain their relationship when Winifred leaves Bernie behind in New Jersey to go to college in Santa Barbara.

 

 

 

 

 

Extra Credit

psychPsych
This quirky comedy featuring a (fake) psychic detective takes place in Santa Barbara. While it does feature some shots of the actual locale and references a lot of real places, the show is actually filmed in Vancouver, BC. Seasons 1-5 are available on DVD and Netflix streaming. Season 6 debuts in October on USA.

 

 

 

August 22nd, 2011  ♥  Books  ♥  No Comments »

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    Mock Printz 2012 Goodreads Group
    Mock Printz 2012 114 members
     Reading the best of the best in Young Adult literature published in the previous year. Our goal is...

    Books we're currently reading

    Divergent Divergent
    by Veronica Roth
    Start date: June 10, 2011

    Beauty Queens Beauty Queens
    by Libba Bray
    Start date: June 10, 2011



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