Staff Picks: Book Collection: Young Adult and Juvenile Fiction

Recommended by Jasmine Rizer, Cataloging

I have a perhaps unreasoning soft spot for Kate DiCamillo; her books may be marketed to people far younger than myself, but they make me cry on the bus, so she must be doing something right. This is a book about unfathomable adults and female friendship and the King of the Cats. Louisiana Elefante has since gotten her own novel, which is also an A-plus read. Beverly Tapinski is terrifying and I hope she gets her own novel too.

Recommended by Jasmine Rizer

This book was a finalist for YALSA's William C. Morris Award, and it's no mystery why. Profane, funny, loyal, imperfect, and impossible not to root for, protagonist Gabi often reminds me of the best and worst parts of my own adolescent self, even though I struggled with pretty much none of the issues that loom large in Gabi's life (a drug-addicted father, weight, and her identity as the daughter of immigrants, among others). Not that this is not even close to being one of those "issue novels" that you might remember from young-adult literature if you grew up in the Eighties. Gabi is a whole person, not just a vehicle for the reader to Learn a Valuable Lesson, and she's a whole person you should meet and get to know and love a lot.

Recommended by Leandra Nessel, Development Department

This is a YA novel about two British women during WWII, one a pilot and the other a spy. Don't let the YA category turn you away -- this is an emotionally gripping story and one of the best depictions of female friendships I've ever encountered. This is the only book that I've ever finished and then immediately started re-reading because I wanted to go back and see what I missed during the first reading.

Also recommended by Amy Watts, Research & Instruction Department

So, so good. It took some twists and turns I didn't expect and had me cheering and smiling and sobbing and biting my nails at different points.

On my first read I may have skimmed more than I should because I had to know WHAT HAPPENED NEXT. When I read it again later for book club I was VERY impressed how well it all hung together on closer, slower inspection. A second read also allowed me to see more symbolism and some subtle foreshadowing that was only obvious if you already knew the turns the plot would take. And I cried AGAIN even though I KNEW the plot.

Recommended by Amy Watts, Research & Instruction Department

So gorgeous. So swoony. So profound.

Two Boys Kissing follows four different stories of teenage boys grappling with issues of sexual orientation and gender identity.

The story that serves as the backbone for the book is of Harry and Craig, two 17-year-olds who set out to break the Guinness World Record for longest kiss. (If this sounds familiar, it was inspired by a true story.) The other three stories all relate to other young men who hear about Harry and Craig's quest and how it relates to their lives.

Perhaps the most compelling aspect of the book, though, is that it is narrated by a "Greek chorus" composed of the generation of gay men lost to AIDS.

Also recommended by Jasmine Rizer, Cataloging Department

This book does what it says on the box, as they say -- it is about two boys trying to break the world's record for the longest kiss ever, which turns out to be a lot less fun than it sounds after the novelty starts to wear off -- but it is about so much more. Levithan's novel is narrated in the plural first person by men who died during the 1980s AIDS crisis, a device which could have been distracting or just grim, but which works beautifully because of the author's light and skillful touch. Further "light and skillful touch" points to Levithan for writing about the reality of physical love in the lives of teenagers without tipping over into exploitation.

Recommended by Jasmine Rizer, Cataloging Department

This young adult novel has all of the things, as the Internet might say. It is a story about young people learning to use their magical powers responsibly, also a story about a girl who wants adventures in a world where accepted gender roles will steal all her chances for adventures unless she is terribly clever and brave, and it's a story about friendship and secrets and beginning to notice that the grown-ups are not infallible and they have their own feelings and vulnerabilities. This book came out in 1983, but for richness and engaging writing, it certainly matches the contemporary young adult literature that so many people my age are not ashamed to be seen reading on the bus. Plus, it's the first in a series, so if you want more, there is more.

Recommend by Mary Poland, Access Services

With a tone that reminded me of True Detective, the book grabbed my interest and held on fast. This thriller is set amid the ruin that is present-day Detroit and blends magical realism with gritty reality to create a fascinating, complex story. If you like, crime novels with a twist give this one a try.

Are you out of the mainstream? Do you feel watched? You may be in San Francisco and part of 17 year old Marcus Yallow's world. As Homeland Security attempts to make America safe, Marcus's rights and mobility shrink, and he is accused of being a terrorist. How would you fight back?

Recommended by J. R., Cataloging

My hopes for this one were so high that I was inevitably a little let down through absolutely no fault of the author's. I'm choosing this one nonetheless, because I think what he did here was incredibly valuable, and I can probably say very little about this exploration of the way in which our pettiest actions can crush another human being that hasn't already been said. One scene, in particular, was hard for me to get through, in the best possible way, because of its spot-on portrayal of people's utter lack of compassion for the suicidal person.

Recommended by Amy Watts, Research & Instruction

Meg Cabot always delivers smart, funny books about smart, funny girls and women. This book is no exception. The only thing I didn't like about it is that it's not a series, like so much of Cabot's other works.

Recommended by Amy Watts, Research & Instruction Department

So perceptive and well-written. GREAT characters, with many dimensions. I really liked the main character and could empathize with her internal struggles. I also liked the depiction of her family, which felt very authentic. Even some of the plot developments that could have seemed sensational really worked because they were so nicely balanced by the mundane.

I was so touched by the dilemmas and ultimate insights and achievements of the main character that I have to admit I wept through a lot of the second half of the book.