Anderson, Laurie Halse. Speak.
Melinda can’t tell anyone why she called the cops to last summer’s
party, so she tries to brave her freshman year alone.
Bauer, Cat. Harley, Like A Person.
Harley doesn’t believe she’s related to her violent, alcoholic
father. As her life spins out of control, she goes to New York to find
the true story.
Brooks, Kevin. Martyn Pig.
Faced with the possibility of living with a dreadful aunt,
fifteen-year-old Martyn Pig decides not to tell authorities when his
alcoholic father dies accidentally, instead asking a friend for her help
in disposing of the body.
Brooks, Martha. True Confessions of a Heartless
Girl.
A confused seventeen-year-old girl, a single mother and her young son,
two elderly women, and a sad and lonely man, with their own individual
tragedies to bear, come together in a small Manitoba town and find a way
to a better future.
Chbosky, Stephen. The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
While learning – and breaking – the social rules of high school,
Charlie feels his old depression creeping up on him.
Covington, Dennis. Lizard.
A stranger posing as Lizard’s father gives him the opportunity to
escape from the Leesville Louisiana State School for Retarded Boys and
see the world.
Dessen, Sarah. Dreamland.
Now that her perfect older sister has run away, Caitlin tries to fill
the void with an abusive, controlling boyfriend.
Draper, Sharon. Romiette and Julio.
Two star-crossed lovers, one Black and one Hispanic, meet on the
Internet but can’t escape the gang violence around them.
Gallo, Don, ed. On the Fringe.
Well-known authors tackle the psychic landscapes of high school
outsiders in a collection of short stories.
Going, K.L. Fat Kid Rules the World.
Seventeen-year-old Troy, depressed, suicidal, and weighing nearly 300
pounds, gets a new perspective on life when a homeless teenager who is a
genius on guitar wants Troy to be the drummer in his rock band.
Howe, James. The Watcher.
Margaret’s head is “an orphanage for words” where she invents
happy fantasy lives for people she doesn’t know.
Howe, James. The Misfits.
Fatso, Fairy, Nerdette and the Schizo join together to start the No-Name
Party and revolutionize Paintbrush Falls Junior High.
Klass, David. You Don’t Know Me.
John won’t tell anyone about his stepfather’s anger, but it’s
clear to the adults around him that his carefully constructed story is
breaking into pieces.
Koja, Kathe. Buddha Boy.
Justin spends time with Jinsen, the unusual and artistic new student
whom the school bullies torment and call Buddha Boy, and ends up making
choices that impact Jinsen, himself, and the entire school.
Konigsburg, E.L. Silent to the Bone.
Branwell loses his speech after being accused of injuring his baby
sister, and only a friend can help.
Lynch, Chris. Slot Machine.
Elvin thinks he’s too fat to fit in at Christian Brothers summer camp,
but he triumphs over athletic adversity with his sense of humor.
McCormick, Patricia. Cut.
While in a hospital, Callie begins to understand the emotions that drive
her to cut herself.
McKinley, Robin. Sunshine.
In a world full of Others, a young woman discovers her unnatural
connection to vampires and her calling to destroy them. (For mature
readers.)
Myers, Walter Dean. Monster.
The Murder Trial, starring 16-year-old Steve Harmon as an accessory to
the crime, is taking place in Steve’s head… and real life.
Nolan, Han. Born Blue.
After surviving her mother’s neglect and years of foster care, Leshaya
holds on to her dream of becoming a blues singer.
Peers, Jessica. Asparagus Dreams.
Diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, Jessica is sent to a school for
teens with autism. There she is misunderstood and suffers
misguided treatments, while dealing with adolescence and trying to fit
in with the other pupils.
Plum-Ucci, Carol. The Body of Christopher Creed.
High school is great for Torey Adams – until he questions the meaning
of popularity and the disappearance of Chris, the class outcast.
Tarbox, Katherine. Katie.com. (Nonfiction)
Katie tries to repair her life after meeting her online “soul mate”
in person and finding out that he’s a much older man.
Trueman, Terry. Stuck in Neutral.
If Shawn could speak or even blink, he’d tell Dad how good his life
is, even though his father thinks he’d be better off dead.
Walter, Virginia. Making Up Megaboy.
Why did Bobbie shoot the liquor store owner? Everyone has an opinion,
but nobody knows the truth. A quick read (62 pages).
Young Adult Department
Revised 2/2004
