Kick by Walter Dean Myers & Ross Workman

Kevin has never been in trouble in his life, but one night he is arrested after driving a car into a pole. There are many unanswered questions about what really happened, but two things are certain - Kevin is thirteen and has no license. Fortunately for Kevin, Sergeant Brown steps in to see if he can help. He likes Kevin, but he is not sure Kevin is totally innocent particularly since he saw him lose his temper during an important soccer game. Ultimately, Kevin must tell the truth or go to juvie.

Walter Dean Myers' characters live in troubled worlds. He has written some incredible books. Fallen Angels is one of my favorites and tells the story of young soldiers in Vietnam. Monster is the story of a sixteen year old on trial for murder.

For this book, Myers teamed up with a teenager who wrote him an e-mail. They alternate chapters to tell the story of Kevin and Sergeant Brown. It's not as dark as some of his other books, but is a promising start for new author Ross Workman.

Click here for more info about this book from the Indianapolis Public Library.

Lockdown: Escape from the Furnace by Alexander Gordon Smith

Alex is framed for murdering his friend and sent to the Furnace, a special prison a mile below the earth's surface. The prison is hell below earth for Alex and his fellow prisoners. In the middle of the night, horrible creatures randomly drag prisoners from their cells never to be seen again. The guards patrol with large, vicious dog like creatures, but never stop the gangs from attacking others. Escape is the only hope, but is it even possible?

This is one of the books I think about when I am asked to recommend books to teens. It is dark and tense; there is terror and excitement. Alex is never truly safe and you feel it on each page. The story does not end here; the sequel, Solitary, is available and a third book is expected.

Click here for more info about this book from the Indianapolis Public Library.

Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance by Emily Franklin & Brendan Halpin

This book has the pinkest cover of any book I have ever read. Not that I choose books based on their covers. When I look for a book, I want a premise that is different. In this one, Charlie and Fielding (aka Aaron) have spent the last four years on a popular Disney-style show. On the show, they portray Jenna & Jonah, two average high school students (and next door neighbors) who are secretly world famous rock stars. To keep interest in the show alive, they must also pretend to be in love off screen even though they have truly grown tired of each other.

When we enter the story, Charlie and Fielding are not sure if their show will be cancelled or not. They are strolling along on a beautiful California day acting all romantic for the paparazzi cameras that they know are out there. They have given up everything just to be in the popular show and the tension is high between them but must remain a secret. Something happens that changes everything and forces them to prove something to the world and each other.

This book took a different direction than I was expecting, but I still liked it. If you are looking for a nice quick read, I recommend it.

Click here for more info about this book from the Indianapolis Public Library.

Purple Heart by Patricia McCormick

War is ugly. Things happen so fast you cannot even be sure of anything including what happened yesterday. Matt Duffy wakes up in a military hospital in Iraq. His head injury makes it difficult for him to remember how he even got there. He knows he was on patrol and that he and his buddy Justin chased a car into an alley. The rest is just flashes of memory.

Matt tries to make sense of everything he is learning knowing that he will be questioned about the death of a civilian during the incident. Who can he trust when his own brain seems to be working against him? There are no easy answers.

Patricial McCormick tackles serious topics (see Cut) and makes them accessible through the eyes of her characters. Matt is still a teenager when he is wounded in Iraq. Through Matt's story we get a glimpse of what life might be like for the many troops currently serving in war zones. I recommend this book to anyone curious about the lives that soldiers are living.

Click here for more info about this book from the Indianapolis Public Library.

Death Note by Tsugumi Ohba & Takeshi Obata

This is the most excellent manga I have ever read (ok, I haven't read a lot, but still). Light Yagami finds a notebook dropped in our world by a Shinigami. Light quickly realizes that any person whose name is written in the notebook dies. The rules of the notebook are complex and become more apparent as Light decides to use it to rid the world of evil.

Over twelve volumes, the story takes many twists and becomes more involved with Light being investigated by the police and pursued by L, the world's greatest detective.

This was recommended to me a few years ago, and I cannot say enough about the incredible writing. I never knew what to expect and couldn't wait to get to the next volume.

Click here for more info about this book from the Indianapolis Public Library.

Playing With Matches by Brian Katcher

Leon is not much to look at, but he does have his sense of humor. Imagine his shock and disappointment when he finds his new locker neighbor is Melody Hennon, considered an outcast and a freak be everyone in school. Melody was severely burned as a child and her face bears the scars that she will have for life. Once Leon makes her laugh with a really bad joke, he sees her differently. Can he go out with her and not be totally embarrassed by his friends and everyone else in school? Things get more complicated when the hottest girl in school asks Leon out.

It has been awhile since I read this book. Whenever I see it or think of books to recommend, I remember how much I liked it. I was not always happy with Leon's decisions, but I liked how Melody was revealed to be nice, smart person with all the worries of other teens.

For more info, check out the author's site. 

Cut by Patricia McCormick

Callie cuts herself. She doesn't know why; she just knows it feels good to do it. Now she is in a treatment facility with other teen girls her age who also have issues. One of the girls nicknames Callie 'S.T.' for silent treatment because she doesn't speak to anyone. She doesn't want to talk about her brother's asthma, her mother's changed behavior, and her dad spending so much time at 'work.' She doesn't want to talk about anything. But we know what she is thinking because Callie tells us.

After seeing the author, Patricia McCormick, speak recently at a conference, I decided to read some of her books (since I never had before). This is the first one I found, and I plan to read more. I won't bore you by going on about how the author successfully tackles a difficult topic. I will say that I have a little better understanding about cutting and how people are affected by it. I also hope that anyone in Callie's position finds help and support they need.

Click here for more info about this book from the Indianapoli Public Library.

Scott Pilgrim by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Maybe you've seen the movie Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World that was based on this series or maybe you haven't. Either way, this is worth a look. I should also mention that this is a graphic novel (with some manga influences).

Scott Pilgrim is 23 years old. He's between jobs and plays in a band. Oh, and he's dating a high schooler (named Knives Chau). Whether that's cool or not depends on which of his friends you ask. It doesn't matter for long because Scott meets Ramona. At first, he just sees her in the library, and then he lamely tries to talk to her at a party. For Scott to be Ramona's boyfriend, he must defeat her seven evil ex boyfriends. Defeating them is like winning a video game (really- its like Scott becomes a part of a video game). Ramona has dated some surprising people (an action movie star, a rock guitarist). Scott has also dated some interesting girls that he must also deal with. For awhile, Scott's life is pretty messed up.

Of the graphic novels I have read recently, this is my favorite. It is funny and has great characters. There are six volumes and (like a lot of graphic novels) is a quick read.

Click here to find more info from the Indianapolis Public Library.

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Ever since the shootings at Columbine high school several years ago, schools have not been the same. It seems like every week we hear about someone taking a gun or knife to school. Hate List is the inside story of a school shooting.

Valerie's boyfriend is the shooter. He took a gun to school and opened fire hitting several students before turning the gun on himself. Valerie is scarred, metally and physically (she was shot, too). She must have know he would do it, right? She was his boyfriend - she had to know. But she also saved people, so some consider her a hero.

Her parents don't trust her and now she must go back to school and face all the people who think they know her and everything about her.

Only you will know what is really going on with Valerie. There are at least two sides to every story and this is hers.

Click here for more info about this book from the Indianapolis Public Library.

Seth Baumgartner's Love Manifesto by Eric Luper

Seth is having a tough day. He is dumped by his girlfriend of 8 months during lunch at Applebee's (Yes, Applebee's). During the horrendous experience, he sees his dad having lunch with a strange woman and acting a little too cozy with her. As if that weren't enough, Seth is late back to work and is quickly fired (from his 4th job this summer).

He wants Veronica back and he wants to know who that woman was with his dad. And he really needs to find another job (at least that's what his dad keeps telling him). His friend Dimitri isn't much help (although Dimitri's annoying sister is).

Seth decides to create podcast to share all his relationship experiences (anonymously) in between perfectly selected songs. How long with Seth be able to keep keep his secret identity while more people start to listen? The way things are going for him...probably not too long.

Click here for more info about this book from the Indianapolis Public Library.