Manicpixiedreamgirl by Tom Leveen

Confession time: I had crushes on girls when I was in high school. Big shock, huh? Did I ever tell them? A few times, but mostly I did not. I had no clue about talking to girls. But at least I didn't get totally obsessed with one like Tyler does in this story.

Tyler falls for a girl the first time he sees her in the cafeteria his freshman year. He is fixated on her and doesn't even know her name for a long time until another girl tells him. OK, two things - one, her name is Becky (not Becca); two, the girl who tells Tyler her name eventually becomes his girlfriend (and her name is Syd).

Now that might not be a complication if Tyler had gotten over Becky after he started dating Syd and if he had ever told Becky how he felt. He did neither and Syd knows it. Even Tyler's friends know how he feels. He goes through his whole time in high school and never tells Becky how he feels even after he becomes friends with her. And even when she doesn't live up to his imagined version of her, he still cannot stop his utter fascination with her.

It's a quick read with interesting characters - some you may even identify with.

For more info, check out the Indianapolis Public Library catalog and the author's site.

Game by Barry Lyga

Before I jump into this, I will say again that Barry Lyga is one of my favorite authors. When a new book is coming out by an author that I really like, I have always have this feeling of anticipation and slight dread that the newest book will not live up to my expectations. Well, no worries this time because Mr. Lyga has once again written an incredible story.

This is the sequel to I Hunt Killers, one of my favorite books from last year. We are once again following Jazz whose father is one of the most notorious and infamous serial killers in history. Jazz is not a killer but often hears the voice of his father in his head telling him to act on his thoughts. Because his father taught him to be a serial killer, Jazz has a unique perspective and an incredible amount of knowledge about  serial killers. Gaining some fame (must read the first book for details), Jazz is asked to assist with the hunt for a killer in New York City.

So Jazz finds himself immersed in New York Police Dept procedures (some he agrees with, some not so much). He visits crime scenes and examines evidence. He even finds himself taunted by the serial killer. The question always at the base of it all is whether his dad is behind it all.

It is a complex, mesmerizing tale of darkness and depravity. Jazz and the people around him (including the ones he left back in his small hometown) are never safe.

This is not the end of the story, and I can't wait for more.

For more info, check out the Indianapolis Public Library catalog and the author's site.

Being Henry David by Cal Armistead

He wakes up on the floor of a train station with no memory of who he is...with only a copy of Walden by Henry David Thoreau at his side. It is a rude awakening to open your eyes to a strange place and be confronted by a homeless man who wants your only possession.

The young man adopts the name Hank out of necessity (and a connection he feels to Mr. Thoreau) and meets up with two other lost youth, Jack and Nessa. The meeting quickly leads to trouble with the law and causes Hank to escape the city, reluctantly leaving his two new companions behind. The only place he can think to go is Walden Pond, the very place that Thoreau wrote about. It is the only lead Hank has for discovering his true identity, so he heads off to Concord, Massachusetts.

Hank explores the town hoping to remember something. With no memories returning, Hank falls into an almost normal routine lying to protect his real story. He befriends a librarian and Thoreau expert who offers to help him. Hank also meets some other teens when he pays a visit to the high school. Hailey is one of the first people he meets, and he is instantly attracted to her.

Hank knows the bad things from the city could catch up with him - the police or the bad people he crossed could show up any minute. He also feels guilt about a sister he starts to remember. He's not sure why, but he feels he needs to save her. There are few moments in his current life when he can totally relax.

Hank needs to discover his true identity, but I almost hoped he could keep his life in Concord, too. It is a story of tension and mystery. Who is Hank? How did he end up in a New York train station. It is the search for these answers and much more that kept me reading and riveted to the last page.

For more info about this book, check out the Indianapolis Public Library catalog and the author's site.

OCD, the Dude, and Me by Lauren Roedy Vaughn

I felt like I was back in my senior year with Danielle, the main character and narrator of the story. Not that my high school experience was much like hers, but there was enough that I felt connected.

We learn about Danielle through her writings - like class assignments, letters and private diary entries. Danielle is adopted and uncomfortable with the way she looks. She has very red hair and considers herself overweight. She has a major crush on Jacob, the star football player. She has a special connection with her Aunt Joyce and seeks her advice. But mostly, she is alone.

For reasons not clear at the beginning, Danielle must attend a socialization group. It is in the group that she meets Daniel who is always pushing the limits with adults including his stepfather and the groups councilor.

Danielle is dreading her class trip to England. She has been there before and loves it, but she hates the thought of spending so much time with her classmates. She knows they hate her and do not even want to be around her. She even tries to scheme her way out of it. In some respects, the trip is a turning point for Danielle's senior year which may turn out to not be so bad after all.

I enjoyed learning about Danielle and spending time with her during her senior year. I look back at my own experiences and think how unsure I was of things. I can definitely see the possibility of more stories about this amusing young woman.

For more info, check out the Indianapolis Public Library catalog.

Half Brother by Kenneth Oppel

Ben's new brother is a baby chimp named Zan. Ben's parents are scientists, and Zan is part of an experiment to see if chimps can learn language by signing. From the beginning, Ben is told that Zan will be treated like one of the family (with his own clothes, bed, books and toys). At first Ben is not thrilled, but he quickly bonds with Zan and becomes a trusted member of his inner circle.

Ben becomes one of Zan's main teachers and eventually is made part of the research project working alongside grad students. He takes care of Zan and plays with him as if he were his baby brother. He changes his diaper, dresses him and feeds him. They share books, hugs and tickles.

Ben's family has moved across the country to Vancouver for his dad's new job (at the only university that would give this experiment serious consideration). This means a new school and new friends. The first young people he meets attend the public school and get Ben into some trouble. The next ones are the children of his father's boss and attend a private school. Ben immediately falls for the daughter, Jennifer. Taking inspiration from the experiment, Ben starts a log of Jennifer's interests. He also records strategies for getting her to like him. Of course this is naive, but it provides one of my favorite sentences from the book: "If I could teach a chimp sign language, I could probably teach Jennifer Godwin to fall for me."

As the experiment progresses, Ben's relationship with his father is tested. While Ben grows to truly care for Zan and think of him as a brother, his father shows little interest in Zan's feelings. It is obvious that his father is not bonding with Zan and only thinks of the chimp as a specimen. Ben questions some of his father's decisions about how Zan is treated, leading to some heated discussions.

The ultimate problem in all of this is that Zan is not human. He is being raised as a human child, but cannot suppress his natural instincts. He acts out when he is frustrated. On a few occasions, he bites people. As he grows, he transforms from a cute baby to a strong, potentially fierce creature capable of seriously injuring someone. He is trapped between his life in a household of people and his inescapable chimpanzee nature.

This story is complex mix of normal teen issues and animal science. In one chapter, Ben is dealing with the thrill of kissing a girl for the first time and the next he is discussing animal rights with a grad student. His notoriety at school rises when he is in Time Magazine, but falls when he does something bad at a school dance. It's a fascinating story where you root for Zan and Ben to find what is best for them.

For more info about this book, check out the Indianapolis Public Library catalog and the author's site.

The Sin-Eaters Confession by Lisa J. Bick

Ben has made some bad decisions. For his whole life, he has done what is expected of him. He gets good grades and volunteers at the local emergency room. Ben's mother hopes that he will go to Yale and medical school. She has been 'guiding' him in that direction for a long time. His dad, a police officer, is more laid back about it.

When a family loses their oldest son in a car accident, Ben's follows his dad's suggestion and helps out on their diary farm. He and the younger son, Jimmy, spend hours milking cows and bailing hay. Ben feels like an older brother to Jimmy and likes hanging out with him. It is during a hot day of work that Jimmy secretly snaps a photo of Ben napping shirtless in the hay. Jimmy enters the photo in a contest and the it is published in a national magazine. The photo has a sensual quality to it that leads people to assume that Ben and Jimmy are gay. Jimmy's ultra-religious father is furious at him. He orders Ben to stay away from Jimmy and never come back to the farm.

Ben is not happy either. He is the subject of rumors and begins to question his own sexuality. He decides to confront Jimmy to ask what he was thinking. At the meeting at the coffee shop connected to his parent's church, Jimmy pleads for Ben's help. He sees photography as his only escape from his parents. A request to meet again leads Ben back to the shop the following evening only to see Jimmy get into a car with strangers and drive off.

At this point, Ben starts making the bad decisions. He witnesses a horrific crime and offers no help, not even calling the police or his dad. Ben is trapped by his own guilt. He fears getting caught by the authorities, but cannot bring himself to come clean about what he knows.

Even though I wanted Ben to do the right thing, I was mesmerized by his continual struggle as events unfolded. There was a situation where I was pleading for Ben to stop what he was doing, but I as unsure as he was at that point and I wasn't totally convinced he was wrong.

This is gut wrenching story of a life changed by one night and a choice to not do the right thing. It's messy and ambiguous at times . Ben's struggle is one I will remember for a long time.

For more info, check out the Indianapolis Public Library catalog and the author's website.

Lemonade Mouth: Pucker Up by Mark Peter Hughes

This book is a sequel to Lemonade Mouth (made into a Disney Channel movie - no, I did not see it). It has been a long time since I read the first one, and I had forgotten much of the story. I remembered liking the tale of some high school students who make an unlikely music group. I know there was something about a protest involving drinks allowed in school, too.

We pick up the group's story as the band members (and others involved) recount the eventful summer after the previous book. The band is made up of some unusual instruments (trumpet and ukelele, to name two). Following a local concert, the group is approached by the manager of several successful rock performers and are told he wants to make them superstars. It's a rocky road for our group who are new to the world of big time entertainment. As much as they want to be successful and have their music heard, they do not always agree with the decisions made for their career. Being true to themselves is important, so they are often at odds with what they are being asked to  do.

In addition to all the band activities, the members are also dealing with typical teen issues: relationships, parents, summer jobs. Generally, the issues are not too serious (compared to other teen books). These young people are always striving to do the right thing and stand up for what they believe. It is nice to read a book that is lighter in tone and does not get graphic and too serious.

If you are going to read this, you should start with the first one.

For more info on this book check out the Indianapolis Public Library catalog and the author's site.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Speak is a solemn, yet hopeful, story of a freshman girl named Melinda withdrawing into herself. Speaking is just too difficult sometimes. Remaining silent puzzles and frustrates her parents and teachers, but it is easier for Melinda than telling the truth.

She has never told anyone what happened at the end of the summer party. All that anyone remembers is that Melinda called the police and busted up the party. Now, even her former friends hate her.

Melinda finds some companionship in a new girl who knows nothing about the summer party, but Melinda just cannot be excited about the same things. She really finds school a bore. The only thing that interests her is art class and even it is sometimes an exercise in frustration.

There are moments of terror, too - when he is around (the one she calls IT). Just the sight of him would be bad enough, but when he speaks to her and even touches her it is too much to bear.

Her grades are awful and getting worse; she starts skipping classes; her parents do not understand what is happening and she can't tell them. She could just coast through her life, but when her ex-best friend starts dating IT can she really remain silent? It is one of many tough situations for Melinda.

I'm still asking myself why it took me so long to read this book. It is one of those landmark books that I have known about for a long time, but I never picked up. I'm glad I finally did.

For more info about this book, check out the Indianapolis Public Library catalog and the author's site.

Ask the Passengers by A.S. King

Astrid is not having a happy life. She moved from New York City to a small town in Pennsylvania. Just try to be different when everyone wants to know  your private business.

Not that her family is much better. Her mom, a work from home workaholic is constantly telling Astrid what she should do and is obsessed with whether Astrid has a boyfriend. She has the audacity to befriend Astrid's best friend Kristina who she chats with often. Astrid's dad secretly smokes pot when he is not at his low level office job. Her younger sister can do no wrong in her mother's eyes.

And so Astrid hangs out with her friends Kristina and Justin who are the perfect high school couple - at least in appearance. They are both actually gay and dating other people. The small minded people of their little town would never forgive them if the secret was revealed.

Astrid knows this and is scared about her own secret - she is extremely attracted to her co-worker, Dee. Astrid's never been attracted to another girl before, so she's not sure she is gay or not. Dee is gay and out to everyone and wants more from Astrid than she is ready for.

Astrid is truly confused by all that is going on around her and all the people telling her what to do. Her only escape is to her backyard picnic table where she lays on her back and looks at the sky. She sends love to the people traveling overhead in passing airplanes. Like the author's other book, Everybody Sees the Ants, this bends reality just a bit. In this case, the passengers receive the love.

Astrid's story is about more than questioning her sexuality or coming out to her parents. Astrid is struggling with many issues. Astrid's story is all too familiar to teens who trying to deal with classmates, friends, siblings, parents and even themselves in world that sometimes seems totally against them.

For more information about this book, check out the author's site and the Indianapolis Public Library catalog.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

August has a severe facial deformity caused by a rare genetic disorder. It is the first thing most people know about him. To many, it is what defines him. If you get to know him, you would find he is a smart and funny ten year old who loves Star Wars.

This story revolves around August's appearance because no matter what kind of person he is, it always seems to come back to his face. August is getting ready to go to school for the first time. Due to many surgeries and related health issues, August has been home schooled. His parents disagree on whether he should attend school. August has no doubt that he does not want to go to school. A visit with the principal and some other students eases his mind a little. With mixed emotions, August heads off to his first day of school.

Yes, there are the usual stares, looks of shock, and whispering. August has grow used to it. But over time, a growing cruel movement happens.   It spreads like a disease through a good part of August's class. There are no words to explain the nasty behavior we inflict upon each other for no justifiable reason. Each day is a test of August's resolve.

Not everyone is against August. Summer sits with him at lunch from day one. Jack is cool, but August worries that he is only friendly because the principal told him to be. There are times when August feels almost like any other average kid.

If this story were only told by August, it might not have the impact that it does, but we also hear from others including his teen sister, her new boyfriend and her former friend who has known August her whole life. The different viewpoints always come back to the effect August has on them. We know what is going on in the minds of August's fellow students even when he does not.

It is heart wrenching enough to think about an innocent child who is burdened with something beyond his control. It is another to live in the life of that boy, to know his thoughts, to hear what others are saying and not saying, to know that he is fully aware of how others perceive him. To understand, you must read this book.

Generally speaking, this book is aimed at older elementary age and early middle school kids, but it is too amazing to restrict to just them. I recommend this one for teens and adults, too.

For more info about this book, check out the Indianapolis Public Library catalog and the author's site.