Young Adults' Choices 2009
What Is the Young Adults' Choices Project?The 2009 Young Adults' Choices list is the 23rd that U.S. teenagers (Grades 7–12) have helped create. This project began in 1986, funded by a special grant given to the International Reading Association (IRA), and is supervised by the Association's Literature for Young Adults Committee. The goals of the project are to encourage young people to read; to make teens, teachers, librarians, and parents aware of new literature for young adults; and to provide middle and secondary school students with an opportunity to voice their opinions about books being written for them. The participants who wrote the annotations are identified by their initials following the review. Their full names can be found in the sidebar at the end of the Choices list. The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel)Michael Scott. New York: Delacorte Press. The Book of Abraham the Mage, or the Codex, contains all the information in the world, including the secrets to immortality and alchemy. Twins Sophie and Josh Newman unwittingly become involved in trying to protect the book from those that would use it for evil. Their normal lives become extraordinary as they befriend Nicholas Flamel, who is over 600 years old, and other mythological beings. However, was their involvement really coincidental or was it foretold by Abraham? This fast-paced fantasy, the first book in a series, seamlessly intertwines the past, the present, and the future with enduring and memorable characters. AAR BeastlyAlex Flinn. New York: HarperTeen. Incredibly handsome Kyle Kingsbury relies on his looks and his father's money to get everything that he desires. If you are ugly in Kyle's world you don't exist or you only serve as something to be toyed with. Kyle crosses the wrong “ugly” girl who turns him into a beast in order for his outward appearance to reflect his inner self. Kyle has two years in which to reverse the witch's curse by finding true love. This retelling of Beauty and the Beast is from the beast's perspective and includes many relevant modern details and themes. AAR Bunker 10J.A. Henderson. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Children's Books. The lines between reality, fantasy, and the completely impossible are shattered in this compulsively readable novel. Seven children are killed in an explosion at a secret military base. Bunker 10 introduces us to these children, describes their last day and explores the explosion. However, the story is not that simple because all of the children are geniuses. And maybe they don't really exist in the first place. Or maybe these events took place during a different time and we are witnessing them from the future. Or maybe… you will just have to read the book and find out for yourself. AAR Chess RumbleG. Neri. Ill. Jesse Joshua Watson. New York: Lee & Low. Marcus lets his fists deal with his problems. The death of his sister and his father's abandonment of the family have resulted in Marcus doing a lot of talking with his fists lately. Fighting at school has pushed him to the brink of expulsion. Marcus refuses the help of all who reach out to him until he is introduced to CM who patiently shows Marcus how to play chess and thus how to live life. Neri tells Marcus's story in free verse that is filled with the language and the flavor of the streets; Watson's illustrations enhance Marcus's story. AAR Cool Stuff 2.0: And How It WorksJon Woodcock and Chris Woodford. New York: DK Publishing. Curious about how things work? Want to see the inside story? Great photographs and illustrations let you see how kids' shoes can grow with the child with the push of a button, boats can imitate the movement of dolphins, toilet lids pop up when someone approaches, and beds can float on air. If you are interested in saving the environment, you can learn how candy wrappers can become purses and pipes can turn in to modern lamps. This is a great book to explore the future in objects that are here today. KS Cross My Heart and Hope to SpyAlly Carter. New York: Hyperion. Back for an encore, Cammie is now a sophomore at Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, a school for spies. When boys invade Gallagher, Cammie and her friends do their best to out-spy them, figure out what makes them tick, and flirt every chance they get. Between learning 14 languages, breaking complicated codes, and practicing being a chameleon, Cammie tries to find out what her mother, the principal, is hiding. Is one of the boys using her to bring her school to disgrace? Strong female characters prevail in the end. KS Deep and Dark and DangerousMary Downing Hahn. New York: Clarion. The title is creepy enough to stand up to the plot of this book. A picture-perfect artist's cottage on a lake in Maine, a charming aunt, and a cute cousin to babysit should make a lovely summer vacation for Ali, the main character. But then she encounters Sissy, a strange girl with connections to Ali's mother's and aunt's past. Did Ali's mom murder Sissy? Did her aunt? How can Ali help this remarkably solid ghost to rest in peace? Intermediate and middle school readers will devour this easy but chilling read. KS
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