Rats Saw God by Rob Thomas

This book is SOOOOOOOOOOO good. It's all about Steve York, a Senior who might not graduate because he's short one Engish credit (and also smoking a lot of pot). His guidance counselor throws him a line, in the form of a 100 page written assignment on the topic of His Life. If he writes the paper, he gets the credit. Steve chooses to write about how he went from a stellar, all-A's student his first years of high school to a pot-smoking, class-cutting Senior. Steve experiences his first love and his first sexual experience. The twist that is thrown in at the end is so perfectly veiled throughout the book that you won't see it coming and so I'm not going to tell you what it is. READ IT! IT IS AWESOME! Till next time! -Suzanne

Gansta Rap by Benjamin Zephaniah

I read this book on a recommendation from a fellow reader (like I so often do) and I wasn't disappointed. Gansta Rap tells the story of Ray (a.k.a. X-Ray-X). He's having trouble at school and trouble at home. He and his two best friends, Prem and Tyrone, end up getting kicked out of school permanently. Luckily, they are given the option to attend a special vocational type school that gives them an outlet for their musical talents and ultimately launches them into stardom. Set in England, music lovers and British fiction lovers alike will enjoy Gangsta Rap. Till next time! -Suzanne

World War II - A List

Has there ever been a more dramatic time in history than World War II? Based on the amount of fiction that's been generated about this war (not to mention the movies!) I happen to think not. But when you think about the variety of events that happened; the Nazis, the concentration camps, the American internment camps, the dropping of the nuclear bombs, the exportation of English children to the safety of America and on and on and on - it makes sense that there's a LOT of fiction written about that horrendous war. Complicated as that war was, I find it much easier to understand when I read stories about it, rather than nonfiction books (although some of them are VERY good). Try a few of these if you're interested at all in history, drama, and very, very good stories.

Soldier Boys by Dean Hughes

Postcards from No Man's Land by Aidan Chambers

Night by Elie Wiesel

Aleutian Sparrow by Karen Hesse

I had seen Castles by Cynthia Rylant

Eyes of the Emperor by Graham Salisbury

The Power of One by Bryce Cortenay

Yossel, April 19, 1943 by Joe Kubert (Graphic Novel)

The Cay by Theodore Taylor

Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac

Maus I and II by Art Spiegelman (Graphic Novels)

Good Night, Maman by Norma Fox Mazer

Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli

Sisterland by Linda Newbery

Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick

This book was recommended to me by a dear reader who just knew it would keep me page turning to the extent that I committed the sin I have sworn to never commit which is the sin of reading on the job. I mean, I know I'm a librarian and all and it is okay for us to occasionally read on the job, but come on! I have a lot of other things I need to be doing! Like updating this Blog for one! Anyway, Sonnenblick (the author) has written a hilarious book about...oh. I can't tell you. I mean, I didn't know what it was about when I read it. I thought it would be like the movie Drumline or the movie American Pie (yup...that'd constitute Dangerous Pie for sure). But I had no idea what it was actually going to be about, and that made it that much better. Well. I'll tell you this much. It's about a guy, named Steven who is a very good drum player. He has a crush on this girl Renee and is friends with another girl named Annette. He has parents. His dad is an accountant. And he has to watch out for Dangerous Pie. And that's all I'm gonna tell ya! Till next time! -Suzanne

My Summer Vacation - Pirates and Oceans

I am 28 years old and yet I still go on vacation every year with my father (and his wife and her two children and their children and their spouses and my sisters and their spouses and their children and my own husband...you get the picture). Every year we pack up several vehicles with everything we'd possibly need for a week at the beach. We always end up forgetting a ton of stuff and always go to the store for that ever important beach toy or sun block. It's a huge hassle. But, I go year after year because I LOVE THE OCEAN! (I love my family too.) Do you have a love of the sea? Can you smell that salty air? Do you love the feeling of sand running between your toes? Does the wind on the coast make you feel alive? Here's a list of books for all you ocean lovers out there. Maybe they'll tide you over until you get to row yoursel out to sea! (Get it? Tide? Oh, I'm so bad). Ahoy there Matey! Till next time! -Suzanne

The Voyage of the Arctic Tern by Hugh Montgomery

Bloody Jack by L. A. Meyer

Under the Jolly Roger by L. A. Meyer

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi

Pirates! by Celia Rees

The Angel's Command by Brian Jacques

The Pirate's Son by Geraldine McCaughrean

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Revenge of the Whale by Nathaniel Philbrick

SOS Titanic by Eve Bunting

Life of Pi by Yan Martel

Voyage on the Great Titanic by Ellen Emerson While

Chuck Dugan is AWOL by Eric Chase Anderson

Carry on, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham

Breathless by Pam Withers

Poetry, Novels, and You

I would like to one day write one of these...a novel written in poems. If you've never tried one, you really should because they draw you in and make you believe in life. They are quicker reads than your traditional novel, and don't let the fact that they are actually a form of poetry put you off. The fact that a story is being told at the same time really helps the reader along. Every one of these is worth the read. Till next time!

Girl Coming in for a Landing by April Halprin Wayland

Keesha's House by Helen Frost

The Brimston Journals by Ronald Koertge

True Believer by Virginia Euwer Wolff

Make Lemonade by Virginia Euwer Wolff

The Trial by Jen Bryant

Love that Dog by Sharon Creech

Granny Torelli Makes Soup by Sharon Creech

Learning to Swim by Ann Warren Turner

One of those Hideous Books where the Mother Dies by Sonya Sones

Stop Pretending: what happened when My Big Sister went Crazy by Sonya Sones

What my Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Something About America by Maia Testa

The Poet Slave of Cuba by Juan Francisco Manzano

Big List of Sports Books

Hey there, sports fans! Read on for a fabulous list of books, all centered around SPORTS and all owned by your very own public library! Till next time! -Suzanne

BASKETBALL
The Perfect Shot by Elaine Marie Alphin

Cruise Control by Terry Trueman

Travel Team by Mike Lupica

Rebound! by Yuriko Nishiyama (Manga)

Slam! by Walter Dean Myers

The Squared Circle by James Bennett

On the Devil's Court by Carl Deuker

Outside Shooter by Thomas Dygard

BASEBALL
High Heat by Carl Deuker

The Journal of Biddy Owens, the Negro Leagues by Walter Dean Myers

Heart of a Champion by Carl Deuker

Ruby Tuesday by Jennifer Ann Kogler

SOCCER
Bend it Like Beckham by Narinder Dhami

Home of the Braves by David Klass

Tangerine by Edward Bloor

FOOTBALL
Three Clams and an Oyster by Randy Powell

Damage by A.M. Jenkins

SWIMMING
Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher

SHORT STORIES ABOUT SPORTS
Losing is Not an Option by Rich Wallace

Spotlight - Ancient Greece: a list

Did you love the movie Troy? Try the book! And while you're at it, try one of these books also inspired by Ancient Greece!

Quiver by Stephanie Spinner

Aphrodite's Blessings by Clemence McLaren

Sirena by Donna Jo Napoli

Singer to the Sea God by Vivien Alcock

Ithika by Adele Geras (also wrote Troy)

Waiting for Odysseus by Clemence McLaren

Goddess of Yesterday by Caroline B. Cooney

The Iliad by Homer

The Odessy by Homer

To find out more about gods and goddesses try: Gods and Goddesses in Greek Mythology by Michelle M. Houle.

A Corner of the Universe by Ann M. Martin

Summer...ah...a perfect time to read this book. I started reading Ann M. Martin way back when the Babysitter's Club books first came out. I snuck into my big sister's room and would read her books on the sly. She eventually found out and wasn't quite as mad as I thought she might be. But after a while, the Babysitter's Club books became a little...stale. Maybe it was me. Maybe it was growing up. But maybe it was the fact that those girls (and Logan) never, ever aged. There was something so...disturbing about that. A Corner of the Universe is not like the Babysitter's Club books. A Corner of the Universe is a summer story with special attraction for girls. The book is set in a little town in the 1950's, not unlike our own Lebanon and tells the story of Hattie Owen and her quiet discoveries the summer she turns 12. Oh, it's such a sweet story. Read it. Cry. Laugh. Learn. Till next time! -Suzanne

Watership Down - Richard Adams

This is one of my all time favorite books. It's all about a band of rabbits who, on the advice of Fiver, a small, jittery, and clairvoyent rabbit, leave their doomed warren for someplace new. Someplace safe. Someplace where they can start over and rule themselves. They almost join a couple of other warrens, due to the fact that they don't have any does (females) along with them, but in the end, they decide their freedom is worth more than the security of other warrens. They devise other plans to get their does and mayhem ensues. This is a great read for science fiction fans and people who like reading about different kinds of worlds and governments. Even fans of folklore will find this dense book a truly wonderful read. Till next time! -Suzanne

PS: They also made an animated movie based on this book in the 70's. It actually reminds me a little of the Anime style that is so popular today. :)

Girl, 15, Charming but Insane by Sue Limb

For fans of British humor, this book is a riot. If you liked Bridget Jones Diary, you will definitely fall for Jess who is definitely charming and totally insane. Also try the sequel: Girl, Nearly 16, Absolute Torture. There is only one other person I know who could get herself into the situations that Jess gets herself into...and that would be me. Have you heard about that time that I froze myself to a door knocker? It wasn't pretty. Till next time! -Suzanne

Historical Fiction: Spotlight on the Civil War - List

I am really digging on this blogging thing. I know...I'm a dork. I know some of you love reading about history. When I was about 11 I watched a mini series about the Civil War called "The Blue and the Gray." If you haven't seen it, it is really good (although I'm well aware how OLD it is now). Anyway, after I watched it I actually felt like I understood how complicated the Civil War really was. Having Jean drag my sisters and I (kicking and screaming) to Gettysburg for Spring Break one year solidified it. Gettysburg is one creepy little town. But hey, aren't most wars creepy? Anyway, here's a list of Civil War-type books. Till next time! -Suzanne

FICTION
How I Fought the Strong by Margaret McMullan

Girl in Blue by Ann Rinaldi

Annie Between the States by Laura Elliot

The Land by Mildred T. Taylor

Gurilla Season by Pat Hughes

Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt

The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane

The Heart Calls Home by Joyce Hansen

Soldier’s Heart by Gary Paulsen

A Light in the Storm by Karen Hesse

Silent Thunder: A Civil War Story by Andrea Davis Pinkney

NONFICTION
The Civil War at Sea by George Sullivan

Billy Yank and Johnny Reb by Susan Provost Beller

Those Courageous Women of the Civil War by Karen Zienert

GLBT Books for Teens - List

Did you like the book Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez? You might want to try one of these!

Rainbow High by Alex Sanchez

Rainbow Road by Alex Sanchez

Luna by Julie Anne Peters

So Hard to Say by Alex Sanchez

The Realm of Possibility by David Levithan

Name Me Nobody by Lois-Ann Yamanaka

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Kissing Kate by Lauren Myracle

Talk by Kathe Joja

Weetzie Bat by Lia Block

Alt Ed by Catherine Atkins

M or F? by Lisa Papademetriou and Chris Tebbetts

The Geography Club by Brent Hartinger

Between Mom and Jo by Julie Anne Peters

Christian Reading for Teens - List

Do you like Inspirational Fiction? AKA Christian Fiction? Here's a list of a few titles owned by your very own Lebanon Public Library to help you continue your quest to Inspired Reading...also included are some nonfiction titles:

FICTION
Left Behind: The Kids by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim Lahaye

Christy Series by C. Archer

An American Adventure Series by Lee Roddy

Diary of a Teenage Girl Series by Melody Carlson

Bonnets and Bugles Series by Gilbert Morris

Love Rules by Dandi Daley Mackall

Warrior Girl by Pauline Chandler

NONFICTION
Soul Surfer: a True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board by Bethany Hamilton

Dateable by Justin Lookadoo and Hayley DiMarco

Mean Girls by Hayley DiMarco

She Said Yes by Misty Bernall

Walking with Frodo by Sarah Arthur

Walking with Bilbo by Sarah Arthur

Conversations with God for Teens by Neale Donald Walsch

The Prayer of Jabez for Teens by Bruce Wilkinson

Chicken Soup for the Christian Teenage Soul by Various Authors

Wait for Me by Rebecca St. James

Fire-Us Series by Jennifer Armstrong

My own mother (Jean, a teacher) recommended these books to me a few years ago (Jean's a bit of a reader too). For the science fiction reader looking for a quick trilogy to consume, try these! Five years ago, a terrifying virus swept through the world killing quickly and ruthlessly and leaving no-one behind...except for kids. Pockets of children survived, unharmed by the deadly virus. However, with no one to take care of them, many of them died anyway. Along with the adults died names, words, and knowledge...especially the knowledge of how to grow and prepare food. Mommy, Hunter, Teacher, Action Figure, Teddy Bear, Baby, and Doll are living by themselves in the overgrown Florida landscape, surviving off the canned foods that were left behind. But their food is running out. What will they do and are they really the only ones left? Read the books to find out! Till next time! -Suzanne

Gossip Girl Series by Cecily von Ziegesar

Want a little guilty pleasure in your reading life? Look no further. The girls in the Gossip Girl series have it all! Money to burn, hot boyfriends, and time on their hands. Read them for a little spark in your life! Better yet, listen to the CD's...Christina Ricci reads them! Till next time! -Suzanne

Cut by Patricia McCormick

Callie is staying at Sea Pines (Sick Minds) because
a. she won't talk to her parents
b. she won't talk to her therapist
c. she's cutting herself.
When I read this book I was struck by Callie's courage and especially her relationships with the other girls at Sick Minds (Sea Pines). I didn't know very much about cutting before I read this book, but Callie gives the reader a little glimpse into the lonliness (and power) caused by cutting. If you've ever felt alone, this book is for you. Till next time! -Suzanne

About Me

Hi all! At the request of all you avid YA readers at the library, I've finally begun a Blog. Visit it as often as you like! Recommend books to me, as I recommend them to you! Become a "Suzanne's Picks for Teens" junkie! Join the fray of frequent followers! Tell me what books to buy for the library! View pics of the new YA section as it finally begins to appear! Let me know how I'm doing! Till next time - Suzanne