New YA Books

Clementine and the Family Meeting - Sara Pennypacker
Third-grader Clementine tries to adjust to the news that her perfect family of four is adding a new brother or sister.

The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman - Meg Wolitzer
Twelve-year-olds Duncan Dorfman, April Blunt, and Nate Saviano meet at the Youth Scrabble Tournament where, although each has a different reason for attending and for needing to win, they realize that something more important is at stake than the grand prize.

Pie - Sarah Weeks
After the death of Polly Portman, whose award-winning pies put the town of Ipswitch, Pennsylvania, on the map in the 1950s, her devoted niece Alice and Alice's friend Charlie investigate who is going to extremes to find Aunt Polly's secret pie crust recipe. Includes fourteen pie recipes.

Pregnant Pause - Han Nolan
Married, pregnant, and living at a "fat camp" in Maine, sixteen-year-old Eleanor has many questions about her future, especially whether the marriage will last and if she should keep the baby.

The Flint Heart - Katherine Paterson
A magical amulet brings power and despair to those who touch it.


A Girl Named Faithful Plum - Richard Bernstein
Tells the true story of Zhongmei Lei, an eleven-year-old girl in 1977 who won one of twelve spots at the prestigious Beijing Dance Academy, and whose determination to remain in the school impressed teachers and students alike; and discusses how Zhongmei, whose name means Faithful Plum, went on to form her own dance company which debuted in New York when she was in her late twenties.

Goliath - Scott Westerfeld
Alek and Deryn encounter obstacles on the last leg of their round-the-world quest to end World War I, reclaim Alek's throne as prince of Austria, and finally fall in love.

True Blue - Jane Smiley
In 1960s California, eighth-grader Abby Lovitt has trouble with True Blue, the newest horse on her family's ranch, a beautiful dappled gray who is so often spooked, Abby wonders if he is haunted by the ghost of his deceased former owner.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns - Rae Carson
A fearful sixteen-year-old princess discovers her heroic destiny after being married off to the king of a neighboring country in turmoil and pursued by enemies seething with dark magic.

The Ogre of Oglefort - Eva Ibbotson
When the Hag of Dribble, an orphan boy, and a troll called Ulf are sent to rescue a princess from an ogre, it turns out to be far from the routine magical mission they expect.

You Against Me - Jenny Downham
When eighteen-year-old Mikey's younger sister claims to have been raped and he seeks to avenge the crime, he meets Ellie, the sister of the accused, and befriends her, complicating the situation considerably for all of them.

It Happened on a Train - Mac Barnett
Seventh-grader Steve Brixton finds himself pulled back into sleuthing when, during a train trip down the California coast, he uncovers a mystery involving a fleet of priceless automobiles, an assassin, and a private rail car.

Monsters of Men - Patrick Ness
As a world-ending war surges to life around them, Todd and Viola face monstrous decisions, questioning all they have ever known as they try to step back from the darkness and find the best way to achieve peace. Carnegie Medal

Hound Dog True - Linda Urban
Mattie, a shy fifth-grader, wants to hide out at her new school by acting as apprentice to her Uncle Potluck, the custodian, but her plan falls apart when she summons the courage to speak about what matters most and finds a true friend.

Eight Keys - Suzanne LaFleur
When twelve-year-old Elise, orphaned since age three, becomes disheartened by middle school, with its bullies, changing relationships, and higher expectations, keys to long-locked rooms and messages from her late father help her cope.

The Inquisitor's Apprentice - Chris Moriarty
In early twentieth-century New York, Sacha Kessler's ability to see witches earns him an apprenticeship to the police department's star Inquisitor, Maximillian Wolf, to help stop magical crime and, with fellow apprentice Lily Astral, Sacha investigates who is trying to kill Thomas Edison, whose mechanical witch detector that could unleash the worst witch-hunt in American history.

The Shattering - Karen Healey
When a rash of suicides disturbs Summerton, an oddly perfect tourist town on the west coast of New Zealand, the younger siblings of the dead boys become suspicious and begin an investigation that reveals dark secrets and puts them in grave danger.

A Web of Air - Philip Reeve
In Mayda, a post-apocalyptic city off the coast of Portugal, a brilliant young engineer and a mysterious recluse race to build a flying machine, unaware that powerful enemies will kill to possess--or destroy--their new technology.

The Unforgotten Coat - Frank Cottrell Boyce
When two Mongolian brothers inexplicably appear one morning in her sixth grade class, Julie, who lives in a town near Liverpool named Bootle, becomes their new friend and "Good Guide," navigating them through soccer, school uniforms, and British slang.

A Monster Calls - Patrick Ness
Thirteen-year-old Conor awakens one night to find a monster outside his bedroom window, but not the one from the recurring nightmare that began when his mother became ill--an ancient, wild creature that wants him to face truth and loss.