Ten books for teens

The Black Sheep; by Yvonne Collins.

When Kendra writes to the producers of the reality show The Black Sheep, she hopes to trade places with another teen to escape her boring banker parents.  After being shipped off to California to live with a hippie do-gooder family, conflict ensues but romance soon takes its place.

Bruiser; by Neal Shusterman.

Twins Tennyson and Bronte (English professors for parents) may not be close, but Tennyson still worries when his sister starts dating Bruiser, a local outcast.  As his encounters with Bruiser continue, Tennyson comes to realize the special power that Bruiser must keep secret from others.

The Dust of 100 Dogs; by A.S. King.

The debut novel of award winning author A.S. King leaves 17th Century Irish pirate Emer Morrisey cursed to live the life of 100 dogs.  When she is finally returned to human form as 1980s teenager Saffron Adams, the only thing on her mind is recovering the treasure she buried in Jamaica 300 years earlier.

Finnikin of the Rock; by Melina Marchetta.

Finnikin joins forces with Evanjalin, a fellow-exile who claims that her dreams will lead them to find Balthazar, the missing heir of the murdered royal Lumatere family.

Hole in My Life; by Jack Gantos.

In this candid and compelling memoir, beloved author Jack Gantos shares how, as a young adult, he became a drug smuggler, helping to sail a boat full of hash to New York.  Caught, arrested and sent to prison, Gantos tells how he eventually got out, went to college, and became a writer.

Hopeless Savages Greatest Hits, Volume 1; by Jen Van Meter.

The Hopeless-Savages, a charming family of punk rockers, suffer through kidnappings, first love, and international espionage in this collection of all three volumes of the comic, which includes bonus material.

Notes from the Blender; by Trish Cook and Brendan Halpin.

When metal-head Declan learns that his super-hot crush Neilly is soon going to be his stepsister, his thoughts don’t immediately turn brotherly.  Neilly has problems of her own–like finding a date to her Dad’s commitment ceremony and learning her crush’s true identity.  Told in alternating chapters, this tale of blended family will make readers cheer.

Superman: Red Son; by Mark Millar.

What if the rocket carrying Superman had landed in the U.S.S.R. instead of the good ol’ U.S.A.?  In this alternate history, the DC Universe is anything but familiar.

XVI; by Julia Karr.

In a totalitarian future, girls are required to get an “XVI” tattoo on their wrists when they turn sixteen to announce to the world that they are ready for sex.  Becoming a “sex-teen” is fifteen Nina Oberon’s worst fear until, on the eve of her sixteenth birthday, she learns a terrifying truth that changes her life forever and puts her on a dangerous path of rebellion.

You Killed Wesley Payne; by Sean Beaudoin.

Dalton Rev has his hands full when he transfers to Salt River High School: with only his favorite detective novel and trusty Private Dick Handbook, Dalton must solve the murder of a fellow student, outwit the cops, navigate cliques, and manage to get paid.