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After River by Donna Milner Natalie grows up on a farm as part of a close, connected family. But when River, a Vietnam War protester, comes to work for them, unsettling changes lead to catastrophe. Called back home years later to see her dying mother, Natalie faces her past and finds unexpected sources of healing. A compelling, richly descriptive story of what it takes to shatter a family, and what it takes to make it whole. Chanda’s Wars by Allan Stratton In this stunning sequel to Chanda’s Secrets, Chanda is once again called upon to display incredible heroism when her younger siblings are forced to become child soldiers. Will she be able to honour her promise to her dying mother? Will she be able to help her new friend Nelson? Will she finally be able to find some happiness of her own? In this unforgettable tale of courage and adventure, the horror and beauty of life in an African village are searingly portrayed. Corps of the Bare-Boned Plane by Poly Horvath Cousins Jocelyn and Meline’s lives are extremely unpleasant. They have little in common until their parents are killed in an accident and they are forced to move in with their eccentric Uncle Marten. His isolated home is on an island and the only other inhabitants are a very odd butler and an even stranger housekeeper. And then there’s the mystery of the scattered pieces of a plane without instruments Daughter of War by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch Set in World War I during the Armenian genocide, Daughter of War is the story of Marta, Mariam, and Kevork. All three struggle to survive, navigating the complicated political situation in Turkey and beyond. Sacrifices and brutal choices confront the three youths. Tragic circumstances caused their separation and now each of them yearns to be reunited with the others. Dooley Takes the Fall by Norah McClintock Dooley, a 17 year old with a criminal record, knows he is in trouble when he witnesses a teenaged boy plummet to his death. Students at his high school and even his uncle, a retired cop, start questioning Dooley’s involvement in the case and begin to suspect that he may be mixed up in other murders in the city. Dooley, a good kid with a tough exterior, is determined to prove his innocence and the reader is taken on a page-turning journey as the grim mystery unfolds. Gotcha by Shelley Hrdlitschka The graduating class of Slippery Rock High has started the traditional “Bead Game,” Each student buys a bead for $10.00. The winner captures the most beads from other students and, in the end, receives all the money. The school administration bans the activity for everyone’s safety because staff feel that things have gotten out of control. The school council president, however, decides to have a secret vote about taking the game underground. Katie and some other members of the grad committee have reservations, but the class votes in favour of the game and the competition begins. Gravity Journal by Gail Sidonie Sobat While in rehab, Anise keeps a journal recording her battle with anorexia and her struggle to resist the urge to cut herself. Its moving contents reveal her frustration with the disease, her anger at her unresponsive parents, her pain over the erratic behaviour of her drug-addicted brother, her desire for love as she forms a relationship with a fellow patient, and her hope for a better future as she makes some difficult decisions. The reader of Gravity Journal will be both dismayed by the destructive power of anorexia and as well as inspired by Anise’s sprit of survival. Little Brother by Cory Doctorow Marcus Yallow is a techno-geek who finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time when his city is suddenly hit by an attack. Taken into custody by Homeland Security, he’s told his rights and freedoms have been stripped and that his city is under the absolute control of the government. How is he supposed to right the wrongs he sees under this new regime when all he has are his fellow techno-savvy friends, his “net handle 21n5t0n’ and his Xbox?
Tweaked by Katherine Holubitsky “A ghost is coming toward the counter. It’s running toward me: a skeleton covered in jaundiced skin. Quick and spastic, it has started talking before I realize it’s my brother.” Gordie is a fairly normal teenager. He goes to school, gets good grades, and loves his family with all his heart. Unfortunately for Gordie, his older brother Chase has been addicted to methamphetamine for the past two years and his addiction is destroying the family. With a mom who continues to make excuses for chase and a dad who is completely lost, Gordie finds himself moving further away from everyone. Mountain Girl/River Girl by Ting-Zing Ye Pan-pan, from a mountain village, and Shui-lian, from a boating community, are two teenage girls from modern day China who leave home with the hope of finding a better life in Beijing or Shanghai. Through a series of events, they lose their naïveté and are forced to grow up all too quickly. In the end, Pan-pan and Shui-lian discover their best chance for success is to work together and for each other. While the Olympics displayed one face of China, this story reveals some very harsh realities about life in China today |
