Reluctant Reader Awards
2000

Top 10

Brooke, Michael. The Concrete Wave (The History of Skateboarding).
"The Concrete Wave" is the first detailed history of one of the most daring and intense sports to appear in the latter half of this century. Complete with hundreds of color images (board graphics, action shots of champion skaters) the book covers 40 years of skateboarding history.

Haddix, Margaret Petersen. Among the Hidden. YA AWARD Haddix, M.
Following the futuristic storylines of "1984" and "Brave New World" comes "Among the Hidden". Luke is a third child in a family with already two boys. This is breaking a decree established by the government. He's successfully hidden in his parent's home without discovery for 12 years, but a stray glimpse through an air vent reveals his prohibited existence. Does this spell freedom from secrecy?

Holt, David and Bill Mooney, collected and retold by. Spiders in the Hairdo: Modern Urban Legends. 398.2 HOL
Folktales are not a thing of the past. Urban legends are the tabloids of living folklore. 
children, and especially teens are fascinated by these contemporary tales.

Kalergis, Mary Motley. Seen and Heard: Teenagers Talk About Their Lives. 
"Seen and Heard", an uncensored and penetrating look into the very private world of the American teenager, shatters the prevailing stereotype of uncommunicative kids with a face-to-face look at 50 teens. These young people give voice to what their lives are really like in riveting, no-holds-barred interviews. 80 black and white duotone photos.

Menzel, Peter and Faith D'Aluisio. Man Eating Bugs: The Art and Science of Eating Bugs. 
The team behind the critically acclaimed anthropological photo essays "Material World" and "Women in the Material World" presents a book that discusses insects as food for people. Recipes included. Photos.

Reynolds, David West. Star Wars: Episode 1 Incredible Cross-Sections. j 791.43 REY
For the first time ever, see the inner workings of the spacecraft and vehicles from "The Phantom Menace". Beautifully illustrated full-page spreads reveal in intricate detail the concealed workings of these expert machines.

Scalora, Suza. The Fairies: Photographic Evidence of the Existence of Another World
An archeologist, a woman of science and logic, always believed fairies were the stuff of storybooks. That was before she made the discovery of a lifetime. After learning the secrets behind locating and luring these magical creatures out from hiding, she vows to travel all over the world photographing every fairy she can find.  This remarkable book is the result of her quest, the first set of fairy photographs the world has ever seen. Join our archeologist as she travels to remote parts of the globe in search of her mysterious subjects. Read about the details of her journey as she documents the events of each fairy discovery and see for yourself her results--amazing, dazzling photographs straight from another world. Images of these creatures, vibrant and luminous, are captured and catalogued, each one more astonishing than the next. There is no greater proof--fairies are real.

Sleator, William. Rewind. 
You only live once--or do you? Maybe it's not that simple. Not long after learning that he was adopted, eleven-year-old Peter runs out in the street and gets killed by a car. He is greeted in the afterlife by a voice that shares the opportunity of a lifetime. Peter can go back to any point in his past life and work to alter events that led to his death.

Sones, Sonya. Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Sister Went Crazy. YA 811 SON
In the blink of an eye it happens: a teenage girl has a mental breakdown and is whisked away to the hospital. For her sister, left behind, nothing will ever be the same. Fearful of her own sanity, her fragile friendships, and her unraveling world, she embarks on a powerful emotional journey.

Zindel, Paul. Rats. YA Zindel, P.
From a Pulitzer-prize winning author comes another white-knuckle thriller for teens. When mutant rats threaten to take over Staten Island, which has become a huge landfill, 14-year-old Sarah and her younger brother Mike try to figure out how to stop them.

Nonfiction

Beil, Karen Magnuson. Fire in Their Eyes: Wildfires and the People Who Fight Them. 
This intimate look at the elite groups that fight wildfires explores the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of these courageous few as they battle wilderness blazes from Alaska to Maine. From the grueling training of a smokejumper class in Montana, through harrowing fights with some up-close-and-personal wildfires, to a group of inspired conservationists who use fire as a tool for preservation.

Best Shots: The Greatest NFL Photographs of the Century 796.332 BES 
The athletic grace, thrilling action and game-day emotions of NFL play are captured in more than 100 of the league's most compelling photographs.

Brewster, Hugh and Coulter, Laurie. 882 ½ Amazing Answers to Your Questions about the Titanic. j 910.4 BRE 
Unknown facts are revealed in this fact-filled, stunningly illustrated volume. Full-color photos, detailed diagrams & paintings.

Burgess-Wise, David. The Ultimate Race Car 796.72 BUR 
An indispensable reference for the racing enthusiast and a compelling introduction for the general reader, "The Ultimate Race Car" uses superb color photography as the foundation for in-depth profiles of 80 of the greatest competitive cars of the century.

Daldry, Jeremy. The Teenage Guy's Survival Guide: The Read Deal on Girls, Growing Up, and Other Guy Stuff 
This is a book that makes every attempt to be young, hip, and of-the-moment, and largely succeeds. A cartoon character that provides a running, sardonic commentary on the text and intentionally lame humor both contribute to a playful tone likely to appeal to the intended audience. The information provided, on the other hand, is, for the most part, sound and clearly presented. There are discussions of such topics as building relationships, dealing with peer pressure, the effects of alcohol and other drugs, bullying, and, of course, sex. A list of slang terms for masturbation, brief instructions on how to masturbate, and the opinion that "Looking at the occasional porn magazine is natural and fine" are likely to prove unsettling in some quarters. Libraries that acquire this title should be prepared to deal with potential objections.

Fletcher, Ralph. Relatively Speaking: Poems about Family 
Like the puzzle pieces on the book's cover, these poems come together to form a picture of one family. Narrated by the youngest member, each poem highlights a different person or event. Readers learn about his older brother's serious accident, his new sibling, and the family's annual reunion. There are poems about seldom-seen cousins, big brother's "beach muscles," and an uncle's funeral. The selections are striking in their simplicity, universal themes, and realistic voice. Pen-and-ink line drawings detail items ranging from a favorite quilt to a water bucket and sponge used to wash the car. Ultimately, these pieces connect throughout the book and show how individuals mesh to become a family

The Girl's Book of Wisdom edited by Catherine Dee 
This compact, backpack-size book of quotations is filled with funny, poignant, and often utterly appropriate sayings from a wide range of female cultural icons. Attractive fonts, funky small graphics, and the mix of historical and modern powerful women will make this choice popular among teen girls.

Jenkins, Steve. Top of the World: Climbing Mount Everest 
Exploring its history, geography, climate, and culture, this unique book takes readers on the ultimate adventure of climbing Mount Everest. With informative text and exquisitely detailed cut paper illustrations Jenkins brings this extreme journey alive for young adventurers. 

Jennings, Peter and Brewster, Todd. The Century for Young People YA 909.82 ARM 
The twentieth century has been a time of tremendous change, the most eventful hundred years in human history. Join Peter Jennings and Todd Brewster for a fascinating journey back in time to experience the century's greatest moments. Through the vivid first-person accounts of eyewitnesses, the most thrilling--and the most terrifying--events of the past hundred years come to life. Here are the voices of ordinary people--children and adults--expressing their joys and sorrows, their hopes and fears, as they watched history being made. This is history as it was lived, and as it will be remembered for the next hundred years.

Jordan, Michael. For the Love of the Game: My Story. 921 JORDON, M., Jor 
A career retrospective with 200 photographs. 

Kimmel, Elizabeth Cody. Ice Story: Shackelton's Lost Expedition 
In 1914, Sir Ernest Shackleton and a 27-man crew set off on an expedition to reach and cross Antarctica. Just a month and a half into the voyage, their ship was caught fast in heavy pack ice. No one should have survived the ordeal that followed. Only the extraordinary leadership, courage, and strength of Shackleton brought the whole crew safely through. Photos, taken and carefully preserved by the ship's photographer, record the stark conditions and the day-to-day activities of the men. Hand-drawn maps show the route.

Lord, Trevor. Big Book of Cars. 
The most amazing, unusual cars in the world! This fun book features some of the world's most bizarre and amazing vehicles and contains large, poster-like spreads plus fascinating facts about each car, including a selection of James Bond's favorite vehicles, the Bat-mobile, and an extraordinary slug car! With full-color photographs and gatefold spreads that show highlighted vehicles in detail, this is the ultimate book for every car lover, young or old.

Macy, Sue and Jane Gottesman. Play Like A Girl: A Celebration of Women in Sports 
Play Like a Girl is a labor of love from two women who are devoted to women's sports. Together, they searched through thousands of photographs and read hundreds of books to find the perfect match of words and images to celebrate today's female athletes. Their book is an inspiring affirmation for every girl who plays a sport, and every one who would like to.

Meserole, Mike. Ultimate Sports Lists. 769 MES
With lists ranging from the most pass completions in Super Bowl history to the top grossing sports movies of all time, "The Ultimate Book of Sports Lists" is a major-league sports trivia experience.

Mitton, Jacqueline. Aliens: Informania. 
Probe the outer limits and have a close encounter with aliens in this book that explodes with sensationally strange stories and amazing facts--presented in four fascinating sections.

Quiet Storm: Voices of Young Black Poets. Edited by Lydia Omolola 
The editor has grouped the poems by theme and uses works by well-known poets such as Hughes, Angelou, and Clifton to introduce each section. Although the poems vary tremendously in style and sophistication, all resonate with the passionate sincerity that teen poets can communicate so well.

Oldershaw, Cally. 3-D Rocks and Minerals. 
No reference available.

Pierson, Stephanie. Vegetables Rock! A Complete Guide For Teenage Vegetarians 613 PIE 
If you're confused about going veggie, here is the perfect resource for basic nutrition information, great tips, a helpful Q&A, and recipes for vegetarian meals even non-vegetarians will love! 

Pinsky, Drew and Adam Carolla. Dr. Drew and Adam Book: A Survival Guide to Life and Love. Real Teens: Diary of a Junior Year. 
Here's the ultimate guide to life for the millennium, packed with advice on love and sex and everything else you're too embarrassed to talk about--sometimes X-rated, always real --for today's generation, today's relationships, and tomorrow's world. As the hosts of the late-night radio program and MTV sensation
LoveLine, straight-talking physician Dr. Drew Pinsky and comedian Adam Carolla have become the duo you depend on for answers to questions.

Real Teens: Diary of a Junior Year ( Published by Scholastic) 
An emotionally charged series written in diary form that documents the lives of eight real high school juniors.
Reisfeld, Randi, and Morreale, Marie. Got Issues Much? Celebrities share Their Traumas & Triumphs 
This book does an excellent job of helping teens to realize they are not the only ones with these types of problems. The book uses current hot celebrities that teens can identify with. I would definitely recommend it to teens.

Reynolds, David West. Star Wars Episode 1: The Visual Dictionary. j 791.43 REY 
Exciting photography and exhaustive research reveal all the Star Wars: Episode 1 characters, creatures, droids, and equipment. See the new, digitally created cut-away views of C-3P0's photoreceptor eye, the inner workings of a battle droid's head, and Yoda's lightsaber. Explore the extensive Jedi and Sith weaponry, the Podracers, Pit droids, viewscreens, and Gungan battle equipment. Then delve into the secrets of Anakin's hovel and Watto's junkshop and every detail of the Destroyer Droid weaponry and equipment!

Schwager, Tina and Schuerger, Michele. Gutsy Girls: Young Women Who Dare YA 305.242 SCH
In exciting, inspiring first-person stories, 26 young women tell of their daring feats, from extreme sports to ground-breaking achievements. Part One features these stories. Part Two tells readers how they can set goals and follow their dreams. And Part Three explains the how-tos and benefits of getting fit and staying safe.

Scott, Jerry and Borgman, Jim. Growth Spurt: Zits Sketchbook 2 
In a revealing look at a 15-year old guy trying to figure it all out, the authors tell a hilarious story of Jeremy Duncan who is working to survive the pitfalls of high school.

Smith, Charles R. Rimshots: Basketball Pix, Rolls, and Rhythm 
This major debut from a talented young writer and photographer is an entertaining medley of quick stories, poems, jokes, and prose meditations focusing on "The Game" as played by high school and college hopefuls, street warriors, and the pros they all admire. Gritty duotone photos of street courts and young urban players provide the perfect venue for the bold design of the text.

Stewart, Mark. Derek Jeter: Substance and Style. 
Stewart profiles two young superstar shortstops. Both Rodriguez, who plays for the Seattle Mariners, and New York Yankee Jeter are at the top of their games and have already posted impressive numbers in their brief careers. 

Stretch Your Wings: Famous Black Quotations for Teens. Ed. Janet Chatham Bell 
No reference available.

Tanaka, Shelley. Secrets of the Mummies: Uncovering the Bodies of Ancient Egyptians. 
No reference available.

Vankin, Jonathan. Big Book of Grimm. 
Art by Charles Vess and Colleen Doran are the highlights of this book which doesn't cut the gut from the wild old tales of the Brother's Grimm,

Wong, Janet S. Behind the Wheel: Poems about Driving 
Thirty-six poems look at various aspects of driving, including written drivers’ test, being pulled over by a cop and having an accident.

Anderson, Laurie. Speak. YA Anderson, L. 
A frightening and sobering look at the cruelty and viciousness that pervade much of contemporary high school life, as real as today's headlines. At the end of the summer before she enters high school, Melinda attends a party at which two bad things happen to her. She gets drunk, and she is raped. Shocked and scared, she calls the police, who break up the party and send everyone home. She tells no one of her rape, and the other students, even her best friends, turn against her for ruining their good time. By the time school starts, she is completely alone, and utterly desolate. The safest place to be is alone, inside her head. But even that's not safe. Because there's something she's trying not to think about, something about the night of the party that, if she let it in, would blow her carefully constructed disguise to smithereens. And then she would have to speak the truth. 

Applegate, K.A. EverWorld, Books 1-4. 

Search for Senna. Book 1, YA Applegate, K. 
Senna was the oddest aspect of David's otherwise normal life. She was beautiful and smart, but there was something very strange about her. One day, she was kissing him, the next day she was swallowed by the earth. David and his friends go searching for her in a world they never imagined. Now they have to find Senna and get home without losing their lives--or their minds.

Land of Loss. Book 2 YA Applegate, K. 
David, Jalil, April, and Christopher have been pulled into a world that defies everything they once believed: wolves the size of elephants, beings who consider themselves immortals, mythological gods. Nothing is like what they're used to. And it doesn't look like they're going to find a permanent way home anytime soon. It all started with Senna. Now she's missing. David and all the others don't know if she's in Everword. They don't even know if she's alive...in the human sense...

Enter the Enchanted. Book 3, YA Applegate, K. 
There is a place where mythology is reality. Where wild imaginations are ordinary. In a parallel universe called Everworld, a group of friends discover the ultimate adventure.

Realm of the Reaper. Book 4 YA Applegate, K. 
The group Jalil, April, David, and Christopher are still searching for the witch Senna. They stumble upon a village of men. The need for food and rest drove them to an inn. They cannot leave this village unless a dreaded "She" of which people speak, lets them. They learn of Loki's daughter Hel, and that she plans to torture them for the end of eternity. If they can't escape her clutches, they will certainly die. 

Atwater-Rhodes, Amelia. In the Forests of the Night. YA ATW
Risika is a vampire of great strength and power, yet she hates and fears Aubrey, who was one of the vampires responsible for her transformation. The novel jumps between the present day, and 300 years ago when Risika was a mortal young woman named Rachel. While thinking that she is defending her twin brother from the evil beings, Rachel herself is taken and transformed into "one of them." Risika still remembers her former life and the morals she held as a human, yet has come to an understanding of her new life as a vampire and tries to find a balance between the two. She believes that Aubrey was responsible for the murder of her twin brother, and her need for vengeance is strong. But is it strong enough to defeat Aubrey?

Avi. Midnight Magic. YA Avi 
Mangus the Magician must free a princess from a terrifying ghost. Naturally, Mangus doesn't believe in ghosts. He doesn't even believe in magic! However, his servant boy, Fabrizio, is a secret friend of the princess and is determined to prove the ghost is real.

Bennett, Cherie. The Haunted Heart. 
When inexperienced Gina and her family move into the haunted house called Canterville Chase, she's stunned to find herself torn between the irresistible, aristocratic Jonathan Canterville and his archenemy, the moody, sensitive Thomas. Thomas happens to be the mansion ghost. He wants Gina for himself, and he's ready to forsake his own immortality to keep her from Jonathan, with whom she's falling in love. By following her heart, will Gina sacrifice a lonely soul to eternal suffering, or will she sacrifice her own heart instead?

Block, Fancesco Lia. Violet & Claire. 
This is the story of two girls, racing through space like shadow and light. A photo negative, together they make the perfect image of a girl. Violet is the dark one, dressed in forever black, dreaming Technicolor dreams of spinning the world into her very own silver screen creation. Claire is like a real-life Tinker Bell, radiating love and light, dressing herself in wings of gauze and glitter, writing poems to keep away the darkness. The setting is L.A., a city as beautiful as it is dangerous, and within this landscape of beauty and pain Violet and Claire vow to make their own movie. Together they will show the world the way they want it to be, and maybe then the world will become that place--a place where people no longer hate or fight or want to hurt. But when desire and ambition threaten to rip a seamless friendship apart, only one thing can make two halves whole again--the power of love.

Bunting, Eve. Blackwater 
Thirteen-year-old Brodie Lynch was ready for the perfect summer of adventure along the awesome Blackwater River. That was before everything changed forever. When a harmless prank goes too far, the unthinkable happens. Brodie's lies make him a hero, but inside, his guilt tears at him like the treacherous current of the Blackwater itself, which has become a horrifying reminder of his part in the tragedy. In this gripping new coming-of-age novel, a young boy is faced with a choice between right and wrong and ultimately learns that truth can offer hope in even the darkest moments.

Cadnum, Michael. Rundown. 
Jennifer Thayer went for a run, threw herself down a hill, and then filed a false police report, claiming that she fought off a rapist. Now the police are reassuring and sympathetic, and hardly anyone questions Jennifer's story. Friends and family express their concern, and the press is interested. But Jennifer can't hide from the only person who knows what really happened-herself.

Chbosky, Stephen. The Perks of Being a Wallflower. YA Chbosky, S. 
This is the story of what it's like to grow up in high school. More intimate than a diary, Charlie's letters are singular and unique, hilarious and devastating. We may not know where he lives. We may not know to whom he is writing. All we know is the world he shares. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it puts him on a strange course through uncharted territory. 

Cooney, Caroline. Burning Up YA Cooney, C. 
When a girl she had met at an inner-city church is murdered, fifteen-year-old Macey channels her grief into a school project that leads her to uncover prejudice she had not imagined in her grandparents and their wealthy Connecticut community.

Cooney, Caroline. Hush, Little Baby. YA Cooney, C. 
When Kit's ex-stepmother thrusts a baby into her arms and speeds away, Kit's world is turned upside-down. Now she must save herself and the baby from the crazy, desperate people who want it.

Dressen, Sarah. Keeping the Moon. 
Colie expects the worst when she's sent to spend the summer with her eccentric aunt Mira while her mother, queen of the television infomercial, tours Europe. Always an outcast-first for being fat and then for being "easy"-Colie has no friends at home and doesn't expect to find any in Colby, North Carolina. But then she lands a job at the Last Chance Café and meets fellow waitresses Morgan and Isabel, best friends with a loving yet volatile relationship. Wacky yet wise, Morgan and Isabel help Colie see her self in a new way and realize the potential that has been there all along.

Gilmore, Kate. The Exchange Student. YA Gilmore, K. 
What a time for an exchange student to arrive, Daria thought, especially one from another planet! Daria is one of Earth's youngest licensed breeders of endangered species, and she has enough to do caring for her menagerie without having to cope with Fen. Besides his color-shifting and endless questions, there is something about the way the lanky alien looks at her animals and his stubborn, even hostile refusal to talk about the creatures of his own world that makes Daria nervous. Fen, on the other hand, can't be happier with his new Earth family. Hoping for one pet, he lands in a zoo. Not one of his fellow exchange students, living in homes scattered across the Earth, has been as lucky, but each has found at least one animal to love, and all cherish the same wild, mysterious dream.

Glenn, Mel. Foreign Exchange: A Mystery in Poems. 
When students from big-city Tower High School spend a weekend in rural Hudson Landing with the students of the local high school, an African-American boy from the city is accused of murdering a local white girl. Young adults will eagerly read the poems to try to piece together clues and discover the killer's identity.

Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Just Ella. YA Haddix, M. 
In spite of the obstacles put in her way by her wicked stepmother, Ella goes to the ball, sweeps Prince Charming off his feet, and is chosen to be his bride. Now she's comfortably ensconced in the palace, awaiting marriage to the man of her dreams. It's happily ever after time, right? Wrong! Life for Ella has become an endless round of lessons and restrictions; even worse, Prince Charming turns out to be more like Prince Boring. Slowly, Ella comes to realize she doesn't want the life she fought so hard to win. But breaking her engagement proves more difficult -- and dangerous -- than escaping her stepmother's tyranny.
 
Hobbs, Will. Jason's Gold. YA Hobbs, W. 
"Read all about it! Gold discovered in Alaska! "Within hours of hearing the thrilling news, fifteen-year-old Jason Hawthorn jumps a train for Seattle, stow away on a ship bound for the goldfields, and joins thousands of fellow prospectors attempting the difficult journey to the Klondike. The Dead Horse Trail, the infamous Chilkott Pass, and a five-hundred-mile trip by canoe down the Yukon River lie ahead. 

Johnson, Scott. Safe at Second. YA Johnson, S. 
Todd Bannister has it all: a fastball made for the majors, scouts lining up at his door, a beautiful girlfriend, and his best friend Paulie-his number one fan. It seems nothing can stop the bright future that lies ahead. But all it takes is one line drive-and Todd takes it square in the face, and loses an eye. Things are different now. Will Todd have the strength to give up his old dreams and move on? 

Kehret, Peg. I'm Not Who You Think I Am. Y A Kehret, P. 
Ginger Shaw first sees the odd woman following her during a party. Then the strange phone calls start and the woman confronts Ginger. She claims to hold the key to a secret from the past. But when the confrontations turn violent and the woman's idle threats turn deadly, Ginger is forced into a crisis of loyalty and honor-a crisis from which her family might not recover.

Kimmel, Eric A. Sword of the Samurai: Adventure Stories From Japan. 
Readers who delight in stories of knights will be happy to discover this collection of 11 tales about the medieval Japanese warriors whose exploits rival those of their European counterparts. These well-documented stories of adventure and misadventure are not only good tales, but they also provide a look at a way of life bound by ironclad tradition.

Lawrence, Iain. The Smugglers. YA Lawrence, I. 
”Steer clear of that ship," This is an ominous introduction to the schooner John is about to be entrusted with for a voyage to London. But he's too charmed by the pretty Dragon to heed the advice. The ship looks clever and quick, and John can hardly wait to sail her. She was a smugglers' vessel once, but now she's his Dragon, and she'll proudly carry wool for honest trade. But soon John will be forced to consider the gentleman's warning. And to wonder what he really knows about his bonny crew.

Lubar, David. Hidden Talents. YA Lubar, D. 
Martin Anderson and his friends don’t like being called losers. But they’ve been called that for so long even they start to believe it. Until Martin makes an incredible discovery: each of his friends has a special hidden talent. Edgeview Alternative School was supposed to be end of the road. But for Martin and his friends, it just might be a new beginning. 

McDaniel, Lurlene. The Girl Death Left Behind. YA MCD
Numb with grief when an accident kills her entire family, fourteen-year-old Beth suddenly finds herself living with her spoiled cousin Terri and trying to make friends at a new school filled with cliques.

McNamee, Graham. Hate You. 
Alice Silvers writes songs she can never sing, because she has a broken, "Frankenstein" voice. Her father choked her years before when she got in his way while he was fighting with her mother. After that night, her mother threw him out. Alice has never seen him again. Now she's 17. Alice has her songs, her words, her mother, her boyfriend, and her life: Everything, but her voice. Years have passed since that terrifying night, but Alice burns with a hate stronger than anything she's ever known.

Myers, Walter Dean. Monster. YA Myers, W. 
While on trial as an accomplice to a murder, sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon records his experiences in prison and in the courtroom in the form of a film script as he tries to come to terms with the course his life has taken.

Neufield, John. Boys Lie. 
What can a girl do, being better endowed than any of her classmates? Gina knows that she'll be prey to boys who want her as a score. And in a New York City swimming pool, that's what she becomes. Fleeing from an assault and its aftermath, Gina and her mother move to California. But the story of her "rape" surfaces there, despite everything Gina does to keep it quite. She herself, in a flashback of terror, lets it escape publicly. Three boys in her new eighth-grade class--Ben, Eddie, and Felix--begin dreaming aloud of making it with the stacked, "experienced" girl who must be, in their view, looking for more. What starts as a crude, three-man plan ends up as a single boy's attack, which Gina repels. He boasts of success--boys lie--so confident is he that she, from shock or shame, will never tell anyone. But Gina realizes that unless she rises above her fears and tells the truth, her reputation will be in a boy's hands, not her own. 

Nixon, Joan Lowery. Who Are You? YA Mystery Nixon, J. 
When the police discover that a man who has been shot has been keeping a file of her entire life, sixteen-year-old Kristi, an aspiring artist, suspects a connection with the possible theft of a painting from a museum.

Paulsen, Gary. Brian's Return. YA Paulsen, G. 
Brian Robeson survived alone in the wilderness by finding solutions to extraordinary challenges. But now that's he's back in civilization, he can't find a way to make sense of high school life. He feels disconnected, more isolated than he did alone in the North. The only answer is to return-to "go back in"-for only in the wilderness can Brian discover his true path in life, and where he belongs.

Peel, John. Doomsday. 
Packed with suspense for the next millennium, this new series combines science fiction, humor and attitude. Tristan Connor lives in a completely computerized America. His clone, a genius named Devon, has programmed a computer virus that is about to blow the entire system apart.

Qualey, Marsha. Close to a Killer. YA Mystery Qualey, M. 
Two prominent city residents have been murdered, and Barrie knew both of them. But does she know their killer? The police have connected both victims to her mother's hair salon, and the obvious focus has become Barrie's mom and the other stylists, all of whom happen to be convicted killers who met in prison vocational school. Amidst intriguing people whom she can't quite trust, and forced into living with the mother she can't forgive, Barrie tries to ignore the uproar by immersing herself in her writing. But when she shares a troubling suspicion with the homicide detective, she suddenly finds herself pulled deeper into a situation that's growing more frightening every day.

Sheldon, Dyan. Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen. YA Sheldon, D. 
A legend in her own mind, former New Yorker Mary Elizabeth (``My true name is Lola'') sweeps into her new suburban New Jersey high school and runs smack into a stone wall named Carla Santini: class queen, beautiful, clever, and vicious. In a series of sharp skirmishes, both teenagers display generous quantities of grit and ego, and though Lola beats out Carla for the lead in the school play, she also, thanks to a positive penchant for embellishing the truth, maneuvers herself into a reckless nighttime junket into Manhattan with her mousy friend, Ella. Hours later, the two find their wildest dreams coming true as they accompany a popular, very drunk rock star to a hot post-concert party. 

Shusterman, Neal. Downsiders. YA Shusterman, N. 
Talon lives Downside, that is, underneath New York City. There is a strict code of secrecy among the Downsiders. However, when Talon accidentally meets a young woman named Lindsay, who is a Topsider (from above the ground), the two worlds inevitably collide. They become friends and love blossoms. The punishment for Talon's lack of discretion could be death. What will happen to them? Will the entire Downsider community be discovered?

Sleator, William. Boltzmon! 
No reference available.
 
Tezuka, Osamu. Black Jack: Two-Fisted Surgeon 
Somewhere between medical drama, cartoon humor, and film noir lies Black Jack, the ongoing adventures of an underground doctor who is the last resort for some very unusual patients. In this volume, the risk-taking Black Jack is at the mercy of a doctor after a horrible car wreck.

Thompson, Kate. Midnight's Choice. 
Since Tess's friend Kevin left the human world to become a phoenix, Tess has felt increasingly lonely and isolated. Soon it will be Tess's fifteenth birthday, the age at which she must finally decide what form she will take for the rest of her life; if she chooses, she too, can become a phoenix and join Kevin in his seemingly perfect existence. But everything changes when Kevin is captured by a local zoo. Tess is introduced to a world unknown to her before, a world ruled by vampires, darkness, and menacing forces that threaten to change her own life forever.

Tomey, Ingrid. Nobody Else Has to Know. 
That bright afternoon stretched before 15-year-old Webber, free and clear like the empty country road where Grandpa let Webb practice driving. Webb wakes up in the hospital, his leg shattered and his future as a runner in doubt. He can't remember anything about that day, but he learns: Grandpa was driving. The car hit a little girl. She's in a coma, and she might never walk again. Weeks later, Webber remembers: He was driving. "You're fifteen," Grandpa says. "You have your whole life ahead of you. Let me take care of everything. I'm to blame. I'm the one to go to jail. Webber," he begs, "forget it." But how can Webber forget? He was driving.

Tomorrowland: Ten Stories about the Future. Edited by Michael Cart. 
Jon Scieszka, Rodman Philbrick, Tor Seidler, Gloria Skurzynski, Ron Koertge, Lois Lowry, Katherine Paterson, Jacqueline Woodson, James Cross Giblin, and editor Cart "create their personal, very individual visions of times to come" in stories written especially for this anthology. Stories have themes as diverse as love, hate, the environment, disease, and the fate of the human race.

Vande-Velda, Vivian. Never Trust A Dead Man. YA Mystery, Vande-Velda, V. 
Selwyn is brokenhearted when the beautiful Anora chooses to marry the awful-but-rich Farold. It’s bad enough when Farold beats him up in front of the villagers, but nothing prepares him for when Farold is found murdered. All accusing fingers point to Selwyn, who is promptly sealed in a burial cave with Farold’s corpse. But they’re not alone in the cave. A witch appears with an offer of escape if Selwyn will be her servant. The witch brings Farold back from the dead in the form of a bat–too bad he doesn’t know who really killed him! There’s no choice left for Selwyn except to join forces with his worst enemy, a dead man, to find the real murderer.

Wittlinger, Ellen. Hard Love YA Wittlinger, E. 
John is a high school junior whose difficult family life has left him feeling lost and confused. He discovers the world of "zines," homemade magazines written and published by people like himself. Soon John meets another zine writer, Marisol, a self-proclaimed "Puerto Rican Cuban Yankee Cambridge, Massachusetts, rich spoiled lesbian private-school gifted-and-talented writer virgin looking for love." These mismatched teens discover that they are kindred spirits, and a close friendship develops. Unfortunately, John finds himself falling for Marisol, who cannot return his love. Together, they discover many truths about themselves and their families.