Saturday, May 28, 2016

"All the Rage" by Courtney Summers

Image courtesy of amazon.com

Summers, C. All the Rage. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press, 2015. Print. ISBN: 9781250021915. Hardcover. $18.99.

Annotation: Romy Grey became an outcast when she accused the sheriff’s son, Kellan Turner, of taking advantage of her; no one wants to believe it could be true, and so they shunned and bullied her, instead. But now her former best friend has gone missing, and Rory has to decide if she should keep to herself, or try and speak up once again.



Let's Talk!

(Excerpt, page 95)

To say that Romy Grey is going through hell would be an understatement. She tried to talk about what happened, when the sheriff’s son raped her, but instead of believing her, the whole town turned against her. She faces down horrible bullying every day, no matter where she goes, and the isolation and torture this girl endures is incredible. It’s amazing that anyone could put up with so much cruelty for so long, but it’s no wonder that she buried the things that happened that night so far back it’s impossible to tell where the truth really is. But when her former best friend turns up missing, Romy may have the answers, and she has to find the courage to speak up again in the face of so much hatred and rage. 



Literary Awards:
  • Official Tumblr Reblog Book Club Pick
  • Junior Library Guild Selection
  • ALA 2016 Best Fiction for Young Adults Title
  • 2016 Amelia Bloomer Title
  • OLA 2015 Best Bet
  • 2015 Cybils Finalist for YA Fiction
  • Barnes & Noble Teen Blog’s Best YA Books of 2015
  • Book Riot’s Best Books of 2015
  • Bustle’s Best YA Books of 2015
  • Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Best Books for Kids & Teens, Fall 2015
  • Chicago Public Library’s Best Teen Fiction of 2015
  • 2015 Goodreads Choice Awards Semifinalist
  • 2016 OLA White Pine Nominee
  • Quill & Quire’s 2015 Notable Books
  • 2016 Tayshas Reading List Selection
  • Amazon Best Book of the Month, April 2015
  • Amazon Big Spring Book, 2015
  • Publishers Weekly Picks: Books of the Week, April 13, 2015 

Check out author Courtney Summers on Tumblr! 

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

"Manicpixiedreamgirl" by Tom Leveen


Image courtesy of goodreads.com

Leveen, T. Manicpixiedreamgirl. New York, NY: Random House Children’s Books. 2013. Print. ISBN: 9780375870057. Hardcover. $16.99.

Annotation: Tyler Darcy is pining for the quirky, aloof Becky Webb; something about her is just so alluring, even if he doesn’t have the courage to say so to her face. Of course, the situation is slightly more complicated by the fact that Tyler has a girlfriend of two years, Sydney, who is not as clueless as he hopes she is.


Let's Talk!

Why do we fall in love with the people that we do? Tyler Darcy doesn’t really have an explanation for why he’s in love with Becky Webb; he just has, since the moment he laid eyes on her, been completely obsessed with her. She’s beautiful, sure, but there’s just something about her that he can’t get enough of, and he works for three years through high school to get closer to her and just know this girl. Of course, his girlfriend, Sydney, isn’t exactly thrilled by it, and neither are his best friends, because all of them know Becky isn’t the amazing, perfect princess that Tyler’s writer mind has created her to be…

This book is awesome because it tackles unrequited love from the male perspective. It’s told in alternating time settings between present day and the past, and gradually the story comes together like a puzzle. There are no bad guys in this story; Tom Leveen created lovable characters in the clueless Tyler, charismatic Sydney, goofy best friends, and the hopeless, broken Becky. We watch all of their relationships evolve, and it’s hard to pick who to root for, because just like real life, not all of them are going to get the happy ending. 


Watch the book trailer for Manicpixiedreamgirl!

Sunday, May 22, 2016

"Premeditated" by Josin L. McQuein


Image courtesy of amazon.com

McQuein, J. L. Premeditated. New York, NY: Delacorte Press, 2013. Print. ISBN: 9780385743297. Hardcover. $17.99.

Annotation: Dinah wants revenge for her cousin’s suicide attempt, and she knows just where to start. Claire’s diary leads her to Brooks, and she will stop at nothing to make sure he understands the pain that he put her cousin through.


 
Let's Talk!

(Excerpt, page 1)

Dinah’s cousin, Claire, attempted suicide and is now in a coma. When Dinah finds Claire’s diary, she discovers the reason her cousin tried to kill herself: a boy named Brooks. Now, Dinah is on a warpath. She dyes her hair, changes her clothes, and puts on the uniform of Claire’s fancy prep school to hunt down Brooks and make him sorry for the horrible pain he caused. But as she gets to know him, she has to wonder if this guy could really be capable of what Claire accused him of… and she learns that she isn’t the only one who can pretend to be someone she isn’t. 


Literary Awards:
  • None


Check out author Josin L. McQuein on Blogspot!

Saturday, May 21, 2016

"Rumble" by Ellen Hopkins


Image courtesy of simonandschuster.com

Hopkins, E. Rumble. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 2014. Print. ISBN: 9781442482845. Paperback. $10.99.

Annotation: Ever since Matt Turner’s little brother, Luke, hung himself after being bullied for being gay, Matt has spent a lot of time hating everyone else for their roles in Luke’s suicide. But when his girlfriend starts to distance herself and his parents finally seem to be falling apart, Matt is left alone with himself and has to face the reality of his own guilt and rage at himself.


 

Let's Talk!

(Excerpt, page 231)

There are a lot of references in this book story to how some people need books that will speak for them, or to them, and Ellen Hopkins is incredibly talented at doing just that. The book is written in poetry format, so although it looks thick, it reads really quickly. Matt is so incredibly forthright about his anger that you start to hate everyone along with him, but as he grows throughout the book, you can’t help but learn with him, too – about more than rage and hatred, but about forgiveness, hope, love, and finding strength in yourself even when you feel abandoned. 


Literary Awards: 
  • IRA Young Adults' Choice
  • Nevada Young Reader's Award Nominee 

"Ellen Hopkins is my favorite author of all time, and her books just keep getting better! Rumble is her best yet." - Anastasia, age 14

Watch the official book trailer for "Rumble"!

IRA Young Adults' Choices
Nevada Young Reader's Award Nominee

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

"My Heart and Other Black Holes" by Jasmine Warga


Image courtesy of goodreads.com


Warga, J. My Heart and Other Black Holes. New York, NY: Balzer + Bray, 2015. Print. ISBN: 9780062324672. Hardcover. $17.99

Annotation: Aysel’s life revolves around planning her death, specifically with the help of a web site called Suicide Partners, which lets people pair up to hold each other accountable for the deed. But when a boy named Roman messages her, asking her to partner up, she has no idea that their alliance might just wind up making her reconsider if there might be some things worth living for.
 

Let's Talk!

Sixteen-year-old Aysel is planning her suicide. But to make sure she doesn’t wimp out at the last minute, she’s found a web site called Suicide Partners, which lets people pair up and hold each other accountable. A boy named Roman messages her and asks her to partner up, and at first she’s hesitant, because he’s nothing like what she expected him to be. He’s the opposite of her: athletic, popular, good-looking, with a family who adores him. But he’s as torn up by tragedy as she is, and she slowly begins to trust him.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, as they plot out the details of their suicide, they begin to fill the voids in each others’ lives. Hazel starts to wonder if maybe there might be some things about life that are worth hanging on for, and maybe her heart isn’t such a black hole after all…


Literary Awards:

  • Spring 2015 IndieNext List Selection
  • Huffington Post's List of Most Anticipated 2015 YA Debuts
  • Huffington Post's YA Books of February 2015
  • Goodreads Best Books of the Month, February 2015
  • PopSugar's Best Books of February 2015
  • Chicago Tribune YA roundup, Spring 2015
  • Bustle's List of Most Anticipated 2015 YA Novels
  • PopCrush's List of Most Anticipated 2015 YA Novels
  • Barnes & Noble 15 YA Books That Get It Right
  • CBC's "Hot Off The Press" January 2015 List
  • LitReactor's List of of 14 Highly Anticipated YA Novels
  • Sugarscape's List of 15 Anticipated YA Novels

"I really couldn't predict where this was going. Like, I kept thinking, one of them is going to die, but which one? There's no way they're both going to go through with it. This is going to be so sad. But I definitely wouldn't have guessed the way she was going to end it! That's why I liked it so much. I like that it's real, and that it kept you guessing." - Chris, age 16

 Listen to an interview with author Jasmine Warga:

Monday, May 16, 2016

"Every Day" by David Levithan


Image courtesy of goodreads.com

Levithan, D. Every Day. New York, NY: Ember, Inc. 2012. Print. ISBN: 9780307931887. Paperback. $9.99.

Annotation: Every day, A wakes up in a different body, and he has learned how to make this work without arousing suspicion or changing the person’s life. That is, until one day when he wakes up as a boy named Justin who has a girlfriend named Rhiannon, who is the first person he wants to connect with for more than just one day.


Let's Talk!


Who is A? Every day, he or she wakes up in a different body, as a different person. Ultimately, A has learned how to make this life work without awakening suspicion from the person’s family or friends or changing their life in any major way. Of course, this all changes on the day that he wakes up as a boy named Justin and meets his girlfriend, Rhiannon. Suddenly, A realizes that it’s not okay to wake up in a different body that is living a life without this girl. Every day, in a different body, as a different person, he or she makes the effort to reconnect with Rhiannon.

Unfortunately, this means that some lives are going to be disrupted when left behind, and some people might just notice the trail. A bounces between football players, nerds, breathtakingly beautiful girls, morbidly obese young man, and even a drug addict – and all of these lives are pulled toward Rhiannon. But at the end of the day, how can A hope to build a life or a love when he will always wake up as a different person the next morning? 


Literary Awards:
  • ALA Best Books for Young Adults WINNER 2013
  • ALA Best Books for Young Adults Top 10 WINNER 2013
  • Amazon Best of the Year WINNER 2012
  • Barnes & Noble Best Book of the Year WINNER 2012
  • Connecticut Nutmeg Children’s Book Award NOMINEE 2015
  • Florida Sunshine State Book Award NOMINEE 2014
  • Kentucky Bluegrass Award NOMINEE 2014
  • Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award NOMINEE 2013
  • Missouri Gateway Readers Award NOMINEE 2015
  • Pennsylvania Young Readers Choice Award NOMINEE 2014
  • Cybils FINALIST 2012
  • Indies Choice Award FINALIST 2013
  • Kid’s Indie Next List “Inspired Recommendations for Kids from Indie Booksellers” FINALIST
  • Lambda Literary Award FINALIST 2013
  • Louisiana Young Reader’s Choice Award FINALIST 2015

 Watch David Levithan introduce and read from Every Day
 

Saturday, May 14, 2016

"I'll Give You The Sun" by Jandy Nelson


Image courtesy of jandynelson.com

Nelson, J. I’ll Give You The Sun. New York, NJ: Dial Books, 2014. Print. ISBN: 9780803734968. Hardcover. $17.99.

Annotation: At thirteen, twins Jude and Noah are the epitome of closeness and best friends, but by age sixteen, they have both drawn so far into themselves that they no longer speak. Noah narrates age thirteen, and Jude narrates age sixteen, and they alternate telling the stories of the horrible events that ripped them away from one another and the long, lonely road that could lead them back again.



Let's Talk!

Excerpt: Page 75.

This is an incredible story about growing up and fighting to hold on to the things you lose along the way. Noah and Jude will break your heart and then make you want to strangle them, but all the while you’ll be rooting for the warm fuzzy feelings you know they could find if we could just figure out where they went wrong. 

Literary Awards: 
  • Winner of the 2015 Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature
  • A 2015 Stonewall Honor Book
  • Winner of Bank Street’s 2015 Josette Frank Book Award
  • Winner of the NCIBA and the NCBA and the James Cook Award
  • YALSA Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults
  • Rainbow List Top Ten 2015
  • A New York Times Notable Book of the Year
  • A Time Magazine Top Ten YA of the Year (#3)
  • An NPR Great Reads of the Year
  • Apple iBooks’ Best Teen Fiction of the Year
  • A Boston Globe Best YA Book of the Year
  • A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
  • A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
  • A Booklist Editor’s Choice Book of the Year
  • An Amazon Best Book of the Year
  • Five starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, School Library Journal, BCCB, LMC, and a perfect 10 from Voya
  • A Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year
  • A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year
  • A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year
  • Winner of the 2014 Bookbrowse Award for Best Young Adult Novel
  • A kobo Best Book of the Year
  • A Bustle.com Best YA of the Year (#2)
  • #1 on Autumn 2014 Indie Next List
  • Optioned by Warner Brothers with Denise Di Novi and Allison Greenspan to produce
  • Debuted at #8 on New York Times Best Seller List
  • Tayshas Reading List: Top Ten of the Year
  • One of Entertainment Weekly’s “five novels to watch out for” in 2014
  • Already licensed in 32 countries
  • One of Apple iBooks Ten Best Novels of September
  • One of Amazon’s Big Fall Books and Best Books of September (the Spotlight Pick of the month)
  • One of the The Hollywood Reporter‘s Fall’s 10 Buzziest Books
  • Goodreads top six Best Books of the Month
  • Winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award
  • Junior Library Guild Selection

"I wrote a paper on this book. Like, by choice. At first I thought it was going to be another melodromatic teen angst story, but it was so much more than that. The ending is amazing. It's, like, one of my favorite books now. I think everyone should read it." - Sam, age 19


 Watch Jandy Nelson talk about I'll Give You the Sun and life as she knows it:
(she's a little bit better at book talking it than I am!)

"The Infinite Sea" by Rick Yancey


Image courtesy of goodreads.com

Yancey, Rick. The Infinite Sea. New York, NY: Penguin Group LLC, 2014. Print. ISBN: 9780399162428. Hardcover. $18.99.

Annotation: In the much-anticipated sequel to The 5th Wave, Cassie Sullivan and her comrades are hiding in an abandoned motel with a decision to make: do they wait for Evan Walker, or do they move before the winter comes? Tension is drawn tightly around the group as they argue over the choice, and the clock is ticking as the Others hunt for them.
 

Let's Talk!

Cassie Sullivan and her allies are hiding out in an abandoned motel with a decision to make: do they wait for Evan Walker, or do they move before winter comes – or before the Others find them? 


Excerpt: Pages 126-127


This book takes a little while to get going, but once it does, the action does not stop. It picks up right where The Fifth Wave left off, so it’s a good idea to have read that book before starting this one. We get to see back stories on characters that we didn’t know very well in the first book, and gather some more understanding about where they came from and why they are the way they are. We also get a better understanding of the Others – the alien race that wiped out humanity in a few sharp waves. But of course, we don’t get all our questions answered, and by the time you get to the end of the book you’ll be really excited that the third installment is due out so soon, because you’ll be dying for more!

Literary Awards: 
  • None... yet! 

"I loved the Fifth Wave, but I had a really hard time getting into this one. But once it picked up, it was just as good as the first one. Now I can't wait for the third one. Stupid cliffhangers!" - Khaya, age 13

Watch the Book Trailer for the Infinite Sea: 

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

"The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie


Image courtesy of goodreads.com

Alexie, S. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company, 2007. Print. ISBN: 9780316013697. Paperback. $8.99.

Annotation: For a long time, all Junior has to get him through his life of poverty on the Spokane Indian reservation are his love of cartooning and his best friend, Rowdy. But when he makes up his mind to go to a neighboring white school, his tribe condemns him for leaving them and the white kids mostly ignore him – but Junior is persistent and determined that he can make his life different, and he may be right.
 

Let's Talk!

For a long time, all Junior has to get him through his life of poverty on the Spokane Indian reservation are his love of cartooning [p. 5] and his best friend, Rowdy, which sometimes coincide [p. 23]. But then Junior makes up his mind that he wants to get off the reservation [p.43], and to do that, he decides to go to a neighboring white school [p.57]. The problem is, his tribe condemns him for leaving them and the white kids mostly ignore him, so he doesn’t seem to fit in anywhere. 


But Junior is persistent and determined that he can make his life different. Even though he faces being completely alone each day, he keeps his sense of humor in the cartoons in his diary. He reaches out to people in the only awkward, weird ways that he knows how, and starts to discover that maybe just being himself might be enough for his classmates, family, teachers, and coach to not just notice, but actually like him.

Literary Awards: 
2007 National Book Award Winner
The New York Times Book Review Notable Books of 2007 (children's books)
NYPL Books for the Teen Age 2008
2007 PW "Off the Cuff" Awards: Favorite YA Novel,
2007 Horn Book Fanfare Best Books of the Year
2007 Kirkus Reviews Best YA Books
2007 School Library Journal Best Books of the Year
2007 Publishers Weekly's Best Books of the Year
A Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Winner
- See more at: http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/sherman-alexie/the-absolutely-true-diary-of-a-part-time-indian/9780316013680/#sthash.NRtSCuBq.dpuf
  • 2007 National Book Award Winner
  • The New York Times Book Review Notable Books of 2007 (children's books)
  • NYPL Books for the Teen Age 2008
  • 2007 PW "Off the Cuff" Awards: Favorite YA Novel,
  • 2007 Horn Book Fanfare Best Books of the Year
  • 2007 Kirkus Reviews Best YA Books
  • 2007 School Library Journal Best Books of the Year
  • 2007 Publishers Weekly's Best Books of the Year
  • A Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Winner

There is no movie, yet... but there are several trailers made by some creative groups of students!

2007 National Book Award Winner
The New York Times Book Review Notable Books of 2007 (children's books)
NYPL Books for the Teen Age 2008
2007 PW "Off the Cuff" Awards: Favorite YA Novel,
2007 Horn Book Fanfare Best Books of the Year
2007 Kirkus Reviews Best YA Books
2007 School Library Journal Best Books of the Year
2007 Publishers Weekly's Best Books of the Year
A Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Winner
- See more at: http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/sherman-alexie/the-absolutely-true-diary-of-a-part-time-indian/9780316013680/#sthash.NRtSCuBq.dpuf
2007 National Book Award Winner
The New York Times Book Review Notable Books of 2007 (children's books)
NYPL Books for the Teen Age 2008
2007 PW "Off the Cuff" Awards: Favorite YA Novel,
2007 Horn Book Fanfare Best Books of the Year
2007 Kirkus Reviews Best YA Books
2007 School Library Journal Best Books of the Year
2007 Publishers Weekly's Best Books of the Year
A Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Winner

"The Walking Dead, Volume 25: No Turning Back" by Robert Kirkman


Image courtesy of walkingdead.wikia.com

Kirkman, R. The Walking Dead Volume 25: No Turning Back. Berkeley, CA: Image Comics, Inc., 2016. Print. ISBN: 9781632156594. Paperback. $14.99.

Annotation: After the savage Whisperers brutally murder twelve members of the various communities of Alexandra, Hilltop, the Kingdom, and the Saviors, their devastated people look to Rick Grimes for leadership. Rick wants to tread carefully, but emotions are running so dangerously high that he might have to ask for help from the cruelest person he knows before it’s too late.



Let's Talk!


This graphic novel comes into a plot that has been very much developed in previous books. For anyone who isn’t familiar with the series, the Walking Dead follows a group of survivors during the zombie apocalypse. They are led by Rick Grimes [point out a picture], who has gradually evolved from a family man to a hard-hearted killer to the level-headed and civilized leader of a series of established communities. This book launches after the savage group of Whisperers brutally murder twelve members of the various communities [show picture]. The people are absolutely devastated, and they look to Rick to lead them to get revenge. Rick knows it would be smarter to tread carefully, but emotions are running so dangerously high that he might have to ask for help from the cruelest person he knows before it’s too late.

For those who haven’t been following the series, this might not be the best place to come into the story, but it does guarantee some action. Since the group of survivors settled down into communities, the Walking Dead universe has been pretty quiet in the horror and gore department. This compilation delivers on both the drama and the violence, and will actually make you afraid for Rick’s life again as you tear through the pages. 

Literary Awards: 
  • The series won the Eisner Award for Best Continuing Series in 2010. 

 Watch the Trailer for the Season One TV Adaptation of the Walking Dead!

Saturday, May 7, 2016

"The Princess Diaries" by Meg Cabot

Image courtesy of Goodreads.com

Cabot, M. The Princess Diaries. New York, NY: HarperTrophy, 2000. Print. ISBN: 9780380814022. Paperback. $6.99


Annotation: Mia Thermopolis thinks she has enough to deal with: she’s five-foot-nine, completely flat-chested, and she’s failing Algebra class - but then her father announces that he is the prince of Genovia. This means Mia is the princess, and suddenly she has to start taking lessons from her hard-nosed Grandmere to get ready to someday take over the throne.


Let's Talk!

(Excerpt: Page 183)

Mia Thermopolis’s diary says all the things that teenage girls are afraid to say out loud. She’s self-conscious and awkward, but she’s also bold, intelligent, and completely honest – at least on these pages. Even though she has to deal with all the drama that comes with finding out she’s a princess, she also has to balance it with all the regular issues that high school girls face. But Cabot navigates all of them with a witty, snarky sense of humor that shows that even the unpopular, weird girls can come out on top – princess or not.

Literary Awards:
  • ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
  • New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age
  • Tennessee Volunteer State TASL Book Award

Watch Meg Cabot's Princess Guide to New York City (as seen in the book!)
 

"Dime" by E. R. Frank

Image courtesy of Amazon.com

Frank, E. R. Dime. New York, NY: Atheneum, 2015. Print. ISBN: 9781481431606. Hardcover. $17.99.

Annotation: Fourteen-year-old Dime has grown up lost in the foster care system, so when a girl invites her back to her place and introduces her to Daddy, she truly believes she has found a family. But it comes at a cost: Dime is gradually introduced to the world of prostitution along with her “wifeys”, until she finally has to question if this is really love at all.


Let's Talk!
(Excerpt: Page 106)


This story isn’t glamorous or jazzed up for Hollywood. It’s gritty, dark, and disturbing to watch Dime slowly spiraling from a lost, innocent girl to a tough, hard prostitute. But most importantly, it’s real, and all of this happens to girls right next door to us – and Frank fearlessly sheds some light on a really uncomfortable topic through the voice of a lovable, good-hearted girl just like us.


Literary Awards: 
  • Milwaukee County Teen Book Award Nominee 2016

This book hasn't received too much attention yet, but you can check out E. R. Frank's web site to learn more about her and her other projects!

Sunday, May 1, 2016

"The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins

Image courtesy of suzannecollinsbooks.com
 
Collins, S. The Hunger Games. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc, 2008. Print. ISBN: 978-0439023528. Paperback. $8.99. 

Annotation: When Katniss Everdeen’s little sister is chosen to compete in the Hunger Games, a brutal show of force in which children from twelve districts fight to the death, Katniss volunteers in her place. Thrust into the dangerous and deadly world inside the Capital, she realizes that she may actually be able to survive, if she can handle what that means she must do. 


Let's Talk!


How far would you go to protect the ones you love? Katniss Everdeen is willing to risk death for her little sister. When Prim’s name is chosen to compete in the Hunger Games, which is a brutal show of force where children from twelve districts fight to the death, Katniss volunteers to take her place. Along with the boy tribute from her district, Peeta, she’s taken to the Capital. This is a place full of elaborate clothes and food, and a complete turnaround from the poverty she’s used to living in in District Twelve, and a lot of her competition in the Games are strong and healthy from living a wealthy life in districts like this. But when they actually get into the arena to begin the fight, and she survives one twist after another, Katniss realizes she might actually stand a chance at making it back home – even if it means Peeta can’t. 

A lot of people have probably seen the movie by now, but it really doesn’t compare to actually sitting down and reading this book. So much of the strength of the story comes from Katniss’s inner monologue as narrator. Her thoughts, calculations, and emotions are what really drive the plot forward. She is fierce, determined, and a force to be reckoned with – especially once she realizes she actually might have a shot at the Games. But she’s beautifully flawed, because she’s damaged from the losses in her past and she’s cold and distant. Even though her dystopian world is exaggerated, the emotions she tries to avoid are ones that any young adult can relate to, all alongside an action-packed story with a heart-pounding plot. You may love her, or you may hate her, but you’re going to care what happens to her one way or another.


Literary Awards (Get ready): 


  • #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
  • #1 USA TODAY BESTSELLER
  • WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER
  • PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BESTSELLER
  • PUBLISHERS WEEKLY'S BEST BOOKS OF 2008: CHILDREN'S FICTION
  • NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE CHILDREN'S BOOK OF 2008
  • AN AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION TOP TEN BEST BOOKS FOR YOUNG ADULTS SELECTION
  • AN ALA NOTABLE CHILDREN'S BOOK
  • 2009 ALA AMELIA BLOOMER PROJECT LIST
  • #1 ON WINTER '08/​'09 CHILDREN'S INDIE NEXT LIST
  • INDIES CHOICE--BEST INDIE YOUNG ADULT BUZZ BOOK HONOR
  • 2008 CYBIL AWARD--FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION
  • 2009 CHILDREN'S CHOICE BOOK AWARD
  • TEEN CHOICE BOOK OF THE YEAR FINALIST
  • YALSA'S TEENS' TOP TEN, 2009
  • NYPL “STUFF FOR THE TEEN AGE” LIST, 2009
  • CCBC CHOICES 2009
  • A NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS' CHOICE
  • A KIRKUS BEST BOOK OF 2008
  • A HORN BOOK FANFARE
  • SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL BEST BOOKS Of 2008
  • A BOOKLIST EDITORS' CHOICE, 2008
  • LA TIMES FAVORITE CHILDREN'S BOOKS, 2008
  • BARNES & NOBLE BEST BOOKS OF 2008 FOR TEENS AND KIDS
  • BORDERS BEST BOOKS OF 2008: TEENS
  • AMAZON BEST BOOKS OF 2008: TOP 100 EDITORS' PICK, TOP 10 BOOKS: TEENS

Watch Suzanne Collins talk about the most difficult part of the Hunger Games to write!