- Nightstruck - Jenna Black - Becket, an ambitious but ordinary teenager, was walking her dog one night when she heard a baby cry. Going to help, Becket is tricked into opening a door between worlds, allowing a dark magic into the mortal world. As the magic trickles in, you better be inside or you'll face the changes in the night. Innocent everyday items and buildings grow fangs, tails, and eyes. People become the Nightstruck.
- The Killing Jar - Jennifer Bosworth - "I try not to think about it, what I did to that boy." Kenna Marsden has a secret. She's haunted with the burden of knowing she killed a boy and she can't explain how. Now, the boy's dad seeks revenge.
- Passenger - Alexandra Brachken - Etta's life has suddenly become very confusing. In a whirlwind of events, she finds herself in the 19th century on a boat filled with (legal) pirates, discovers that she had the power to time travel, and finds out that a family called the Ironwoods has her mother and wants her to find an object called the astrolabe. Nicholas, a pirate from the ship she sailed on, comes with her, and together they begin a journey to save Etta's mother. Book Trailer
- Tell Me Three Things - Julie Buxbaum - A new city. A new step-monster. A new intimidatingly prissy private school. As Jessie transitions into L.A. life, she feels like everything about her is wrong. When she receives an email from a person called Somebody/Nobody, or SN for short, they offer to be a much-needed guide to her new school. As Jessie becomes increasingly close to SN, she can’t help wanting to meet them in person. But are some mysteries better left unsolved? Book Trailer
- Once Upon a Dream - Liz Braswell - In a battle of past, present, and future, Princess Aurora must face her true past, face her fears, and fight for the future. If she doesn't, she will lose everything at a time when she only just found something to live for--true love. In a journey of self-discovery and a quest for confidence, Liz Braswell once again succeeds in writing an excellent twist to one of the classics--Sleeping Beauty.
- Lady Midnight - Cassandra Clare - It’s been five years since the events of City of Heavenly Fire that brought the Shadowhunters to the brink of oblivion. Emma Carstairs is no longer a child in mourning, but a young woman who just wants to prove that her parents weren't killed by Sebastian in the Dark War. Now she has the chance to do just that, and get Mark back from the wild hunt. Book Trailer
- Truthwitch - Susan Dennard - The Witchlands and its three respective Empires are home to many different types of witches. Safi and Iseult, best friends, both have incredible powers. Iseult, a Threadwitch, can see the invisible threads of the world that bind people together. Her dark past, however, threatens her new found life as secrets and burdens long since forgotten come back to haunt her. Safi, a Truthwitch, is able to tell a man's truth from his lies. The rarity of her magic has forced her to keep it hidden from the world, but the wrong people have unearthed her secrets and both she and Iseult must use any means, or magic necessary to protect themselves and each other. Book Trailer
- Don’t Get Caught : Ler the Prank War Begin - Kurt Dinan - Think of all the pranks you have ever wanted to pull. The pranks in this story will top your wildest dreams. Don't Get Caught is story of a competition between two teams of pranksters. The new kids on the block vs. the anonymous Chaos Club. In this war, cunningness and lots of luck will be the way to victory. Let the pranks begin!
- The Great American Whatever - Tim Federle - This novel shows us inside the mind of Quinn Roberts, a 17-year-old boy who lost his sister to a car crash six months prior and who strives to write screenplays for real movies. We follow Quinn through his challenges with his grief, his new-found love, his discovery of secrets about his friend and sister, and his reluctance to let go, to stop living in the past and follow his dreams in the future.
- We Will Not Be Silent: The White Rose Student Resistance Movement That Defied Adolf Hitler - Russell Fredman - An inspiring recounting of the brief and tragic lives of the Scholl children and their influence on the world's perception of Nazi Germany. This true story highlights everything from their early lives as members of Hitler youth programs, to their adulthood careers as Anti-Hitler activists. (Nonfiction 943.086?Fre)
- Girl in Pieces - Kathleen Glasgow - Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Davis was a girl who used to cut herself with glass, until one day she tried to kill herself. We follow Charlie on her journey through rehab and beyond. Her story is one of love, heartbreak, and coming of age, about a normal girl and the painstakingly horrible truth of her pain and sorrows.
- Genius: The Game - Leopolde Gout - Dive into a new type of teen-genius novel as Gout pulls you into a rollercoaster of a plot. Hilarious and smart, Cai, Tunde, and Rex show readers what the next generation of innovation looks like. Book Trailer
- Rebel of the Sands - Alwyn Hamilton - Amani Al’Hiza is a gifted gunslinger with perfect aim, but she can’t shoot her way out of Dustwalk, the back-country town where she’s destined to wind up wed or dead. When Amani meets foreigner Jin, she sees him as the perfect escape route. This Aladdin-meets-dystopia fantasy follows Amani’s adventure through the desert of Miraji, using her sharpshooting skills and her wit to survive the dangers created by the djinn and the Sultan's army. Book Trailer
- The Diabolic - S.J. Kincaid - Diabolics are human-like creatures genetically engineered to spend their entire life doing whatever it takes to serve the person they are bonded to. They love their masters with every fiber of their being, and are willing to kill and die for them. Nemesis is a Diabolic. And when her master, Sidonia, heir to the galactic senate, is summoned to court by the Emperor to answer for her father’s misdeeds, Nemesis must protect her at all costs. But how far will she have to go in order to protect Sidonia and the empire from crumbling in the hands of the Emperor? Book Trailer
- Starflight - Melissa Landers - Solara needs to get to the outer realms, and it seems becoming an indentured servant to Doran is the only way for her to get there. When Doran discovers the secret she carefully kept from him, it seems that she won't reach her destination after all. In a bizarre turn of events, Solara becomes the master, and Doran the slave. This adventure may end up being a lot more hectic than it seemed it would be.
- The Year We Fell Apart - Emily Martin - Few things come as naturally to Harper as epic mistakes. But her worst mistake was destroying her relationship with her best friend, Declan. Now Declan is back from boarding school and has changed quite a bit. Harper has changed, too, especially in the wake of her mom’s cancer diagnosis. And while she wants to make things right with Declan, he wants nothing to do with her. The Year We Fell Apart is an amazing story of love and second, maybe even third, chances.
- Burning Midnight - Will McINtosh - In a futuristic world, millions of spheres have appeared, and burning them makes people a little better: an inch taller, skilled at math, better-looking. However, there are some spheres that people will do anything to get their hands on. When a sphere is found that no one has ever seen before, Sully and Hunter have to decide what to do with it.
- Heartless - Marissa Meyer - The infamous line "Off with his head!" made her a terror in Wonderland. But before that she was just a girl with a dream, who fell in love. In this curious prequel inspired by Lewis Carroll's famous Alice in Wonderland, Meyer’s tale of eccentricity, phenomenon, and, ultimately, ruination will keep you on the edge of your seat as you realize how Cath led her life to become the Queen of Hearts. Book Trailer Authur Indroduction
- All We Have Left - Wendy Mills - In 2016, Jesse is trying to navigate life as a teenager with the death of her brother on 9/11 still haunting her and her family. When Jesse gets caught up with the wrong crowd, one momentary hate-fueled decision turns her life upside down. In 2001, Alia, a proud Muslim, goes to see her father at his Manhattan office. When the planes collide into the Twin Towers, Alia is trapped inside one of the buildings.
- This is Where It Ends - Marieke Nijkamp - Four students, all connected in one way or another, speak from their perspective over a terrifying 54 minutes when, after a school-wide assembly, the auditorium doors won’t open and someone begins shooting.
- If I Was Your Girl - Meredith Russo - When Amanda moves to Lambertville, Kentucky, after a string of bullying incidents led her to attempt suicide, all she wants is to lead a normal life, make friends, and generally be happy for once. All of this seems possible until she meets Grant, who causes her to let down the walls around her heart. But the problem is that Amanda's past is haunting her. And in her past, she wasn't Amanda, she was Andrew.
- Scythe - Neal Shusterman - Humanity has overcome hunger, disease, war, and even death. Now only Scythes can take life. What will happen to Citra and Rowan when they are chosen to be Scythe apprentices? Follow them as they struggle with their task and morality. Book Trailer
- Love & Gelato - Jenna Evans Welch - After the death of her mother, Lina goes to visit Italy at her mother’s wish, as she’d lived in Italy for part of her life and loved it immensely. While in Italy, Lina discovers some well-kept secrets about her mother's life there and Lina's mysteriously absent father. Book Trailer
- P.S. I Like You - Kasie West - Music has the power to bring people together. When Lily writes a lyric of her favorite indie band on her desk, someone else responds. Lily and her mysterious friend seem to get closer and closer through their anonymous notes. What happens when she finds the true author of the notes?
- The Art of Being Normal - Lisa Williamson - Since birth, David has felt different, and only his two best friends know the real truth: he wants to be a girl. After meeting and befriending Leo, a fellow member of the trans community, David prepares to come out to his family and transition into life as a girl, while Leo wrestles with figuring out how to deal with people who try to define him through his history.
- The Sun is Also a Star - Nicola Yoon - Natasha and Daniel are polar opposites - Tasha believes in reason, science, and things that can be proven. Daniel is a poet at heart and believes in Fate, the "meant to be," and true love. When circumstances beyond their control force them together, they have exactly one day - one day to stop Tasha's family from being deported, one day for Daniel to realize that doing what's expected of you doesn't mean you should do it. And above all else, one day to fall in love. Author Interview
* Annotations provided by the Teens' Top Ten book groups. If you would like to take a survey on the books you think will be the top ten finalist in 2017, Fill out the sheet and drop it in the box.
The Alex Awards are given for the 10 best adult books that appeal to teen audiences. The Queen of Blood: Book One of The Queens of Renthia – Sarah Beth Durst – Everything has a spirit: the willow tree with leaves that kiss the pond, the stream that feeds the river, the wind that exhales fresh snow . . .But the spirits that reside within this land want to rid it of all humans. One woman stands between these malevolent spirits and the end of humankind: the queen. She alone has the magical power to prevent the spirits from destroying every man, woman, and child. But queens are still just human, and no matter how strong or good, the threat of danger always looms.
Arena – Holly Jennings – Every week, Kali Ling fights to the death on national TV. She’s died hundreds of times. And it never gets easier...The RAGE tournaments—the Virtual Gaming League’s elite competition where the best gamers in the world compete in a fight to the digital death. Every kill is broadcast to millions. Every player leads a life of ultimate fame, responsible only for entertaining the masses. And though their weapons and armor are digital, the pain is real.
Coretta Scott King Book Award recognizes an African-American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults. The 2017 winner is March: Book Three written by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin. By the fall of 1963, the Civil Rights Movement has penetrated deep into the American consciousness, and as chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, John Lewis is guiding the tip of the spear. Through relentless direct action, SNCC continues to force the nation to confront its own blatant injustice, but for every step forward, the danger grows more intense: Jim Crow strikes back through legal tricks, intimidation, violence, and death. The only hope for lasting change is to give voice to the millions of Americans silenced by voter suppression: "One Man, One Vote." Book Trailer Two Coretta Scott King Honor Books were also selected:
The Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award The 2017 King/Steptoe winner is Nicola Yoon who is the author of The Sun Is Also a Star.
The Laura Ingalls Wilder Award honors an author or illustrator whose books, published in the United States, have made, over a period of years, a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children. The 2017 winner is Nikki Grimes. Ms. Grimes won the Coretta Scott King Author Award in 2003 and 2014. In addition, Grimes received the Virginia Hamilton Literary Award in 2016 and the NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English) Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children in 2006. Award-winning works include the following:
The 2017 winner of the John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature is The Girl Who Drank the Moon written by Kelly Barnhill. Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the Forest, Xan, is kind. She shares her home with a wise Swamp Monster and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon. Xan rescues the children and delivers them to welcoming families on the other side of the forest, nourishing the babies with starlight on the journey. Book Trailer Three Newbery Honor books also were named.
The Mildred L. Batchelder Award is for an outstanding children’s book originally published in a language other than English in a country other than the United States, and subsequently translated into English for publication in the United States. Cry, Heart, But Never Break is the 2017 Batchelder Award winner. Originally published in Danish in 2001 as “Græd blot hjerte,” the book was written by Glenn Ringtved, illustrated by Charolotte Pardi, and translated by Robert Moulthrop.
The committee also selected the following three Batchelder Honor Books:
The 2017 Michael L. Printz Award is given for excellence in literature written for young adults. March: Book Three, created by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell, is the 2017 Printz Award winner
Four Printz Honor Books also were named.
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AuthorI am a former high school English teacher and now a high school librarian. Archives
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