Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork

At his father’s insistence, seventeen-year-old Marcelo is leaving behind the familiar sheltered world of his special-ed school to spend the summer working in the mail room of his father’s high-powered law firm. The real world, as seen through Marcelo’s eyes, turns out to be an often confusing mix of true and false friends, honesty and lies, that he must first learn to navigate and then choose to accept or reject for himself.

Beastly by Alex Flinn

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This book is a 21st-century version of Beauty and the Beast set in New York City and starring a super rich, handsome and popular prep student, Kyle. After a senseless act of social cruelty directed at an unsuspecting girl, Kyle is turned into a beast and must come to grips with his new reality.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Fans of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series will love this story of a paranormal romance featuring werewolves.

Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit by Nahoko Uehashi

Originally published in Japanese, this story of a female warrior and the young prince whose life she must protect will appeal to fans of manga and anime.

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass

Author Wendy Mass talks about her writing, her life, and how they overlap in her latest work, Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life.

Bad Kitty by Michele Jaffe

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Budding detective Jas is disappointed when her father insists she join him and her stepmother on a family vacation to Las Vegas. She soon finds herself in the middle of a mystery, however, that involves a young boy and his cat, as well as a very attractive stranger. Her escapades range from the hilarious to the dangerous as she is joined by her best friends in a race to find – and stop – the villain.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Winner of the 2008 Caldecott Medal, this work is an unusual combination of pages featuring only text and long sequences of double-spread illustrations in black and white. A gripping tale of a young orphan hiding out in a Paris train station is played out in scenes reminiscent of an old silent movie.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

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A very young Bod (short for Nobody) is kept safe from death by the dead themselves, namely, the inhabitants of a graveyard across the street from the house where his family was murdered. You can find out a little about what it’s like to grow up with ghosts as surrogate parents by clicking on the Browse Inside this book link above, which allows you to read the first two chapters online. Or click here to watch video clips of author Neil Gaiman reading the entire book aloud during his 9-city tour.

The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Based on a true story, this novel recounts 17-year-old Helmuth Hubener’s courageous struggle to share the truth about the Nazis with his fellow Germans.

Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Found, a new sci-fi thriller by best-selling author Haddix, is sure to delight fans of her popular Among the Hidden series.

Marley: A Dog Like No Other by John Grogan

Author John Grogan describes how and why he came to write a book about his dog Marley.

What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell

Set in 1947, this National Book Award winner features Evie, a 15-year-old who finds herself surrounded by secrets and lies after the death of the handsome ex-GI she’s been seeing.

Sunrise over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers

Walter Dean Myers’ latest novel chronicles one young man’s experiences during the early part of the Iraq War.

Palace of Mirrors by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Author Margaret Peterson Haddix discusses her new book about a princess in peril. A companion novel to Haddix’s Just Ella, this work should also please fans of Gail Carson Levine and Shannon Hale.

Into the Volcano by Don Wood

If you’re a fan of Jeff Smith’s Bone series, be sure to check out this new action-packed graphic novel.

Does My Head Look Big in This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah

Can you be a normal teenage girl and still decide to wear a Muslim head scarf to school? Amal thinks so!

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Imagine a future in which teenagers are required to have their names entered into a lottery to take part in an annual televised competition, an event not unlike today’s reality shows. The good news is that the winner is assured a life of fame and fortune. The bad news is that no one else walks away alive.