Everyday Life
Not all teens are interested in boy wizards, vampires, rich girl cliques, or an overload of angst. Some are just looking for a good story about other kids like themselves. These books have a bit of humor and romance, but mostly they are good, solid stories about young adults that adolescent readers will be sure to relate to.
Hit the Road
Age Level: 12-14
Sixteen-year old Brit is humiliated when her parents leave her with her grandmother, Nannie while they go on vacation to Alaska. But when Brit, who's had her driver's license for 11 days, is enlisted to drive Nannie and her friends to their 65th annual college reunion, she begins a real adventure. Is she a kidnapper or an aide? This book brings up real issues about aging, but is also full of real humor and a rollicking good ending.
Becoming Naomi Leon
Age Level: 9-12
Naomi and her younger brother Owen have been raised in a California trailer park by their grandmother. When their mother reappears, Naomi is both starstruck but also wary, and she soon learns that her mother and her boyfriend only want to take her with them so they will get more welfare money. This book is an honest portrayal of lower class struggles and life as a Mexican-American.
Rock Star, Superstar
Age Level: 14-16
Pete plays bass in his high school band and lives a fairly uneventful life until he gets a chance to join the local garage band, who is just getting ready to hit the big time. As Pete explores rock stardom, he also finds that he still pines a bit for the girl back home despite the temptations of life on the road.
Starting With Alice
Age Level: 9-12
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor has written a series of books about heroine Alice. This book, Starting with Alice, is the first of three prequels that takes readers back to Alice's elementary school days. Here, Alice is in a new school where she makes friends (and unfortunately, enemies). Alice continues to age throughout the series, and other books in the series show Alice in middle school and high school, making this series one that girls can truly grow up with.
Nailed
Age Level: 14-16
Bret is a high school junior who has problems with his father and the "jockarchy" at his high school. When girl problems are added to the mix, Bret’s anger seethes, until he learns something from an unexpected source. Teens will recognize Bret's struggles with the pressure to fit in and his frustrations with the world around him.
I Am Not Joey Pigza
Age Level: 9-12
Joey's dad is back in the picture after winning the lottery. He's a man with a mission — to remake himself and his family. But, Joey wonders as his mother takes his father back into their life, is it really possible? Joey's painfully honest narration continues the series, but readers will be cheering Joey on as his journey ranges from the heartbreaking to the comical.
Breaking Up
Illustrated by: Christine Norrie
Age Level: 14-16
A group of girlfriends begin to grow apart while chasing guys and the elusive popularity during their junior year in high school. Main character Chloe is afraid to tell her friends about her budding romance with a school "nerd," while Mackenzie realizes that the most popular guy in school might not be worth it. This is part of Scholastic publishing's graphic novel line called Graphix, which also includes comic interpretations of The Babysitter Club stories for younger readers.
Just Listen
Age Level: 14-16
Annabel is a beautiful teen model, but she's over it. Her sister has become anorexic, and the family isn't dealing with it very well. When she forms a special connection with iPod-wearing Owen, Annabel learns about new ways to deal with her issues while learning a lot about herself at the same time.
Framed
Age Level: 9-12
In the tiny Welsh town at the foot of a mountain, nothing much happens — until one day, when several strange cars stop by Dylan's family's service station on their way to the abandoned mine. Dylan wonders why one of the strangers is so intrigued that Dylan's pet chickens are named Donatello and Michelangelo, and whether the stranger has ever heard of their namesakes — the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. A wonderful adventure follows as Dylan learns what it takes to create a true masterpiece.
24 Girls in 7 Days
Age Level: 12-14
Jack's best friends decide that the best way to get him a prom date is to put an ad in the paper. Now Jack has to evaluate all the prospects. If there were such a genre as "Romance for Guys" this would be its classic! But the humor and male perspective make it an intriguing read for male readers — as well as their female counterparts!
Shark Girl
Age Level: 12-14
Jane was just enjoying a day at the beach when a shark attacked her and she lost her arm. Now, she must face not only a physical recovery, but the psychological trauma of being known as the "shark girl." This story is written in a free verse poetic style that propels the reader through the story.
Best Foot Forward
Age Level: 12-14
Jenna is comfortable and happy with her job at Gladstone Shoes, although she doesn’t understand why Mrs. Gladstone hires a man that she caught shoplifting to help around the store. This is a sequel to Bauer's earlier Rules of the Road (1998), but readers would be just as happy reading this one first before going back to learn more about Jenna in the original book.
