Book Finder

Two Japanese American sisters grow up in post World War II America in this Newbery winning book. Katie is the little sister to Lynn, and Lynn is her mentor and friend. When Lynn develops a terminal illness, Katie must try to keep her spirit alive and “kira-kira.” This is also a wonderful audiobook.

Maya is a good student, and a good worker at her family’s restaurant. She’s so good at things she’s asked to tutor hot jock Camden and mind the restaurant while her family goes out of town. But one thing leads to another, and not in a good way, in this hilarious, quick read.

Japanese Americans in Hawaii during World War II identified themselves as Americans, but their fellow enlisted soldiers didn’t necessarily see them that way. In this historical novel, Eddy and his friends join the Army to defend their country, only to be the victims of vicious discrimination by their commanders.

In the 1980’s, Jeff Smith began his 13-volume fantasy epic about the Bone cousins and their quest through the valley. It’s been referred to as a comic Lord of the Rings, (comic meaning both in comic form, and humorous.) This book collects all 13 volumes and is a perfect book for the big fan.

Babymouse may be a cartoon mouse, but she has experiences that will resonate with her tween audience: like friend drama, boring old school, and the social strata of those same friends and school.

Chris and Win decide to spend their summer between high school and college on a cross country bicycle trip. Win has always been somewhat secretive, but when Chris sees a huge amount of money in Win’s belongings, he wonders if there’s more to this trip than Win shared. And that’s before Win disappears.

This dystopian fantasy features a televised reality show in which two teenage representatives from each “district” must fight until only one is left standing. 

Another dystopic tale, this one in a futuristic world in which floods threaten to drown all of civilization. Mara sets out on a flotilla to find food and land, but some of those she encounters suspect she is more than just an ordinary 15-year old. The sequel, Zenith, is also available.

After fourteen-year-old Peak Marcello, the son of two famous, now-divorced, climbers, is arrested for scaling a New York City skyscraper, he’s left with two choices: Juvenile Detention or living with his long-lost father. Peak quickly learns that his father’s renewed interest in him has strings attached; he wants his son to be the youngest person to reach the Everest summit. For a climbing addict like Peak, tackling Everest is the challenge of a lifetime. But it’s also one that could cost him his life.

It’s not surprising that this novel has been made into a movie — author Larry Doyle has been a comedy screenwriter for some time, and this book reads like a screenplay. Taking place over one graduation day and night, it tells the story of nerdy Denis, who while making his graduation speech, blurts out “I Love You, Beth Cooper.” Beth is popular, beautiful, and, as it soon turns out, more than Denis even imagined.

When Reason’s mother goes insane, she is forced to live with her grandmother Esmerelda, who may be the source of her mother’s insanity. Reason does her best to avoid contact with Esmerelda, but when she decides to run away, she walks through Esmeralda’s back door in Sydney and finds herself on a New York City street. The book is full of action, a little violence, and is a good entry in the urban fantasy genre.

Lucy was raised by foster parents after her own mother became mentally ill, foster parents who may know more about her past than they’ve shared. Lucy must solve a puzzle, found in the song Scarborough Fair, to break a curse and save her own sanity. Werlin, known mysteries and thrillers, gives this story a unique touch of fantasy.

This beautiful contemporary fairy tale was later made into a movie. It features a pair of young lovers — Tristan, who agrees to find the falling star he just spotted, and the girl who agrees to marry him when he does. Tristan’s adventures make this a perfect fairy tale for older readers.

A variety of fairy tales are retold and new fantasy stories created in this graphic novel. Don’t be fooled by the subject matter of this beautifully illustrated book, it has a sophisticated storytelling style that is more suitable to older readers.

How the Murray children search through time to find and save their missing scientist father continues to enthrall readers even 50 years after its publication. The author was awarded the Newbery Medal for what has become a classic time travel fantasy.

Brave men and women have taken up the sword since ages of old, and a fascination with this formidable weapon grips dedicated followers to this day. Here is a celebration of swords and swordsmen that spans time and place — from ancient warriors such as Beowulf to medieval knights; from stealthy ninja and samurai to legendary maidens of war. 

Often considered one of the greatest fantasy series, the ten-book Amber Chronicles are collected here in one volume. The stories tell of first Corwin, then his son Merlin, and their life on both Earth and its parallel city Amber. Amber is a fully realized world, and the books are fantasy, humor and adventure in one long but compelling package.

Nerdy Colin Singleton has been dumped by Katherine. Not just any Katherine though. This is the nineteenth Katherine he’s dated and been dumped by. His friend Hassan insists a road trip is in order for his recovery, but their trip ends abruptly in Gutshot, Tennessee where Colin spends his time working on his mathematical theorem for predicting the end result of a romantic relationship with a girl not named Katherine.

This novel is about the coming-of-age of the protagonist, Quentin “Q” Jacobsen and his search for Margo Roth Spiegelman, his neighbor and childhood sweetheart.

John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle weave each of their stories together in this collection of winter romances. John Green’s, “A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle,” focuses on three friends who leave their cozy James Bond marathon to trek through a winter storm to check out some stranded cheerleaders at the local Waffle House.

Miles “Pudge” Halter is done with his safe life at home. His whole life has been one big non-event until heads off to the sometimes crazy and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young. She is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart. Then… Nothing is ever the same.