YA Stars 2001 Overbooked: YA Stars 2001 Overbooked: a resource for readers

YA Stars 2001 - For Teens & Older Others (Young Adult Literature)

The list includes both fiction and nonfiction books. Titles are arranged alphabetically by author. Titles received starred reviews from Booklist, The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, School Library Journal, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Horn Book. The theme information is derived from cataloging information and is not comprehensive. Books are suggested for ages 12 and older. Age and grade designations are approximate, parental judgement should be used.

Annotations are from Advance, the Ingram Book Magazine or use the Library of Congress CIP description.

Author
Title
Stars
Annotation
$
ISBN
Dewey
Date
Themes
Grades
Baskin, Nora Raleigh What Every Girl Except Me Knows: A Novel Bulletin, PW Gabby Weiss is not resistant to the prospect of having a stepmother. She wishes her father would hurry up and marry someone who knows more about womanhood than she does. It seems that her father's girlfriend, Chloe, fills the role of mother for a while, but when things fall apart, Gabby has to find her own solution. $16.95 0316070211 Fiction
4/01
 death, friendship, mothers, identity 4th - 7th
Bradley, James Flags of Our Fathers: Heroes of Iwo Jima SLJ Now abridged for young people by Michael French, "Flags of Our Fathers" is the unforgettable chronicle of perhaps the most famous moment in American military history: the raising of the U.S. flag at Iwo Jima. $15.95 0385729324 940.54
5/01
   7th - 12th
Colfer, Eoin Artemis Fowl Bulletin A 12-year-old villain--Artemis Fowl--takes on the dangerous world of the fairies in this unforgettable novel, an instant cult classic in the vein of "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and "Men in Black. $16.95 0786808012 Fiction
5/01
 fantasy, magic, fairies 6th - 12th
Crutcher, Chris Whale Talk Bulletin, PW A high school bus provides surprising sanctuary for seven unlikely swim teammates who are, in the words of their coach, "A perennial road team. Mermen without a pond". These invisible kids resonate because of how the author sees them, believes in them, and lets them speak. $15.95 0688180191 Fiction
4/01
 sports, adoption, school, multicultural 7th - 12th
Cummings, Priscilla A Face First Bulletin, SLJ Fearing she'll never be part of the "normal" world again, not with her face, leg, and hand badly burned in an accident, 12-year-old Kelley faces skin-graft operations, uncomfortable dressings, and a plastic mask she must wear at least a year. But Kelley discovers many things about herself, including a talent she never knew she had. $16.99 0525465227 Fiction
3/01
 social situations 7th - 12th
Duane, Diane The Wizard's Dilemma Kirkus Not everything can be fixed with magic, especially teenage angst. But when Nita's mother gets cancer, she may have to make a deal with the Lone Power. $17.00 0152025510 Fiction
6/01
 fantasy, magic, cancer, action & adventure 5th - 9th
Geras, Adele Troy Horn Book, PW The classic struggle between Greece and Troy is brought to life by a panoramic chorus of voices both humble and high, human and divine. This inspired novel is told through the eyes of the women of Troy, a city where the gods move among mortals. $17.00 0152164928 Fiction
5/01
 mythology, trojan war, greek, troy, historical 9th - 12th
Hurst, Carol Otis Through the Lock Booklist, Bulletin   $15.00 0618030360 Fiction
4/01
 orphans, canals, connecticut, 1800-1850, action & adventure, family 4th - 7th
Jordan, Sherryl Secret Sacrament Bulletin The powerful Navoran empire exists side by side with the traditional Shinali clan. Caught between them is a young healer trapped in a tangled web of politics, prophecies, and dreams. Is Gabriel truly the hero of an ancient prophecy foretelling the destruction and rebirth of Navora? In this vividly realized fantasy world, the fate of two civilizations depends on one man's willingness to accept his destiny against all odds. $15.95 006028904X Fiction
3/01
 fantasy, magic 7th - 12th
Kindl, Patrice Goose Chase Booklist, Bulletin, Kirkus, PW Rather than marry a cruel king or a seemingly dim-witted prince, an enchanted goose girl endures imprisonment, capture by several ogresses, and other dangers, before learning exactly who she is. $15.00 0618033777 Fiction
3/01
 fairy tales, folklore, 4th - 7th
Klass, David You Don't Know Me SLJ John wrestles with the uncertainty that no one really knows him. Although his hidden thoughts are hilarious, with razor-sharp observations about lust, love, algebra, and everything, John's home life involves an absent father, a mother who works long hours, and her boyfriend, who is abusive to John. $17.00 0374387060 Fiction
3/01
 schools, child abuse 7th - 12th
Landau, Elaine Heroine of the Titanic The Real Unsinkable Molly Brown SLJ The Real Unsinkable Molly Brown. $18.00 0395939127 978.8
4/01
   5th - 9th
Lawrence, Iain The Buccaneers Bulletin In this conclusion to "The Wreckers" and "The Smugglers", 17-year-old John Spencer must match wits and brawn with a band of pirates in the West Indies. $15.95 0385327366 Fiction
8/01
 action & adventure, seas stories 5th - 9th
Lester, Julius When Dad Killed Mom Bulletin A heartbreaking story about domestic violence and how two teenagers must deal with what happens when their father kills their mother $17.00 0152163050 Fiction
5/01
 social situations, domestic violence, family 7th - 12th
Lynch, Chris Freewill Bulletin, Horn Book Will finds himself with a bunch of kids in wood shop in a school that's known as Hopeless High. Will doesn't know what he's doing there--or maybe he just doesn't want to admit the truth. No one knows why local teens are committing suicide, either. The deaths all have one thing in common: beautifully carved wooden tributes that appear just after--or just before--the bodies are found. Will's afraid he knows who's responsible for the deaths. $15.95 0060281766 Fiction
3/01
 suspense, death 7th - 12th
Marrin, Albert George Washington and the Founding of a Nation Booklist, Bulletin, SLJ Albert Marrin examines the "father of our country" from the points of view of character, military experience, and also his slaveholding to assess Washington's role in the nation's history. Illustrated with paintings, prints, and line drawings. $30.00 0525464816 973.4
1/01
   6th - 12th
Mazer, Norma Fox Girlhearts Bulletin When a heart attack takes her mom's life, Sarabeth suddenly loses the only family and home she's ever known. Her mother's friends, Cynthia and Billy, take in Sarabeth to live with them and their baby in their tiny one-bedroom apartment. Before long, Sarabeth realizes she's intruding on their lives, but where can she go? $15.95 0688133509 Fiction
5/01
 social situations, death, grief, family 5th - 9th
Na, An A Step from Heaven Booklist, Bulletin, Horn Book, PW, SLJ When she is five, Young Ju Park and her family move from Korea to California. During the flight, they climb so far into the sky she concludes they are on their way to Heaven, that Heaven must be in America. Heaven is also where her grandfather is. When she learns the distinction, she is so disappointed she wants to go home to her grandmother. Trying to console his niece, Uncle Tim suggests that maybe America can be "a step from Heaven". - Publisher $15.95 1886910588 Fiction
5/01
 family life, emigration & immigrations, Korean Americans 7th - 12th
Nix, Garth Lirael: Daughter of the Clayr Bulletin, Kirkus Abandoned by her mother and not knowing who her father is, Lirael looks like no one in her large extended family--making her feel like she's never been a true daughter of the Clayr. She's doesn't even have the Sight, the ability to see into possible futures, that is the birthright of every Clayr. Nonetheless, Lirael undertakes a desperate mission to save the Old Kingdom. $16.95 0060278234 Fiction
4/01
 fantasy, magic 7th - 12th
Park, Linda Sue A Single Shard Booklist, Kirkus, PW, SLJ Tree-ear, an orphan, lives under a bridge in Ch'ulp'o, a potters' village famed for delicate celadon ware. He has become fascinated with the potter's craft; he wants nothing more than to watch master potter Min at work, and he dreams of making a pot of his own someday. When Min takes Tree-ear on as his helper, Tree-ear is elated -- until he finds obstacles in his path: the backbreaking labor of digging and hauling clay, Min's irascible temper, and his own ignorance. But Tree-ear is determined to prove him-self -- even if it means taking a long, solitary journey on foot to present Min's work in the hope of a royal commission . . . even if it means arriving at the royal court with nothing to show but a single celadon shard. - Publisher. $15.00 0395978270 Fiction
3/01
 pottery, Korea, historical, family 5th - 9th
Paulsen, Gary Guts: The True Stories Behind Hatchet and the Brian Books Bulletin Author Gary Paulsen shares his real adventure stories that inspired his books featuring the character Brian Robeson, including a description of how he made his own bows and arrows, his memories of his first hunting trips, and his hilarious mishaps and mistakes. Paulsen also includes a chapter featuring recipes for wilderness cooking. $16.95 0385326505 813
1/01
   7th - 12th
Pierce, Meredith Ann Treasure at the Heart of the Tanglewood Booklist, Kirkus, SLJ Hannah is a creature of the woods. When she finally leaves the magician who has held her captive for so long, she takes a journey that will lead her into the heart of the forest and into her own soul. $16.99 0670892475 Fiction
5/01
 fantasy, identity, magic, wizards 7th - 12th
Powell, Randy Run If You Dare Horn Book, SLJ, PW Fourteen-year-old Gardner is witness to a mid-life crisis as his father, who he has always idolized, has been laid off from his job, is bored, and is talking to Gardner about leaving. Disappointed in his father, Gardner finds the emotional strength and identity to survive through his friendships, both old and new. $16.00 0374399816 Fiction
4/01
 social situations, fathers & sons, identity, Seattle (WA) 7th - 12th
Reef, Catherine Sigmund Freud: Pioneer of the Mind Horn Book, PW   $19.00 0618017623 150.19
4/01
   5th - 9th
Rees, Celia Witch Child Bulletin When her beloved grandmother is hanged as a witch, 17th-century teen Mary Newbury escapes to America to a Puritan settlement. Although Mary's story--already a bestseller in the U.K.--takes place 350 years ago, she is a credible and engaging feminist character for modern times. $15.99 0763614211 Fiction
7/01
 historical, witches, Puritans 7th - 12th
Rennison, Louise On the Bright Side, I'm Now the Girlfriend of a Sex God: Further Confessions of Georgia Nicolson Booklist, PW This sequel to "Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging" finds Georgia's little sister, Libby, leaving sticky surprises in her bed; her cat Angus spending all his time with a good-looking feline next door; and Georgia dating the Sex God (aka Robbie). But then her parents announce the family is moving to New Zealand. Life is officially over! $15.95 0060288132 Fiction
4/01
 friendship, family life, dating, humor 7th - 12th
Ryan, Sara Empress of the World Kirkus This groundbreaking novel tackles teen sexuality head on. Nicola Lancaster spends a summer at a program for gifted youths who live like college students for eight weeks. During that time, Nic becomes friends with beautiful blonde Battle Hall Davies. She's everything that Nic isn't, but startlingly, the two soon become more than friends. $15.99 0670896888 Fiction
8/01
 social situations, lesbians, bisexuality, schools 7th - 12th
Snell, Gordon (Edt) Thicker Than Water: Coming-Of-Age Stories by Irish and Irish American Writers Bulletin, Horn Book This exhilarating kaleidoscope of stories set in Ireland and America includes Maeve Binchy's "When Grania Grows Up", a tale of old secrets cast off at last, and Chris Lynch's "Off Ya Go, So", in which a journey to a clinic in Liverpool awakens a young man's deepest feelings. In the title story, by Emma Donoghue, Mammy's second wedding brings out the bloody truth. - Publisher. $17.95 0385325711 Fiction
2/01
 irish stories 7th - 12th
Springer, Nancy I Am Morgan Le Fay: A Tale from Camelot Bulletin, Horn Book, Kirkus, VOYA Best Genre Book In a war-torn England where her half-brother Arthur will eventually become king, the young Morgan le Fay comes to realize that she has magic powers and links to the faerie world. $17.99 0399234519 Fiction
3/01
 Arthur, magic, knights, fairies 7th - 12th
Springer, Nancy Rowan Hood: Outlaw Girl of Sherwood Forest Booklist Rowan has never met her father, the infamous Robin Hood. But with her mother dead and no one to care for her, 13-year-old Rowan disguises herself as a boy and goes in search of her father. She picks up a band of followers along the way, and together they must survive the perils of Sherwood Forest. $16.99 0399233687 Fiction
6/01
 Robin Hood, myths, adventure 7th - 12th
Thomson, Sarah L. The Dragon's Son Bulletin A grieving mother, an embittered former wife, a loyal servant, and a bloodthirsty son each recall their particular roles in the rise and fall of England's King Arthur. Drawing from the earliest surviving stories of the legend, the author includes characters who disappeared in later retellings of the story. $17.95 0531303330 Fiction
5/01
 Arthur, Mordred, 7th - 12th
Tingle, Rebecca The Edge on the Sword Booklist, PW, SLJ Based on a true story, this is a tale of a noblewoman in England who seized power 1,000 years ago. A medieval story of courage, conviction and honor. $18.99 0399235809 Fiction
6/01
 Ethelfled, Vikings, Great Britain, Alfred, historical 4th - 7th
Vance, Susanna Sights Bulletin, Horn Book,PW When Baby Girl and her beautiful mother flee her abusive father, they enjoy the summer building a life in a new town. Baby Girl is unprepared for the cruelty of her new peers, but she learns to look inside to discover strength. $15.95 0385327617 Fiction
3/01
 social situtations, schools, self-perception, mothers & daughters 7th - 12th
Williams-Garcia, Rita Every Time a Rainbow Dies Bulletin, Horn Book, PW, SLJ Since finding her battered and raped in the alley near his home, Thulani hasn't stopped thinking about Ysa. It's the first time since his mother's death he's thought of anything but the rock doves he tends to. Now that he has seen Ysa, Thulani finally has a reason to come down from the roof. $15.95 0688162452 Fiction
1/01
 Caribbean Americans, pigeons, New York, Rape, interpersonal relations, 9th - 12th

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