New and Notable Books from December 2009

Fallen by Lauren Kate

Teen Romance (Paranormal)

Release Date: 12/1/2009

Seventeen year-old Luce is a new student at Sword & Cross, an unwelcoming boarding/reform school in Savannah, Georgia. Luce's boyfriend died under suspicious circumstances, and now she carries the guilt over his death with her as she navigates the unfriendly halls at Sword & Cross, where every student seems to have an unpleasant--even evil--history.

Request it!

Song by Jason Lethcoe

(Mysterious Mr. Spines #3)

Teen Fantasy

Release Date: 12/1/2009

In this action packed conclusion, Edward McLeod is almost at the end of his journey. Now he must take on the Jackal and fight for all of the trapped souls in the Woodbine. But the Jackal and his formidable army will not be so easy to defeat.

Request it!

Witch & Wizard by James Patterson

Teen Suspense

Release Date: 12/1/2009

Torn from their family and slammed into prison, a brother and sister must rediscover their supernatural powers in order to save themselves, their parents, and the world.

Request it!

Smart Aleck's Guide to American History by Adam Selzer

Teen Nonfiction

Release Date: 12/1/2009

Do you know America? No, I mean, do you REALLY know America?

Well, you REALLY need this book.

Not only will it improve your sorry historical knowledge, it will crack you up, and give you material to throw your teachers off balance for entire class periods. Identify their lies! Point out their half-truths! And possibly, just possibly, gain some extra credit for yourself.

Request it!

Blood Ninja by Nick Lake

Teen Horror

Release Date: 12/1/2009

Is Taro, a fisherman's son, destined for greatness? In the course of a day, Taro's entire life changes: His father is murdered before his eyes, and Taro is taken by a mysterious ninja on a perilous journey toward safety. Someone wants Taro dead, but who -- and why? With his best friend, Hiro, and their ninja guide, Shusaku, Taro gets caught in the crossfire of a bitter conflict between rival lords for control of imperial Japan. As Taro trains to become a ninja himself, he's less and less sure that he wants to be one. But when his real identity is revealed, it becomes impossible for Taro to turn his back on his fate.

Request it!

Stupid Cupid by Rhonda Stapleton

Teen Romance

Release Date: 12/1/2009

Felicity Walker believes in true love. That's why she applies for a gig at the matchmaking company Cupid's Hollow. But when Felicity gets the job, she learns that she isn't just a matchmaker--she's a cupid!

Request it!



Little White Lies by Jessica Burkhart

(Canterwood Crest Series)

Teen Fiction

Release Date: 12/1/2009

There's a new Queen Bee at Canterwood--and her sting is a thousand times worse than Heather's. Will the trio continue to reign as the Queens of Canterwood? or will Jasmine finally put them out of the royal running?

Request it!


I So Don't Do Spooky by Barrie Summy

Teen Mystery

Release Date: 12/1/2009

Summy follows up "I So Don't Do Mysteries" with this creepy, freaky mystery. Someone's out to get Sherry's stepmom. Can she save her before it's too late?

Request it!

Five Forks Superstar Librarian Interviews Jackson Pearce!!!!!1!!1!!

Superstar Librarian Anni Thompson, from Five Forks Library, was given the remarkable opportunity to meet a wicked cool local teen author! Can you believe it (I'm still having trouble coming to the realization that it actually happened)? Her name is Jackson Pearce, and she wrote this totally brilliant book called As You Wish, that is available through the Gwinnett County Public Library (there is a waiting list though. Sorry). Her book is so incredibly awesome you will wish you knew her personally, because not only is she an awesome author, but she is like, so amazingly funny and brilliant in person. For realz. Check her out online, because she's got all these websites and even when you're not reading her book, you can bask in the glory that is author exposure.

Ms. Pearce totally thinks you should read these books (we've gone to the trouble of providing links in our catalog, so there's absolutely no excuse not to request them. You're welcome).

Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell

Fade and Wake by Lisa McMann

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

New Teen Books in November

I'm So Sure by Jenny B. Jones

(Charmed Life #2)

Teen Inspirational
Released: 11/3/2009

After her stepdad enters a new wrestling reality show, Bella is pulled along for the ride as her life goes on display for all the world to see. While the cameras roll, Bella must solve a prom-queen mystery, deal with her returning ex-boyfriend, and keep her cool as she works alongside newspaper editor Luke Sullivan.

Request it!

Million-Dollar Throw by Mike Lupica

Teen Fiction

Released: 11/3/2009

Nate Brodie is nicknamed Brady, not only for his arm, but also because he's the biggest Tom Brady fan. When he wins the chance to win a million dollars by throwing a pass through a target at a Patriots game, Nate should be excited, but all he feels is pressure to succeed.

Request it!

Shadowland by Alyson Noel
(Immortals #3)

Teen Romance
Released 11/17/2009

Ever and Damen have traveled through countless past lives--and fought off the world's darkest enemies--so they could be together forever. But just when their long-awaited destiny is finally within reach, a powerful curse falls upon Damen... one that could destroy everything. Now a single touch of their hands or a soft brush of their lips could mean sudden death--plunging Damen into the Shadowland. Desperate to break the curse and save Damen, Ever immerses herself in magick--and gets help from an unexpected source... a surfer named Jude.

Request it!

Crocodile Tears by Anthony Horowitz

(Alex Rider series)

Teen Adventure

Released: 11/17/2009

A charity broker/con artist raises a million dollars in donations and invests them in a form of genetically modified corn that has the power to release an airborne strain of a virus so powerful it can knock out an entire country on one windy day. The antidote? Alex Rider.

Request it!

A Prince Among Killers by Susan Vaught

(Oathbreakers #2)

Teen Fantasy

Released: 11/24/2009

The second half of the "Oathbreaker" story opens at the assassins' stronghold, Triune, as Aron and his sworn comrades try to find peace in a world on the brink of war. Dari and Stormbreaker grow closer as they search for Dari's missing twin; Nic and his captors find it harder to conceal their secrets; and Aron must decide whether the bond he keeps to his family will prove stronger than the oaths he has sworn to his closest friends.

Request it!

Invisible Lines by Mary Amato

Teen Fiction

Released: 11/24/2009

From the author of The Word Eater and The Mole-Rat Letters comes a funny and touching novel of how sports, art, and one special teacher can change a boy's life forever.

Request it!

The Fourth Apprentice by Erin Hunter

(Warriors: Omen of the Stars #1)

Teen Fantasy

Released: 11/24/2009

Four warrior clans have shared the land around the lake as equals for many moons. But a prophecy foretells that three ThunderClan cats will hold the power of the stars in their paws. Jayfeather and Lionblaze know that they are two of the cats in the prophecy. Now the brothers must wait for a sign from StarClan to discover the identity of the third cat. Meanwhile, Dovekit and Ivykit--kin of the great leader Firestar--are poised to become ThunderClan apprentices. Soon one sister will have an ominous dream--and will begin to realize that she possesses mystical skills unmatched by any other cat.

Request it!

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Teen Southern Fiction

Released: 11/30/2009

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever--and one secret could change everything.

Request it!

What IF?

You were stranded on an island.  What book would you hope you had brought with you?  It would be something you would read over and over again till you were rescued.  Why would you have selected this book?  What is it about this book that you love it so much you would want to read it over and over again?

Teen Read Week Book Poll Winner

Remember that time we asked you vote on your favorite Teen Book for Teen Reed Week? So do we, and the results are in!

Congrats to the winners, and to all of you who have read and voted for any of the books on the list. You guys rock the most. My personal favorite from the list is The Hunger Games, although The Half Blood Prince is definitely my favorite from the Harry Potter series.

What's your favorite?

New Teen Books in October

Peter and the Sword of Mercy by Dave Barry
(Starcatchers #4)

Teen Fantasy
Release Date: 10/13/2009




It's 1901. Molly is now married to George Darling and is raising Wendy, Michael and John. James, one of Peter's original Lost Boys, tells Molly about the Others, creatures that are determined to find a cache of starstuff hidden in an underground vault which only has one key: the Sword of Mercy, a legendary weapon.


Request it!


Vanishing Girl by Shane Peacock

(Boy Sherlock Holmes #3)

Teen Mystery

Release Date: 10/13/2009

When a wealthy young girl vanishes as if by magic in Hyde Park, Sherlock is once again driven to prove himself. In a heart-stopping race against time, an innocent boy's survival depends on Sherlock's ability to solve the mysterious puzzle of the Vanishing Girl. As complex as the maze that protects the missing girl's hiding place, this case takes Sherlock racing to the countryside, the coast, and into the lair of a menagerie of exotic, dangerous creatures.

Haunted by memories of his shattered family, goaded by his enemies, driven to heal the fragile relationship between him and the beautiful Irene Doyle, Sherlock makes an almost fatal mistake. In the end, his brilliant powers of deduction and the steadfast eccentric Sigerson Bell save the day. Soon, very soon, the world will come to know him as the master detective of all time.

Request it!

How to Say Goodbye in Robot by Natalie Standiford

Teen Fiction

Release Date: 10/1/2009

New to town, Beatrice is expecting her new best friend to be one of the girls she meets on the first day. But instead, the girls conspire to seat her next to Jonah, aka Ghost Boy, a quiet loner who hasn't made a new friend since third grade. Something about him, though, gets to Bea.

Request it!

Malice by Chris Wooding

Teen Horror

Release Date: 10/1/2009

Three kids become trapped in the world of a deadly comic book, in this middle-grade thriller from the author of "Storm Thief." Includes illustrations.

Request it!

Ice by Sarah Beth Durst

Teen Fantasy

Release Date: 10/6/2009

Cassie encounters a Polar Bear King and a love that defies reason, and she learns that perhaps fairy tales aren't make-believe after all.

Request it!

We Were Here by Matt de la Pena

Teen Adventure

Release Date: 10/1/2009

After "it" happens, Miguel is sent to juvenile hall for a year. The judge had no idea he was doing miguel a favor. Ever since "it" happened, his mother can't even look at him. "Any" home besides his would be a better place to live.

Request it!

Lockdown by Alexander Gordon Smith

(Escape from Furnace #1)

Teen Science Fiction

Release Date: 10/27/2009

Furnace Penitentiary: the world's most secure prison for young offenders, buried a mile beneath the earth's surface. Convicted of a murder he didn't commit, sentenced to life without parole, Alex Sawyer knows he has two choices: find a way out, or resign himself to a death behind bars.

Request it!

Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor

Teen Romance

Release Date: 10/1/2009

From a writer of unparalleled imagination and emotional insight come three stories of supernatural love--tales about the delicousness of wanting and waiting for that moment when lips touch. Includes illustrations.

Request it!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney

Teen Humor

Release Date: 10/1/2009

Kinney's "New York Times"-bestselling Wimpy Kid series returns with Book 4, which finds the sarcastic and sharp-witted ("Toronto Globe and Mail") Greg on summer vacation with his family.

Request it!

Teen Read Week

October 18-24, 2009 is Teen Read Week, Beyond Reality! Check out what Teens are doing at the library during Teen Read Week. Can't go to the Library? Check out how you can participate on-line: On GCPL Teen Talk you can help "Build a Story and participate in "What IF". On the Website you can vote for your Favorite Book. http://www.gwinnettpl.org/Teens/index.html

What if?

If you could bring one character from a book into our world, who would it be? and what would they think? (Think of the movie InkHeart.)

New Teen Titles Released in September!

Invisible I by Stella Lennon (Amanda Project, #1)

Teen Mystery
Release date: 9/22/2009

"Pretty Little Liars" meets "The 39 Clues" meets "Cathy's Book" in this exciting new series that's a collaborative, interactive adventure for girls that begins in the books and continues online.

Request it!

Riot by Walter Dean Myers

Teen Historical Fiction
Release date: 9/22/2009

From a "New York Times"-bestselling author comes an innovative novel about the Civil War draft riots in New York City. Tackling hotbed issues of war, race, justice, and equality, Myers chronicles this forgotten moment in history in the same groundbreaking style of his "Monster."

Request it!

Bystander by James Prellar

Teen Fiction
Release date: 9/29/2009

A 7th grade boy must choose between being a witness to bullying, or possibly becoming a victim.

Request it!

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Teen Science Fiction
Release date: 9/1/2009

Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with Peeta Mellark. But it had been a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion.

2nd title in the Hunger Games trilogy

Request it!

Devil’s Kiss by Sarwat Chadda

Teen Horror
Release Date: 9/1/2009

Bilquis San Greal grows up knowing she will have to make sacrifices to be in the Knights Templar. Her childhood friend Kay uses King Solomon's cursed mirror, drawing the attention of one of the most dangerous of the Templars' enemies. Now Billi will have to make sacrifices greater than she'd ever imagined.

Request it!

Secret to Teen Power by Paul Harrington

Teen Nonfiction
Release Date: 9/15/2009

Based on the international bestseller "The Secret, The Secret to Teen Power" explains the laws of attraction in relation to teen issues, and tells how teens can transform their own lives and live their dreams by understanding and using the power they have in their hands.

Request it!

Jasper Dash and the Flame Pits of Delaware by M.T Anderson

Teen Humor
Release Date: 9/15/2009

Plucky and intrepid heroes Jasper Dash, Lily Gefelty, and Katie Mulligan must journey to the unknown lands of Delaware to unravel an awful mystery, in this third installment of M.T. Anderson's Thrilling Tales.

Request it!

Rapture of the Deep by Louis A. Meyer

Being an account of the further adventures of Jacky Faber, Soldier, Sailor, Mermaid, Spy

Teen Adventure
Release Date: 9/28/2009

On the very day that Jacky Faber is to wed her true love, she is kidnapped by British Naval Intelligence and forced to embark on yet another daring mission--this time to search for sunken Spanish gold. But when Jacky is involved, things don't always go as planned.

From the Bloody Jack Adventures series

Request it!