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Young adult fiction

  • Author:
    McClintock, Norah
    Summary:

    At first Kaz intends to help the old lady who’s fallen in the park. But then he starts thinking about how he never gets what he wants. The next thing he knows, he’s running away with her purse. The purse contains only five dollars and a battered watch. When Kaz learns who the old woman is and where the watch came from, he begins to understand consequences in a new way.

  • Author:
    Damico, Gina
    Summary:

    Cram ten hormonal teens into a spaceship and blast off: that's the premise for the ill-conceived reality show Waste of Space. The kids who are cast know everything about drama-and nothing about the fact that the production is fake. Hidden in a desert warehouse, their spaceship replica is equipped with state-of-the-art special effects dreamed up by the scientists partnering with the shady cable network airing the show. And it's a hit! Millions of viewers are transfixed. But then, suddenly, all communication is severed. Trapped and paranoid, the kids must figure out what to do when this reality show loses its grip on reality.

  • Author:
    Kirk, Heather
    Summary:

    Eva is a seventeen-year-old from Edmonton in 1979 who is experiencing a world of trouble at home. To escape the trouble, she decides to visit her family’s homeland of Poland for the summer, staying with an older half-sister, Hanna, whose existence Eva has only recently discovered. In Communist Poland, she experiences a different way of living, one where the conveniences she has taken for granted do not exist. She finds, however, the rich cultural traditions both fascinating and compelling. She meets a mysterious, charming young man named Mark, who shows her around the city, but his anger and disenchantment disturb her. The first seeds of the Solidarity Uprising are starting to grow and the workers, peasants and intellectuals are beginning to unite under the leadership of the church. Eva’s visit also takes place during the Papal visit to Poland which galvanized the people to strike their blow for freedom. Against this tumultuous backdrop, Eva learns about the resilience in herself and her politically maturing people.

  • Author:
    Leach, Sara
    Summary:

    Jasmine used to love dance. Now she struggles to hold on to that love as her dance team trains for a big competition. Her teammates are bickering, and when their teacher suggests that Jasmine might not have what it takes to be on the team, Jasmine is ready to quit. At a particularly rough practice, she channels her anger into her moves, surprising everyone, including herself, with how well she dances. But the team is still falling apart, and it's up to Jasmine to figure out a way to get her teammates to work together and celebrate the joy of dance.

  • Author:
    Lu, Marie
    Summary:

    From #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu-when a game called Warcross takes the world by storm, one girl hacks her way into its dangerous depths. For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn't just a game-it's a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down Warcross players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty-hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. To make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships-only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation. Convinced she's going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game's creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year's tournament in order to uncover a security problem ... and he wants Emika for the job. With no time to lose, Emika's whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she's only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire. In this sci-fi thriller, #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu conjures an immersive, exhilarating world where choosing who to trust may be the biggest gamble of all.

  • Author:
    Aveyard, Victoria
    Summary:

    The #1 New York Times bestselling Red Queen series comes to a stunning conclusion in War Storm. VICTORY COMES AT A PRICE. Mare Barrow learned this all too well when Cal's betrayal nearly destroyed her. Now determined to protect her heart-and secure freedom for Reds and newbloods like her-Mare resolves to overthrow the kingdom of Norta once and for all...'tarting with the crown on Maven's head. But no battle is won alone, and before the Reds may rise as one, Mare must side with the boy who broke her heart in order to defeat the boy who almost broke her. Cal's powerful Silver allies, alongside Mare and the Scarlet Guard, prove a formidable force. But Maven is driven by an obsession so deep, he will stop at nothing to have Mare as his own again, even if it means demolish everything-and everyone-in his path. War is coming, and all Mare has fought for hangs in the balance. Will victory be enough to topple the Silver kingdoms' Or will the little lightning girl be forever silenced' In the epic conclusion to Victoria Aveyard's stunning series, Mare must embrace her fate and summon all her power...'or all will be tested, but not all will survive.

  • Author:
    Cross, Katie
    Summary:

    Never Underestimate the Power of a Desperate Witch With the Central Network entrenched in war and teetering on the brink of destruction, eighteen-year-old Bianca Monroe is determined to defeat Mabel’s powerful Almorran magic by finding the Book of Light. During an attempt to save a burning orphanage, Bianca finds herself caught in a trap. Mabel kidnaps her, taking her to the hot sands of the Western Network where things are not as they seem. Mabel is more dangerous—and unhinged—than she’s ever been before. War of the Networks is the fourth and final book in the thrilling fantasy collection The Network Series. It’s a gripping tale about compassion, forgiveness, and surviving against all odds.

  • Author:
    Casey, Elle
    Summary:

    NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, ELLE CASEY, brings readers Book 1 in the YA Urban Fantasy WAR OF THE FAE Series. Jayne Sparks, a potty-mouthed, rebellious seventeen-year-old and her best friend, shy and bookish Tony Green, have a pretty typical high school existence, until several seemingly unrelated incidents converge, causing a cascade of events that change their lives forever. Jayne and Tony, together with a group of runaway teens, are hijacked and sent into a forest, where nothing and no one are as they seem. Who will emerge triumphant? And what will they be when they do? Content Warning: Mild violence and significant foul language within. Meant for older Young Adult readers (age 15+).

  • Author:
    Walters, Eric
    Summary:

    During WWII, Jed’s English father serves as a fighter pilot overseas, while Jed and his mother move back to her Tsimshian community on Canada's west coast. When the military sets up a naval base in town, Jed is hired to help out, honored it seems, for both his father's bravery and his own native skills as a hunter. Presented with a military jacket, Jed finds an allegiance to his country and a pride in his mixed heritage that he's never felt before. But one day Jed's world is shattered. His best friend Tadashi, along with the other members of the nearby Japanese village, are declared enemy aliens and told to prepare to leave their homes. Now Jed must ask himself where his allegiance really belongs…to his country's rigid code, or to the truth that is buried in his Tsimshian soul.

  • Author:
    McKay, Sharon E.
    Summary:

    Unbelievable facts about an amazing specimen—YOU! Most of us eat, run, or sleep without thinking about it. But our bodies are masterful machines of intricate design that perform amazing feats daily. The fifth book in Annick’s successful 50 Questions series guides readers through the details of how our bodies function, from the miracles of genetics, to immune cells shaped like sea monsters. With her engaging, lucid style, Lloyd Kyi incorporates recent scientifc research to explain our body’s complex workings. Kids will love fnding the answers to questions such as: • Do blood cells travel single fle? (In our capillaries, blood cells have to squeeze through one at a time.) • How is your spine like a racetrack? (Messages race down the nerves in your spinal cord faster than a NASCAR driver.) • Is your brain like plastic? (Your brain’s ability to change is called “plasticity.”) • Can your lungs take a hike? (Your lungs and blood vessels adapt to altitude changes.) • Are there aliens inside you? (The invasion of microscopic living organisms started the moment you were born.) You’ll discover how people avoided epidemics in ancient Pakistan and why your goldfsh can see things you can’t. Hilarious illustrations will keep kids laughing as they learn.

  • Author:
    Johnson, Kristin F.
    Summary:

    When Alexandra's dad gets a new job in Hawaii, her parents promise that life there will be paradise. But what they couldn't predict is a natural disaster of epic proportions. A tsunami slams into their new island home, quickly turning paradise into a living nightmare. Can Alexandra survive the flood' And even if she does, will everything she loves be swept away'

  • Author:
    Kinew, Wab
    Summary:

    An Indigenous teen girl caught is between two worlds both real and virtual in the YA fantasy debut from bestselling Indigenous author Wab Kinew. Perfect for fans of Ready Player One and the Otherworld series. Bugz is caught between two worlds. In the real world, she's a shy and self-conscious Indigenous teen who faces the stresses of teenage angst and life on the Rez. But in the virtual world, her alter ego is not just confident but dominant in a massive multiplayer video game universe. Feng is a teen boy who has been sent from China to live with his aunt, a doctor on the reserve, after his online activity suggests he may be developing extremist sympathies. Meeting each other in real life, as well as in the virtual world, Bugz and Feng immediately relate to each other as outsiders and as avid gamers. And as their connection is strengthened through their virtual adventures, they find that they have much in common in the real world, too: both must decide what to do in the face of temptations and pitfalls, and both must grapple with the impacts of family challenges and community trauma. But betrayal threatens everything Bugz has built in the virtual world, as well as her relationships in the real world, and it will take all her newfound strength to restore her friendship with Feng and reconcile the parallel aspects of her life: the traditional and the mainstream, the east and the west, the real and the virtual.

  • Author:
    Williams, Rob
    Summary:

    Marla Drake, the untamable costumed adventurer known as Miss Fury, fought Nazis with wild abandon not just during World War II, but—due to a scientific mishap—throughout time, as well. Now trapped in the 1943 of a parallel universe, she comes face-to-face with her mirror double, a hedonistic murderess whose soul was never saved by the love of a good man. Realizing what her life could be like now that she has lost her own beloved Matthew Chandler, she surrenders to the slimy promises of Schauburger, a rogue (and dead) Nazi agent whose ghost can alter the timestream and set things right. The cost? Killing the alternate Marla Drake, the Pharaoh of Time, the Mafia  superhero The Mob, a US Naval Intelligence nuclear physicist... and the list goes on. No matter how hard she tries, people just seem to want Miss Fury to murder for them. How many must die so that she can become a good person again?

  • Author:
    Harvey-Fitzhenry, Alyxandra
    Summary:

    Beauty is afraid to sleep, her dreams are haunted by the Shadow Lady who stalks and threatens her. During her waking hours, Beauty's life is safe, safer than she wants it to be. Since her mother's death, her father has become so over-protective that he has locked away all the knives in the house. Her mother's death, the accident, is never discussed. Beauty has lost her desire to be an artist. At school Beauty tries to be invisible to avoid the questions and innuendo that have arisen since her mother's death. But when a new student arrives, things begin to change. Luna is a free spirit, confident and exciting. She encourages and challenges Beauty to come out of her shell. Beauty finally admits to her attraction to Poe, a boy who lives a few doors away. Her artistic drive returns. But as Beauty gains self-confidence, her nightmares become ever more terrifying, filled with dark images of blood and death. Beauty must now struggle to solve the riddle posed by her dreams: who is the Shadow Lady and what is the nature of her curse?

  • Author:
    McBay, Bruce, Heneghan, James
    Summary:

    Mike's parents and sister are dead and his legs are gone. The horrific accident that shattered his life continues to haunt him. When he grudgingly returns to school and a life that he no longer understands, Mike is bitter and unwilling to participate in school life. To avoid one of his classes Mike agrees to put together a 50th Anniversary history of the school. Looking forward to time alone, he is annoyed when a young girl shows up in the archives on a regular basis. Sarah seems too young to be a student in the school, but her resemblance to Mike’s sister and her bubbly personality have him intrigued. She gradually draws him out of his shell and manages to interest him in the archives project, and more importantly, in life itself. As their relationship grows and changes, Mike slowly becomes convinced that Sarah is more than just another student. When he discovers the shocking secret she is carrying, he sets out to give Sarah the peace that she so desperately needs.

  • Author:
    Lewis, Jules
    Summary:

    Jim Myers is a painfully shy kid living in Toronto's west end Bloorcourt Village. Rarely is he able to muster enough courage to say anything beyond "ya" or "dunno." After school he hangs around with his neighbour and only friend, Oleg Khernofsky, playing basketball against a NO PARKING sign in a laneway. In the evenings, he haunts Nicky's Diner, a restaurant owned by Oleg's uncle. On the first day of junior high, Jim crosses paths with Charlie Crouse, a brash, mouthy kid full of wild stories about his past. Charlie takes Jim under his wing and introduces him to the electronic strip poker machine at the Fun Village Arcade in Koreatown, a Queen Street hooker who calls herself Steffi Graf, and the diverse sounds and utterances of his landlord's three lovers. As Jim and Charlie's friendship grows, however, the realities of looming adulthood seep into their lives with surprising consequences.

  • Author:
    Cousins, Dave
    Summary:

    Things could be going better for Oz. He’s just moved miles from all his friends. A prank at his new school puts him in the crosshairs of “Psycho” Isobel Skinner, a bully who also happens to be his mum’s new best friend. And he’s driven off the only other kid who will have anything to do with him: a Tolkien-obsessed boy in desperate need of a decent playlist. With his life careening out of control, Oz sets about making things right. But when he stumbles on his sister’s game-changing secret, Oz is left wondering if he can ever get his old life back... or if he’s stuck forever in this craziness. Comic and heartwarming, Waiting for Gonzo is about discovering when to play the cards you’re dealt and when to shuffle the deck and deal your own hand. Praise: "Cousins follows up his debut... with another tightly woven, heartwarming story of the ups and downs in the life of a teenager and his family." —KIRKUS REVIEWS "A darkly comic story... Cousins (15 Days Without a Head) offers a vibrant, highly visual account of teen angst and backfiring schemes." —PUBLISHERS WEEKLY "Cousins has written a humorous, poignant novel of a family in crisis." —BOOKLIST

  • Author:
    Carriger, Gail
    Summary:

    In her alternate England of 1851, while taking her friend Sidheag by train to her werewolf pack in Scotland, sixteen-year-old Sophronia uncovers a plot that threatens to dissolve all of London into chaos and must decide where her loyalties lie once and for all.

  • Author:
    Smith, S. E.
    Summary:

    After sixteen-year-old Makayla is suddenly forced to live with a grandfather she barely remembers, she has trouble adjusting to her new home. In an act of defiance, she sets sail in her grandfather's old sailboat on a journey that will either kill her or change her life forever.

  • Author:
    Frazer, Coral Celeste
    Summary:

    August 18, 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution, which prohibited states and the US government from denying citizens the right to vote on the basis of sex. This book reveals how the seventy-year-long fight for women's suffrage was hard-won by leaders such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Alice Paul, Carrie Chapman Catt, and others. It demonstrates how their success led to the civil rights and feminist movements of the mid- and late- twentieth century, as well as today's #MeToo, #YesAllWomen, and Black Lives Matter movements. In the face of voter ID laws, voter purges, gerrymandering, and other restrictions, Americans continue to fight for equality in voting rights.

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