Results for contemporary fiction
Age 13+If I Grow Up
Very violent, stereotyped look at life in the 'hood.
Review Date: 8/11/2009
Age 14+Marcelo in the Real World
Gorgeously moving story about autistic teen.
Review Date: 8/6/2009
Age 14+Saint Iggy
Gritty, powerful tale of growing up -- teens only.
Review Date: 7/29/2009
Age 14+Jumped
Exploitive book about girl violence is a waste of time.
Review Date: 7/29/2009
Age 14+I Love You, Beth Cooper
Witty, raunchy novel spiked with geeky humor.
Review Date: 7/7/2009
Age 15+Castration Celebration
Crass, explicit novel tries to be provocative, ends up lame.
Review Date: 7/1/2009
Age 15+L.A. Candy
Not as bad as you might expect from a reality TV star.
Review Date: 6/27/2009
Age 14+Punkzilla
Grim account of a runaway teen is intense and disturbing.
Review Date: 6/15/2009
Age 14+The Secret Life of Prince Charming
Teen's quest for truth is compelling; some strong profanity.
Review Date: 6/10/2009
Age 13+My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters
A teen's big nose leads to a big lesson in self-acceptance.
Review Date: 4/26/2009
Age 14+Dope Sick
Cautionary tale about a teen drug addict.
Review Date: 4/15/2009
Age 14+The One
Gorgeous twins hit success in unlikely Hollywood tale.
Review Date: 3/25/2009
Age 14+Sophomore Switch
Chick lit with a dose of feminism.
Review Date: 3/18/2009
Age 10+Return to Sender
Intense story about illegal immigration and friendship.
Review Date: 2/24/2009
Age 15+Dark Dude
White Cuban escapes tough inner city; teens only.
Review Date: 1/19/2009
Age 15+Confessions of a Shopaholic
Chick-lit fave gets a movie tie-in.
Review Date: 1/14/2009
Age 13+Sunrise Over Fallujah
Realistic, nonpolitical view of the war in Iraq.
Review Date: 1/11/2009
Age 14+Rehab
Teen star's struggle gives families lots to talk about.
Review Date: 12/30/2008
Age 14+The Debs
Southern Gossip Girl has slightly more depth.
Review Date: 12/30/2008
Age 14+Larry and the Meaning of Life
Third installment of series with wild plot twists and turns.
Review Date: 12/8/2008
Age 15+The Spectacular Now
Portrait of a teen drunk needs discussion.
Review Date: 11/25/2008
Age 15+Burn
Disturbing novel explores the aftermath of bullying.
Review Date: 11/20/2008
Age 14+Identical
Disturbing themes of incest, drugs, more. Beware.
Review Date: 10/3/2008
Age 7+Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little
Offbeat fun ideal for early chapter book readers.
Review Date: 9/16/2008
No KidsLiving Dead Girl
Sadistic sexual abuse story is NOT for teens.
Review Date: 9/11/2008
Age 9+Acting Out: Six One-Act Plays, Six Newbery Stars
Fun writing exercise, but doesn't always inspire.
Review Date: 8/27/2008
Age 14+Good Girls
Great discussion book on sex and repercussions.
Review Date: 7/25/2008
Age 14+All We Know of Heaven
Ripped-from-headlines story of mistaken identity.
Review Date: 6/17/2008
Age 12+Airhead
Freaky life-swap tale with fashion and flair.
Review Date: 6/16/2008
Age 13+Likely Story
Light, soapy summer read about a teen soap writer.
Review Date: 6/2/2008
Age 15+A Really Nice Prom Mess
Strip club on prom night? Worth a parent preview.
Review Date: 5/29/2008
Age 12+The Clique Summer Collection: Massie
Rich-girl series is so materialistic it hurts.
Review Date: 5/15/2008
Age 15+Breathe My Name
Teen copes after sisters die at mom's hand.
Review Date: 5/14/2008
Age 13+Audrey, Wait!
Good lesson on fame's price, but iffy content too.
Review Date: 5/13/2008
Age 10+Eighth Grade Bites: The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod
Exciting vampire tale sucks in reluctant readers.
Review Date: 4/2/2008
Age 12+Street Love
A hip-hop, Romeo & Juliet-inspired love story.
Review Date: 3/24/2008
Age 14+Thirteen Reasons Why
Heavy suicide suspense novel meant for discussion.
Review Date: 3/13/2008
Age 15+After the Wreck, I Picked Myself Up, Spread My Wings, and Flew Away
Raw look at loss & addiction best for older teens.
Review Date: 2/2/2008
Age 12+November Blues
Award-winning look at teen pregnancy.
Review Date: 1/21/2008
Age 11+The Ashleys #1: There's a New Name in School
Standard clique book with same mean-girl behavior.
Review Date: 12/26/2007
Age 15+Perfect: Pretty Little Liars #3
Mystery overshadowed by mean-girl vibe, shopping.
Review Date: 11/3/2007
Age 14+Story of a Girl
Engrossing story of teen haunted by early sex.
Review Date: 10/28/2007
Age 14+The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Funny, powerful novel of growing up on the rez.
Review Date: 10/21/2007
Age 14+Slam
A frank, insightful look at teen pregnancy.
Review Date: 10/18/2007
Age 10+Flush
Teens fight polluting casino boat owner.
Review Date: 8/14/2007
Age 12+Love, Stargirl
Peek into Stargirl's diary in this moody sequel.
Review Date: 8/13/2007
Age 11+Strays
Gripping story of teen entering foster care.
Review Date: 7/13/2007
Age 12+American Born Chinese
First graphic novel to win major child lit awards.
Review Date: 2/23/2007
Age 9+The Higher Power of Lucky
Newbery winner is delicate, humorous, poignant.
Review Date: 2/18/2007
Age 13+Surrender
Lyrical, award-winning thriller has twisty ending.
Review Date: 2/11/2007
Age 14+An Abundance of Katherines
Comic slacker-geek lit is fun for the right teen.
Review Date: 12/20/2006
Age 15+Tyrell
Lauded debut is a gritty portrait of homelessness.
Review Date: 12/10/2006
Age 10+Things Hoped For
Teens connect over music and death. Intriguing.
Review Date: 11/20/2006
Age 11+Flipped
Honest story about first crushes -- tweens and up.
Review Date: 6/27/2006
Age 15+The Da Vinci Code
Too arcane for younger kids, better for adults.
Review Date: 6/4/2006
Age 9+The Prophet of Yonwood (Ember, Book 3)
Don't look for much Ember here. But OK for tweens.
Review Date: 5/30/2006
Age 14+Just Listen
Teen angst, beautifully done. For teens only.
Review Date: 5/8/2006
Age 10+Hoot
Award-winning tale is surprisingly uninventive.
Review Date: 5/3/2006
Age 14+I Am the Messenger
Slacker learns to help himself -- teens only.
Review Date: 2/27/2006
Age 14+Boy Kills Man
Powerful but rough novel about child assassins.
Review Date: 2/27/2006
Age 10+Criss Cross
Newbery winner has depth, but no plot; tweens+.
Review Date: 2/22/2006
Age 11+Small Steps
Holes sequel is unlike predecessor; for tweens.
Review Date: 1/9/2006
Age 13+When She Was Good
Teen survives abuse by mentally ill older sister.
Review Date: 11/5/2005
Age 11+Car Trouble
Duff finds trouble while driving cross country.
Review Date: 10/22/2005
Age 10+Harry Sue
Passionate tale of child enduring trials of Job.
Review Date: 8/22/2005
Age 12+You Don't Know Me
Teen copes with abuse with humor and fantasy.
Review Date: 5/31/2005
Age 11+The Boy from the Basement
Gripping tale handles abuse with a delicate hand.
Review Date: 3/14/2005
Age 9+The Wanderer
Award-winning tale takes risks with storytelling.
Review Date: 2/28/2005
Age 14+How I Live Now
Anorexia, incest, world war: bizarre combination.
Review Date: 1/4/2005
Age 10+Whirligig
A car crash ends one life and begins another.
Review Date: 10/4/2004
Age 11+Bucking the Sarge
Luther fights to survive his criminal mother.
Review Date: 9/20/2004
Age 10+Wringer
Mesmerizing and disturbing moral allegory.
Review Date: 8/18/2004
Age 13+Crusader
Racism, mystery, and politics at the mall.
Review Date: 8/16/2004
Age 12+Shakespeare Bats Cleanup
Poetry helps a jock get well -- and get the girl.
Review Date: 8/16/2004
Age 13+When Jeff Comes Home
Heartbreaking story of boy freed after kidnapping.
Review Date: 8/16/2004
Age 10+Making Up Megaboy
A disturbing novel with no easy answers.
Review Date: 7/29/2004
Age 13+After the First Death
Suspenseful plot has a psychological twist.
Review Date: 6/24/2004
Age 9+A Face First
A realistic look at the life of a burn victim.
Review Date: 6/24/2004
Age 9+Feather Boy
Poignant search for the truth about a boy's death.
Review Date: 6/22/2004
Age 9+God Went to Beauty School
Poems about God experiencing life as a human.
Review Date: 5/24/2004
Age 11+The Giver
A riveting utopian novel that's expertly crafted.
Review Date: 5/8/2004
Age 14+Stoner & Spaz
Fast-moving, funny story for teens.
Review Date: 5/8/2004
Age 13+I Am the Cheese
Story of memory, danger, suspense, and trauma.
Review Date: 5/8/2004
Age 14+The Brimstone Journals
Students tell events leading up to school attack.
Review Date: 5/8/2004
Age 14+Fat Kid Rules the World
Meaty book offers plenty to talk about.
Review Date: 5/8/2004
Age 14+The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things
Troublesome tale of overweight girl who's adrift.
Review Date: 2/25/2004
Age 9+Locomotion
Boy's writings are lyrical, yet seamless and real.
Review Date: 2/2/2004
Age 13+The First Part Last
A realistic look at being a teen parent.
Review Date: 10/20/2003
Age 11+Homecoming
Classic novel spotlights four brave children.
Review Date: 8/14/2003
Age 11+Flight #116 Is Down!
Hardly a classic, but still a riveting adventure.
Review Date: 4/5/2001
