Independent Reader and Young Adult
WINNER! I Am Apache by Tanya LandmanAfter witnessing the brutal murder of her younger brother at the hands of Mexican raiders, 14-year-old Siki seeks to avenge her brother?s death by training to become an Apache warrior.  Excerpt |  Heck: Where the Bad Kids Go by Dale BasyeDebut author Dale E. Basye takes readers on a hilarious romp through the afterlife in Heck: Where the Bad Kids Go. After meeting their demise in a marshmallow explosion at the local mall, siblings Milton and Marlo are sent to Heck, an otherworldly reform school. With the insufferable principal Bea ?Elsa? Bubb watching their every move, the duo must figure out a way to escape or face spending eternity with the likes of Blackbeard the pirate and Richard Nixon. Excerpt |
 Tunnels by Roderick Gordon and Brian WilliamsFourteen-year-old Matt is struggling to relate to his family when his father suddenly, inexplicably, vanishes. Now Matt must use the only interest he ever shared with his dad, archeology, to unearth the truth behind the disappearance. He?s digging straight into a new world of trouble. Excerpt The Story Behind the Book A Lesson in History's Undergrounds |  Tweak by Nic SheffWith raw honesty and vivid detail, Nic Sheff recounts his harrowing experiences as a drug addict hooked on crystal meth, cocaine, and heroin in Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines. Excerpt Q&A with Nic Sheff |
 The Patron Sain of Butterflies by Cecilia GalanteBest friends Agnes and Honey have differing views on the Mount Blessing religious commune. Agnes loves it but Honey detests the Believers' controlling ways. What will happen when a dark secret forces the girls to escape? Excerpt |  Wake by Lisa McMannSeventeen-year-old Janie is getting tired of being sucked into other people's dreams. Frankly, it's getting old witnessing her classmates' banal fantasies. Too bad she can't tell anyone about her paranormal ability. When Janie falls into another person's chilling nightmare, she becomes more than just a witness to a dream that isn't her own. Wake is Lisa McMann's debut novel. Excerpt Video: Book Trailer |
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