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Fiction
Where Things Come Back
Where Things Come Back
John Corey Whaley
Winner of the 2012 Michael L. Printz and William C. Morris Awards, this poignant and hilarious story of loss and redemption “explores the process of grief, second chances, and even the meaning of life” (Kirkus Reviews).In the remarkable, bizarre, and heart-wrenching summer before Cullen Witter’s senior year of high school, he is forced to examine everything he thinks he understands about his small and painfully dull Arkansas town. His cousin overdoses; his town becomes absurdly obsessed with the alleged reappearance of an extinct woodpecker; and most troubling of all, his sensitive, gifted fifteen-year-old brother, Gabriel, suddenly and inexplicably disappears.     Meanwhile, the crisis of faith spawned by a young missionary’s disillusion in Africa prompts a frantic search for meaning that has far-reaching consequences. As distant as the two stories initially seem, they are woven together through masterful plotting and merge in a surprising and harrowing climax.     This extraordinary tale from a rare literary voice finds wonder in the ordinary and illuminates the hope of second chances.Book Details:Format: PaperbackPublication Date: 7/24/2012Pages: 256Reading Level: Age 14 and Up

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Sister Mischief
Sister Mischief
Laura Goode
A gay suburban hip-hopper freaks out her Christian high school - and falls in love - in this righteously funny and totally tender YA debut, for real.(Age 14 and up)Listen up: You’re about to get rocked by the fiercest, baddest all-girl hip-hop crew in the Twin Cities - or at least in the wealthy, white, Bible-thumping suburb of Holyhill, Minnesota. Our heroine, Esme Rockett (aka MC Ferocious) is a Jewish lesbian lyricist. In her crew, Esme’s got her BFFs Marcy (aka DJ SheStorm, the butchest straight girl in town) and Tess (aka The ConTessa, the pretty, popular powerhouse of a vocalist). But Esme’s feelings for her co-MC, Rowie (MC Rohini), a beautiful, brilliant, beguiling desi chick, are bound to get complicated. And before they know it, the queer hip-hop revolution Esme and her girls have exploded in Holyhill is on the line. Exciting new talent Laura Goode lays down a snappy, provocative, and heartfelt novel about discovering the rhythm of your own truth.

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Ameca J And The Revenge Of Rex-Ultar (Ameca J Chronicles Book 2)
Ameca J and the Revenge of Rex Ultar
Paul Xavier Jones
Overwhelmed with grief at the murder of their father, Ameca and Fraya jump at an almost unbelievable chance to return him to life. They must return to their world with three Mythranian companions - Artrayor the Elf, Delar Prince of Trenaria, and Gravellux, High Magi of Mythrania. Together they must seek and locate a magical artefact that has the power to return life to the dead.But all is not as they left it on their world. Their mother is missing, and so are they according to the local newspapers, a complication that has triggered a massive police hunt that threatens their mission.As well as this, the foul High Priest Bellatrix is tracking them, happy to let them find the artefact that can also be used for evil as well as good. He plans to use it in conjunction with 21st century satellite technology to transform the population of the planet into the Scelestus' deadly shock troops - the ferocious Werethralls.Ameca and her sister must avoid the police and the minions of Bellatrix to achieve their aim, but there is one final complication. Who is the insidious Rex-Ultar, and why does he want to revenge himself on the girls?

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Paper Covers Rock
Paper Covers Rock
Jenny Hubbard
Michael L. Printz Honor Award-winning author of And We Stay Jenny Hubbard’s powerful debut novel.   “One of the best young adult books I’ve read in years.”—PAT CONROY   “Paper Covers Rock is dazzling in its intensity and intelligence, spell-binding in its terrible beauty.” —KATHI APPELT, author of the Newbery Honor Book The Underneath   Sixteen-year-old Alex has just begun his junior year at a boys’ boarding school when he fails to save a friend from drowning in a river on campus. Afraid to reveal the whole truth, Alex and Glenn, who was also involved, decide to lie. But the boys weren’t the only ones at the river that day . . . and they soon learn that every decision has a consequence.   A William C. Morris Debut Award Finalist A Booklist Editors’ Choice A Horn Book Fanfare A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year A Publishers Weekly Flying Start Author A Booklist Top 10 First Novel for Youth An ABC Top 10 New Voices Selection   * “The poignant first-person narration is a deftly woven mixture of confessional entries, class assignments, poems, and letters. . . . [A] tense dictation of secrets, lies, manipulation, and the ambiguity of honor.” —The Horn Book Magazine, Starred   * "In the tradition of John Knowles’s A Separate Peace. . . . A powerful, ambitious debut.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred   * "Those who are looking for something to ponder will enjoy this compelling read.” —School Library Journal, Starred   * “This novel introduces Hubbard as a bright light to watch on the YA literary scene.” —Booklist, Starred

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When Life Gives You O.J.
When Life Gives You O.J.
Erica S. Perl
For years, 10-year-old Zelly Fried has tried to convince her parents to let her have a dog. After all, practically everyone in Vermont owns a dog, and it sure could go a long way helping Zelly fit in since moving there from Brooklyn. But when her eccentric grandfather Ace hatches a ridiculous plan involving a "practice dog" named OJ, Zelly's not so sure how far she's willing to go to win a dog of her own. Is Ace's plan so crazy it just might work . . . or is it just plain crazy?Erica S. Perl weaves an affectionate and hilarious tale that captures the enduring bond between grandparents and grandchildren.  Even when they're driving each other nuts.

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Dragon Keepers #4: The Dragon in the Volcano
The Dragon in the Volcano
John Shroades, Kate Klimo
What do you do when your dragon becomes a 'tween? Worry! And that's exactly what Dragon Keepers Jesse and Daisy do when their dragon, Emmy, outgrows their garage and starts disappearing. Luckily, when she really disappears, she also leaves them a trail of socks, which leads them headlong into a . . . volcano? Yep! And it only gets crazier from there! In this fourth title, author Kate Klimo introduces readers to a whole new world—the Fiery Realm, where dragons can be felled by a squirt of water and fire fairies have started mysteriously disappearing. As always, readers get a full dose of action and imagination in this expanding tale of two kids and a dragon, growing up together. A great boy-girl adventure for readers of How to Train Your Dragon!

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Sass & Serendipity
Sass and Serendipity
Jennifer Ziegler
For Daphne, the glass is always half full, a situation is better managed with a dab of lip gloss, and the boy of her dreams—the one she's read about in all of her novels—is waiting for her just around the corner.For Gabby, nothing ever works out positively; wearing any form of makeup is a waste of study time, and boys will only leave you heartbroken. Her best friend, Mule, is the only one who has been there for her every step of the way. But when the richest boy in town befriends Gabby, and Daphne starts to hang out more and more with her best and only friend, Mule, Gabby is forced to confront the emotional barriers she has put up to stop the hurting. And for once, her sassiness may fall prey to her definition of stupidity.

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Stakeout
Stake Out
Joanna Britt, Laurie J. Edwards, Bonnie J. Doerr
How could Kenzie have predicted that a surreal encounter with an ancient sea turtle at a New York aquarium would propel her into peril in the Florida Keys? A haunting promise compels Kenzie to save sea turtles by capturing the criminals who are robbing the nests. Fearless, wheelchair-bound Ana and savvy, troubled Angelo assist Kenzie in an undercover sting that grows increasingly complicated and treacherous. As problems compound, Kenzie fears losing her first romance, her mother's trust, and her own life. Stakeout includes notes on sea turtle conservation as well as on the Turtle Hospital in Marathon, Florida.

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Water to Burn (Nola O'Grady Series)
Water to Burn
Katharine Kerr
Just when Nola O'Grady thinks she has it all...Nola's the new head of the San Francisco branch of the Agency, the psychic organization so secret that even the CIA doesn't know it exists. What's more, for some mysterious reason, Interpol has assigned her lover, Israeli secret agent Ari Nathan, to her new bureau as her permanent "bodyguard."But everywhere she looks she sees a Chaos manifestation spying on her. Inexplicable "rogue waves" are sweeping innocents to a watery death befreo she can save them. She has two increasingly dangerous searches on hand, for Rob Ezekiel, the supposedly dead prophet from Ari's past, and for the mysterious "Brother Belial," head of the Chaos cult they had managed to take down.To top it off, her brother Michael is dragging Nola and Ari into his attempt to rescue his girlfriend from a radioactive alternate dimension.How is Nola supposed to serve the forces of Harmony and maintain the balance between Chaos and Order when she can't even keep her own family under control?

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Epic Fail
Epic Fail
Claire LaZebnik
Pride and Prejudice goes Hollywood in this winning romantic comedy inspired by Jane Austen’s classic. In her teen fiction debut, the author of Knitting Under the Influence goes back to high school for a tale of sisters, misinformation, and star-crossed love.Will Elise’s love life be an epic win or an epic fail?At Coral Tree Prep in Los Angeles, who your parents are can make or break you. Case in point: As the son of Hollywood royalty, Derek Edwards is pretty much prince of the school—not that he deigns to acknowledge many of his loyal subjects.As the daughter of the new principal, Elise Benton isn’t exactly on everyone’s must-sit-next-to-at-lunch list.When Elise’s beautiful sister catches the eye of the prince’s best friend, Elise gets to spend a lot of time with Derek, making her the envy of every girl on campus. Except she refuses to fall for any of his rare smiles and instead warms up to his enemy, the surprisingly charming social outcast Webster Grant.But in this hilarious tale of fitting in and flirting, not all snubs are undeserved, not all celebrity brats are bratty, and pride and prejudice can get in the way of true love for only so long.

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