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Age 14
Geert Spillebeen
Synopsis: Set during the First World War, Age 14 is a heartbreaking and powerful story about growing up quickly in the face of war. Twelve-year-old Patrick Condon wants to escape his impoverished and tedious life in Ballybricken, County Waterford, so he hatches a plan. Not wanting to wait until he is old enough to join at sixteen, Patrick gives the army the name, John, and age, seventeen, of his older brother, and is enlisted. In the army, Patrick, now John, makes friends easily. The man's world is just what he always desired; if only there was more action. John gets all the action he is looking for when the war breaks out following the murder of the Austrian Crown Prince in 1914. Before he knows it, he is training with bayonets but it is nearly a game so long as no blood is spilled. The battle seems so far away. But the war is very real, and it is only a matter of time before John is at the front of it all. Based on a true story, this faction is about dreams, about war and peace, and the lives lost to achieve both. It is about a young boy named Patrick, and named John, the adventure and glory he so craved, and the tragic way he achieved both.
Publication Date: 09/10/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Educational
The Limit
Kristen Landon
Synopsis: An eighth grade girl was taken today . . .

With this first sentence, readers are immediately thrust into a fast-paced thriller that doesn't let up for a moment. In a world not too far removed from our own, kids are being taken away to special workhouses if their families exceed the monthly debt limit imposed by the government. Thirteen-year-old Matt briefly wonders if he might be next, but quickly dismisses the thought. After all, his parents are financially responsible, unlike the parents of those other kids. As long as his parents remain within their limit, the government will be satisfied and leave them alone. But all it takes is one fatal visit to the store to push Matt’s family over their limit—and to change his reality forever.
Publication Date: 09/07/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Science Fiction
Half Upon A Time
James Riley
Synopsis: Jack lives in a fantasy world. Really. He's the son of the infamous Jack who stole the magic beans from the giant, and he's working hard to restore his family's reputation. He finds the perfect opportunity when a "princess" lands in front of him, apparently from the land of Punk, as her Punk Princess t-shirt implies. May is from our world, and she's utterly confused to find herself in the midst of the fairy tale characters she has read about. But Jack and May have more in common than they realize--and together, they embark on a hilarious and wild adventure in this highly accessible, modern middle grade fantasy novel.

Half Upon a Time is the first book in the Half Upon a Time series.
Publication Date: 09/07/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Extraordinary
Nancy Werlin
Synopsis: Amazon Best of the Month, September 2010: A faerie world is about to die--and one ordinary girl can change its fate. When Phoebe meets Mallory Tolliver, she is irresistibly drawn to her, despite Mallory’s odd ways. The two form a sister-like bond until Mallory’s handsome brother, Ryland, appears during their junior year, and Phoebe finds herself intensely attracted to him. A dangerous romance begins, but Phoebe soon discovers that Mallory and Ryland are not who they seem. In Extraordinary, National Book Award finalist Nancy Werlin has crafted an enchanting novel of friendship and loyalties, where family history determines the fate of many and a generations-old pact requires a sacrifice of the greatest proportion. With underlying themes of self-discovery and allegiance, there is more to Extraordinary than first meets the eye.--Seira Wilson
Publication Date: 09/07/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Getting the Girl
Susan Juby
Synopsis:

Meet Sherman Mack.

Short. Nerdy. Amateur P.I. And prepared to do anything for Dini Trioli, tenth-grade goddess.

Nobody knows how the tradition began, but every girl at Harewood Tech fears being D-listed, a ritual that wipes her off the social map forever. When Sherman believes Dini is in danger of being D-listed, he launches a full-scale investigation to save her. Part comedy, part mystery, and with all of Juby’s trademark laugh-out-loud style, Getting the Girl takes on the cruelest aspect of high school social life.

Meet Sherman Mack, the only one willing to fight back.

Publication Date: 09/07/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Humor
Firelight
Sophie Jordan
Synopsis:

The first book in an addictive, romantic trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan is perfect for fans of Laini Taylor, Tahereh Mafi, and Claudia Gray.

With her rare ability to breathe fire, Jacinda is special even among the draki—the descendants of dragons who can shift between human and dragon forms.

But when Jacinda’s rebelliousness forces her family to flee into the human world, she struggles to adapt, even as her draki spirit fades. The one thing that revives it is the gorgeous, elusive Will, whose family hunts her kind. Jacinda can’t resist getting closer to him, even though she knows she’s risking not only her life but the draki’s most closely guarded secret.

Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide, from New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan.

Publication Date: 09/07/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall
Mary Downing Hahn
Synopsis:

When twelve-year-old Florence boards the crowded horse-drawn coach in London, she looks forward to a new life with her great uncle and aunt at Crutchfield Hall, an old manor house in the English countryside. Anything will be better, she thinks, than the grim London orphanage where she has lived since her parents' death.
          But Florence doesn't expect the ghost of her cousin Sophia, who haunts the cavernous rooms and dimly lit hallways of Crutchfield and concocts a plan to use Florence to help her achieve her murderous goals. Will Florence be able to convince the others in the household of the imminent danger and stop Sophia before it's too late?

Publication Date: 09/06/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Payback Time
Carl Deuker
Synopsis: Through the eyes of a distinctly non-athletic protagonist—a fat high school journalist named Mitch—veteran sports novelist Deuker reveals the surprising truth behind a mysterious football player named Angel.  When Angel shows up Lincoln High, he seems to have no past—or at least not one he is willing to discuss.  Though Mitch gets a glimpse of Angel's incredible talent off the field, Angel rarely allows himself to shine on the field.  Is he an undercover cop, wonders Mitch?  Or an ineligible player?  In pursuit of a killer story, Mitch decides to find out just who this player is and what he's done.  In the end, the truth surprises everyone.
Publication Date: 09/06/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Conspiracy 365: September
Gabrielle Lord
Synopsis: With his little sister still missing, Callum Ormond believes that his enemy Oriana is behind the kidnapping.
Publication Date: 09/01/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Scorpion Sting
D'Ath Justin
Synopsis:
Publication Date: 09/01/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Double Cross
Norah McClintock
Synopsis: Book by McClintock, Norah
Publication Date: 09/01/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Mystery
Over the Edge
Norah McClintock
Synopsis: McClintock, Norah
Publication Date: 09/01/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Mystery
The Absolute Valve of -1
Steve Brezenoff
Synopsis: Noah, Lily, and Simon have been a trio forever. But as they enter high school, their relationships shift and their world starts to fall apart. Privately, each is dealing with a family crisis divorce, abuse, and a parent's illness. Yet, as they try to escape the pain and reach out for the connections they once counted on, they slip like soap in a shower. Noah's got it bad for Lily, but he knows too well that Lily sees only Simon. Simon is indifferent, suddenly inscrutable to friends. All stand alone in their heartache and grief.
Publication Date: 09/01/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Ascendant
Diana Peterfreund
Synopsis:

Forget everything you ever knew about unicorns. The fluffy, sparkly, friendly “horses” so popular the world over don’t exist. Real unicorns are killers. Don't miss book 2 in the thrilling Killer Unicorn series!

Beasts the size of elephants, with cloven hooves that shake the earth, hides impervious to bullets, and horns that contain a deadly poison, unicorns can outrun a sports car and smell a human from a mile away.

And they can only be killed by virgin warriors descended from Alexander the Great.

Astrid Llewelyn is now a fully trained unicorn hunter, but she can't solve all her problems with just a bow and arrow. Her boyfriend, Giovanni, has decided to leave Rome, the Cloisters is in dire financial straits, her best friend's powers are mysteriously disintegrating, and Astrid can't help but feel that school, home, and her hopes of becoming a scientist are impossible dreams.

So when she's given the opportunity to leave the Cloisters and put her skills to use as part of a scientific quest to discover the Remedy, Astrid leaps at the chance. Finally, she can have exactly what she wants—or can she?

At Gordian headquarters in the French countryside, Astrid begins to question everything she thought she believed: her love for Giovanni, her loyalty to the Cloisters, and—most of all—her duty as a hunter.

Should Astrid be saving the world from killer unicorns, or saving the unicorns from the world?

Publication Date: 09/01/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Claude Monet
Jos. A. Smith, P. I. Maltbie
Synopsis:

Young readers will learn how Claude Monet came to paint trains as well as how he forever changed the minds of critics about his art and about the Impressionists in general. When his nine-year-old son raves over trains passing by in the countryside, Monet wishes his own art could excite critics as much as trains captivate his son. The book explains his painting technique, how critics viewed him and the other Impressionists, and how he came to paint trains.

 

Jos. A. Smith’s beautiful illustrations are paired with P. I. Maltbie’s comprehensive text to create an inspiring tale of Monet. The book also includes an author’s note, reproductions of some of Monet’s paintings, a time line, a list of North American museums that house Monet’s paintings, a bibliography, and an index.

"A handsome and child-friendly introduction to the Impressionist master. The narrative works well, and much information is thoughtfully, accessibly presented." –Kirkus Reviews 

"Smith expertly illuminates the changing landscape of an evolving world, as Maltbie's thoughtful story of inspiration and imagination highlights a less remembered portion of Monet's work." –Publishers Weekly
Publication Date: 09/01/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Biography
The Pale Death Moon
Synopsis: In Book One, The Seven Stones, young readers were caught in the exciting adventures of Terry, Gwen, Meeska and Polka as they set out on their quest. Remarkably, many parents have been entranced too, and the adult fan base is equally large, enthusiastic and impatient for Book Two. Now, in The Pale Death Moon the adventure continues. The Torus has saved Terry, Gwen, Meeska and Polka from the Baron's secret police, but abandoned them in a completely new world. Three more riddles must be solved - three more stones must be found. But it's not going to be straightforward. The evil Ackru has already stolen one of the stones and now he is making sacrifices each full moon to appease the black spirits who have started to appear on the island. Polka is going to need his best plan ever, because Ackru has a hostage, and the next full moon is only three nights away... Expected to sell out at all book signings and author events, and with an exciting interactive competition running in tandem with the launch of The Pale Death Moon on www.terry-torus-tumblestones.co.uk - make sure you are part of the adventure!
Publication Date: 09/01/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy

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