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Stella by Starlight
Sharon M. Draper
Synopsis: When the Ku Klux Klan’s unwelcome reappearance rattles Stella’s segregated southern town, bravery battles prejudice in this Depression-era tour de force from Sharon Draper, the New York Times bestselling author of Out of My Mind.

Stella lives in the segregated South—in Bumblebee, North Carolina, to be exact about it. Some stores she can go into. Some stores she can’t. Some folks are right pleasant. Others are a lot less so. To Stella, it sort of evens out, and heck, the Klan hasn’t bothered them for years. But one late night, later than she should ever be up, much less wandering around outside, Stella and her little brother see something they’re never supposed to see, something that is the first flicker of change to come, unwelcome change by any stretch of the imagination. As Stella’s community—her world—is upended, she decides to fight fire with fire. And she learns that ashes don’t necessarily signify an end.
Publication Date: 01/06/15
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
X: A Novel
Kekla Magoon, Ilyasah Shabazz
Synopsis: A 2016 Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book

Cowritten by Malcolm X’s daughter, this riveting and revealing novel follows the formative years of the man whose words and actions shook the world.

Malcolm Little’s parents have always told him that he can achieve anything, but from what he can tell, that’s a pack of lies—after all, his father’s been murdered, his mother’s been taken away, and his dreams of becoming a lawyer have gotten him laughed out of school. There’s no point in trying, he figures, and lured by the nightlife of Boston and New York, he escapes into a world of fancy suits, jazz, girls, and reefer. But Malcolm’s efforts to leave the past behind lead him into increasingly dangerous territory. Deep down, he knows that the freedom he’s found is only an illusion—and that he can’t run forever.

X follows Malcolm from his childhood to his imprisonment for theft at age twenty, when he found the faith that would lead him to forge a new path and command a voice that still resonates today.
Publication Date: 01/06/15
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Historical Fiction
The Living
Matt de la Peña
Synopsis: Newbery Award-winning author Matt de la Peña's The Living is "a rare thing: a plot-driven YA with characters worthy of a John Green novel.” [Entertainment Weekly, A-]

   Shy takes the summer job to make some money. A few months on a luxury cruise liner--how bad can it be? Bikinis, free food, maybe even a girl or two . . . every cruise has a fresh crop of passengers, after all. He'll rake in the tips and be able to help his mom and sister out with the bills.  
  But then, an earthquake more massive than any ever recorded hits California and Shy's life is changed forever.
The earthquake is only the beginning. Twenty-four hours and a catastrophic chain of events later, Shy is lost at sea, fighting to survive--and stuck with her.
  She's blond and she's rich, and never in her life would she have dreamed she'd be adrift in the Pacific Ocean, surrounded by death and completely dependent on a guy like Shy.
  And Shy hasn't even faced the worst yet.
  Look for the thrilling sequel, The Hunted, in bookstores now!

Praise for The Living:

“De la Peña has created a rare thing: a plot-driven YA with characters worthy of a John Green novel.”-Entertainment Weekly, A-
 
“Action is first and foremost. . . . De la Peña can uncork delicate but vivid scenes.” —The New York Times

“[The Living] is special because of its extraordinary protagonist, Shy, who I haven’t been able to shake from my mind in the weeks since I read the book.”-John Green, author of The Fault in Our Stars

"There's no way to classify The Living. It's everything I love mixed into one fantastic, relentless, action-packed story. As always with Matt, the characters are the best part. So real. I loved this book."-James Dashner, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Maze Runner series

[STAR] "An addictive page-turner and character-driven literary novel with broad appeal for fans of both."-Kirkus Reviews, Starred

[STAR] "An excellent, enthralling ride...a great read for those looking for adventure and survival stories."-VOYA, Starred

A Pura Belpré Author Honor Award Winner

An ALSC Notable Children's Book Pick
Publication Date: 01/06/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
BUAN: Company of Heroes
Reece Bridger
Synopsis: Stranded, lost and alone in the world they are destined to save, the Harmons are forced to leave their old lives behind and embark upon their journey. Their success will vanquish an ancient evil, but their failure will damn their world. They have no idea where to go, what to do, or who they will come across. And as far as they can tell, it seems that whatever can go wrong will go wrong. As pressures mount, the Buan, Luxa’s chosen heroes, are forced to meet new dangers, push their boundaries, and question everything they ever thought about their world. They will have to face monstrosities, revisit the ghosts of their past, and forge unlikely alliances. And yet, their journey is destined to be dogged by uncertainty and despair. How do the Greigons really live? Who is their elusive silver-haired benefactor? Why has a dragon returned to Cornelia? And perhaps the most troubling question: Who, or what, is Bo?
Publication Date: 01/02/15
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Love or Something Like It (Mostly Miserable Life of April Sinclair)
Synopsis: As summer approaches, April is conflicted about going to camp and missing time with new boyfriend Matt and her friend Sophie, who'll be visiting, and wonders if her flame with Matt is strong enough to survive a long absence.
Publication Date: 01/01/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Taking Sides
Patrick Jones
Synopsis: At odds with his sister, Tina, fourteen, who says their father murdered their mother, Todd, fifteen, who claims it was self-defense, begins to lose faith in their father when he pressures Todd to get Tina to change her story, and being in separate fosterhomes only makes things harder.
Publication Date: 01/01/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Returning to Normal
Patrick Jones
Synopsis: When Xavier's father returns to Boston after serving ten years in federal prison, tensions quickly mount and Xavier's anger explodes on the baseball field, making it less likely that he will achieve his dream of playing in the major leagues than that he will follow his father's path.
Publication Date: 01/01/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Give It Up
Stephanie Perry Moore
Synopsis: When five girls at Jackson High School find themselves on a nasty list, they must join together and face the rest of their school. But will their struggles be too much to bear?
Publication Date: 01/01/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Guarding Secrets
Patrick Jones
Synopsis: Since her mother went to prison to await execution, eleventh-grader Camila Hernandez has been shuffled from one aunt to another, avoiding friendships and keeping to herself in hopes no one will learn her secret, and worrying that she will turn out to be a criminal, too.
Publication Date: 01/01/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Back That Thing
Stephanie Perry Moore
Synopsis: When relationship, family, and friend problems make life rough, the swoop-list girls must examine their lives and make positive changes. But can they handle the challenge of confronting their own mistakes?
Publication Date: 01/01/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
On Your Knees
Stephanie Perry Moore
Synopsis: When a gang shooting causes tensions to rise, the swoop-list girls must discover how to keep their cool and have faith in each other. Can they maintain their friendship under these stressful circumstances?
Publication Date: 01/01/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
The Confounding Case of the Climate Crisis
Barbara Tinker, Owen R. Liu
Synopsis:

With time travel and mysteries that need solving, the Galactic Academy of Science (G.A.S.) series instructs readers on how to think like scientists. Under the guidance of a Dude or Dudette from the future, the middle school characters are faced with treacherous, present-day crimes that require a historical knowledge of science in order to be solved. From investigating problems to analyzing data and constructing explanations and solutions, this series blends elements of sci-fi with educational methods that distill the key thinking habits of scientists and engineers.

 

An adventure that investigates the causes and consequences of climate change

 

Something strange is going on during Anita and Benson’s field trip to a greenhouse as their guide is making wild claims about carbon dioxide and their science teacher, Mr. Fazmel, has mysteriously disappeared. That’s when Quarkum Phonon, a Dude from the future, sends Anita and Benson on a Galactic Academy of Science mission to learn about the origins of climate change and the ways communities around the world are dealing with its impact. With stops around the world—from a Hawaiian volcano to Greenland and Geneva—Anita and Benson sift through the evidence for climate change. On their return home, the students face the question: what can a couple of kids do to reduce CO2 emissions and slow down climate change? A portion of all profits from this book will go to support local projects helping people in the developing world adapt to climate change.

Publication Date: 01/01/15
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Science
The First Principle
Marissa Shrock
Synopsis:

In the not-too-distant future, the United Regions of America has formed. Governors hold territories instead of states, and while Washington, DC, is gone, the government has more control than ever before. For fifteen-year-old Vivica Wilkins, the daughter of a governor, this is life as usual. High school seems pretty much the same--until one day, that controlling power steps right through the door during study hall.

When Vivica speaks out to defend her pregnant friend against the harsh treatment of Population Management Officer Marina Ward, she has no idea she's sowing the seeds of a revolution in her own life. But it isn't long before she discovers her own illegal pregnancy. Now she has to decide whether to get the mandatory abortion--or follow her heart, try to keep the baby, and possibly ruin her mother's chances at becoming president.

A rebel group called the Emancipation Warriors, who are fighting to restore freedoms once held unalienable, offer her asylum. Can Vivica trust these rebels to help her or will they bring everything crashing down around her? Accepting their help may come with consequences she isn't ready to face.

Marissa Shrock's debut novel crafts a chilling story of what may be to come if we allow the economic and moral crises currently facing our country to change the foundations on which we built our independence--and of the difference one person can make when they choose to trust God's lead.

Publication Date: 01/01/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Faith-based
Even When You Lie To Me
Jessica Alcott
Synopsis: A steamy debut about a love off limits, and lines destined to be crossed—with the wit of John Green and the heart of Sarah Dessen.
 
Tom Drummond is the perfect guy. He reads the classics. He tells the wittiest jokes. Best of all, he actually likes Charlie. And for a girl used to being caught in the shadow of her best friend, Drummond’s spotlight warms Charlie in a way she never thought possible. But as their relationship grows closer, there’s one detail that remains impossible to forget: Mr. Drummond is her teacher.
 
“Jessica Alcott’s writing is like a very personal glimpse into your own adolescent diary. Raw, uncomfortable, but still often hilarious.” –Harried Reuter Hapgood, author of The Square Root of Summer
 
“The witty repartee among characters is reminiscent of the dialogue in John Green’s novels or a Gilmore Girls episode.” –School Library Journal
 
“Perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen.” –Booklist
Publication Date: 04/30/25
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Romance
A Grandfather's Blessing (Amber-Autumn Series Book 2)
Synopsis: In this second chapter book Amber and Autumn go to an estate sale in an old home and discover a secret room in the library. They purchase an ornate chest they find in the room and later uncover its hidden mysteries that lead them on an adventure they won't soon forget.
Publication Date: 12/28/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Aaden BlueStar: The Awakening
Synopsis: An ordinary teen discovers his connection with an extraterrestrial here to save our planet, his Senator father running for President, as they battle a dark entity intent on controlling our world. Never feeling quite at home in this world, an ordinary boy discovers his extraterrestrial heritage and superhuman powers when he is confronted by an alien foe. Discovering he is here on a time travel mission, his grip on reality is stretched when he realizes his father, who is running for President, is also not of this world. His best friend Fleur and his sister Tiffany are the only two he can confide in. Together with their extraterrestrial friends, they not only have to combat their alien foe, they also have to convince humanity to change their ways to prevent destroying their home through an environmental disaster. With climate change and extreme weather issues increasing in frequency and intensity, the clock is ticking! Footnote: The Aaden BlueStar series of books, initially written for teen and young adult readers of science fiction action adventure time travel stories, has attracted readers of all ages, young and old.
Publication Date: 12/28/14
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy

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