The Amber Spyglass ~ Philip Pullman

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf (2000)
ISBN: 0-679-87926-9
518 pgs

Classification: YA fiction
Genre: Fantasy, adventure
Age Level: 13+

Reader’s Annotation: In this conclusion to the His Dark Materials trilogy, beings from countless worlds converge to battle the Authority in a cosmic showdown, but the outcome is all down to young Lyra and Will.

Summary: Moving between worlds with the golden compass and the subtle knife, Lyra and Will face incredible dangers and unknown enemies. With help from Lyra’s beloved Iorek Byrnison, the armored bear king, and two tiny spies, Lyra and Will make a journey to a world where only the dead have ventured before. There they make a stunning discovery that can alter the course of history—if only they can manage a safe return to the world of the living. Meanwhile, in a world peopled not with humans but with other intelligent creatures, physicist Mary Malone fashions a spyglass of amber through which she sees that Dust is streaming away at an alarming pace. Unbeknownst to them all, the fate of Lord Asriel’s war against the Authority, and indeed the fate of all the worlds, rests on Lyra, Will and Mary, and their ability to make the right choices at the right time.

Notes: This is book 3 of the His Dark Materials trilogy; the preceding books are The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife. The entire trilogy is outstanding, probing at philosophical and theological issues in ways that only the genre of fantasy can.
Flags: 5

Breaking Dawn ~ Stephanie Meyer

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (2008)
ISBN: 978-0-316-06792-8
756 pgs

Classification: YA Fiction
Genre: Romance, fantasy, vampires
Age Level: 14+

Reader’s Annotation: Human Bella Swan, vampire Edward Cullen and Quileute werewolf Jacob Black redefine their relationships as they cope with the greatest challenges of their mortal and immortal lives.

Summary: Newlyweds Bella and Edward Cullen face many more dilemmas than the average teen couple. Namely, how to fulfill their promise to the Volturi (the governing body of the greater vampire community) to turn Bella into a vampire; how to preserve peace with the pack of Quileute werewolves with whom they’ve a treaty vowing not to create a new vampire; and how to cope with Bella’s human father who knows nothing of vampires nor werewolves. Then the couple gets the greatest honeymoon surprise of all…and the additional complications that go with it. Narrated from Bella’s and from Jacob’s point of view, this final installment of the Twilight saga is gripping and dramatic, and main character Bella finally emerges as a decent heroine.

Notes: This is book 4 of 4, The Twilight Saga. The series as a whole is entertaining enough, though the strength of the stories lies in Meyer’s depiction of the vampire community, rather than in the characterization of the main female character.
Flags: 4

A Girl Like Moi ~ Lisa Barham

Publisher: Simon Pulse (2006)
ISBN: 978-1-4169-1443-3
265 pgs

Classification: YA fiction
Genre: chick lit
Age Level: 13+

Reader’s Annotation: Book one of the trilogy titled The Fashion Forward Adventures of Imogene, A Girl Like Moi is an absorbing account of one sixteen year old’s quest to unleash the fashion diva within.

Summary: A self-described “should have,” Imogene knows she’s between worlds. Neither an “it” girl, nor a poseur, she simply wants the opportunity to showcase her talent for spotting trends and predicting next season’s must-haves. Imogene’s opportunity arrives in the form of a summer internship with the hottest fashion forecasting company in the Big Apple. But can Imogene concentrate enough on her job while she’s crushing on a certain Italian hottie? And is she smart enough to outmaneuver an unscrupulous rival intern? This story, with color illustrations by Sujean Rim, is a fashion feast not to be skipped!

Notes: Imogene is a dazzling, witty ingénue who could pass for the younger sister of Elle Woods (of Legally Blonde). Her story continues with Project Paris and Accidentally Fabulous.
Flags: 4

Gossip Girl ~ Cecily von Ziegesar

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (2002).
ISBN: 978-0-316-91033-0
201 pgs

Classification: YA fiction
Genre: chick lit
Age Level: 14+

Reader’s Annotation: In a world where money just may grow on trees and parental supervision is scarce, the young jet-set of Manhattan dictates the trends in fashion, art, music and film, but someone’s always watching and in a high tech world no secret is sacred.

Summary: From Park Avenue penthouses to privileged prep schools and anywhere hip in between, the Manhattan elite shop, party and hook up. In this first book of the series, magnetic Serena van der Woodsen turns heads wherever she goes, Queen Bee Blair Waldorf really is vulnerable beneath the flawless image she projects, and awkward young Jenny Humphrey is ecstatic to have captured the attention of Nate Archibald, even if he is usually stoned. Narrated by the anonymous Upper East Side blogger, this is the novel that started it all—the book series and its spinoffs and the TV show that turned Blake and Leighton into style icons for the new millennium. So log on to find out who’s wearing what, who’s hanging where, who’s partying when, who’s kissing whom, and what Gossip Girl thinks of it all.

Notes: Book one of a series. Gossip Girl is Sweet Valley High for a new generation, with all the engaging characters and riveting plots twists of an engrossing series. Content to be aware of—underage drinking, drug use, sexuality, language.
Flags: 4

Just Listen ~ Sarah Dessen

Publisher: Speak (2006)
ISBN: 978-0-14-241097-4
371 pgs

Classification: YA Fiction
Genre: Realistic fiction, Chick lit
Age Level: 13+

Reader’s Annotation: Annabel has a secret and her unwillingness to share it is costing her the trust of her most-needed friends.

Summary: Keeping her assault by her best friend’s boyfriend a secret, Annabel Green finds herself ostracized at school. Annabel is also losing interest in the modeling jobs her mother keeps pressuring her to book. Unfortunately, Annabel does not feel comfortable speaking up at home because her older sister’s eating disorder has already caused tension in the family. Annabel slowly becomes friends with Owen Armstrong, whose passion is music, but their relationship is threatened by Annabel’s inability to open up and confide in others. Annabel continues to hold her tongue and alienate those who would help her until a friend inspires her to share her story.

Notes: Just Listen is not quite as harrowing as Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak, but compelling and just as honest.
Flags: 4

Marked ~ P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin (2007)
ISBN: 978-0-312-36026-9
306 pgs

Classification: YA Fiction
Genre: Fantasy, vampires
Age Level: 14+

Reader’s Annotation: Newly Marked vampire Zoey Redbird copes with friends and rivals in her new school, the House of Night.

Summary: Zoey,16, is Marked by a vampire Tracker and leaves her home and high school to attend the House of Night, a boarding school for fledgling vampires undergoing the Change from human to adult vampire. Once at the House of Night, Zoey finds both unfortunate similarities and startling differences between her new school and her old: a Queen Bee named Aphrodite and her sycophants, hot guys like drama buff Erik, classes in fencing and vampire sociology. With the help of new friends, Zoey discovers her powers—gifts from the vampire goddess Nyx—and struggles to follow her grandmother’s advice to balance her unique abilities with responsible behavior.

Notes: Book one of a series. This series is engaging even for those readers who are not especially interested in vampires. Content to be aware of—language, sexuality
Flags: 4

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (Movie)

Based on Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Studio: Columbia Pictures (2008)
Rating: PG-13

Genre: Comedy
Director: Peter Sollett
Main Cast: Michael Cera, Kat Dennings

Viewer’s Annotation: Nick and Norah meet by chance one night at a club, and over the course of the next several hours they discover all that they have in common.

Summary: Nick is having a hard time getting over ex-girlfriend Tris. Norah randomly kisses Nick at a club and the two spend a crazy night driving around New Jersey and New York looking, alternately, for Norah’s drunk best friend Caroline and their favorite band Where’s Fluffy? In the course of the night, Nick and Norah discover that they are “music soulmates” and have quite a lot of other things in common too. But will Tris come between them? Or will Norah’s boyfriend Tal? Will they find Caroline? Or Fluffy?

Notes: This witty film features great music and is similar to Go, another teen movie spanning one crazy night of music, cars and conversation.
Flags: 4

Pretty Little Liars ~ Sara Shepard

Publisher: Harper Tempest (2006)
ISBN: 978-06-088730-8
286 pgs

Classification: YA Fiction
Genre: Chick lit, mystery
Age Level: 14+

Reader’s Annotation: Hanna, Aria, Emily and Spencer all thought they had moved beyond the dark period in their past when their friend Alison disappeared, but out of the blue someone called “A” enters their lives and refuses to let the girls forget.

Summary: Three years after Alison’s disappearance her four best friends, Hanna, Aria, Emily, and Spencer, have grown apart yet are still haunted by their memories of the daring stunts and dark secrets they shared with their vibrant friend. Suddenly, as the girls begin their junior year of high school, they are each contacted by someone called “A.” Through text messages, notes and emails, the girls find that their secrets have not vanished. So just who is A? What does A want from Hanna, Aria, Emily and Spencer?

Notes: Book one of series. Content to be aware of—underage drinking, drug use, sexuality. This book reads like a prequel or a pilot episode, laying the foundation for the rest of the series, so many plot developments are not resolved by the end of this book.
Flags: 3

Scrambled Eggs at Midnight ~ Brad Barkley and Heather Helper

Publisher: Speak (2006)
ISBN: 978-0-14-2408674
262 pgs

Classification: YA fiction
Genre: Realistic fiction
Age Level: 13+

Reader’s Annotation: Cal and Eliot share an instant connection that soon blossoms into love, but their time together is limited by Cal’s impending cross-country move.

Summary: Cal is increasingly resentful of her mother’s constant moving. The two traverse the country so Delores can work as a serving wench and jewelry artisan at Renaissance Faires, taking fifteen-year-old Cal along. Meanwhile, Eliot longs for the normalcy of his family life, something they seem to have lost as his dad has become more and more engrossed in his business venture—helping overweight people lose weight and find God. Cal and Eliot meet by chance…or is it destiny that brings them together? What will happen to their newfound love when Delores is ready to move again? Or when Eliot’s dad discovers his son is associating with people he doesn’t approve of?

Notes: This book would make a great beach read for it is a lovely, sweet summer romance story with instantly likable characters.
Flags: 4

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Movie)

Based on The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares
Studio: Warner Brothers (2005)
Rating: PG

Genre: Drama
Director: Ken Kwapis
Main Cast: Alexis Bledel, Amber Tamblyn, America Ferrera, Blake Lively

Viewer’s Annotation: Four friends find a pair of jeans that somehow fit their four different body types, and they agree to share the pants between them as they each embark on different adventures for the summer.

Summary: Because their mothers met while pregnant, Bridget, Lena, Carmen and Tibby have grown up together. Now 16, the girls are facing their first extended separation for the summer. Just before they part ways, they make a pact to share a pair of jeans and their stories. Having just lost her mother, saucy Bridget heads to Mexico for summer camp and tries to forget her grief by throwing herself at a good-looking coach. Shy Lena visits her grandparents in Greece and meets a guy who helps her realize her own beauty. Tibby gets a job at a local discount store and meets a spunky 12-year-old who ask to help Tibby with her documentary project. Excited to be spending the summer with her dad, Carmen is shocked and devastated to meet his new family. Through letters the girls stay connected and continue to love and support one another despite the physical distance between them.

Notes: A great chick flick, this movie is most endearing because of the love that the characters have for one another. Each girl is a distinct and admirable personality, and any girl would be happy be a part of this sisterhood.
Flags: 4

Someone Like You ~ Sarah Dessen

Publisher: Speak (1998).
ISBN: 978-0-14-240177-4
281 pgs

Classification: YA fiction
Genre: Realistic, chick lit
Age Level: 13+

Reader’s Annotation: In her first serious relationship and with her best friend pregnant, Halley needs to grow up quickly.

Summary: When Halley’s best friend Scarlett finds herself pregnant in the weeks following her boyfriend’s tragic death, Halley suddenly finds herself needing to be strong for the friend she used to lean on. And Halley needs to learn her own strength quickly, since her shady boyfriend Macon is pressuring her to have sex with him and encouraging Halley in behavior that strains the already tense relationship she has with her mother. Balancing family, school and her social life, Halley learns for the first time how tough it can be to reconcile who she is with who she wants to be.

Notes: The emotional depth of the characters is what makes this simple story shine. Halley is a very accessible and believable heroine. Content to be aware of—underage drinking, drug use.
Flags: 4

ttyl ~ Lauren Myracle

Publisher: Amulet Books (2004)
ISBN: 978-0-8109-8788-3
209 pgs

Classification: YA fiction
Genre: Realistic, chick lit
Age Level: 13+

Reader’s Annotation: Tenth-graders Zoe, Madigan and Angela have been friends since childhood and hope to remain close as they grow up but the challenges of high school threaten their friendships as the girls cope with crushes, parents, rivals and teachers and begin to keep secrets from one another.

Summary: Zoe has a crush on her teacher, who in turn seems to be paying an unseemly amount of attention to Zoe. Madigan befriends a long-time rival and finds herself in over her head when her “friend’s” loyalty is tested. Angela struggles to see the best in herself after being treated badly by her boyfriend. And these three childhood friends have developed the bad habit of keeping secrets from one another, precisely at a time when true friends are the one thing they each need. The story unfolds entirely via instant messages, the girls’ primary means of communication outside of school.

Notes: This book reads like a hybrid of a diary and a play, and has the delicious, absorbing feeling of eavesdropping on a good conversation.
Flags: 3

Violet on the Runway ~ Melissa Walker

Publisher: Berkley Jam (2007)
ISBN: 978-0-425-21704-7
228 pgs

Classification: YA fiction
Genre: chick lit
Age Level: 14+

Reader’s Annotation: A modeling agent discovers Violet Greenfield in her small North Carolina hometown, and Violet soon finds herself booking jobs all over New York City.

Summary: Perennial wallflower Violet Greenfield prefers not to be noticed, but her towering height makes her hard to miss, and the high school senior secretly longs for a good reason to stand out. Her big break breezes through town in the form of a fast-talking modeling agent who is convinced she’s found fashion’s newest it girl in Violet. Suddenly Violet is thrust onto the catwalk where, most shockingly to Violet herself, the spotlights and flashbulbs cause her not to wilt, but to bloom. What ensues is a whirlwind of go-sees and photo shoots, club scenes and fashion shows, but before long this flower begins to fade. Living on her own and confronting eating disorders and drug use, Violet seems to be losing herself and alienating her friends in the process.

Notes: This Cinderella model story provides what Cheryl Diamond’s memoir lacks: a heroine the reader truly roots for. While Diamond was never awkward nor gangly, Violet is the girl-next-door that every girl would like to call her best friend. The story continues with Violet by Design and Violet in Private. Content to be aware of—underage drinking, drug use.
Flags: 4