2008-2009 YABA Nominees

Avalon High by Meg CabotNotes: Having moved to Annapolis, Maryland, with her medievalist parents, high school junior Ellie enrolls at Avalon High School where several students may or may not be reincarnations of King Arthur and his court.

Subjects: Reincarnation Fiction.Arthur, King Fiction.Identity Fiction.Secrets Fiction.High schools Fiction

Lexile Number: 800

Reviews & Awards:Booklist 02/01/06, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 02/01/06, Horn Book starred 10/01/06, School Library Journal 01/01/06, Voice of Youth Advocates (V.O.Y.A.) 02/01/06, Wilson's Senior High School 11/01/0

Pages: 288 (est.)

Bad Kitty by Michele JaffeNotes: While vacationing with her family in Las Vegas, seventeen-year-old Jasmine stumbles upon a murder mystery that she attempts to solve with the help of her friends, recently arrived from California.

 Subjects: Murder Fiction.Las Vegas (Nev.) Fiction.Racially mixed people Fiction.Humorous stories.Mystery and detective stories.

Lexile Number: 830

Reviews & Awards:Booklist 01/01/06, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 04/01/06, Horn Book 10/01/06, School Library Journal 02/01/06, Voice of Youth Advocates (V.O.Y.A.) 02/01/06, Wilson's Senior High School 11/01/06

Pages: 268 (est.)

The Christopher Killer by Alane FergusonNotes:On the payroll as an assistant to her coroner father, seventeen-year-old Cameryn Mahoney uses her knowledge of forensic medicine to catch the killer of a friend while putting herself in terrible danger.

Subjects: CoronersFathers and daughters Coroners -- Fiction.Forensic sciences -- Fiction.Fathers and daughters -- Fiction.  Mystery and detective stories.  Father-daughter relationship -- Fiction.  Mystery fiction. 

Lexile Number: 800

Reviews & Awards:Book Links (A.L.A.) 01/01/07, Booklist 07/01/06, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 09/01/06, Library Media Connection 10/01/06, School Library Journal 08/01/06, Voice of Youth Advocates (V.O.Y.A.) 08/01/06

Pages: 274 (est.)

Copper Sun by Sharon M. DraperNotes: Two fifteen-year-old girls--one a slave and the other an indentured servant--escape their Carolina plantation and try to make their way to Fort Moses, Florida, a Spanish colony that gives sanctuary to slaves. Includes bibliographical references (p. 304-306).

Subjects: Slavery Fiction.Indentured servants Fiction.S. Carolina History Colonial period, 1600-1775 Fiction.Florida History Spanish colony, 1565-1763 Fiction.African Americans History 18th century Fiction.Historical fiction.

Lexile Number: 820

Reviews & Awards:Booklist starred 02/01/06, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 04/01/06, Coretta Scott King Award/Honor 01/22/07, Horn Book 10/01/06, Library Media Connection starred 08/01/06, School Library Journal starred 01/01/06, Wilson's Junior High School 08/21/06, Wilson's Senior High School 11/01/06

Pages: 314 (est.)

Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert MurdockNotes: After spending her summer running the family farm and training the quarterback for her school's rival football team, sixteen-year-old D.J. decides to go out for the sport herself, not anticipating the reactions of those around her. Subjects: Football Fiction.Farm life Fiction.Lexile Number: 990

Reviews & Awards:Booklist 04/01/06, Horn Book starred 10/01/06, School Library Journal 04/01/06, Wilson's Junior High School 08/01/07

Pages: 274 (est.)

Notes: A loner who communes with the dead in the town cemetery hears the voice of a murdered cheerleader and tries to convince the adults that he knows what happened to her.

Subjects: Murder Fiction.Spirits Fiction.Cemeteries Fiction.

Lexile Number: 740

Reviews & Awards:Book Links (A.L.A.) 01/01/07, Booklist starred 05/01/06, Horn Book starred 10/01/06, School Library Journal 04/01/06, Wilson's Junior High School 08/01/07, Wilson's Senior High School 11/01/06

Pages: 225 (est.)

Dead Connection by Charlie Price

Notes: When a sixteen-year-old member of a race of shape-shifting killers called doppelgangers assumes the life of a troubled teen, he becomes unexpectedly embroiled in human life--and it is nothing like what he has seen on television.

Subjects: Family problems Fiction.Conduct of life Fiction.Football Fiction.Child abuse Fiction.Supernatural Fiction.

Lexile Number: Not Available

Reviews & Awards:Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 09/01/06, Horn Book 10/01/06, School Library Journal 06/01/06, Voice of Youth Advocates (V.O.Y.A.) 04/01/06, Wilson's Junior High School 08/01/07

Pages: 258 (est.)

Doppelganger by David Stahler, Jr.

Notes: After learning that he has been sent from the future for a special purpose, eighteen-year-old Jack receives help from an unusual dog and a shape-shifting female fighter. Subjects: Space and time Fiction.Ecology Fiction.Dogs Fiction.Science fiction.Lexile Number: 510 Reviews & Awards:Booklist 09/15/06, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 10/01/06, Horn Book 04/01/07, New York Times 11/12/06, School Library Journal starred 09/01/06, Wilson's Junior High School 08/01/07Pages: 289 (est.)

Firestorm by David Klass

Notes: Sixteen-year-old Brittany acts as chauffeur for her grandmother and three other eighty-plus-year-old women going to what is supposedly their college reunion, on a long drive that involves lies, theft, and kidnappings.

Subjects: Grandmothers Fiction.Kidnapping Fiction.Friendship Fiction.Automobile travel Fiction.Old age Fiction.

Lexile Number: 790

Reviews & Awards:Book Links (A.L.A.) 03/01/07, Book Links starred 05/01/06, Booklist starred 03/15/06, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 06/01/06, Horn Book 10/01/06, Voice of Youth Advocates (V.O.Y.A.) 10/01/06, Wilson's Junior High School 08/01/07

Pages: 183 (est.)

Hit the Road by Caroline Cooney

Monkey Town: The Summer of the Scopes Trial by Ronald KiddNotes: When her father hatches a plan to bring publicity to their small Tennessee town by arresting a local high school teacher for teaching about evolution, the resulting 1925 Scopes trial prompts fifteen-year-old Frances to rethink many of her beliefs about religion and truth, as well as her relationship with her father.

Subjects: Scopes, John Thomas Trials, litigation, etc. Fiction.Evolution Study and teaching Law and legislation Fiction.Fathers and daughters Fiction.Tennessee History 20th century Fiction.

Lexile Number: 740

Reviews & Awards:Book Links (A.L.A.) 01/01/07, Booklist 12/15/05, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 02/01/06, Horn Book starred 10/01/06, School Library Journal starred 02/01/06, Wilson's Junior High School 08/21/06

Pages: 259 (est.)

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth PfefferNotes:Through journal entries sixteen-year-old Miranda describes her family's struggle to survive after a meteor hits the moon, causing worldwide tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. Subjects: Natural disasters -- Fiction.  Family life -- Fiction.  Diaries -- Fiction.  Science fiction. Lexile Number: 770

Reviews & Awards:School Library Journal10/06, Booklist starred 9/06, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 12/06, (V.O.Y.A.)10/06, Wilson's Junior High School 8/07, Horn Book Starred 4/07Pages: 337 (est.)

Notes: Seattle high school senior Jade's life is defined by her anxiety disorder and dysfunctional family, until she spies a mysterious boy with a baby who seems to share her fascination with the elephants at a nearby zoo.

Subjects: Coming of age Fiction.Zoos Fiction.Family problems Fiction.Anxiety Fiction.

Lexile Number: 800

Reviews & Awards:Booklist 02/01/07, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 02/01/07, Horn Book 10/01/07, School Library Journal 05/01/07, Voice of Youth Advocates (V.O.Y.A.) 04/01/07

Pages: 288 (est.)

The Nature of Jade by Deb Caletti

Notes: When the Cullens, including her beloved Edward, leave Forks rather than risk revealing that they are vampires, it is almost too much for eighteen-year-old Bella to bear, but she finds solace in her friend Jacob until he is drawn into a "cult" and changes in terrible ways.

Subjects: Vampires Fiction.Werewolves Fiction.High schools Fiction.Washington (State) Fiction.

Lexile Number: 690

Reviews & Awards:School Library Journal 08/01/06, Voice of Youth Advocates (V.O.Y.A.) 08/01/06, Wilson's Junior High School 08/01/07

Pages: 563 (est.)

New Moon (on YouTube) by Stephenie Meyer

Notes from the Midnight Driver by Jordan SonnenblickNotes: After being assigned to perform community service at a nursing home, sixteen-year-old Alex befriends a cantankerous old man who has some lessons to impart about jazz guitar playing, love, and forgiveness.

Subjects: Self-perception Fiction.Friendship Fiction.Nursing homes Fiction.Guitar Fiction.Musicians Fiction.Family problems Fiction.

Lexile Number: 930

Reviews & Awards:Booklist starred 10/01/06, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 01/01/07, Horn Book starred 09/01/06, School Library Journal 10/01/06, Voice of Youth Advocates (V.O.Y.A.) 10/01/06, Wilson's Junior High School 08/01/07

Pages: 265 (est.)

Notes: Seventeen-year-old Matthew recounts his attempts, starting at a young age, to free himself and his sisters from the grip of their emotionally and physically abusive mother. Subjects: Child abuse Emotional problems of teenagers Child abuse -- Fiction. Brothers and sisters -- Fiction.  Emotional problems -- Fiction.  Siblings -- Fiction.  Lexile Number: 660 Reviews & Awards:Booklist starred 08/01/06, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 09/01/06, Horn Book starred 04/01/07, School Library Journal starred 09/01/06, Wilson's Junior High School 08/01/07

Pages: 259 (est.)

The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin

Scrambled Eggs at Midnight by Brad Barkley and Heather HeplerNotes: Calliope and Eliot, two fifteen-year-olds in Asheville, North Carolina, begin to acknowledge some unpleasant truths about their parents and form their own ideas about love

Subjects: Family problems Fiction.Love Fiction.Fairs Fiction.Asheville (N.C.) Fiction.

Lexile Number: Not Available

Reviews & Awards:Booklist 06/01/06, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 06/01/06, Horn Book 10/01/06, School Library Journal 05/01/06, Voice of Youth Advocates (V.O.Y.A.) 08/01/06, Wilson's Junior High School 08/01/07

Pages: 262 (est.)

Sold by Patricia McCormickNotes: A novel in vignettes, in which Lakshmi, a thirteen-year-old girl from Nepal, is sold into prostitution in India.

Subjects: Human trafficking Fiction.Calcutta (India) Fiction.Child prostitution Fiction.Brothels Fiction.

Lexile Number: 820 Reviews & Awards:Booklist starred 09/15/06, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books starred 12/01/06, Horn Book starred 04/01/07Library Media Connection 01/01/07, School Library Journal 09/01/06Voice of Youth Advocates (V.O.Y.A.) 12/01/06

Pages: 263 (est.)

Trigger by Susan VaughtNotes: Teenager Jersey Hatch must piece his life back together after he tries to shoot himself in the head, and as he rebuilds his mind and his body, he learns some surprising truths about his former life. Subjects: Brains Wounds and injuries Fiction.Brain damage Patients Rehabilitation Fiction.Gunshot wounds Fiction.Suicide Fiction.

Lexile Number: 570

Reviews & Awards:Booklist starred 12/01/06, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 10/01/06, Horn Book starred 04/01/07, Library Media Connection starred 02/01/07, Voice of Youth Advocates (V.O.Y.A.) 10/01/06Pages: 292 (est.)

The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams ChimaNotes: After learning about his magical ancestry and his own warrior powers, sixteen-year-old Jack embarks on a training program to fight enemy wizards. Subjects: Magic Fiction.Wizards Fiction.Identity Fiction.Fantasy.

Lexile Number: 730

Reviews & Awards:Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books starred 07/01/06, Horn Book 10/01/06, Library Media Connection 02/01/07, School Library Journal 07/01/06, Voice of Youth Advocates (V.O.Y.A.) 02/01/06

Pages: 426 (est.)

What Happened to Cass McBride by Gail GilesNotes: After his younger brother commits suicide, Kyle Kirby decides to exact revenge on the person he holds responsible. Subjects: Revenge Fiction.Suicide Fiction.Crime Fiction.Family problems Fiction.Lexile Number: 520

Reviews & Awards:Booklist 01/01/07, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 12/01/06, Horn Book 04/01/07, Library Media Connection 04/01/07, School Library Journal 02/01/07, Voice of Youth Advocates (V.O.Y.A.) 12/01/06

Pages: 211 (est.)