Home  2005 Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers
2005 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
CosmoGirl Quiz Book: All About You. $5.95 Sterling/Hearst, 2004. 1-58816-381-4.
“Figure out your social prowess and work it.”
Dr. Ernest Drake’s Dragonology. $18.99. Candlewick, 2003. 0-7363-2329-6..
“A flameproof cloak may prove invaluable.”
The Homer Book. $9.95. Harper Collins/Perennial, 2004. 0-06-073884-7.
Mmmmm . . . Homer.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not. $25.95. Mint Publishing/Ripley, 2004. 1-893951-73-1.
The twisted cousin of Guiness Book of World Records.
So What? The Good, the Mad and the Ugly: The Official Metallica Illustrated Chronicles. $29.95. Broadway Books, 2004. 0-7679-1881-9.
“Saint Anger’s yearbook.”
YM’s The Best of Say Anything. $6.95. Random House/Bantam, 2004. 0-553-37601-2.
“One of the fake nails was hanging halfway out of my nostril.”
Abbott, Hailey. Summer Boys. $8.99. Scholastic, 2004. 0-439-54020-8.
It’s summer, it’s hot, and it’s time to hook up.
Brisick, Jamie. Have Board, Will Travel. $19.95. Harper Entertainment, 2004. 0-06-056359-1. Water, snow, and street.
Burnham, Niki. Royally Jacked. $5.99. Simon and Schuster/Simon Pulse, 2004. 0-689-86668-2.
Someday her prince will come . . . upstairs.
Choyce, Lesley. Thunderbowl. $7.95. Orca, 2004. 1-55143-277-3
Watch the bands battle.
Coker, Cheo Hodari. Unbelievable: The Life, Death and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G. $19.95. Three Rivers Press, 2004. 0-609-80835-4
The tragedy of Christopher Wallace, aka Biggie Smalls, aka Big Poppa.
Davidson, Dana. Jason and Kyra. $16.99. Hyperion/Jump at the Sun, 2004. 0-7868-1851-4
Party boy Jason meets his his total opposite, Kyra.
De La Cruz, Melissa. The Au Pairs. $14.95. Simon and Schuster, 2004. 0-68-987066-3
Hot chicks make big bucks babysitting for the rich and famous.
Ehrenhaft, Daniel. Ten Things To Do Before I Die. $15.95. Random House/Delacorte, 2004. 0-385-73007-1
Ted Burger (yeah, that’s his name) has 24 hours to live and a list of things to do.
Flake, Sharon. Who Am I Without Him? A Short Story Collection About Girls and the Boys in Their Lives. $15.99. Hyperion, 2004. 0-7868-0693-1
Anything to get the guy.
Flinn, Alex. Nothing to Lose. $15.99. Harper Tempest, 2004. 0-06-051751-4
From the carnival to the courtroom.
Giles, Gail. Playing in Traffic. $16.95. Roaring Brook, 2004. 1-59643-005-2
Sexy Skye picks Matt for a very dangerous reason.
Gottlieb, Andrew. In the Paint: Tattoos of the NBA and the Stories Behind Them. $16.95. Hyperion, 2003. 0-7868-8868-7
Who sports what and why.
Grandits, John. Technically, It’s Not My Fault: Concrete Poems. $15.95/$18.95. Clarion, 2004. 0-618-42833-X hc 0-618-80361-7 pb.
Murray the fart and much, much more.
Hareas, John. NBA’s Greatest. $30. DK, 2003. 0-7894-9977-0
The best of all time.
Harrison, Lisi. The Clique. $7.99. Little, Brown, 2004. 0-316-70129-7
Seventh grade is going to be hell.
Hartinger, Brent. Last Chance Texaco. $15.99. Harper Collins, 2004. 0-06-050912-0
Next stop, juvie.
Heimberg, Jason and Justin Heimberg. The Official Movie Plot Generator: 27,000 Hilarious Movie Plot Combinations. $16.45. Brothers Heimberg Publishing, 2004. 0-9740439-1-5
“Single mom invades Poland with the ghost of Elvis” . . . and more.
Heneghan, James. Hit Squad. $7.95. Orca, 2003. 1-55143-269-2
Bullying: just can’t take it anymore.
Hirano, Kohta. Hellsing series. $13.95 ea. Dark Horse Comics, 2003-2004.
Volume 1: 1-59307-056-X
Volume 2: 1-59307-057-8
Volume 3: 1-59307-202-3
Volume 4: 1-59307-259-7
Vampires, Nazis, zombies.
Hobbs, Valerie. Letting Go of Bobby James, or How I Found My Self of Steam. $16. Farrar, Strauss and Giroux/Frances Foster, 2004. 0-374-34384-5
Left at gas station, sleeps in movie theater. Will she make it?
Hopkins, Cathy. Truth or Dare series. $5.99 ea. Simon and Schuster, 2004.
The Princess of Pop. 0-689-87002-7
Teen Queens and Has-Beens. 0-689-87129-5
White Lies and Barefaced Truths. 0-689-87003-5
Which will cause the most trouble, truth…or dare?
Hopkins, Ellen. Crank. $6.99. Simon and Schuster, 2004. 0-689-86519-8
Doing lines unleashes the monster.
Horowitz, Anthony. Eagle Strike. $17.99. Penguin/Philomel, 2003. 0-399-23979-0
This time, Alex is on his own.
Hrdlitschka, Shelley. Kat’s Fall. $7.95. Orca, 2004. 1-55143-312-5
After Kat’s fall, can her family land on its feet?
Jacobs, Thomas. They Broke the Law; You Be the Judge: True Cases of Teen Crime. $15.95. Free Spirit, 2003. 1-57542-134-8
Justice is not always blind.
Johns, Geoff. Teen Titans: A Kid’s Game. $9.95. DC Comics, 2004. 1-4012-0308-6
“This time the kids are wearing the costumes.”
Jones, Patrick. Things Change. $16.95. Walker, 2004. 0-8027-8901-3
Paul’s touch is not always kind.
Kenner, Rob and Pitts, George. VX: 10 Years of Vibe Photography. $40. Abrams/Vibe Books, 2003. 0-8109-4546-0
Hot hip hop icons and more.
Klancher, Lee. Monster Garage: How to Customize Damn Near Everything. $19.95. Motorbooks International/ MBI Publishing, 2003. 0-7603-1748-8
Small engine blocks and chrome plated springs are chick magnets.
Kool Moe Dee. There’s a God on the Mic: The True 50 Greatest MCs. $24.95. Thunder’s Mouth Press, 2003. 1-56025-5331
Kool Moe Dee rates the top MCs.
Leiker, Ken. Unscripted. $45. Simon and Schuster, 2003. 0-7434-7761-8
Smackdown!
Lynch, Clam. Ruby Gloom’s Keys to Happiness. $12.95. Abrams, 2004. 0-8109-5036-7
Move over, Emily the Strange.
Mackler, Carolyn. Vegan Virgin Valentine. $16.99. Candlewick, 2004. 0-7636-2155-2
Is V really the vixen that she seems?
Manning, Sarra. Guitar Girl. $15.99. Dutton, 2004. 0-525-47234-7
The Hormones have left the building.
McGrath, Jeremy. Wide Open: A Life in Supercross. $23.95. Harper Entertainment, 2004. 0-06-053727-2
Nac-nacs and nuts.
McManners, Hugh. Ultimate Special Forces. $30. DK, 2003. 0-7894-9973-8
Mission possible.
Miller, Timothy and Steve Milton. Nascar Now. $19.95. Firefly, 2004. 1-55297-829-X
Behind the scenes and in the pits.
Milner-Halls, Kelly. Albino Animals. $18.95/$8.95. Darby Creek, 2004. 1-58196-012-3 hc 1-58196-019-0 pb
They’re a whiter shade of pale.
Minter, J. The Insiders. $8.95. Bloomsbury, 2004. 1-58234-895-2
Things are about to get stirred up in downtown NYC.
Morgan, David Lee. LeBron James: The Rise of a Star. $14.95. Gray, 2003. 1-886228-74-4
All LeBron all the time
Myers, Walter Dean. Shooter. $15.99. Harper Collins/Amistad, 2004. 0-06-029519-8
Why?
Myracle, Lauren. TTYL. $15.95. Abrams/Amulet, 2004. 0-8109-4821-4
IM-ing about the highs and lows of high school.
Nagatomo, Haruno. Draw Your Own Manga: All the Basics. $20. Kodansha America, 2004. 4-7700-2951-9
Do it like they do in Tokyo.
Nash, Naomi. You are So Cursed. $5.99. Dorchester/Leisure, 2004. 0-8439-5310-1
Back off, Sabrina.
Naylor, Caroline. Beauty Trix for Cool Chix: Easy-to-Make Lotions, Potions, and Spells to Bring Out a Beautiful You. $9.95. Watson-Guptill, 2003. 0-8230-6957-5
Head to toe beauty to go.
Nelson, Blake. Rock Star, Superstar. $16.99. Viking, 2004. 0-670-05933-1
From the basement to the big time.
O’Connell, Tyne. Pulling Princes. $16.95. Bloomsbury USA, 2004. 1-58234-957-6
If you kiss a prince, will he turn into a toad?
Oppell, Kenneth. Airborn. $16.99/$17.89 Harper Collins, 2004. 0-06-053180-0 trade 0-06-053181-9 lib bind.
Sky pirates versus cabin boy.
Parker, Daniel and Lee Miller. Watching Alice series. $7.99 ea. Penguin/Razorbill, 2004
Break the Surface 1-59514-001-8
Walk On Water 1-59514-002-6
Lots of questions, few answers, and you can’t ask Alice.
Perez. Marlene. Unexpected Development. $16.95. Roaring Brook, 2004. 1-59643-006-0
There are bigger problems in life than a D-cup.
Rabb, M.E. The Missing Persons series. $5.99 ea. Penguin/Speak, 2004.
The Chocolate Lover 0-14-250042-9
The Rose Queen 0-14-250041-0
The Unsuspecting Gourmet 0-14-250044-5
The Venetian Policeman 0-14-250043-7.
You can run, but can you hide?
Riley, Andy. The Book of Bunny Suicides. $10. Penguin/Plume, 2004. 0-452-28518-6
It’s not easy being fluffy
Rohrer, Russ. Ten Days in the Dirt: Spectacle of Off-Road Motorcycling. $19.95. Motorbooks International, 2004. 0-7603-1803-4
Souped-up toys and the best sandboxes to play in.
Rothbart, Davy. Found: The Best Lost, Tossed and Forgotten Items from Around the World. $14. Simon and Schuster/Fireside, 2004. 0-7432-5114-8
If you’ve lost it, someone’s found it.
Seate, Mike. Choppers: Heavy Metal. $40. Motorbooks International, 2004.
Outlaws in the mainstream.
Shaw, Maria. Maria Shaw's Star Gazer: Your Soul Searching, Dream Seeking, Make Something Happen Guide to the Future. $17.95. Llewellyn, 2003. 0-7387-0422-9
All about you—past, present, and future.
Shaw, Tucker. Confessions of a Backup Dancer. $8.99. Simon and Schuster/Aladdin, 2004. 0-689-87075-2
Celebrities uncensored.
Sleator, William. The Boy Who Couldn’t Die. $16.95. Abrams/Amulet, 2004. 0-81094-824-9
Is there a downside to living forever?
Sones, Sonya. One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies. $15.95. Simon and Schuster, 2004. 0-689-84169-8
Not just another cliché.
Stephens, J.B. The Big Empty series. $6.99 ea. Penguin/Razorbill, 2004.
The Big Empty 1-59514-006-9
Paradise City. 1-59514-007-7
Strain 7 killed half of the world’s population before we even had a name for it.
Stolarz, Laurie F. Blue is for Nightmares. $8.99. Llewellyn, 2003. 0-73-870391-5
“I know your secret . . . “
Strasser, Todd. Can’t Get There From Here. $15.95. Simon and Schuster, 2004. 0-8118-4033-6
Down and out on the streets of New York City.
Sweeney, Joyce. Takedown. $15.95.Marshall Cavendish, 2004. 0-7614-5175-7
Serial killer holds teens hostage.
Takaya, Natsuki. Fruits Basket series. $9.99 ea. Tokyopop, 2004.
Volume 1 1-59182-603-9
Volume 2. 1-59182-604-7
Volume 3. 1-59182-605-5
Volume 4. 1-59182-606-3
Volume 5. 1-59182-607-1
What animal would you be?
Thomson, Celia. The Nine Lives of Chloe King series. $6.99 ea. Simon and Schuster/Simon Pulse, 2004.
The Fallen 0-689-86658-5
The Stolen 0-689-86659-3
One down . . . how many to go?
Thorley, Joe. Avril Lavigne: The Unofficial Book. $14.95. Virgin Publishing, 2003
Turn on the TV, guess who you’ll see, sk8r grrl rockin’ on MTV.
Vizzini, Ned. Be More Chill. $16.95. Hyperion/Miramax, 2004. 0-7868-0995-7
Dude, you need a squip.
Walters, Eric. Overdrive. $7.95. Orca, 2004. 1-55143-318-4
Too fast, too furious.
Westerfeld, Scott. The Secret Hour. $15.99. Harper Collins/Eos, 2004. 0-06-051951-7
Times freezes, and the night belongs to the dark creatures.
Weyn, Suzanne. Bar Code Tattoo. $5.99. Scholastic, 2004. 0-43-939562-3
Are you sure you want to be tattooed?
Whedon, Joss. Fray. $19.95. Dark Horse Comics, 2003. 1-56971-751-6
Someone has a plan to let the demons out . . .
Woods, Brenda. Emako Blue. $15.99. Penguin Putnam, 2004. 0-399-24006-3
“My friend, Emako Blue, was supposed to be a star.”
Woodson, Jacqueline. Behind You. $15.99. Penguin Putnam, 2004. 0-399-23988-X
Sometimes it’s hard to put grief behind you.
| 
