Home  2007 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

2007 Annotated Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

NONFICTION

Allen, Judy. Unexplained: An Encyclopedia of Curious Phenomena, Strange Superstitions and Ancient Mysteries. 2006. illus. Kingfisher, $19.95. (ISBN-10, 0-7534-5950-7; ISBN-13, 9780753459508).  Paranormal, bizarre, unexplainable mysteries from around the world.

Ask CosmoGirl about Guys. 2006. illus. Sterling, $5.95. (ISBN-10, 1-58816-485-3; ISBN-13, 9781588164858).  Got questions about guys? Get answers here.

Ask CosmoGirl about Your Body. 2006. illus. Sterling, $5.95. (ISBN-10, 1-58816-486-1; ISBN-13, 9781588164865).  Unwanted hair, zits, and insomnia are no match for this self help book.

Bancroft, Tom. Creating Characters with Personality. 2006. illus. Watson-Guptill, $19.95. (ISBN-10, 0-8230-2349-4; ISBN-13, 9780823023493).  Draw all the major players, classic and new.

Benton, Jim. It's Happy Bunny: What's Your Sign?. 2005. illus. Scholastic, $7.99. (ISBN-10, 0-439-70592-4; ISBN-13, 9780439705929).  Happy Bunny charts the stars.

Blattberg, Julie and Koontz, Wendi. Backstage with Beth and Trina: A Scratch and Sniff Adventure. 2006. illus. Abrams, $14.95. (ISBN-10, 0-8109-7051-1; ISBN-13, 9780810970519).  Beth and Trina party hard with the band.

Cooper, Martha and Kramer, Nika and others. We B*Girlz. 2005. illus. powerHouse Books/Miss Rosen Editions, $24.95. (ISBN-10, 1-57687-269-6; ISBN-13, 9781576872697).  "Paying dues, battling fools, repping our crews"

CosmoGirl! Words to Live By. 2006. illus. Sterling/Hearst, $6.95. (ISBN-10, 1-58816-528-0; ISBN-13, 9781588165282).  Advice on life, love and more

Garza, Mario. Stuff on My Cat. 2006. illus. Chronicle, $9.95. (ISBN-10, 0-81185-538-4; ISBN-13, 9780811855389).  Wigs, gummi bears, beer cans, whipped cream and other delights…

Halls, Kelly Milner and Spears, Rick and others. Tales from the Cryptids: Mysterious Creatures that May or May Not Exist. 2006. illus. Darby Creek Publishing, $18.95. (ISBN-10, 1-58196-049-2; ISBN-13, 9781581960495).  Mermaids, Nessie, and Bigfoot: fiction or fact?

Hart, Christopher. Manga Mania: Chibi and Furry Characters: How to Draw the Adorable Mini-Characters and Cool Cat Girls of Japanese Comics. 2006. illus. Watson-Guptill, $19.95. (ISBN-10, 0-8230-2977-8; ISBN-13, 9780823029778).  Chibi style makes even monsters cute.

Lee, Lela. Still Angry Little Girls. 2006. illus. Abrams, $14.95. (ISBN-10, 0-8109-4915-6; ISBN-13, 9780810949157).  Annoying boyfriends, irritating mothers, and the little ups and downs of life.

Leonetti, Mike and Iaboni, John. Football Now!. 2006. illus. Firefly Books, $24.95. (ISBN-10, 1-55407-149-6; ISBN-13, 9781554071494).  Big players, mad action.

Masessa, Ed and Jankowski, Daniel. The Wandmaker's Guidebook. 2006. illus. Scholastic, $19.99. (ISBN-10, 0-439-86265-5; ISBN-13, 978043986253).  A guide to all things about wands.

Masyga, Mark and Ohlin, Martin. Peeps: A Candy-Coated Tale. 2006. illus. Abrams, $14.95. (ISBN-10, 0-8109-5995-X; ISBN-13, 9780810959958).  Sugary sweet marshmallow goodness takes over the world.

Monsters: A Celebration of the Classics from Universal Studios. 2006. illus. Ballantine/Del Ray, $29.95. (ISBN-10, 0-345-48685-4; ISBN-13, 9780345484851).  Frankenstein, the Mummy, and other old school monsters

My So-Called Digital Life: 2,000 Teenagers, 300 Cameras, and 30 Days to Document Their World. Ed. by Bob Pletka. 2005. illus. Santa Monica Press, $24.95. (ISBN-10, 1-59580-005-0; ISBN-13, 9781595800053).  A sneak peek into real teen life.

Oser, Bodhi. Fuck this Book. 2005. illus. Chronicle, $14.98. (ISBN-10, 0-8118-5072-2; ISBN-13, 9780811850728).  Profane, timeless, tasteless – pretty f-ing hilarious.

Pick Me Up: Stuff You Need to Know. 2006. illus. DK Publishing, $29.99. (ISBN-10, 0-7566-2159-3; ISBN-13, 9780756621599).  Random cool stuff you need to know.

Rannals, Melissa and Alvarado, Melissa and others. Sew Subversive: Down and Dirty DIY for the Fabulous Fashionista. 2006. illus. Taunton, $14.95. (ISBN-10, 1-56158-809-1; ISBN-13, 9781561588091).  Transform your world into something new.

Rogge, Hannah and Rafter, Marianne. Hardwear: Jewelry From a Toolbox. 2006. illus. Stewart, Tabori & Chang, $18.95. (ISBN-10, 1-58479-480-1; ISBN-13, 9781584794806).  Washers, nuts, bolts, fasteners…voila! Fashion!

Saltz, Ina. Body Type: Intimate Messages Etched in Flesh. 2006. illus. Abrams, $19.95. (ISBN-10, 0-8109-7050-3; ISBN-13, 9780810970502).  It's all about the tats.

Schutz, Samantha. I Don't Want to be Crazy: A Memoir of Anxiety Disorder. 2006. Scholastic/Push, $16.99. (ISBN-10, 0-439-80518-X; ISBN-13, 9780439805186).  Pain, panic, poetry: her emotional journey back.

Scott, Damien and Ex, Kris. How to Draw Hip Hop. 2006. illus. Watson-Guptill, $19.95. (ISBN-10, 0-8230-1446-0; ISBN-13, 9780823014460).  Form, fashion, gear, graffitti.

Seckel, Al. Optical Illusions: The Science of Visual Perception. 2006. illus. Firefly Books, $35.00. (ISBN-10, 1-55407-172-0; ISBN-13, 9781554071722).  Now you see it, now you don't.

Skate and Destroy: The First 25 Years of Thrasher Magazine. 2006. illus. Rizzoli/Universe Publishing, $23.50. (ISBN-10, 0-7893-1386-3; ISBN-13, 9780789313867).  Ollies, oops, boards, ramps, crashes, thrashes.

Trumbauer, Lisa. A Practical Guide to Dragons. 2006. illus. Wizards of the Coast/Mirrorstone, $12.95. (ISBN-10, 0-7869-4164-2; ISBN-13, 9780786941643).  All about dragons!

Warren, Frank. PostSecret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives. 2006. illus. HarperCollins/Regan Books, $24.95. (ISBN-10, 0-06-089919-6; ISBN-13, 9780060899196).  Strangers from around the world bare their souls.

Williamson, Kate T. and Butefish, Jennifer and others. Hello Kitty Through the Seasons. 2006. illus. Abrams, $14.95. (ISBN-10, 0-8109-5993-3; ISBN-13, 9780810959934).  So cute, so funny / So gentle and so happy / So Hello Kitty. *^_^*

FICTION

Araki, Hirohiko. Jojo's Bizarre Adventures, Vol. 1. Tr. by Alexis Kirsch. 2005. illus. Viz, $7.99. (ISBN-10, 1-59116-754-X; ISBN-13, 9781591167549).  Something – or someone – is just itching to get out of Jojo's body.

Barnes, Derrick. The Making of Dr. Truelove. 2006. Simon & Schuster/Simon Pulse, $7.99. (ISBN-10, 1-4169-1439-0; ISBN-13, 9781416914396).  The doctor is in and he's dreamy and steamy.

Booth, Coe. Tyrell. 2006. Scholastic/Push, $16.99. (ISBN-10, 0-439-83879-7; ISBN-13, 9780439838795).  Tyrell's gritty journey to get off the streets.

Chayamachi, Suguro. Devil May Cry 3: Volume One: Code One: Dante. Tr. by Ray Yoshimoto. 2005. illus. Tokyopop, $9.99. (ISBN-10, 1-59816-031-1; ISBN-13, 9781598160314).  Dante carries two pistols: Ebony and Ivory. Choose your poison.

Cohn, Rachel and Levithan, David. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. 2006. Random House/Alfred A. Knopf, $16.95. (ISBN-10, 0-375-83531-8; ISBN-13, 9780375835315).  The book of love goes punk rock.

Davidson, Dana. Played. 2005. Hyperion/ Jump at the Sun, $16.99. (ISBN-10, 0-7868-3690-3; ISBN-13, 9780786836901).  Kylie, duped and dumped by a playa.

de la Cruz, Melissa. Blue Bloods. 2006. Hyperion, $15.99. (ISBN-10, 0-7868-3892-2; ISBN-13, 9780786838929).  Gossip Girls meets Anne Rice.

Easton, Kelly. Aftershock. 2006. Simon & Schuster/ Margaret K. McElderry Books, $16.95. (ISBN-10, 1-4169-0052-7; ISBN-13, 9781416900528).  Traumatized car crash survivor treks cross country.

Friend, Natasha. Lush. 2006. Scholastic, $16.99. (ISBN-10, 0-439-85346-X; ISBN-13, 9780439853460).  Samantha has a secret: her dad's an alcoholic.

Giffen, Keith and Roman, Benjamin. I Luv Halloween Series. 2005-2006. illus. Tokyopop, $9.99 ea.
I Luv Halloween: Volume One. (ISBN-10, 1-59532-831-9; ISBN-13, 9781595323811)
I Luv Halloween: Volume Two. (ISBN-10, 1-59532-832-7; ISBN-13, 9781595328328)
When treats go sour, tricks turn nasty; Halloween goes awesomely corrupt.

Giles, Gail. What Happened to Cass McBride. 2006. Little, Brown, $16.99. (ISBN-10, 0-316-16638-3; ISBN-13, 9780316166386).  Two words: Buried. Alive.

Grant, Vicki. Pigboy. 2006. Orca Currents, $14.95. (ISBN-10, 1-55143-666-3; ISBN-13, 9781551436661).  Class trip goes frighteningly awry.

Gruner, Jessica and Parker, Buzz. Emily the Strange: The Lost Issue. 2005. illus. Dark Horse, $7.95. (ISBN-10, 1-59307-429-8; ISBN-13, 9781593074296).  Emily the Strange visits the Wizard of Odd.

Hayes, Stormcrow and Steen, Rob. Afterlife #1. 2006. illus. Tokyopop, $9.99. (ISBN-10, 1-59816-692-1; ISBN-13, 9781598166927).  Hundreds of billions of dead people… "This ain't exactly the silver city."

Henry, April. Shock Point. 2006. Penguin/Putnam, $16.99. (ISBN-10, 0-399-24385-2; ISBN-13, 9780399243851).  Falsely accused and sent to a detention camp from hell.

Hoffman, Kerry Cohen. Easy. 2006. Simon & Schuster, $15.95. (ISBN-10, 1-4169-1425-0; ISBN-13, 9781416914259).  Being easy isn't easy. It's hard.

Jenkins, A. M. Beating Heart. 2006. HarperCollins, $15.99. (ISBN-10, 0-06-054607-7; ISBN-13, 9780060546076).  Steamy supernatural encounters unravel an unsolved murder.

Juwell and Precious. The Absolute Truth. 2005. Precioustymes Entertainment, $6.99. (ISBN-10, 0-9729325-4-2; ISBN-13, 9780972932547).  From the basketball court, to court, to juvey.

Korman, Gordon. Abduction (Kidnapped, Book 1). 2006. Scholastic, $4.99. (ISBN-10, 0-439-048777-X; ISBN-13, 9780439847773).  The Falconers can't escape the nightmare.

Korman, Gordon. Born to Rock. 2006. Hyperion, $15.99. (ISBN-10, 0-7868-0920-5; ISBN-13, 9780786809202).  King Maggot is my dad?

Lowell, Pamela. Returnable Girl. 2006. Marshall Cavendish, $16.99. (ISBN-10, 0-7614-5317-2; ISBN-13, 9780761453178).  Abandoned. Placed. Returned – again and again.

Mac, Carrie. Crush. 2006. Orca, $7.95. (ISBN-10, 1-55143-526-8; ISBN-13, 9781551435268).  Am I or I not? Hope falls for a girl.

Mancusi, Mari. Boys that Bite. 2006. Penguin/Berkley Jam Books, $9.99. (ISBN-10, 0-425-20942-3; ISBN-13, 9780425209424).  "Bitten by a vampire one week before prom really sucks."

Marunas, Nathanial and Craddock, Erik. Manga Claus: The Blade of Kringle. 2006. illus. Penguin/Razorbill, $12.99. (ISBN-10, 1-59514-134-0; ISBN-13, 9781595141347).  Santa turns samurai.

McClintock, Norah. Tell. 2006. Orca, $14.95. (ISBN-10, 1-55143-672-8; ISBN-13, 9781551436722).  David hides the truth when his stepfather is murdered.

McCormick, Patricia. Sold. 2006. Hyperion, $15.99. (ISBN-10, 0-7868-5171-6; ISBN-13, 9780786851713).  Lakshmi: sold into sexual slavery.

Meyer, Stephenie. New Moon. 2006. Little, Brown/Megan Tingley, $17.99. (ISBN-10, 0-316-16019-9; ISBN-13, 9780316160193).  Claws or fangs? The saga continues.

Myers, Walter Dean. Street Love. 2006. HarperCollins/Amistad, $15.99. (ISBN-10, 0-06-028079-4; ISBN-13, 9780060280796).  Damien and Junice: doomed love.

Neenan, Colin. Thick. 2006. Brown Barn Books, $6.95. (ISBN-10, 0-9746481-9-1; ISBN-13, 9780974648194).  Why Nick killed his dad.

Nelson, Blake. Paranoid Park. 2006. Penguin/Viking, $15.99. (ISBN-10, 0-670-06118-2; ISBN-13, 9780670061181).  Preppy, skater-punk wannabee accidentally commits murder.

Pagliarulio, Antonio. A Different Kind of Heat. 2006. Random House/Delacorte, $9.99. (ISBN-10, 0-385-73298-8; ISBN-13, 9780385732987).  Luz burns to avenge her brother's death.

Pearsall, Shelly and Steptoe, Javaka. All of the Above. 2006. illus. Little, Brown, $15.99. (ISBN-10, 0-316-11524-X; ISBN-13, 9780316115247).  Four unlikely students struggle with an after school math project.

Peters, Kimberly. Painting Caitlyn. 2006. Lobster Press, $9.95. (ISBN-10, 1-897073-40-2; ISBN-13, 9781897073407).  Caitlyn's new boyfriend seems great…

Pirateology. 2006. illus. Candlewick, $19.99. (ISBN-10, 0-7636-3143-4; ISBN-13, 9780763631437).  Pirates, pirates, pirates!

Plum-Ucci, Carol. The Night My Sister Went Missing. 2006. Harcourt, $17.00. (ISBN-10, 0-15-204758-1; ISBN-13, 9780152047580).  A gunshot, a mising girl – whodunit?

Ruby, Laura. Good Girls. 2006. HarperCollins/HarperTempest, $17.89. (ISBN-10, 0-06-088223-9; ISBN-13, 9780060882235).  Audrey wasn't smiling at the camera.

Singleton, Linda. Witch Ball (Seer, #3). 2006. Llwellyn Publications, $5.99. (ISBN-10, 0-738-870821-6; ISBN-13, 0).  Will the witch ball's prediction of Sabine's death come true?

Sniegoski, Tom. The Sleeper Conspiracy. 2006. Penguin/Razorbill, $6.99 ea.
Sleeper Code. (ISBN-10, 1-59514-052-2; ISBN-13, 9781595140524)
Sleeper Agenda. (ISBN-10, 1-59514-053-0; ISBN-13, 9781595140531) 
Are two personalities better than one?

Stewart, Sean and Weisman, Jordan and others. Cathy's Book: If Found Call 650-266-8233. 2006. illus. Running Press, $17.95. (ISBN-10, 0-7624-2656-X; ISBN-13, 9780762426560).  See the evidence. Dial 911. Now.

Stone, Tanya Lee. A Bad Boy Can be Good for a Girl. 2006. Random House/Wendy Lamb, $14.95. (ISBN-10, 0-385-74702-0; ISBN-13, 9780385747028).  He's not different. He's playing you.

Strasser, Todd. DriftX: Slide or Die. 2006. illus. Simon & Schuster/Simon Pulse, $6.99. (ISBN-10, 1-4169-0581-3; ISBN-13, 9781416905812).  The need for speed slides out of control.

van Diepen, Allison. Street Pharm. 2006. Simon & Schuster/Simon Pulse, $6.99. (ISBN-10, 1-4169-1154-5; ISBN-13, 9781416911548).  Drugs, women, being in control…it's all part of the business…

Vaughan, Brian K. and Alphona, Adrian. Runaways: Volume One. 2005. illus. Marvel, $34.99. (ISBN-10, 0-7851-1876-4; ISBN-13, 0).  When your parents are the ultimate evil…

Volponi, Paul. Rooftop. 2006. Viking, $15.99. (ISBN-10, 0-670-06069-0; ISBN-13, 9780670060696).  A policeman's bullet changes Clay's life.

Vrettos, Adrienne Maria. Skin. 2006. Simon & Schuster/ Margaret K. McElderry Books, $16.95. (ISBN-10, 1-4169-0655-X; ISBN-13, 9781416906551).  His sister is starving to death but it's Donnie who's hurting.

Werlin, Nancy. The Rules of Survival. 2006. Penguin/Dial, $16.99. (ISBN-10, 0-8037-3001-2; ISBN-13, 9780803730014).  Matthew's wreck of a mother makes home hell.

Westerfeld, Scott. The Last Days. 2006. Penguin/Razorbill, $16.99. (ISBN-10, 1-59514-062-X; ISBN-13, 9781595140623).  And the band slayed on.