ISINGLASS TEEN READ

1
ISINGLASS TEEN READ

• A collaboration
• of teens
• and their librarians

2
This years
Isinglass Teen Read and
BMS Summer Read
selections
3
The Truth about my Bat Mitzvahby Nora Baskin

• Carolines family is not religious, though
  her grandparents are. When her wonderful nana
  dies, her grandpa gives Caroline the Star of
  David necklace that her nana always wore.
  Meanwhile, her best friend, Rachel, is busy
  preparing for the Bat Mitzvah celebration on her
  13th birthday. As they talk not only about the
  celebration, but also what it means to Rachel.
  Caroline begins to wonder if she is missing
  something that is important to her.
• Then she and Rachel get invited to a
  slumber party and that night one of the girls
  makes fun of being Jewish. To Carolines own
  surprise this really upsets her and she speaks
  out, but does not mention that she is partly
  Jewish herself.
• So, is she going to push for a Bat Mitzvah
  on her upcoming birthday? What about the
  necklace, should she start wearing it? How much
  does all this mean to her?

audio download available through BPL
4
The Compoundby S. A. Bodeen

• There has been a nuclear attack. Elis
  family is rushed down deep underground into the
  compound his father has spent years perfecting.
  He has thought of every need they might have
  during a prolonged stay, from clothes to d?or to
  entertainment, like a miniature world. There was
  a major problem as they entered though Elis
  twin brother was out and didnt made back before
  Elis father shut and sealed the entrance.
• 6 years go by. Some glitches are emerging
  some of the food has gone bad, some things are
  starting to break down, but returning to the
  surface is not an option. One day Eli discovers
  his father communicating with someone on his
  computer.
• Who else is alive?

audio download available through BPL
5
The Boy in the Striped Pajamasby John Boyne

• This is a powerful and upsetting WWII story
  of a boy caught
• in the middle of something he doesnt
  understand. First he is told to be on his best
  behavior because the Fury is coming to dinner.
  Then his family moves far away from everything he
  knows to a barren looking place in the middle of
  nowhere.
• Now he is stuck in a house with no friends
  and no place to go. But wait, he sees a whole
  bunch of people on the other side of a long, long
  fence. Its odd, they are all wearing striped
  pajamas. There are boys over there. If he could
  get over the fence, he could play with them.
• He quietly explores the fence, and way out
  from the house he finds another boy sitting on
  the other side of the fence. They secretly become
  friends. The boy always looks hungry so he sneaks
  food out to him. One day the boy tells him he
  cant find his father.
• He wants to help his new friend. Can he?

audio download available through BPL
6
Eighth Grade Bitesby Heather Brewer

• Vlad is a typical teen except that his
  parents were kiled when he was a baby and he
  lives with his mothers best friend and, oh yes,
  his parents were vampires. That makes him at
  least part vampire. Aside from that little detail
  hes just like the kid down street. The only ones
  who know are his aunt and his best friend, and
  they are cool with it.
• Its not like he bites people or anything.
  His aunt is a nurse and she just brings home
  outdated blood from the hospital and packages it
  discretely for his lunches at school as tomatoe
  juice, pink filled twinkies and such. Its
  really never been a big deal. Some people have
  food allergies, he drinks blood.
• No big deal, until one of his teachers
  goes missing and the sub, who has a distinctively
  sinister edge, is very interested in Vlad.

7
Airmanby Eion Colfer

• Conor was born in the basket of a hot air
  balloon hovering above the 1878 Worlds Fair in
  Paris. He was born to fly!
• Back at home on the Saltee Islands, Connor
  is close friends with the island nations
  princess and is even tutored in fencing, fighting
  and the fledgling art of flight by her own tutor.
  
• The king, a good ruler, and the tutor, are
  close friends and avid inventors. They often meet
  to plan for the future of the little country.
  However the kings military advisor, Hugo
  Bonvilain, wants to be king and is a man with a
  very dark soul.
• Conor is going to get caught in the middle
  of all this and will almost lose his life trying
  to set things right.

audio download available through BPL
8
The Hunger Gamesby Suzanne Collins

• North America, now called Panem, is divided
  into 13 districts ruled by a rich capital in the
  western mountains. Life in the districts is hard
  and neighbors try to help each other survive.
  Once a year there is a lottery and the winning
  district is awarded extra supplies. It is
  televised as an exciting contest of strength and
  skill, but in truth it is a dark and frightening
  contest. It is called The Hunger Games.
• Each family must enter the names of their
  children, and during hard times can earn extra
  goods by submitting a name more than once. It is
  said that the wealthy buy their back their kids
  name.
• When Katnis little sisters name is drawn,
  she steps up in her place. Her sister would not
  last a day. She at least has a chance, she is
  strong and a skilled hunter. For this contest
  ends when only one teen is left alive!

9
Losing Foreverby Gayle Friesen

• Everything was broken in Jens life for a
  while. Her little sister got sick and died, and
  when all was said and done, her parents had lost
  their marriage as well. But time passes. Jen
  lives with her mom and visits often with her
  wonderful dad, and she has her two best friends.
  Life is moving on.
• Now her mom wants to marry again. Jen has
  always blamed her mom for pushing her dad away,
  and now this? Further, she comes home from school
  to find out that her soon to be stepdad has a
  daughter. Shes suddenly arrived to stay, and,
  Jen is to share her own room with her. Jen
  watches as Angela moves in on her mother. She is
  too neat, way too enthusiastic about the upcoming
  wedding, and seems in so many ways to be the
  daughter Jen thinks her mother always wanted.
  Then Angela moves in on Jens best friends.
• Everything feels broken again.

10
The Graveyard Bookby Neil Gaimman

• It is late at night in Victorian London.
  Upstairs in a lovely townhouse a wee toddler is
  awakened by noises downstairs. He climbs out of
  his crib and bumps down the stairs on his
  bottom. He is delighted to discover the back door
  open and heads on out to explore the wonderful
  night.
• But it was something dark and sinister that
  woke him. His family has been murdered and now
  the assassin is after him! He does not find him.
  For across the street is an old cemetery and the
  spirits there have been watching the nights
  activities with some concern and quickly decide
  to hide the little child and then as time goes by
  to raise him. Years go by, but he is still not
  safe. Turns out he was the target that night. The
  assassin is a member of an ancient order and they
  are still looking for him. Can the cemetery
  spirits help him outwit these malicious men? And,
  why are they after him?

11
Goneby Michael Grant

• Sean Temple is sitting in class trying to
  stay awake. One minute hes listening to his
  teacher drone on about the civil war, andd the
  next minute - poof! - the guy is gone. He was
  there, and then nothing. Is he in the hall?
  Nope just kids peering out from every class
  doorway.
• They soon realize that everyone 15 and over
  is gone. With adults gone the first impulse of
  many is to do whatever they want. But Sam and his
  friends soon realize its now up to them to take
  care of things. Little kids, babies, food shelter
  and thats the easy part. There seems to be an
  invisible force field surrounding their town.
  What is this bout? Then a group of kids from the
  boarding school arrive saying they are in charge
  and some of them now have supernatural and
  destructive powers. They are not nice kids. Who
  else has acquired special powers?
• What is going on?

12
Football Geniusby Tim Green
Troy loves football and is a strong quarterback
but the new coach always picks his own son
leaving Troy on the bench to watch his team lose
another game. And hes not just watching his own
team lose, his favorite pro team, the Atlanta
Falcons seem to miss a lot of plays. As Troy
watches their games he can see so clearly what
play is about to happen but they dont. His
friends think its uncanny the way he can predict
what is going to happen as they watch a game
together. Then his mom gets a PR job with the
Falcons and Troy looks for the chance to help his
favorite team turn around their losing streak
with his ability to predict plays. How is he
going to convince them he can help?

audio download available through BPL
13
Foundby Margaret Peterson Haddix

• One night a gate attendant looks out to
  see a plane at their gate. Theres no plane due
  in here. They go out and find there is no crew
  but on every seat there is a baby. They call
  child welfare and everyone helps with the babies.
  Once the babies are off, the plane quietly
  disappears. The next day, it is as if nothing
  happened, this story never makes the news.
• 13 years later 2 good friends, both adopted,
  each start receiving strange letters saying
  they one one of the missing, and then to beware
  they are coming.
• Then they find out about the plane. They
  were on it.
• Who are they?

14
The Ruby Keyby Holly Lisle

• This world is divided into sunkind the
  human, and moonkind the nightlings who haunt the
  world after sunset and rule the night. They have
  a treaty but their relationship is precarious.
  People had better not venture into the woods
  after dark.
• Genna and her brother Dan set out to find
  the herb that will cure their mothers illness,
  and end up on a quest to save their family, their
  fellow villagers, and their freedom. They are
  joined by Yarri, a nightling slave with magic
  skills who befriends them hoping this will enable
  her to free her kind from slavery. They are also
  joined by a cat who can talk, but has
  questionable loyalties.
• Genna is going to learn she has a special
  gift, and Dan, is going to learn that he has a
  ghost living inside him.

15
The Disreputable History of Frankie
Landau-Banksby E. Lockhart

• When she returns to Alabaster Prep School
  in the fall, Frankie is amazed when Matthew, a
  popular senior wants to go out with her. He soon
  draws her into his circle of friends, all popular
  seniors. Most are very nice to her, but Frankie
  begins to suspect that they are up to something.
  Something they dont want her to know about. She
  follows Michael one day and discovers an all-male
  Alabaster secret society that is responsible for
  many unsolved, mischievous pranks at school.
  Feeling unfairly left out because she is a girl,
  Frankie engineers her own guerilla membership
  online and then leads them on some very creative,
  outrageous pranks.

audio download available through BPL
16
The Declarationby Gemma Malley

• In 2140, a drug called Longevity
  eliminates aging. Since people can live forever,
  there no need and soon no room for children.
  Those, like Anna, who are born illegally are
  raised in Surplus Halls, where they are taught to
  be Valuable Assets or slaves, to the immortals.
• Surplus Anna is grateful for her home in
  the freezing cold Surplus Hall, for her tiny
  shares of bad food, and for the strict teachers
  who teach her the skills with which she can make
  herself useful. She has learned to hate not only
  herself but also the parents who broke the
  Declaration and selfishly and uncaringly created
  her. Anna has worked very hrad and done very
  well, for a surplus. Soon she will graduate.
• But then a new surplus arrives who seeks
  out Anna and claims to have come from her
  parents. He says she was taken by force from
  them, and they have been looking for her all
  this time. He want her to dismiss everything she
  has been taught, break all the rules she has
  ever known and run away with him.
• Is this possible?

17
The Reminderby Rune Michaels

• Daisys mother died of cancer three years
  ago. Daisy is distressed that her little brother
  was so young when their mother died that without
  her help he wouldnt even remember. Sometimes at
  night she and her dad watch old family movies. It
  is still hard, but she is trying to live her own
  life.
• Then one night she hears her mothers voice,
  but there are no movies on
• She knows she is not imagining it. She
  begins to investigate and discovers that her
  father, an expert in cybernetics has made a robot
  head and programmed it with her mothers voice.
  It is just a robot, but it is programmed to
  answer questions and Daisy starts visiting her
  dads office on the sly, because thats where he
  keeps it.
• Then she makes another discovery.

18
Night of the Howling Dogsby Graham Salisbury

• Eleven scouts set out with their troop
  leaders to hike way out to Halape Point and camp
  out right by the ocean. This trip is the
  highlight of their year, and the culmination of
  preparation, practice, and skill building. They
  are all excited as they set out, first by car and
  then on foot. Its a challenging hike, but
  camping on that beach far away from everything is
  going to be awesome!
• Little do they realize how much their
  skills and teamwork are going to be tested.
  Little do they imagine that they might not all
  make it back. For they are hiking right into
  disaster. A massive earthquake is about to strike
  throwing the earth into turmoil and causing the
  ocean to pull back on itself as a deadly tsunami
  takes form.
• They should have paid attention to the wild
  dogs howling in the hills.

19
My Swordhand is Singingby Marcus Sedgewick

• In yet another stop in a long line of hasty
  relocations, Peter and his haunted father, Tomas,
  settle in to work as woodcutters in a remote
  village.
• Soon, rumors of recently deceased townsfolk
  rising from their graves escalate into a
  full-fledged undead scourge on the village, and
  Peter finds that he must convince Tomas to
  confront his haunted past and unveil the
  vampire-killing sword he has kept hidden for
  years.

20
Amazing Graceby Megan Shull

• Grace is a teen tennis superstar. She loves
  the game and for a while all the attention was a
  thrill but the pressure of being a celebrity is
  becoming too invasive. Where is there a place in
  her life now to just be a teen. She phones her
  mother and tells her she want out. Out of the
  multi-million dollar endorsements, the press
  conferences, the celebrity. Shes just a kid, and
  she wants her life back.
• But there really is no going back home. To
  do this she has to go into hiding with a new name
  and a new identity, and with the help of a former
  FBI agent they do just that, in Alaska.
• Grace soon realizes she cant go back to
  before, but she can go forward and she gradually
  combines what she learned from being the best at
  something and a superstar, with who she feels
  herself to really be inside, and with this
  growth, accomplishes something she will always be
  proud of.

21
Everlostby Neal Shusterman

• Nick and Allie dont know each other, but
  when they are killed in a two-car collision, they
  become tangled in in a tunnel going toward a
  light. They find they are neither living nor
  spirit, but exist in a plane called Everlost.
  They wander through a forest and end up in New
  York City where a band of Everlost children have
  taken over The Twin Towers. Led and sheltered by
  15 year old Mary the lost children assume this is
  where they belong now, but Nick and Allie know
  there must be something more somewhere else and
  are determined to find out what and where that
  it.

audio download available through BPL
22
The Red Threadby Roderick Townley

• Dana Landgrave's nightmares and visions have
  gotten so bad that her therapist, Dr. Sprague,
  convinces her to try past-life regression with
  hypnosis.
• The results are a shock. First, she is
  transported back to eighteenth-century London as
  the matronly niece of a cruel artist. Disturbing
  as that is, it's far less terrifying than the
  life Dana thinks she lived during the 1500s. In
  that life Dana thinks she may have murdered
  someone. The truth will be revealed in the red
  thread of a tapestry woven during her former
  life.
• A truth her therapist may not want her to
  learn.

23
Audio Downloads

• You can now download and listen to books on your
  MP3 player, for free.
• Download at Barrington Public Library or on their
  website
• You can borrow the audio version as you would an
  actual book.
• These Summer Read titles are available as audio
  downloads
• Airman
• The Boy in the Striped Pajamas,
• The Compound
• Everlost
• Football Genius
• The Truth about my Bat Mitzvah
• The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

Available through Barrington Public Library!
24
Thats your Summer Read collection.Enjoy a good
read in the sun !