Book Recommendations

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Book Recommendations
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Advanced Readers
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Across the Nightingale Floor By Lian Hearn
Interest Level Age 12

• An epic fantasy story set in a feudal Japanese
  society, this is an exciting tale of treason,
  violence and death. Tomasu is a young boy from
  the Hidden clan, all but wiped out by Iida
  Sadamu, the cruel Lord of the Tohan clan. Saved,
  then adopted, educated and renamed Takeo by the
  good-hearted Otori Shigeru, the boy grows up to
  love and respect his guardian. However, when
  Shigeru plans to marry, in order to promote peace
  between the two clans, Takeo has an opportunity
  to avenge himself on Iida.
• This is a taut, compelling love story in the
  Samurai warrior tradition.
• Publisher Young Picador
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In DarknessBy Nick Lake
Interest Level Age 15

• Trapped under the rubble of the 2010 Haitian
  earthquake, 15-year-old Shorty looks back upon
  his life so far. Shortys life in the slums of
  Haiti is characterised by experiences of extreme
  violence, poverty and loss, but still, he does
  not lose hope that he will be rescued from the
  darkness and rubble that now surrounds him.
• Shortys story is juxtaposed with that of
  e18th-Century Haitian leader Toussaint
  lOuverture who led the islands slave population
  in a rebellion against the French like
  Toussaint, two hundred years later, Shorty is
  looking for freedom.
• This disturbing portrayal of the harsh realities
  of life for both the 18th and 21st-Century
  inhabitants of Haiti, does not make for easy
  reading. However, Lakes depiction of the
  deprivations experienced by generations of
  Haitians makes this a thought-provoking and
  memorable novel.
• Publisher Bloomsbury
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Infinite SkyBy C.J Flood
Interest Level Age 14

• Shot through with danger as adolescence can be,
  this is a powerful coming of age novel which
  combines dark realities with optimism and
  naivety. When Iriss mother takes off on a road
  trip, things at home begin to fall apart. The
  arrival of a family of travellers close by sets
  off a chain of events which leads to tragedy. But
  Iris sees Trick and his family differently she
  knows he isnt the boy his is made out to be.
  But, when everything spirals out of control, will
  she ever be able to feel the same about him?
  Beautifully written, this is a poignant story of
  young love from a talented new author.
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The Boy next doorBy Irene Sabatini
Interest Level Age 14

• As Zimbabwe breaks free of British colonial rule,
  young Lindiwe Bishop encounters violence at close
  hand when her white neighbour is murdered. But
  this is a domestic crime, apparently committed by
  the woman's stepson, Ian, although he is released
  from prison surprisingly quickly. Intrigued,
  Lindiwe strikes up a covert friendship with the
  mysterious boy next door, until he abruptly
  departs for South Africa.Years later, Ian
  returns to find Lindiwe has been hiding her own
  secret. It is to bring them closer together, but
  also test a relationship already contending with
  racial prejudice and the hostility of Lindiwe's
  mother. And as their country slides towards
  chaos, the couple's grip on happiness becomes
  ever more precarious.Vividly evoking the
  traumatic history of a nation once brimming with
  promise, The Boy Next Door tells an engrossing,
  unpredictable story of love against the odds, and
  of the shadows cast by the past.
• Publisher Sceptre
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Dying to know youBy Aiden Chambers
Interest Level Age 13

• Karl is madly in love with his girlfriend
  Fiorella. To prove his love for her she wants him
  to write her letters, telling her exactly how he
  feels. There is only one problem, Karl is
  dyslexic and struggles to write. Afraid Fiorella
  will dump him if she finds out, Karl seeks help
  from Fiorellas favourite author and asks him to
  write the letters for him, and gradually a new
  friendship develops between them. But when
  Fiorella finds out, she perceives Karl's actions
  as a betrayal.
• This thought-provoking novel from acclaimed
  author Aidan Chambers explores unexpected
  friendships and the consequences which can result
  from loving the wrong person. With its powerful
  storyline and complex characters, this is a
  sensitive and serious teenage read.
• Publisher The Bodley Head Ltd
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Annan WaterBy Kate Thompson
Interest Level Age 13

• Michael leads a bleak, unhappy existence, working
  for his parents' horse-dealing business,
  occasionally attending school and trying to come
  to terms with a family tragedy. Then he meets the
  vibrant and rebellious Annie, who lives the other
  side of the mysterious River Annan, and the two
  become close.
• This novel evokes a strong sense of place and is
  a compelling exploration of the issues of young
  adulthood the search for love, loyalty,
  independence and meaning.
• Publisher Red Fox
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The StrangerBy Sarah Singleton
Interest Level Age 13

• Working in India at the Golden Tiger Reserve is
  Charlotte's dream job then a horrific train
  crash tears her world apart. Amidst the wreckage,
  handsome, unsettling Jack latches on to her.
• Charlotte begs her fellow backpackers to help
  shake him off, inviting old friend Otto to visit
  and play boyfriend anxious for Charlotte, Jen
  and journalist Mark also arrive at the reserve.
• But as Jack's behaviour gets stranger, danger
  from violent, tiger poachers is also mounting
  Charlotte begins to suspect Jack may be involved
  with the poachers - and will stop at nothing...
• This novel deftly combines conservation issues
  with a tautly plotted thriller. It's a consistent
  page-turner, racketing up the tension while
  sensitively portraying the relationships between
  the characters and their reactions to India.
• Publisher Simon Schuster Children's Books
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The Lost GirlBy Sangu Mandanna
Interest Level Age 14

• Eva is an echo, created by the mysterious Weavers
  as an exact copy of someone else. Growing up in a
  remote cottage in the peaceful Lake District, she
  is raised by a caring group of guardians, who
  safeguard her for the Weavers but leave her in no
  doubt of the true purpose of her existence - to
  replace her other, Amarra, a 15-year-old from
  Bangalore, if she ever dies. Forced to study
  every detail of Amarras life, Eva knows
  everything about her other - what she does,
  what she eats, who her friends are, even what
  it's like to kiss her boyfriend. She must watch
  the same films, read the same books, and study
  the same subjects - and when Amarra gets a
  tattoo, Eva has to get one too. But when Amarra
  dies suddenly in a car crash, Eva soon discovers
  that everything she has done has not prepared her
  for what it will really mean to take over
  Amarras life.
• Leaving behind everyone she has ever known, she
  sets out for India where she must find her place
  within Amarras grieving family - and convince
  Amarras friends, and even her boyfriend, that
  Amarra is still alive. If she fails, she faces
  the sleep order, which will end her life
  forever. Then there is the danger of the hunters
  - those who think that echoes are an abomination,
  and would stop at nothing to destroy them.
• Publisher Definitions
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ShadowsBy Paula Weston
Interest Level Age 15

• Since the car crash that killed her beloved twin
  brother, Gaby Winters has been living in the
  sunshine of Pandanus Beach, trying to deal with
  her grief and loss. It doesnt help that she is
  plagued by terrible dreams in which she is fights
  and kills horrifying demons and monsters. Then
  Rafa appears in the local bar, claiming to have
  been a friend of her brother and she realises
  that she recognises him from her nightmares.
• As the quiet life she has carved out for herself
  is turned upside down in ways she could never
  have imagined, Gaby is forced to accept that
  everything she thought she knew about herself,
  her life and her family is a lie, and that her
  strange nightmares are a clue to her real past,
  that someone has worked hard to make her forget.
• Publisher Indigo
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The Probability of miraclesBy Wendy Wunder
Interest Level Age 14

• 17-year-old Campbell is a cynic she doesn't
  believe in magic, true love, unicorns or
  miracles. A cancer sufferer who has been in and
  out of hospital for the last five years, her time
  is running out, and she has no energy left for
  hope or optimism. But Campbell's mum and younger
  sister Perry won't give up on her. Determined to
  do whatever it takes to make Cam well again, they
  set out on the road for a summer holiday in a
  mysterious town called Promise, where it's
  rumoured that miracles come true.Promise may be
  hard to find, but once you're there, anything can
  happen - from fish raining from the skies and
  flocks of flamingos to purple dandelions and
  everlasting sunsets. In spite of her initial
  reluctance, Cam soon begins to make herself at
  home in Promise, befriending puppies, rescuing
  orphan birds, making new friends, falling in love
  for the first time - and maybe even beginning to
  believe that miracles really can
  happen.Publisher Razorbill
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Let the right one inBy John Ajuide Lindquist
Interest Level Age 14

• Oskar and Eli. In very different ways, they were
  both victims. Which is why, against the odds,
  they became friends. And how they came to depend
  on one another, for life itself. Oskar is a 12
  year old boy living with his mother on a dreary
  housing estate at the city's edge. He dreams
  about his absentee father, gets bullied at
  school, and wets himself when he's frightened.
  Eli is the young girl who moves in next door. She
  doesn't go to school and never leaves the flat by
  day. She is a 200 year old vampire, forever
  frozen in childhood, and condemned to live on a
  diet of fresh blood. John Ajvide Lindqvist's
  novel is a unique and brilliant fusion of social
  novel and vampire legend, a deeply moving fable
  about rejection, friendship and loyalty.
• Publisher Quercus
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TempestBy Julie Cross
Interest Level Age 15

• Jackson Meyer appears to be an ordinary, albeit
  exceptionally wealthy, college student in New
  York City. However, appearances can be deceptive
  Jackson can travel through time.
• Jacksons not sure where his time travelling
  ability comes from, so with the help of his
  brainy friend Adam, he attempts to discover more
  about his powers. Soon Jackson learns that most
  of his life to date has been built around a web
  of lies and he no longer knows who he can trust.
  To make matters worse, Jackson begins to realise
  that his powers maybe putting his beloved
  girlfriend, Holly, in serious danger.
• This gripping time-travel novel fuses the highs
  and lows of first love with the elements of a
  fast-paced thriller. The emotional ending will
  leave readers desperate for the next instalment
  of this planned trilogy.
• Publisher Macmillan Children's Books
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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the
Night-timeBy Mark Haddon
Interest Level Age 13

• Seen through the eyes of Christopher, a
  mathematical genius and Sherlock Holmes fan, who
  also has Asperger's syndrome (a form of autism),
  the novel opens with his discovery of a murdered
  dog on his neighbour's lawn.
• In his search to discover the identity of the
  killer, Christopher also uncovers some disturbing
  information about his own family, which throws
  his ordered world into chaos, and he embarks on a
  journey to London to find the mother he thought
  was dead.
• This funny, touching and compelling novel was the
  winner of the inaugural Booktrust Teenage Prize.
• Publisher Red Fox
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My Brother SimpleBy Marie-Audie Murail
Interest Level Age 14

• Kleber is 17 years old and at sixth form college
  in Paris. Hes trying to secure himself a place
  in a shared flat, but things are complicated by
  the fact that he is bringing his elder brother
  who has learning difficulties.Barnaby (known as
  Simple) is 22. While their self-interested
  father wants to return Simple to a gloomy
  institution by the name of Malicroix, Kleber is
  determined to try to provide his brother with the
  life he feels he deserves, despite the challenges
  both will face on the journey towards
  independence. So the book sees them move into a
  chaotic student flat, home to drunken revelry,
  tension and sexual jealousy. Some members of this
  lively community prove more welcoming than others
  but all will find their lives changed by the
  arrival of the brothers.Some of the terminology
  may grate (such as terms like 'mute',
  'handicapped' and 'spaz') and readers may feel
  uncomfortable with the description of Simple as
  having a mental age of three. However these
  reservations about language aside, readers are
  sure to be won over by the engaging charm of
  Simple.
• Publisher Bloomsbury
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Beasts of no nationBy Uzodinma Lweala
Interest Level Age 14

• Agu is just a boy when war arrives at his
  village. His story is shocking and painful, and
  completely unforgettable. Beasts of No Nation
  gives us an extraordinary portrait of the chaos
  and violence of war. It is a gripping and
  remarkable debut.
• Publisher John Murray
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Lovely, dark and deepBy Amy McNamara
Interest Level Age 14

• In the aftermath of the car crash that killed her
  boyfriend, Wren puts aside her plans for college
  and retreats to her fathers isolated artist
  studio in the far-north woods of Maine. Her
  parents and friends are worried, but all Wren
  wants to do is to hide from the world and be left
  alone. When she least expects it, she meets Cal,
  who has his own struggles to overcome, and the
  two are drawn to each other. But will Wren be
  able to move on from her guilt and unhappiness
  and open her heart to him?
• This moving tale of love, loss, grief and
  growing up is written in a direct, sparse but
  powerful first-person narrative voice.
  Thoughtful, slow-paced and contemplative, it will
  particularly appeal to young adult readers who
  enjoy stories about complex emotions and the
  intricacies of relationships.
• Publisher Simon Schuster Children's Books
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Black Mamba BoyBy Nadifa Mohamed
Interest Level Age 14

• Black Mamba Boy is a sumptuous and bittersweet
  journey book that starts in Aden in 1935 in
  war-torn Eritrea and Sudan, to Egypt, Palestine
  and to Britain. Jama, a ten-year-old from the
  wrong side of the tracks, a slum dweller, who,
  when tragedy befalls him, decides his only chance
  to find himself a place to call home is to find
  his father. The book comprises his journey.The
  novel is confident and boundless in its
  emotion-wrenching.
• Publisher HarperCollins
• Shortlisted 2010 Long listed 2010
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Boys dont cryBy Malorie Blackman
Interest Level Age 14

• Dante is waiting for the postman. It's 'A' level
  results day and he has high hopes, but a knock on
  the door brings an old girlfriend and some news
  that will change his plans for good.
• Written from the point of view of two teenaged
  brothers Dante, who is looking forward to
  university and a successful career, unexpectedly
  finds himself faced with the demands of full time
  single parenthood, and Adam, who is happy to be
  gay and makes no secret of it, but ultimately
  suffers from the intolerance of those around him.
• A hard-hitting novel dealing with some of the
  real issues facing teenagers. This is also a
  moving story about father-son relationships.
• Publisher Corgi Children's
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CrusherBy Niall Leonard
Interest Level Age 14

• Seventeen-year-old Finn Maguire's life is not a
  happy one. He's already dropped out of school,
  and is stuck working in a depressing burger joint
  in order to make a bit of money to support
  himself and his dad, a washed-up ex-TV actor who
  always claims to be on the brink of another big
  break, but never quite comes up with the goods.
  But when Finn arrives home to find his father
  lying in a pool of blood, his already difficult
  life takes a dramatic turn for the worse. Soon,
  Finn is in the interview room at the local police
  station, being interrogated by an aggressive
  policeman, and treated as if he himself is under
  suspicion of having committed the crime.
• Determined to prove his own innocence and to
  discover the truth about his father's murder,
  Finn sets out to discover who was really
  responsible, taking him on a dangerous journey
  into London's criminal underworld. Publisher
  Doubleday
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A Swift Pure CryBy Siobhan Dowd
Interest Level Age 14

• This debut novel is set against a backdrop of
  1980s Ireland and a community dominated by the
  Catholic Church. Shells much-loved mother is
  dead and her father is a feckless alcoholic,
  which leaves her trying to care for her younger
  siblings virtually alone.
• Shell, who is a naïve dreamer of a girl, catches
  the eye of local boy Declan Ronan but also feels
  a strong connection to the new young priest,
  Father Rose.
• Soon Declan sets off for a new life in America,
  leaving the unworldly Shell pregnant and with no
  one to turn to in an unforgiving community. When
  Shell finds her mothers old pink dress in her
  fathers wardrobe, she tries it on and a terrible
  sequence of events unfolds.
• Publisher David Fickling Books
• Short listed 2006
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