Greetings from Amazon.com Delivers Teens Editor, Brangien Davis It was a tough job, but someone had to do it: teens editor Brangien Davis shares her top 10 picks, carefully culled from the countless teen titles published in 1999. These books reflect the scope, intensity, and heart of the issues today's young people are facing head-on. The best part? The strong young voices speaking from these pages show that with friendship, integrity, and humor, even seemingly insurmountable obstacles can be overcome. Literature-loving teens won't want to miss out on this 5-star (no, make that 10-star!) collection. 1. "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0671027344/entertainmentsit What is most notable about this funny, touching, memorable first novel from Stephen Chbosky is the resounding accuracy with which the author captures the voice of a boy teetering on the brink of adulthood. "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" offers an epistolary view of Charlie's muddling first year in high school. His letters reveal him dealing with his first love, his family, his first exposure to drugs, and the suicide of his best friend. Mature teens will adore this poignant coming-of-age tale that recalls, Salinger-style, exactly how it feels to be an outsider. 2. "Burger Wuss" by M.T. Anderson http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0763606804/entertainmentsit M.T. Anderson, author of the darkly comic suburban vampire tale "Thirsty," here turns his attention to the of-this-world horrors of high school romance and minimum-wage drudgery. Can Anthony win Diana back after she leaves him for a fast-food freak? Will his plot for revenge free him from being a wuss forever? And most important, do you want fries with that? "Burger Wuss" is a hilarious, hair-raising ride through burgers, bullies, and boy-meets-girl gone bad. 3. "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0374371520/entertainmentsit Ignored by her parents, ostracized by classmates, and victimized by date rape, Melinda has many reasons to have lost her voice. "Speak," the unforgettable, frightening first novel by Laurie Halse Anderson, tells Melinda's complex story with compassion, unexpected humor, and an unwavering eye toward the many cruelties of high school. A stunning and sympathetic tribute to the teenage outcast, nominated for the 1999 National Book Award for Young People's Literature. 4. "Stop Pretending" by Sonya Sones http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060283874/entertainmentsit In a series of simple, lovely blank verse poems, "Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy" tells a gripping story that doesn't shy away from the conflicting emotions of a family dealing with mental illness. A 13-year-old girl faces the horror of visiting her sister in the hospital, the fear that her friends will find out, and the worry that she, too, may lose her mind. Gradually, as her sister begins to recover, our young protagonist is able to find hope and again take pleasure in her own life. 5. "Mind's Eye" by Paul Fleischman http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0805063145/entertainmentsit This hauntingly beautiful story is written in dialogue, a sort of play for the reader's mind's eye. Stuck in a nursing home with a severed spinal cord, orphaned 16-year-old Courtney has every right to be miserable. Can her imaginative 88-year-old roommate Elva succeed in pulling her out of despair? Find out in Paul Fleischman's quiet, moving psychological drama, "Mind's Eye," which explores the power of the imagination--a "drug" that can be both a cure and an addiction. 6. "Name Me Nobody" by Lois-Ann Yamanaka http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786804521/entertainmentsit With dialogue that sparks with the rhythms of pidgin (Hawaiian Creole English), this compelling novel explores sexuality, racism, and the troubled waters of establishing one's own identity. Emi-Lou has a lot on her young shoulders--like trying to lose 20 pounds, vying for the attention of popular Kyle, and keeping an eye on her best friend Yvonne, who's getting a little too close to a tomboy called Babes. Set in the rich, varied culture of Hawaii, "Name Me Nobody" is a fresh coming-of-age story that rings true. 7. "Monster" by Walter Dean Myers http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060280778/entertainmentsit A drugstore owner in Harlem is shot and killed in his store. Was 16- year-old Steve Harmon the lookout, or just in the wrong place at the wrong time? In Walter Dean Myers's "Monster," readers decipher the truth through Steve's eyes, as he translates the events leading up to and during the trial into scenes for a movie script. Interspersed throughout his screenplay are journal writings that shed light on Steve's life before the murder and trace his feelings about being in prison. Fact and fiction blur in this fascinating visual drama. 8. "In My Hands" by Irene Gut Opdyke http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0679891811/entertainmentsit When World War II began, Irene Gutowna was a 17-year-old Polish nursing student. By the time she was 23, she writes in "In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer," she "felt a million years old." Separated from her family, raped by Russian soldiers, and forced to work in a hotel serving German officers, she was soon scheming to protect her Jewish coworkers. The experiences chronicled in this painful, inspiring memoir will remind young people everywhere that the power to make a difference lies in their own hands. 9. "The Adventures of Blue Avenger" by Norma Howe http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0805060626/entertainmentsit Irony, silliness, and the deepest questions of the human soul blend together delightfully in this funny, original novel by Norma Howe. "The Adventures of Blue Avenger" tells the story of 16-year-old David Schumacher, who legally changes his name to Blue Avenger. Armed with his new persona, he hopes to abolish handguns, win the love of Omaha Nebraska Brown (the new girl at school), and create the first guaranteed weepless lemon meringue pie. It's an exhilarating, clever ride that shouldn't be missed! 10. "The Copper Elephant" by Adam Rapp http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1886910421/entertainmentsit In a surreal, post-apocalyptic setting where acid rain falls in a constant downpour, 11-year-old Whensday fights to survive. Rescued from the Pits, where small "undertwelves" are forced to break rocks until they die, she takes refuge for a time with a kind coffin maker. But when she fears he's going to sell her, Whensday flees to the Bone Trees. With language and totalitarian brutality reminiscent of George Orwell's "1984," "The Copper Elephant" vividly portrays a future we never want to see, and a young girl we'd like on our side. ****** Find popular titles--from Pokemon to Pac-Man--plus reviews, buyer's guides, kid-friendly choices, and more in our new Video Game store at Video Games ****** You'll find more great books, articles, excerpts, and interviews in Amazon.com's Teens section at Teens ******
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