With the help of her understanding mother and a close friend, Jen eventually outgrows her nickname, Jinx, and deals with the deaths of two boys with whom she had been involved.
Jinx
Young Adult (ages 14-18)
Material appropriate for young adults
What About Anna?
In Belgium in 1999, upon learning that her brother who was reported killed by a landmine in Bosnia may still be alive, sixteen-year-old Anna resents that she is the only one strong enough to try to uncover the truth.
No Tigers In Africa
Newly arrived in England from South Africa, a fifteen-year-old’s family deteriorates, as the effects of living under apartheid take a toll on every aspect of the family members’ lives.
Stained Glass
Charles Endicott discovers many things about himself and his past as he follows a homeless girl through the streets of his hometown on a warm summer day.
Unsettled: The Problem of Loving Israel
This book explores the history of Israel, from the beginning of the Zionist movement to the birth of Israel as a state in 1948 to the intense conflicts over Israel, the Palestinians, and the Jewish settlements of today.
Deeper
In TUNNELS, boy archaeologist Will Burrows went in search of his missing father–and discovered a sinister subterranean world. Now, wandering the dark, hot bowels beneath the Colony with his best friend Chester and his brother Cal, Will stumbles across the Styx’s dastardly plan to exterminate all Topsoilers by unleashing a lethal plague. Slowly he begins to piece together the plot. But how can Will save the Topsoilers from annihilation when his own life is at risk–and his killer stepsister is still at large?
Daughter of the Flames
In a world of clashing cultures, a girl fights for freedom — and finds a surpring romantic ally — after learning a startling truth about her identity. Inside an ancient temple in the mountains, fteen-year-old Zira trains in the martial arts to become a warrior priestess who can defend the faith of the Ruan people. Bearing a scar on her face from the fire that killed her parents, the orphaned Zira is taught to distrust the occupying Sedornes. Terror strikes when the forces of the tyrannical Sedorne king destroy the only home she knows. To survive, Zira must unravel the secrets of her identity, decide her people’s fate — and accept her growing feelings for a man who should be her enemy.
Jack Tumor
Hector is being hectored by an unlikely bully: a talking brain tumor. And it’s not just a talking brain tumor. It’s a know-it-all, pain-in-the-arse, jibber-jabbering brain tumor that names itself Jack, and insists on coaching Hector through life even as it’s threatening to take his life away. It’s a pretty good coach, actually. With Jack in control of Hector’s speech and brain chemicals, Hector suddenly finds himself with a cool haircut, a new fashion sense, and tactics for snogging previously unattainable hottie Uma Upshaw. But when Jack begins to force increasingly questionable decisions and behavior, Hector has to find a way to turn the tables – before it’s too late for both of them. Delightfully twisted, desperately funny, and deeply moving, this novel is also the winner of the Booktrust Teenage Prize in the United Kingdom.
A Stranger Calls Me Home
Set in New Zealand, this compelling, romantic tale is about three teenagers, Paul, Simon, and Fiona, who are trying to understand their past, their place in the present, and what the future holds for them. “[Deborah Savage’s] story explores some of the most interesting territory of YA fiction: identity and heritage, prejudice and acceptance . . . Her protagonists have the depth, character and complexity that mark a very good writer indeed.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review
Cold Skin
A page-turning read about father-son relationships and the many ways of being a man. Eddie doesn’t want to be in school; he wants to work in the mines. But his dad won’t go down in the coal pits, and he won’t let his sons go either. Nothing much happens in the town of Burruga, except for fights at the pub. Then one Friday night a girl is found dead by the river, and every man in town comes under suspicion. Eddie is drawn into secrets and a bitter struggle for revenge.