Day 2 of ALA Bites brings you an easy to peruse online preview of Scholastic's upcoming titles for Fall 2017. With these videos you can hear directly from the authors and illustrators about their works. This preview has videos from Daniel Jose Older, Alan Gratz, Peter Sis, Jordan Sonnenblick, Maggie Stiefvater, Jennifer L. Holm and more. Click the photo above to visit the Scholastic Fall 2017 Preview containing titles for all ages!
Reviews of soon-to-be published reads by Galley Group*
Kristen from Brentwood
Seven Days of You by Cecilia Vinesse
Sophia is leaving Tokyo to move back to NJ. She's leaving the only 2 best friends, Mika and David, she's ever had. She has one week left with them and with the place she loves. Throwing a wrench into her week...Jamie, Mika's best friend is moving back from the States. He left 3 years ago, right after a big blow out with Sophia. Like so many teen books there are love triangles galore! Sophia has a crush on David. David is dating Caroline. Mika is secretly sleeping with David. And Jamie has always liked Sophia! And during the week Sophia decides she likes Jamie. So much drama! Drama! Drama! Not as good as Jennifer E. Smith but close. 3 stars
Brian from Patchogue-Medford
A List of Cages by Robin Roe
Julian is a young boy who has a slew of problems. He lives with his uncle/godfather Russell where there is definitely more to that relationship than meets the eye. After losing his parents to a car accident, he moved in with Adam, a boy slightly older and Adam's caring mother. But now Julian is in a different situation and he definitely needs a friend. Can he get the help he needs before it is too late? This was a great novel filled with a very memorable cast of characters. I enjoyed all of the side characters, in particular Emerald and Charlie and Adam's other friends as well. This book deals with a very difficult topic in a very well written manner and is a book I think I will be keeping an eye on for award lists this year. 5 stars
Love and First Sight by Josh Sundquist
We meet a young guy named Will who is blind. Will has been going to a special school, but decides to go mainstream. When he starts the school, he is treated like an invalid which is the last way he wants to be handled. He stumbled upon a table of nice kids and becomes enamored with one of them named Cecily. But when Will gets the chance to have an experimental procedure that could allow him to see, will he jump at the chance? This book was just alright for me. The writing was so so, and there were a few scenes where the characters seemed to be a bit overwritten. It was a very quick read, but not a particularly memorable one. 3 stars
The Truth of Right Now by Kara Lee Corthron
High school is not an easy time and it’s very hard for Lilith, "Lily," who has returned to school after a suicide attempt. Her former best friends are acting weird and she absolutely cannot stand her lab partner Tara. But Lily encounters Dari, an African American student who was transferred to the school, and the two loners bond. Can the budding romance survive Lily's ongoing mental struggles? This book was pretty well written with some interesting side characters. I enjoyed the switching chapters and thought that the mother was very memorable as well, as well as Dari's extremely nasty father. This was a lot like other teen romance stories, but it kept me engaged throughout. 4 stars
Jocelyn from Westhampton
You’re Welcome Universe by Whitney Gardner
At Julia’s school for the deaf her best friend is slandered on a wall. OUr artist main character decides to paint a mural over the walled abuse only to be turned in by the friend she was trying to protect. Now expelled Julia is forced to go to a public school where she will be mixed with hearing kids as well. At the public school, she discovers the upsides to being deaf. This book has normal teenage angst, thoughts about fitting in, Julia finding herself, and whether or not she is her art. This is a great book that looks inward and seeing the world not just through the noises that you typically hear in normal communication. The book has a lot of elements - pictures, sign diagrams, text conversations, depth. Easy & quick to read with wide appeal. Light on male characters. 15+. 4 stars
Catherine from Hauppauge
The Someday Birds by Sally J. Pla
An awesome book about a kid who is autistic and has two twin brothers who wreak havoc and a boy-crazy older sister. They live with their grandmother because their father is in the hospital with a head injury - he’s a war photojournalist who was injured. Charlie is a lovable character who progresses through life. It’s a road trip book! They are in California and the dad has to go to a specialist in Virginia. During the trip they discover connections between their father and his new 24 hour caretaker. Another aspect of the story is that Charlie loves birding. He and his dad had a list of “someday birds” and he’s checking off birds on the list as they travel across the country. The author weaves “bird” mentality into the story in an incredible way. Each section is a different bird that he’s about to discover. He finds a journal from his favorite birder at a store and discovers he lives near the hospital where his dad is, and is hoping to be able to return it to him in person. Well-developed characters with endearing relationships. Satisfying ending. Nothing objectionable content-wise, but young teen for concepts. 5 very shiny stars.
Jan from Longwood
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Squirrel Meets World by Shannon Hale
Set in the Marvel Universe, Doreen Green is in 9th grade and has the powers of a squirrel and a hidden squirrel tail. Her hidden tail makes her a big girl -- calls it her “badonk”. She has super strength, super hearing, a large bushy tale and tremendous agility, and of course she can talk to squirrels. She has moved to a new town, is sunny, optimistic, quirky, but has trouble making friends because of her large badonk. Doreen ends up making some great friends inc luding a classmate who is deaf and the local squirrels, including special friend Tippy Toe. When the bad guy emerges, the Micro Manager (MM), Doreen texts other Marvel heroes for help. At the climax, he kidnaps several squirrels as well as the toddler that Doreen babysits! The book is written in third person, but is footnoted throughout with 1st person snarky comments from Squirrel Girl herself. This title reads down - 5th + even though Doreen is in 9th grade. Will appeal to everyone, but especially Marvel fans. 4 stars for charm and cuteness, loses a star for being a bit overwritten and lagging in the middle.
Jessica from Center Moriches
See you in the Cosmos, Carl Sagan by Jack Cheng
This road trip book is for middle graders, but can absolutely read up. For those who are curious Carl Sagan was an astronomer who recorded sounds of life on earth on a golden disc that was sent into space on a Voyager mission. Alex, our main protagonist, is so obsessed with Carl Sagan, he names his adopted dog after him. Alex has an ipod that he’s spray painted gold that he talks into all the time recording the daily happenings in his life. He wants to send it into space like Carl Sagan did. Each chapter of the book gives you the dialogue, written out like a script, that is being recorded on his ipod. Alex is extremely likable, and mostly very mature (cooks for his mom, who is detached, dad is MIA, older brother lives away) with charming, immature qualities as well. Alex decides to go on a journey with his dog and his rocket to get on the train and get to the camp to get to the competition where he can send his iPod into space. WARNING: his dog goes missing on the trip, there are mysterious siblings, strangers on the trip, and mom has severe mental health issues that send her to the hospital. This book has both chuckle-out-loud worthy and heart-wrenching moments. A great quick read. 5 stars!
Khan from Port Jefferson
Perijee and Me by Ross Montgomery
Ten-year-old Caitlin, is dyslexic and is hiding it from her parents. While attending school she finds a little white blob on the island they live on. She names the little alien Perijee. Perijee is a combo between ET, Gremlins, and Godzilla.She feeds him and he starts growing. She brings him home and he starts destroying the house. Dad eventually calls the army who knocks down the house to try and get him, but he’s already huge and angry/scared. After beign taken to a special army camp for safety Caitlin knows that she is the only one who can stop Perijee from destroying their home. As she makes her way off the camp she meets allies and groups of people who want Perijee to be their god. Caitlin must figure out where Perijee is from and how to return him to not only his normal state, but also his home. 5th-8th grade that reads on a higher level due to astronomy talk. 4.5 stars
Optimists Die First by Susan Nielsen
Petula is both obsessed and afraid of death. While meeting with her school guidance counselor she says that she has done some research and it turns out that optimists die ten years earlier than pessimists. Hearing this her guidance counselor makes her join an art therapy group. She meets a group of kids who are all dealing with their own problems. We also discover more about Petula’s past and how her baby sister died when she was younger. Throughout the book the group of kids work together to help each other deal with their tragic pasts. 5 stars
*Galley Group is a group of young adult librarians that meet about every 6-8 weeks to discuss ARCs, or galleys, they have read in the interim. They discuss plot, age group, writing, audience, opinion, etc. The group was made to help with collection development and reader's advisory for our teen patrons. If you would like more information about Galley Group contact Derek!
Yesterday, Wednesday, January 11th, the 2017 Mock Printz Workshop was held at the South Huntington Public Library. Over fifty librarians from both Nassau and Suffolk County came together to form one Long Island in the name of Young Adult Literary Excellence! The day began with a review of the purpose and criteria of the Michael L. Printz Award, and was then followed by incredible thoughtful introductions of the eight titles pictured above by librarians from both counties. They were as follows:
The Inquisitor’s Tale by Adam Gidwitz introduced by Jan from Longwood
The Lie Tree Frances Hardinge introduced by Donna from Nassau BOCES
March: Book 3 by John Lewis introduced by Laura from Garden City
Burn Baby Burn by Meg Medina introduced by Natalie from Farmingdale
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys introduced by Janice from Manhasset
Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley introduced by Derek from SCLS
The Sun is Also a Star by Nicole Yoon introduced by Caitlin Sempowich from Cold Spring Harbor
The Serpent King Jeff Zentner introduced by Brian Schwartz from Patchogue-Medford
After the introductions were made two groups were formed for an hour and a half of discussions of the books and whether or not they were Printz worthy. These groups were courageously led by James from Huntington, Christine from Hampton Bays, and Sharon, Meghan, and Pam from Syosset.
Following the discussions voting commenced and the winner was announced!
The 2017 Mock Printz winner is...
along with our winner three honor books were named:
Thank you to everyone who participated in yesterday's workshop especially Jen and the staff at South Huntington for hosting us, all the librarians who introduced titles, and of course our discussion leaders. Be sure to tune into the live stream of the Youth Media Awards Monday, January 23rd at 8AM to see who the real winners will be. You can go here for more information on the broadcast: http://www.ilovelibraries.org/booklovers/youth-media-awards.
Reviews of soon-to-be published reads by Galley Group*
Brian from Patchogue-Medford
10 Things I Can See From Here by Carrie Mac
Maeve is a bundle of nerves. She suffers from severe anxiety and always seems to imagine the worst possible situation. When she is forced to live with her father for the summer and his new wife, she immediately becomes upset. Her father is dealing with an alcohol issue, her stepmother wants to have her birth take place in her living room, and Maeve is dealing with her lesbianism. The character of Maeve is a very well written one with a lot of irrational thinking. As someone who has anxiety, I was able to relate to her completely and see how the mind can just start to race and think thoughts that one just shouldn't be thinking. Maeve does deal with a bevy of problems including death and feeling disconnected from her family. Overall, this was a good read that faltered a bit in the last third, hence the 3 star rating. 3 stars
Girl Mans Up by M-E Girard
In this teen novel, we meet the unforgettable Pen, a girl who looks like a boy. Pen lives with her parents who are very strict Portuguese immigrants. Her mother in particular is extremely spicy and doesn't like the fact that Pen isn't very feminine. Pen's brother Eddie gets in trouble, but she really looks up to him. Pen also hangs out with Colby, a real womanizer who spends his time looking for his next pursuit. When Colby sets his eyes on Blake, Pen doesn't want to help because she has a crush on her too. Will this romance really last? And will Colby, who is becoming more and more dark end up causing trouble for Pen? The plot of this book was somewhat predictable, but I truly felt invested in Pen and her storyline. She has an extremely strong voice and I really felt for her and her situation. This is a great addition in the LGBT lineup of teen lit. 4 stars
Life in a Fishbowl by Len Vlahos
In this novel, Jared, an adult has discovered he has a brain tumor. He's hesitant to tell his wife, Deirdre, or his two daughters Jackie and Megan. He realizes he only has a short time to live. So he decides to auction whatever life he has left off to the highest bidder on Ebay to do what he will. What follows are a slew of minor characters who the author attempts to integrate into the plot; a bored billionaire, a nun, a gamer, a TV producer. They all factor into the plot eventually but this was the part of the book I liked the least. The author also chose to personify the brain tumor, which was an interesting choice, but I felt like it was a bit too hokey. I think I would have enjoyed this novel a lot more if the book had only been told from the one perspective of the oldest teen daughter instead of jumping around. Overall, I enjoyed this but was a bit bored by it at times, despite the emotional punch it attempted to pack. 3 stars
Jan from Longwood
The Infernal Guard Book 1: Emergence by S.G.H. Singh
What this does is pull Indian mythology into a story with tropes along the lines of Percy Jackson and Harry Potter. It is a fantasy fully rooted in that culture. Our main character, Asha, lives with her grandparents in Miami. She is approached by a stranger who then tells her that she must go to India to fight an evil force. Although the story isn't brand new it is written in colloquial language that teens can relate to. This is great exposure to a different culture where they may not be a lot of representation in current YA lit. 3 stars
Darla from SCLS
Train I Ride by Paul Mosier
This is a fast but impactful middle grade/tween crossover novel. It tells the story of Rydr, a young girl whose already tenuous world is crumbling around her. Her mother died under circumstances that are mysterious to the reader when Rydr was younger, and she was sent to live with her Californian grandmother, who gave her the bare minimum in terms of love and care. Now she’s dead, too, and Rydr is being sent to live with an unknown great uncle in Chicago. As he’s her last surviving relative, if it doesn’t work out with him, she’s headed for the foster care system. Rydr’s anxiety is painfully real as readers follow her on to the train that will bring her to the great unknown of her future. Rydr finds unexpected family amongst the passengers on the train, and as she learns more about them she begins to understand the pain that lies within her as well. This unexpectedly touching hero’s journey is perfect for readers looking for a quick but poignant realistic fiction read.
5 stars
Catherine from Hauppauge
History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera
The newest emotional read from Silvera is written in alternating chapters between now and back then: TODAY and HISTORY. It is a perfect way to tell this story. The reader sees an event and you then learn about how it came to be. Griffin, Theo, and Wade are best friends. Griffin and Theo come out to each other and start a relationship and Wade worries that he will be the third wheel. Theo moves to California and their relationship ends there especially when he meets someone else. While on the west coast Theo dies and so starts Griffin’s journey through grief.
4.9 stars (minus .1 for no tears)
*Galley Group is a group of young adult librarians that meet about every 6-8 weeks to discuss ARCs, or galleys, they have read in the interim. They discuss plot, age group, writing, audience, opinion, etc. The group was made to help with collection development and reader's advisory for our teen patrons. If you would like more information about Galley Group contact Derek!
On Thursday, December 1st YASD held their Annual Luncheon with guest speaker Nova Ren Suma. Nova is the YA author of 17 and Gone and The Walls Around Us among other well reviewed titles. She shared the adoration she has for librarians and the importance of our work. She professed that within the title The Walls Around Us there is a hidden love letter to librarians. One of the main characters, who is in a juvenile detention center, has a book cart she holds dear to her heart. These books are her window to the outside world and give her hope for the future. Nova ended her inspiring speech with a list of new books on her book cart that she feels are critical to the future. Here are the titles she shared!
1. 2. 3.
4. 5. 6.
1. Here We Are: 44 Voices Write, Draw, and Speak Feminism for the Real World edited by Kelly Jensen
Former librarian Kelly Jensen edits this collection of essays, stories, comics, and more that introduce the reader to what it means to be a feminist. Nova Ren Suma is in there!
2. The Gauntlet by Karuna Riazi
College student Karuna Riazi writes the first release from Simon & Schuster's Salaam Reads imprint. Farah and her friends get sucked into a board game where they must solve puzzles to save her younger brother who is held captive inside.
3. The Education of Margot Sanchez by Lilliam Rivera
After being punished by her parents, Margo must figure out a way to get her social stock back on the rise instead of being tarnished as she works off her bad deed in a Bronx deli.
4. When the Moon Was Hours by Anna Marie McLemore
In this tale of magical realism the love between Miel and transgender Sam blossoms much like the gorgeous roses on Miel's wrists. As their love blooms the four Bonner girls, the sly red haired sisters in town, believe the roses are the key to solving their romance woes, and are willing to do whatever it takes to get them.
5. American Street by Ibi Zoboi
Fabiola has just emigrated to America and as she and her mother make their way through customs her mom is detained. Now she must navigate relationships with her extended family and the streets of Detroit by herself. All seems well until a Vodou spirit appears to throw her off course.
6. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Pulled right out of today's headlines this debut novel follows 16-year-old Starr after she is the only witness to the fatal shooting of her friend by a cop.
As the 2016 Fall Literature Conference nears (If you haven't registered yet there are still a few days for Early Bird prices: www.clascinc.org) I couldn't help but think about the last time Suffolk hosted the event! In planning out discussion group theme my co-leader, Linda Meglio from Harborfields, and myself landed on the theme of YA Fairy Tale Re-tellings. In this moment of memories I decided to see what was on the slate for 2016 in the twists on classic tales department. Here are a few that I found enchanting:
1. 2.
3. 4.
1. As I Descended by Robin Talley
In this re-telling of Macbeth teens at a boarding school in the south vie to be the one to win the scholarship for their dream college. When girlfriends Maria and Lily start calling on spirits for help things turn gruesome as they descend into madness.
2. Shame the Stars by Guadalupe Garcia McCall
Pura Belpre Award winner Guadalupe Garcia McCall takes another Shakespearean tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, and places it in 1915 during a highly contentious time on the Texas-Mexican border. 3. Beast by Brie Spangler This modern twist on Beauty and the Beast has two teens healing in a rehab facility. One is hairy and angry - the other fair and beautiful. As the begin to mend there are more secrets to be uncovered that can unravel their fairy tale. 4. A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro While not a straightforward re-telling this book brings together descendants of Sherlock Holmes and James Watson who share many of their predecessors attributes. When classmates at their Connecticut boarding school start turning up dead it is up to Charlotte Holmes and Jamie Watson to use their sleuthing skills to solve the case.
Hollywood continues taking some of our patrons most beloved titles and is giving them the cinematic makeover. Here are four more books that are now movies!
Maximum Ride by James Patterson
Released August 30th
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
Hitting theaters on October 7th
Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life by James Patterson
Hitting theaters on October 7th
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling
So here's what happened: Derek and Darla, bitten by the Stranger Things bug, have been merrily preparing this list for several days for the nerdy, bookish enjoyment of it. We were going to post it tomorrow. Then this morning the biggest news ever drops: Stranger Things is coming back for season two NEXT YEAR!!! AHH!!! We lost our darned minds. We put this post into overdrive to get it to you sooner. Because this is exciting, people!! And you need some creepy pop-culture goodness to carry you through to the as yet unannounced air date of season two.
To set the mood, get this going in the background:
There we go, that's perfect. And now for your obligatory
Proceed at your own risk, o ye viewers who are only two or three episodes in!
Young Adult
One of the best things about Stranger Things is that no one group is most powerful. While Eleven does indeed have amazing powers and the younger kids benefit from that, both the adults and teenagers in the show have a big part of the evil-fighting plot as well. As if battling raging hormones and high school social pressures isn't hard enough, add disappearing little brothers and best friends to the list (sorry Barb!). This list is for our YA readers and is dedicated to Nancy and Jonathan.
Let's start with the 2016 Michael L. Printz award winning Bone Gap by Laura Ruby. This title lives solidly in magical realism. It shares many of the elements of Stranger Things: a small town, other dimensions, and disappearing friends. Add some whispering corn and you are all set. Considered to be highly literary, Bone Gap borrows elements from several different mythologies and is one creepy and world-defying tale. Mind the gaps in this town where people vanish.
Next, let's visit the first in a series, I am Number Four. Here we meet Four, the fourth in line out of nine interstellar teenage warriors who were sent to Earth from the planet Lorien to hide from their enemies. The Mogadores have come to our planet to hunt down and kill the final members of the Loric race. The catch is, the members of the group have to be killed in the order that they are numbered. The book starts off with number three being tracked down and ultimately murdered... enter the one and only number four, aka John Smith, who is next on the list. The story goes from there. There is an amazing fight scene at the end of the book that takes place at the school - cut to Stranger Things, where there is a showdown at the school against some bad men, and of course the one and only Demogorgon. Not to mention the amazing Six, who has insane powers and kicks butt like the one and only Eleven.
Do you want more kids with more powers? You got it! Up next is the successful Marvel series The Runaways. In this graphic novel we meet a group of kids who are incredibly different and are forced to hang out when there parents have secret meetings in the basement of each other's homes. At one of these forced get-togethers, the teens decide to eavesdrop on their parents - only to find out that the adults are part of an evil organization. The kids band together with their own super powers to fight against their parentals! Part of the charm of the series is how different all of the characters are. Race, body type, sex, it really represents everything. Those that are fans of Barb will definitely feel akin to Gert. Gert is the sort-of Barb of the series, but with purple hair, a tad more cynicism, and a dinosaur companion.
Let's continue with teens in our regular world meeting odd monsters! It cannot be helped but to say that the younger cast of Stranger Things is incredibly charming. Those goofy kids are so lovable, even when they are breaking the law or just breaking into the school cafeteria fridge for some chocolate pudding. If you want another charming cast of characters, look no further than Lumberjanes. This graphic novel series follows a group of five campers who seem to keep stumbling upon weirder and weirder creatures as time goes on. The characters have both humor and heart, much like our Stranger Things character list.
Now what about all of the Nancys and the Jonathans out there? Just two normal teenagers who live in a world where insane things seem to happen. They have no special powers, but have to find a way to survive and deal with everything going on in their town. If you feel this way about our crazy world or just enjoyed those characters in Stranger Things, you have to read The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness! Mikey is just a regular teenager in a world where things blow up and deer come back to life with glowing eyes. There are those teenagers who are chosen, who have powers, who must save the world from destruction - and then there is Mikey, who is trying to deal with having a crush and his ever complicated friendship with his best friend. Not to mention a mother who is running for office and a father who locks himself away in his home office. While the town is literally exploding around him, Mikey just lives there. This book is funny, touching, and has a bit of mystery too.
Closing out our YA list is the Twin Peaks-like Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies by Lindsay Ribar. Aspen Quick’s family has an unusual talent and burden. They can reach into other people and take things. Maybe it’s something small like a mole or a worry; maybe it’s something big like the enjoyment of boating or love for someone. They can do this whenever they want, but it’s for a purpose: his family has been tasked with the mission of keeping a cliff from collapsing upon the town of Three Peaks. They use the things they “take” to patch up faultlines in the cliff. Of course, not all is as it seems, and not everyone is playing by the rules. Aspen fights the power structures (both supernatural and otherwise) propping up his life as well as his own inner demons, just like Jonathan and Nancy. They’d probably make a great team of three!
Adult
What's this? Grown-up nonsense?!?!
We know, we know. This blog is about YA and kidlit. But sometimes you want to read a book for grown ups, darnit! We chose some books that we think capture the overall uncanny ambiance and generally weird nature of the show, whether it's right side-up or Upside-Down.
For a reading experience that delivers an uncanny punch to the temple, it's hard to beat David Mitchell. Several of his books could find a strong footing here, but The Bone Clocks might be the best fit, not least because it spends a solid chunk of the early book in the 80's with some runaway teens. This book lives in the same universe as Mitchell's previous and subsequent books, but like all of them, stands alone just fine. Bone Clocks can be loosely described as a series of sequential novellas following transcendental beings living their lives as humans, starting in the recent past and ending in a dystopian future. WEIRD. But good!
So you know how we LITERALLY JUST SAID it's hard to beat David Mitchell for uncaniness? Of course we're going to top it immediately after! House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski is one spooky trip of a book, a story in a story (in a story?) about people exploring a house where the inside is bigger than the outside. This book has all you need to follow up Stranger Things, particularly:
a maze-like deep basement horror zone with an unseen monster stalking the people trying to explore it. Need we say more?
We do?!
Fine. Sometimes you have to read the book backwards and upside down. OK??
Speaking of the Upside-Down, one of the coolest things about it, for us, was the creepy, overgrown, fetid feeling of it. Did you like that too? Then you'll love Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer. After eleven failed and survivor-less expeditions, a fresh team of scientists is being sent to discover the secrets of Area X, an overgrown, verdant, abandoned area where something unnatural is happening - but just what it is no one can tell. The book you're reading is actually the journal of the Biologist, one of the members of this twelfth expedition, and the first-hand account is as creepy and uncanny as you could want. This is the first book in a trilogy, and a movie adaptation is coming soon!
Looking for that underground exploration otherwordly ambiance, but with less horror and more fantasy? By golly is Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman the book for you! Neverwhere follows the adventures of everyday guy Richard Mayhew (who makes us think of Arthur Dent), whose life is turned upside down when he breaks his monotonous routine to help a strange girl named Door. Soon he finds himself on adventure through the streets of London Below, a fantastical city that exists entirely under Real London. No Demogorgons here, but plenty of mystery and intrigue abound!
Not only does The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss have a cool underground world (The Underthing, the sub-basement of The University, the magical school in the world of Rothfuss’ Kingkiller Chronicles), it also makes the list because Auri reminds us so much of Eleven - not in a directly analogous way, but in that they're totally kindred spirits. Auri is a girl living at the very fringe of society, existing in and around but not with people. Readers meet her through Kvothe in Rothfuss’ two doorstopper fantasy novels, but in Slow Regard we get a story from her perspective and a true understanding of her unique and contemplative worldview. You know that if Eleven ever found her way into the Underthing, she and Auri would basically adopt each other. Kvothe could bring apples and waffles whenever he visits them. Qualifier: you should probably read The Name of the Wind before you read this book.
Of course we couldn't have a Stranger Things booklist without mentioning the king of adult horror, Stephen King. While mulling over this choice, Carrie seemed like the way to go: teenage girl with telekentic powers, but with regards to prom, pig's blood, and a psycho mother (Joyce Byers is not a psycho!!!) we decided it didn't quite fit the bill. Thinking of other worldly beings that prey on children followed by a group of outcasts that come together to fight said being landed us on the bone chilling, clown creeping IT. If you weren't afraid of clowns already, you will be now. IT follows a group of six kids into their adult lives who are being tormented by a monster who disguises itself as a clown that is eating children in their small Maine town. Once thought defeated when they were kids, It returns. The group comes together as adults to literally fight their childhood demons. Stephen King captures their youth and how it shaped their adult lives perfecting while simultaneously scaring the pants off the reader. The six hour mini-series that was released in the 90's gave one particular blogger nightmares for about five years after. A new movie version is said to be in production now.
Middlegrade
For a show that stars a passel of tweens and is PG-13 enough that you know plenty of adventurous kids are watching it, you'll need some recommendations on hand for that most awesome of reference interviews: "Well, I liked Stranger Things..." And let's not forget the adults who like to read kids books. (That's all of us here, right? Thought so.)
OH TWEENS <3
If you're looking for a kid's book to fuel your Stranger Things obsession, then your favorite part of the show was probably...the kids! These first three books feature teams of determined youngsters taking the fate of the world on their still-developing shoulders.
If you think there's nothing so satisfying as a group of underdog nerdy kids taking on The Man and unearthing a conspiracy, you should read What We Found in the Sofa and How it Changed the World by Henry Clark. Unlikely friends River, Freak and Fiona work together to connect the dots between a supernatural couch, a creepy old mansion, strange behavior on the part of the townspeople, and the mysterious chemical plant in the middle of a burning wasteland on the edge of town. Check, check and check.
Maybe you're looking for more action and hijinks? If so, then the delightfully illustrated The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier might be for you! Follow Jack and his team of wiley companions as they attempt survival in the wake of a monster apocalypse, battling (and befriending) the zany monsters as they go. No demogorgons, but much monstery goodness!
While the first two books capture the kooky, fun elements of being a kid in a group on a mission, beloved classic A Wrinkle in Time will put you back in that suspenseful mood where everything that's happening is so sci-fi amazing that you barely know what to expect. Meg Murray’s father has been missing for years, and hope of his return has all but evaporated. Then on one dark and stormy night, after a visit from their unusual neighbor Mrs. Whatsit, a series of events are set in motion that will send Meg, her brother Charles and their friend Calvin on adventure across the universe and through space-time to try and rescue her father. And Charles Wallace definitely reminds us of Eleven, right? Speaking of Eleven…
How about some brave girl stories? No one is braver than Eleven. She smashes our hearts into itty bitty pieces every time we think of her. Just gonna leave these here in case she's hungry.
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of her Own Making by Cat Valente falls solidly within the fantasy category, but protagonist September puts us in mind of El with her sheer tenacity on the face of a world she's never experienced. Like Eleven, September is a modern-day Alice set in the past, as her story takes place during World War II. She also explores an alternate universe, called Fairyland, that is decidedly more friendly than the Upside-Down. There she meets many magical beings (best: a Wyverary, the child of a wyvern and a library) and embarks upon a quest to upend the unjust power structure atop which sits the evil Marquess.
But if that creepy element is really what you need, then it's Coraline by Neil Gaiman you've got to read. Coraline discovers an uncanny alternate universe that looks just like hers but wrong behind a bricked-up wall in her new home. And while she talks and walks and looks like a human, the Other Mother, the version of Coraline’s mother who exists behind the door, is the Demogorgon of this story. We’re not sure which one of them we'd like to meet less, to be honest. Coraline must employ all of her wits to set her world back to rights, and has all of the spunk and tenacity a girl looking for her next fantasy role model could want
YOUNG BARB, AMIRITE?
Last but not least, you can't have this list exist without Goosebumps by R.L. Stine. Almost any book in this series would be perfect for a kid who wants a creepy story (though Darla would totally pick Beast from the East). All feature intrepid young protagonists battling the supernatural in one form or another, whether it’s ghosts, mad scientists, crazy plant monsters, possessed scarecrows, haunted theme parks, zombies...OK, what kind of monster did Goosebumps *not* feature would be the better question to ask. No Demogorgons, I guess. But close enough! Our years of reading Goosebumps might be why we liked Stranger Things so much, actually... (Derek still has his copies of Goosebumps safely stored in the basement at home... oh and by the way, Don't Go Into the Basement!)
And that's it! We hope you found something on this list that you'll dig in to. Here's to season 2 inspiring a whole new round of good reads! Let's close things out with that trailer:
Sophia is leaving Tokyo to move back to NJ. She's leaving the only 2 best friends, Mika and David, she's ever had. She has one week left with them and with the place she loves. Throwing a wrench into her week...Jamie, Mika's best friend is moving back from the States. He left 3 years ago, right after a big blow out with Sophia. Like so many teen books there are love triangles galore! Sophia has a crush on David. David is dating Caroline. Mika is secretly sleeping with David. And Jamie has always liked Sophia! And during the week Sophia decides she likes Jamie. So much drama! Drama! Drama! Not as good as Jennifer E. Smith but close. 3 stars
Julian is a young boy who has a slew of problems. He lives with his uncle/godfather Russell where there is definitely more to that relationship than meets the eye. After losing his parents to a car accident, he moved in with Adam, a boy slightly older and Adam's caring mother. But now Julian is in a different situation and he definitely needs a friend. Can he get the help he needs before it is too late? This was a great novel filled with a very memorable cast of characters. I enjoyed all of the side characters, in particular Emerald and Charlie and Adam's other friends as well. This book deals with a very difficult topic in a very well written manner and is a book I think I will be keeping an eye on for award lists this year. 5 stars
We meet a young guy named Will who is blind. Will has been going to a special school, but decides to go mainstream. When he starts the school, he is treated like an invalid which is the last way he wants to be handled. He stumbled upon a table of nice kids and becomes enamored with one of them named Cecily. But when Will gets the chance to have an experimental procedure that could allow him to see, will he jump at the chance? This book was just alright for me. The writing was so so, and there were a few scenes where the characters seemed to be a bit overwritten. It was a very quick read, but not a particularly memorable one. 3 stars
High school is not an easy time and it’s very hard for Lilith, "Lily," who has returned to school after a suicide attempt. Her former best friends are acting weird and she absolutely cannot stand her lab partner Tara. But Lily encounters Dari, an African American student who was transferred to the school, and the two loners bond. Can the budding romance survive Lily's ongoing mental struggles? This book was pretty well written with some interesting side characters. I enjoyed the switching chapters and thought that the mother was very memorable as well, as well as Dari's extremely nasty father. This was a lot like other teen romance stories, but it kept me engaged throughout. 4 stars
Set in the Marvel Universe, Doreen Green is in 9th grade and has the powers of a squirrel and a hidden squirrel tail. Her hidden tail makes her a big girl -- calls it her “badonk”. She has super strength, super hearing, a large bushy tale and tremendous agility, and of course she can talk to squirrels. She has moved to a new town, is sunny, optimistic, quirky, but has trouble making friends because of her large badonk. Doreen ends up making some great friends inc luding a classmate who is deaf and the local squirrels, including special friend Tippy Toe. When the bad guy emerges, the Micro Manager (MM), Doreen texts other Marvel heroes for help. At the climax, he kidnaps several squirrels as well as the toddler that Doreen babysits! The book is written in third person, but is footnoted throughout with 1st person snarky comments from Squirrel Girl herself. This title reads down - 5th + even though Doreen is in 9th grade. Will appeal to everyone, but especially Marvel fans. 4 stars for charm and cuteness, loses a star for being a bit overwritten and lagging in the middle.
Ten-year-old Caitlin, is dyslexic and is hiding it from her parents. While attending school she finds a little white blob on the island they live on. She names the little alien Perijee. Perijee is a combo between ET, Gremlins, and Godzilla.She feeds him and he starts growing. She brings him home and he starts destroying the house. Dad eventually calls the army who knocks down the house to try and get him, but he’s already huge and angry/scared. After beign taken to a special army camp for safety Caitlin knows that she is the only one who can stop Perijee from destroying their home. As she makes her way off the camp she meets allies and groups of people who want Perijee to be their god. Caitlin must figure out where Perijee is from and how to return him to not only his normal state, but also his home. 5th-8th grade that reads on a higher level due to astronomy talk. 4.5 stars
Maeve is a bundle of nerves. She suffers from severe anxiety and always seems to imagine the worst possible situation. When she is forced to live with her father for the summer and his new wife, she immediately becomes upset. Her father is dealing with an alcohol issue, her stepmother wants to have her birth take place in her living room, and Maeve is dealing with her lesbianism. The character of Maeve is a very well written one with a lot of irrational thinking. As someone who has anxiety, I was able to relate to her completely and see how the mind can just start to race and think thoughts that one just shouldn't be thinking. Maeve does deal with a bevy of problems including death and feeling disconnected from her family. Overall, this was a good read that faltered a bit in the last third, hence the 3 star rating.
In this teen novel, we meet the unforgettable Pen, a girl who looks like a boy. Pen lives with her parents who are very strict Portuguese immigrants. Her mother in particular is extremely spicy and doesn't like the fact that Pen isn't very feminine. Pen's brother Eddie gets in trouble, but she really looks up to him. Pen also hangs out with Colby, a real womanizer who spends his time looking for his next pursuit. When Colby sets his eyes on Blake, Pen doesn't want to help because she has a crush on her too. Will this romance really last? And will Colby, who is becoming more and more dark end up causing trouble for Pen? The plot of this book was somewhat predictable, but I truly felt invested in Pen and her storyline. She has an extremely strong voice and I really felt for her and her situation. This is a great addition in the LGBT lineup of teen lit.
In this novel, Jared, an adult has discovered he has a brain tumor. He's hesitant to tell his wife, Deirdre, or his two daughters Jackie and Megan. He realizes he only has a short time to live. So he decides to auction whatever life he has left off to the highest bidder on Ebay to do what he will. What follows are a slew of minor characters who the author attempts to integrate into the plot; a bored billionaire, a nun, a gamer, a TV producer. They all factor into the plot eventually but this was the part of the book I liked the least. The author also chose to personify the brain tumor, which was an interesting choice, but I felt like it was a bit too hokey. I think I would have enjoyed this novel a lot more if the book had only been told from the one perspective of the oldest teen daughter instead of jumping around. Overall, I enjoyed this but was a bit bored by it at times, despite the emotional punch it attempted to pack. 
What this does is pull Indian mythology into a story with tropes along the lines of Percy Jackson and Harry Potter. It is a fantasy fully rooted in that culture. Our main character, Asha, lives with her grandparents in Miami. She is approached by a stranger who then tells her that she must go to India to fight an evil force. Although the story isn't brand new it is written in colloquial language that teens can relate to. This is great exposure to a different culture where they may not be a lot of representation in current YA lit.
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Next, let's visit the first in a series, I am Number Four. Here we meet Four, the fourth in line out of nine interstellar teenage warriors who were sent to Earth from the planet Lorien to hide from their enemies. The Mogadores have come to our planet to hunt down and kill the final members of the Loric race. The catch is, the members of the group have to be killed in the order that they are numbered. The book starts off with number three being tracked down and ultimately murdered... enter the one and only number four, aka John Smith, who is next on the list. The story goes from there. There is an amazing fight scene at the end of the book that takes place at the school - cut to Stranger Things, where there is a showdown at the school against some bad men, and of course the one and only Demogorgon. Not to mention the amazing Six, who has insane powers and kicks butt like the one and only Eleven.
Do you want more kids with more powers? You got it! Up next is the successful Marvel series The Runaways. In this graphic novel we meet a group of kids who are incredibly different and are forced to hang out when there parents have secret meetings in the basement of each other's homes. At one of these forced get-togethers, the teens decide to eavesdrop on their parents - only to find out that the adults are part of an evil organization. The kids band together with their own super powers to fight against their parentals! Part of the charm of the series is how different all of the characters are. Race, body type, sex, it really represents everything. Those that are fans of Barb will definitely feel akin to Gert. Gert is the sort-of Barb of the series, but with purple hair, a tad more cynicism, and a dinosaur companion.
Now what about all of the Nancys and the Jonathans out there? Just two normal teenagers who live in a world where insane things seem to happen. They have no special powers, but have to find a way to survive and deal with everything going on in their town. If you feel this way about our crazy world or just enjoyed those characters in Stranger Things, you have to read The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness! Mikey is just a regular teenager in a world where things blow up and deer come back to life with glowing eyes. There are those teenagers who are chosen, who have powers, who must save the world from destruction - and then there is Mikey, who is trying to deal with having a crush and his ever complicated friendship with his best friend. Not to mention a mother who is running for office and a father who locks himself away in his home office. While the town is literally exploding around him, Mikey just lives there. This book is funny, touching, and has a bit of mystery too.
Closing out our YA list is the Twin Peaks-like Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies by Lindsay Ribar. Aspen Quick’s family has an unusual talent and burden. They can reach into other people and take things. Maybe it’s something small like a mole or a worry; maybe it’s something big like the enjoyment of boating or love for someone. They can do this whenever they want, but it’s for a purpose: his family has been tasked with the mission of keeping a cliff from collapsing upon the town of Three Peaks. They use the things they “take” to patch up faultlines in the cliff. Of course, not all is as it seems, and not everyone is playing by the rules. Aspen fights the power structures (both supernatural and otherwise) propping up his life as well as his own inner demons, just like Jonathan and Nancy. They’d probably make a great team of three!
Speaking of the Upside-Down, one of the coolest things about it, for us, was the creepy, overgrown, fetid feeling of it. Did you like that too? Then you'll love Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer. After eleven failed and survivor-less expeditions, a fresh team of scientists is being sent to discover the secrets of Area X, an overgrown, verdant, abandoned area where something unnatural is happening - but just what it is no one can tell. The book you're reading is actually the journal of the Biologist, one of the members of this twelfth expedition, and the first-hand account is as creepy and uncanny as you could want. This is the first book in a trilogy, and a movie adaptation is coming soon!
Of course we couldn't have a Stranger Things booklist without mentioning the king of adult horror, Stephen King. While mulling over this choice, Carrie seemed like the way to go: teenage girl with telekentic powers, but with regards to prom, pig's blood, and a psycho mother (Joyce Byers is not a psycho!!!) we decided it didn't quite fit the bill. Thinking of other worldly beings that prey on children followed by a group of outcasts that come together to fight said being landed us on the bone chilling, clown creeping IT. If you weren't afraid of clowns already, you will be now. IT follows a group of six kids into their adult lives who are being tormented by a monster who disguises itself as a clown that is eating children in their small Maine town. Once thought defeated when they were kids, It returns. The group comes together as adults to literally fight their childhood demons. Stephen King captures their youth and how it shaped their adult lives perfecting while simultaneously scaring the pants off the reader. The six hour mini-series that was released in the 90's gave one particular blogger nightmares for about five years after. A new movie version is said to be in production now. 
