September 2008 The Loud Silence of Francine Green
by Karen Cushman Quiet, obedient, unassuming—that’s Francine Green. An eight-grader in 1949 Los Angeles, Francine is frightened by the government’s campaign against communism. When a friendship with an opinionated and outspoken girl leads to confusing thoughts, Francine must ask herself if she is willing to speak up for what is right.
October 2008 Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
by Mark Haddon Christopher Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals, but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. And he detests the color yellow. This is the captivating and improbable story of Christopher’s quest to investigate the suspicious death of a neighborhood dog.
November 2008 Troy
by Adèle Geras The siege of Troy has lasted almost ten years. From the heights of Mount Olympus, the Gods keep watch. But Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, is bored with the endless, dreary war. Aided by Eros's bow, the goddess sends two sisters down a bloody path to an awful truth: In the fury of war, love strikes the deadliest blows.
December 2008 and January 2009 Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson Since the beginning of the school year, high school freshman Melinda has found that it's been getting harder and harder for her to speak out loud. What could have caused Melinda to suddenly fall mute? Is it because no one at school is speaking to her because she called the cops and got everyone busted at the big end-of-summer party? Only Melinda knows the real reason why she's been struck mute.
February 2009 Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin If Naomi had picked tails, she would have won the coin toss. She wouldn’t have had to go back for the yearbook camera, and she wouldn’t have hit her head on the steps. She wouldn’t have woken up in an ambulance with amnesia. She certainly would have remembered her boyfriend, Ace. She never would have met James, the boy with the questionable past and the even fuzzier future, who tells her he once wanted to kiss her. She wouldn’t have wanted to kiss him back. But Naomi picked heads.
March 2009 Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt When Lord Death comes to claim sixteen-year-old Keturah after she becomes hopelessly lost in the King's Forest, she charms him with a story and is granted a twenty-four hour reprieve in which to seek her one true love. But as she weaves her tale, Keturah is surprised to discover that Death is a strong, handsome lord to whom she immediately feels connected. Has her true love been beside her all along?
April 2009 Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande Everyone hates her—all because she did the right thing. Welcome to life for Mena, whose year is starting off in the worst way possible. She's been kicked out of her church group and no one will talk to her. When her teacher begins the unit on evolution, school becomes more dramatic than Mena could ever imagine... and her own life is about to evolve in some amazing and unexpected ways.
May 2009 The Book Thief by Markus Zusak Set during World War II in Germany, this is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.
