Our teen book spotlight this week is focused on books that are written by authors living right here in the state of Virginia!! We are incredibly fortunate that we have some amazing and talented authors living in our state; some even live right where we live! Our spotlight today is filled with names you may have heard of before and some you may have not, but you will now. We have an amazing selection from historical titles to dystopian and humor; our state’s authors literally have something for everyone so we encourage you to check out one today! These books and more can be found by searching the catalog using the search tag #virginiachildrensauthor as well as on Libby and Hoopla. Check back next week for a new teen book spotlight and if you have any book suggestions, please let us know!!
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater--Blue Sargent's mother is a clairvoyant who can speak to the dead on St. Mark's Eve. On this night, Blue and her mother go to the church graveyard, and Blue stands by as the dead-invisible to Blue-stroll past. But this year is different. This time Blue sees someone, a boy from the nearby Aglionby Academy. The problem is that this boy isn't invisible, which means only one thing-either the boy is someone Blue has killed, or he is her true love.
The Selection by Kiera Cass--Thirty-five girls are part of the Selection, when the royalty takes suitors for their son, Prince Maxon. These girls will be treated to balls, gowns, jewels--the life of luxury--in order to win the Prince's favor. For America Singer, however, the Selection offers only anxiety. She loves Aspen, even though he is a caste below her. Then, America meets Prince Maxon, and all her plans are ruined.
Under a War Torn Sky by L.M. Elliott--After his plane is shot down by Hitler's Luftwaffe, nineteen-year-old Henry Forester of Richmond, Virginia, strives to walk across occupied France, with the help of the French Resistance, in hopes of rejoining his unit.
The Finisher by David Baldacci--Teenager Vega Jane has, like the other Wugs, always lived inside the depressing walls of Wormwood. She has a meager job at the Stacks, where she and her mentor, Quentin Herms, put finishing touches on works of beauty. One morning Vega sees her mentor running into the Quag, a place that the Wormwood elders say is impossible to survive. The elders try to tell her Quentin left on his own, but Vega knows he was chased—but by who? And why? Now a trail of clues through the Quag is the only thing between Vega and the answers she needs.
The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had by Kristin Levine--Twelve-year-old Harry “Dit” Sims is pretty disappointed when he discovers the new postmaster in town has a daughter his age and not a son. Dit was hoping to have someone he could play ball with outside, but instead thinks he got “the worse piece of bad luck” (KIRK) because he got a “colored” girl named Emma instead. Emma eventually surprises Dit when she learns to play baseball with him and teaches him about math and books. As the two become best friends, Dit's views of the racial injustices in their community change and together they fight for what is right.
He Said, She Said by Kwame Alexander--When athletic, flirty Omar and bookish, Harvard-bound Claudia end up thrown together after being selected to lead a social protest, the unexpected romance that blossoms between them ends up throwing both of them for a loop.