THE PLAIN JANES
by Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg
illustrated by Jared IK. Fletcher
Minx;ISBN: 9781401211158;$9.99;2007

Injured in an explosion, Jane moves to suburbia with her parents where she finds her "tribe," a group of arty girl outcasts in this coming-of-age graphic novel.

Suggested for ages 13 - 16
Subjects: Graphic novels

BEIGE
by Cecil Castellucci
Candlewick;ISBN: 9780763630669;$16.99;2007

Canadian Katy hates spending summer in Los Angeles with "Rat," her estranged drummer Dad. Children of Rat's friends find Katy uninteresting but help her uncover her own hippie heritage as well as her father's punk rock fame.

Suggested for ages 14 - 18
Subjects: Fathers and daughters

BEFORE I DIE
by Jenny Downham
David Fickling;ISBN: 9780385751551;$15.99;2007

When sixteen-year-old Tessa learns she has terminal leukemia, she makes a list of ten things she is determined to experience before her days are through.

Suggested for ages 14 - 18
Subjects: Terminally Ill--Fiction

TOUCHING SNOW
by M. Sindy Felin
Atheneum;ISBN: 9781416917953;$16.99;2007

Seventh-grader Karina and other members of her Haitian immigrant family hide her stepfather's violence until one terrible episode threatens to expose all and send the tyrant they call "the Daddy" to jail.

Suggested for ages 13 - 18
Subjects: Child Abuse

PAYBACK
by James Heneghan
Groundwood;ISBN: 9780888997012;$16.95;2007

Newly arrived in Canada, Irish immigrant Charley fends off taunts and ignores the bullies when they transfer their derision to effeminate Benny. When Benny’s anguish leads to suicide, Charley must find a way to atone for his own inaction.

Suggested for ages 14 - 18

UNDERCOVER
by Beth Kephart
Laura Geringer Books;ISBN: 9780061238932;$16.99;2007

Elisa, a contemporary Cyrano d’Bergerac, writes letters to help boys attract other girls. Things change, however, when she falls for one of her “clients” who is trying to woo her nemesis. Complex, well-rounded characters and poetic metaphors create a compelling story.

Suggested for ages 14 - 18

KISSING THE BEE
by Kathe Koja
Frances Foster;ISBN: 9780374399382;$16;2007

Carefully denying her increasing interest in Emil, her best friend's boyfriend, Dana works assiduously on her biology project about bees. When Emil wants to observe the bee hives with her, Dana strives to hide her feelings from him.

Suggested for ages 14 - 18

EPIC
by Conor Kostick
Viking;ISBN: 9780670061792;$17.99;2007

On tightly controlled New Earth, violence has been banned, and the fantasy computer game, Epic, settles all disputes. When a group of teens challenges the ruling order, they find themselves facing the power-hungry Game Masters and the game becomes real.

Suggested for ages 13 - 18