Reading Lists for Teens

 

Booklists for Teens

ALA Book and Media Awards and Notables - Twilight
Fangtastic Fiction
Spook-tacular Short Stories - Recent Romances
On War and Peace - Eye Read! - Rock 'n' Read
On That Note -
It's Alive!

Click on the titles to find out more about them in PamCat, our online library catalog.

 

If You Like Twilight, Try...

Thirsty
by M.T. Anderson

In the Forests of the Night
by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Blue Bloods series
by Melissa de la Cruz

Sweetblood
by Pete Hautman

Blood and Chocolate
by Annette Curtis Klaus

Suck it up
by Brain Meehl

Vampire Kisses series
by Ellen Schreiber

Tantalize
by Cynthia Smith

Peeps
by Scott Westerfeld

Hellsing manga series
by Kohta Hirano

Buffy the Vampire Slayer graphic novel series
by Joss Whedon

 

Check out the Twilight Reading Map, too!
 

Fang-tastic Fiction

Thirsty
by M.T Anderson
It's bad enough having divorcing parents, a bossy older brother, and fickle friends, but discovering you're on the verge of becoming a vampire?

Haunted: A Tale of the Mediator
by Meg Cabot

As a mediator, Susannah communicates between the living and the dead; as a 16 year old, she has to choose between a living heartthrob and a ghost.

The Silver Kiss
by Annette Curtis Klause

Handsome yet frightening, Simon is unlike any boy lonely Zoë has met - perhaps it's because he is a vampire!

The Body of Christopher Creed
by Carol Plum-Ucci
Christopher Creed, the class outcast, vanishes, while popular Torey Adam's perfect life starts to disappear at the same time.

Full Tilt

by Neal Shusterman
Blake's kid brother runs away to a bizarre phantom amusement park. To save him, Blake has to complete 7 rides before dawn - which no one has ever done before.

Companions of the Night
by Vivian Van Vende
After vampires kidnap her family, Kerry enlists Ethan to help her find them. But will he turn into the love of her life or the creature who takes it?

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Spook-tacular Short Stories

Gothic! 10 Dark Tales
edited by Deb Noyes

Double Dare to Be Scared
edited by Robert Sans Souci


Be Afraid: Tales of Horror

edited by Edo Van Belkom

Vampires: a Collection of Original Stories
edited by Jane Yolen

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Recent Romances (Romance)

Princess in Love: Princess Diaries Volume 3
By Meg Cabot
What a life! Modern-day princess, Mia, is just as concerned about assuming her "princessly" duties, as she is worried about whether Kenny will invite her to the winter dance.

Forbidden Forest
By Michael Cadnum
In 12th-century England, Robin Hood is robbing and rescuing, and our heroine Margaret finds sanctuary in the forest, where she meets Robin and the gentle giant, Little John.

Postcards from No Man's Land
by Aidan Chambers
Past and present entwine as a Dutch girl in World War Two and a contemporary teen find love in unexpected places.

My Heartbeat
By Garrett Freymann-Weyr
Ellen adores her confused older brother, Link, and has a crush on his friend, James, who seemingly loves them both.

The Hunting of the Last Dragon
By Sherryl Jordan
Romance and adventure meet when Jude, an illiterate peasant, defeats a terrible dragon with the help of a Chinese noblewoman.

Stoner and Spaz
By Ron Koertge
In this quirky love story about what draws people together and keeps them apart, Ben's cerebral palsy has made him an outsider drawn to Colleen, the school's most infamous druggie.

What My Mother Doesn't Know
By Sonya Sones
Sophie thinks that she has a crush on handsome Dylan until she discovers she shares more with someone completely different.

Razzle
by Ellen Wittlinger
Lonely guy Ken befriends artsy, independent Razzle, only to be taken in by sexy, gorgeous Harley. But is Harley really the girl for him?

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On War and Peace (Terrorism)

After the First Death
by Robert Cormier
The hijacking of a school bus by terrorists seeking the return of their homeland is described by three people close to the events.

Habibi
By Naomi Shihab Nye
When Liyanne and her family move from St. Louis to her Palestinian-American father's home village, they face many challenges and tension between Jews and Palestinians.

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Eye Read! (Eye-catching Graphic Novels, Photography, and Puzzles)

Magic Knight Rayearth Vol. 1
by Clamp

Left Behind Graphic Novel Vol. 1
by Tim Lahaye
In one cataclysmic moment, millions of people disappear. What will life be like for those left behind?

There's a Hair in My Dirt: A Worm's Story
by Gary Larson
When his son declares, "I hate being a Worm," after finding a hair in his dirt dinner, Father Worm isn't pleased. So he tells the boy a little story about Harriet, a young maiden who loves nature but doesn't really understand it. When her ignorance leads to Harriet's untimely demise, we find how the hair got into his son's dirt and learn Father Worm's lesson. Gary Larson presents an outrageous version of Ecology 101 for adolescents of all ages.

Ruse Vol. 1: Enter the Detective
by Mark Waid

Pedro and Me: Friendship, Loss, and What I Learned
by Judd Winick

Elvis Lives! And Other Anagrams
by Jon Agee

Material World: A Global Family Portrait
by Peter Menzel

A Poke in the I
by Paul Janeczko, illustrated by Chris Raschka

Harlem
by Walter Dean Myers, illustrated by Christopher Myers

The Space Between Our Footsteps: Poems and Paintings from the Middle East
by Naomi Shihab Nye

The Magic of M.C. Escher
by M.C. Escher

Tibet: Through the Red Box
by Peter Sis

Impossible Objects: Amazing Optical Illusions to Confound & Astound
by J. Timothy Unruh

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Rock 'n' Read (Music)

LBD: It's a Girl Thing
by Grace Dent

The Kings Are Already Here
by Garrett Freymann-Weyr
Two teenagers, one obsessed with the world of ballet and the other with that of chess, join together in a quest across Europe and begin to learn not only how to connect with other people, but why?

Fat Kid Rules the World
by K.L. Going
Seventeen-year-old Troy, depressed, suicidal, and weighing nearly 300 pounds, gets a new perspective on life when a homeless teenager who is a genius on guitar wants Troy to be the drummer in his rock band.

Whatever You Say I Am: The Life and Times of Eminem
by Anthony Bozza

The Book of Rock Stars
by Katherine Krull

This Land Was Made for You and Me: The Life and Songs of Woody Guthrie
by Elizabeth Partridge

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On That Note (Music)

Cherokee Bat and the Goat Guys
by Francesca Lia Block
With their parents away, four young people form a rock band that becomes wildly popular, carrying them into a "freer" life than they can cope with.

Midnight Hour Encores
by Bruce Brooks
A sixteen-year-old cellist and musical prodigy travels cross country with her father, a product of the 1960s, to meet her mother, who abandoned her as a baby.

Angry Blonde: The Official Book
by Eminem

Aaliyah: More Than a Woman
by Christopher John Farley

Broken Chords
by Barbara Snow Gilbert
While practicing relentlessly for an important competition, seventeen-year-old Clara wonders if she has the dedication to pursue a career as a concert pianist.

Sandy Bottom Orchestra
by Garrison Keillor
Fourteen-year-old Rachel comes to terms with her eccentric family while taking refuge in her violin playing.

The Exes
by Pagan Kennedy
A rock-and-roll group composed of musicians who used to date one another, inluding a bisexual Pakistani bassist and a science nerd, tries to survive long enough to make it big.

I Will Call It Georgie's Blues
by Suzanne Newton
Because the Baptist minister's children in a small North Carolina town have difficulty conforming to the roles their father wishes them to play for public consumption, fifteen-year-old Neal feels he must hide his consuming interest in jazz music.

Born Blue
by Han Nolan
Janie was four years old when she nearly drowned due to her mothers neglect. Through an unhappy foster home experience, and years of feeling that she is unwanted, she keeps alive her dream of someday being a famous singer.

Remembering Selena: A Tribute in Pictures and Words
by Himilce Novas & Rosemary Silva

Beethoven in Paradise
by Barbara O'Connor
Martin longs to be a musician, and with the encouragement of two very different friends, he eventually is able to defy his mean-hearted father and accept himself and the talent within him.

Come Sing Jimmy Jo
by Katherine Paterson
When his family becomes a successful country music group and makes him a featured singer, eleven-year-old James has to deal with big changes in all aspects of his life, even his name.

Tribute to Another Dead Rock Star
by Randy Powell
For a tribute to his mother, a dead rock star, fifteen-year-old Grady returns to Seattle, where he faces his mixed feelings for his retarded younger half-brother Louie while pondering his own future.

Jam Master Jay: The Heart of Hip-Hop
by David E. Thigpen

Never Fade Away: The Kurt Cobain Story
by Dave Thompson

Days Like This
by J. Torres and Scott Chantler

The Song Reader
by Lisa Tucker
Orphaned sisters Leeann and Mary Beth live in a small town with Leeann attending high school and Mary Beth working two jobs, until Mary Beth's special gift for helping people with their problems uncovers their family's dark secret.

A Slipping-Down Life
by Anne Tyler
Evie Decker, one of the most overweight girls in her high school in Pulqua, North Carolina, has always been on the outskirts of the popular crowd.  She falls in love with a rock and roll singer and guitar player named Bertram "Drumstrings" Casey. To demonstrate her absolute devotion to him, Evie uses a pair of nail scissors to carve his name on her forehead. Although her father wants her to go to a plastic surgeon, Evie refuses. Tyler explores the relationship between Drum and Evie with compassion and grace.

Hopeless Savages
by Jen Van Meter, Christine Norrie and Chynna Clugston-Major

Hip Hoptionary: The Dictionary of Hip Hop Terminology
by Alonzo Westbrook

Drive
by Diana Wieler
Jens, a young car salesman, and his sixteen-year-old musician brother, Daniel, head out on a weekend trip in hopes of earning some of the five thousand dollars Daniel needs to pay off a debt.

The Mozart Season
by Virginia Euwer Wolff
Allegra Leah Shapiro spends her twelfth summer practicing a Mozart concerto of a violin competition and finding many significant connections in her world.

Boots and the Seven Leaguers
by Jane Yolen
Teen troll Gog and his friend Pook work as roadies for a troll rock and roll band until Gog's younger brother gets kidnapped.

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"It's Alive" (Horror)

Thirsty
by M.T. Anderson
From the moment he knows that he is destined to be a vampire, Chris thirsts for the blood of people around him while also struggling to remain human.

Something Wicked This Way Comes
by Ray Bradbury
Story of two young boys who begin to encounter evil secrets when a lightning rod salesman gives them one of his contraptions covered with mystical symbols.

Rag and Bone Shop
by Robert Cormier
Trent, an ace interrogator from Vermont, works to procure a confession from an introverted twelve-year-old accused of murdering his seven-year-old friend in Monument, Massachusetts.

Coraline
by Neil Gaiman
Looking for excitement, Coraline ventures through a mysterious door into a world that is similar, yet disturbingly different from her own, where she must challenge a gruesome entity in order to save herself, her parents, and the souls of three others.

The Ghost Sitter
by Peni R. Griffin
When she realizes that her new house is haunted by the ghost of a ten-year-old girl who used to live there, Charlotte tries to help her find peace.

Stranger in a Strange Land
by Robert Heinlein
Valentine Michael Smith, born and raised on Mars, arrives on Earth stunning Western culture with his superhuman abilities.

The Door into Summer
by Robert Heinlein
Daniel Davis, put into a state of suspended animation for thirty years, awakens to a startling discovery.

Haunting of Hill House
by Shirley Jackson
An anthropologist conducts an unusual research project in a reputedly haunted house.

Mammoth Book of Best New Horror
edited by Stephen Jones
A collection of the best horror stories of 2002 showcases the work of such authors as Neil Gaiman, Paul McAuley, Kim Newman, Brian Hodge, Kelly Link, Jay Russell, and David J. Schow. (This refers to the 14th edition)

Pet Sematary
by Stephen King
When a little boy's pet dies, and he persuades his parents to bury it in an old Indian cemetery, reputed by legend to house restless spirits, a nightmare of death and destruction begins.

Carrie
by Stephen King
An introverted girl with remarkable powers of telekinesis faces the horrors of teenage life and unleashes a few of her own when she attends the high school prom.

Blood and Chocolate
by Annette Curtis Klause
Having fallen for a human boy, a beautiful teenage werewolf must battle both her packmates and the fear of the townspeople to decide where she belongs and with whom.

The Dream Cycle of H.P. Lovecraft: Dreams of Terror and Death
by H.P. Lovecraft

30 Days of Night
by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith

The Body of Christopher Creed
by Carol Plum-Ucci
Torey Adams, a high school junior with a seemingly perfect life, struggles with doubts and questions surrounding the mysterious disappearance of the class outcast.

The 13 Best Horror Stories of All Time
edited by Leslie Pockell

Frankenstein
by Mary Shelley
A monster assembled by a scientist from parts of dead bodies develops a mind of his own as he learns to loathe himself and hate his creator. Includes illustrated notes throughout the text explaining the historical background of the story.

Be Afraid: Tales of Horror
edited by Edo Van Belkom
An anthology of fifteen horror stories includes works by such authors as Monica Hughes, Robert J. Sawyer, Scott Nicholson, and Ed Gorman.

Companions of the Night
by Vivian Vande Velde
When sixteen-year-old Kerry Nowicki helps a young man escape from a group of men who claim he is a vampire, she finds herself faced with some bizarre and dangerous choices.

Vampires: a Collection of Original Stories
edited by Jane Yolen

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Branch Libraries

Richard S. Gillis, Jr.
Ashland Branch Library

201 S. Railroad Avenue
(804) 798-4072

directions/map

 

Atlee Branch Library
9161 Atlee Road
(804) 559-0654

directions/map

 

Goochland Branch Library
3075 River Road West
(804) 556-4774

directions/map

 

Hanover Branch Library
7527 Library Drive
(804) 365-6210

directions/map

 

King & Queen Branch Library
450 Newtown Road
(804) 769-1623

directions/map

 

Mechanicsville Branch Library
7461 Sherwood Crossing Place
(804) 746-9615

directions/map

 

Lois Wickham Jones
Montpelier Branch Library

17205 Sycamore Tavern Lane
(804) 883-7116

directions/map

 

Cochrane Rockville Library
16600 Pouncey Tract Road
(804) 749-3146

directions/map

 

Upper King William Branch Library
694-J Sharon Road
(804) 769-3731

directions/map

 

West Point Branch Library
721 Main Street
(804) 843-3244

directions/map

 

Bookmobile (804) 559-4073

 

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