Whitcoulls books for young adults - 12+

These are books given in the Whitcoulls Books for Young Adults list. I'm just typing them out here in my blog. No other intention.

Pick of the Bunch:

How I live now - Meg Rosoff
When 15-year-old Daisy is sent from America to England to stay with her eccentric country cousins she enjoys the leisured peace of life more than she expects. Her perfect summer is blown apart when a bomb explodes at a train station, killing thousands. England is at war. Although the war doesn't seem to have much impact on the children at first, their lives are gradually altered by the harrowing events that unfold. Set in the present day, this remarkable book presents a chillingly believable scenario about the chaos that ensues when a country is tipped into war. But it is also a luminous tale of loyalty, friendship and love.

Modern Classics:

The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
The epic adventure of Frodo, a young hobbit entrusted with an immense task. Frodo must make a perilous journey across the Middle Earth to destroy the One Ring and prevent Sauron, the Dark Lord, from using it to rule all living things.

Fiction:

Thura's Diary - Thura Al-Windawi
What would it really be like to live through the bombing of Baghdad? This poignant diary is a first-hand account of a family living in a city under attack. Thura is a nineteen-year-old Iraqi girl who describes the chaos and destruction around her and relates how families try to keep life as normal as possible.

Abarat - Clive Barker
Candy Quackenbush lives a life of mind-numbing boredom in Chickentown, a small town in the middle of the Minnesota prairies. One day she meets an astonishing seven-headed man and decides to return to his world, the Abarat, with him. As Candy journeys through the Abarat she finds herself caught up in the struggle for power between two very dangerous opponents.

Noughts and Crosses - Malorie Blackman
Callum, a Nought, and Sephy, a Cross, are growing up in a harshly segregated world. The two teenagers believe their friendship can overcome all obstacles but they have underestimated the hatred between the dominant black Crosses and the underclass of white Noughts. As events move towards a chilling conclusion, Callum and Sephy find that not only their friendship but their lives are in danger.

The Power of One - Bryce Courtenay
This young readers' edition of the bestselling novel for adults by master storyteller Bryce Courtenay focuses on Peekay's childhood. Born in a country divided by racism and hatred, six-year-old Peekay learns one day that small can beat big and armed with this knowledge he resolves to fight injustice in his own country.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - Mark Haddon
A wise, funny and agonizingly honest book about one boy's search for the truth. Christopher has Asperger's Syndrome, a form of autism. When his neighbour's dog is killed Christopher decides to write a detective novel based on his search for the killer. This is a hard task for someone who doesn't understand emotional responses, but Christopher's quest uncovers more than one secret and forces him to confront a bigger world than he's used to.

On a Good Day - Deborah Burnside
Lee's mother is an alcoholic and there often isn't enough money for food - or a new school uniform. Lee doesn't want anyone to find out and as a result she has no close friends at school. She slowly develops a relationship with Gunna, a boy in her homeroom, but friends and family do not approve of her new friendship. While On a Good Day deals with some emotionally harrowing issues, including the tragic deaths of young children and domestic violence, it is still essentially a hopeful account of a teenager's life.

Thunder Road - Ted Dawe
When 19-year-old Trace moves to the big city his new roommate Devon introduces him into a whole new world. Always into fast cars and speed, Trace is transfixed by Thunder Road - a strip of road where the street racers test their machines and their nerve. Then Devon hatches a dangerous moneymaking scheme and Trace convinced to go along with him - but it begins to feel like a big mistake.

Spilled Water - Sally Grindley
A powerful drama set in modern day China. When Lu Si-Yan's father dies her uncle resents having to support the family and sells Lu Si-Yan into domestic service where she is no more than a slave. Lu Si-Yan is determined to escape, but there are no easy options for an uneducated young girl from rural China. An exploitative factory owner traps Lu Si-Yan into a punitive work contract and it is two long years before she can join her family again.

Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card
Ender Wiggin enters Battle School at the age of six. There his life is strictly disciplined by mind games and computer battles fought in deadly earnest. Instinct, compassion and genius makes Ender a brilliant fighter. But as he trains, an alien invasion draws closer. Ender will be pushed to the limits of endurance, for he has a unique destiny.

A Gathering Light - Jennifer Donnelly
Mattie's dream is to save enough money to go to university. She finds work at a local hotel, where she becomes caught up in tragedy. She has promised a young guest, Grace Brown, to burn her love letters. But then Grace is found drowned, and Mattie decides to read the letters, which hold the key to Grace's death. This is a moving record of poverty and racism at the turn of twentieth century.

Across the Nightingale Floor - Lian Hearn
A haunting and beautifully written novel set in feudal Japan. Takeo only knows the way of peace and, when everyone in his village is slaughtered by a warlord, he is grateful to be saved by a nobleman, Lord Shiguru. Takeo is drawn into a world of treachery and violence that is unfamiliar to him. When he has a unique gift he becomes an integral part of the struggle for power. The sequels, Grass for his Pillow and Brilliance of the Moon, are just as enthralling.

At the Sign of the Sugared Plum - Mary Hooper
It is 1665 and Hannah is excited at the prospect of her first trip to London. She is going to help her sister, Sarah, in her sweetmeats shop, 'The Sugared Plum'. But Hannah does not get the welcoming reception she expected. Sarah is horrified that Hannah did not get her message to stay away, for the Plague is taking hold of London ... Hannah's story continues in Petals in the Ashes, set during the Great Fire of London.

Lily B on the Brink of Cool - Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
Lily is not looking forward to the summer vacation. Her best friend has gone to Young Executive Camp and she is left at home with her very "uncool" parents. Then, at a family wedding, Lily meets some distant relatives who seem to be glamorous, adventurous and environmentally aware. Eventually Lily discovers that the Le Blancs are not what they seem.
This entertaining novel is sure to be a big hit with fans of Jacqueline Wilson and Meg Cabot.

Chinese Cinderella - Adeline Yen Mah
Adeline Yen Mah's mother died giving birth to her, and so she has been considered bad luck by her family ever since. Unwanted and unloved, Adeline spends many years trying to find acceptance, respect and love from her family. A true story that opens many avenues for discussion.

Chinese Cinderella and the Secret Dragon Society - Adeline Yen Mah
A fictional story set during World War II, based on the experiences of Adeline Yen Mah and the kung fu stories she wrote as a child. Chinese Cinderella is thrown out of her home and joins a secret kung fu society. She and the other children are sent on a dangerous mission to rescue American pilots who have crashed in Japanese-occupied China.

Where I Live - John Marsden
While I Live: The Ellie Chronicles is the first book in a new series featuring Ellie Linton, heroine and narrator of the Tomorrow When the War Began series. Ellie is looking forward to resuming a normal life with her parents, but then they are killed by a band of enemy soldiers from across the border. The war has exploded into Ellie's life once more.

I Can Jump Puddles - Alan Marshall
The boyhood story of Alan Marshall, a victim of polio. Born in a country town in Victoria in the early 1990's, Alan tells of his determination to beat his crippling disease. His story is a testament to the power of the human spirit when faced with hardship and an inspirational demonstration of the power of mind over matter.

A Little Piece of Ground - Elizabeth Laird
Karim is a 12-year-old Palestinian boy living in Ramallah. His school has been destroyed by Israelis and the family lives in an unsettled life dominated by fear. All Karim wants is a little peice of ground on which to play soccer and have a little bit of normality in his life. This book has stirred controversy. As it is narrated from the point of view of a Palestinian boy, some critics have described the book as "anti-Israeli".

The Changeover - Margaret Mahy
Laura Chant's little brother starts dying when the evil Carmody Braque puts a spell on him. Laura turns to an older boy at school for help, for she suspects he has special powers. His mother and grandmother, both witches, tell Laura that the only way for her to save her little brother is to "changeover" and become a witch herself.

Feeling Sorry for Celia - Jaclyn Moriarty
Elizabeth Clarry is "incredibly bad at being a teenager". She doesn't have posters on her walls or makeup on her dresser, and she has a Teletubbies quilt cover. This is a very funny novel, written entirely in letters between Elizabeth and her friends, not to mention the notes that she and her mother leave stuck on the fridge for each other.

The Recruit - Robert Muchamore
When James' mother dies suddenly, he and his younger sister are separated and James is sent to an orphanage. It is not long before James is recruited by CHERUB, a top-secret agency taht trains child spies. James is sent to their boot camp where he has to undergo a terrifying and rigorous training schedule. To give up means humiliation. To fail could mean injury, or even death.

Mister Monday (The Keys to the Kingdom No. 1) - Garth Nix
Arthur is a reluctant hero. He is meant to die an early death from an asthma attack, but he is saved by a key that is shaped like a tuny clock hand. Although Arthur is safe, his world is now in deadly danger. The key brings with it a plague brought by strange creatures from another realm. A sinister stranger called Mister Monday, his avenging messengers with blood-stained wings, and an army of dog-faced Fetchers will stop at nothing to recover the key, even if it means destroying Arthur's entire world.

Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging - Louise Rennison
A laugh-out-loud account of the daily life of Georgia Nicholson, teenager, cat-owner, misunderstood daughter. She has a three-year-old sister who may have peed somewhere in her room, a father who tries to understand her, and a cat that wants to kill the neighbour's poodle. Fortunately there are several more titles about Georgia for those who become addicted.

Ties that Bind, Ties that Break - Lensey Namioka
Set in China in 1911, Namioka's novel is about a young girl, Ailin, who refuses to have her feet bound. As a result, the family of her intended husband breaks their marriage agreement. As she enters adolescence, Ailin finds that her family, shamed by her decision, will no longer support her. She must somehow find a way to support herself. This book will appeal to anyone who enjoyed Chinese Cinderella.

Out of Tune - Joanna Orwin
Jaz is out to shock her family. She doesn't get on with her parents, but when her great-grandmother gives her some old family diaries to read, Jaz is fascinated by the story of her ancestor, Maggie. The narrative moves between the lives of two girls, contemptory Jaz and nineteenth century Maggie who has escaped poverty on Shetland Island only to find herself struggling for survival on Stewart Island.