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Debut author Alyxandra Harvey’s Hearts at Stake is the first of a series of books about the Drakes, a charismatic, sexy and morally upright (they don’t feed on humans) family of vampires whose children are born mortal and turn into vampires when they reach the age of 16.  This first installment focuses on 15 year old Solange, the beautiful Drake daughter whose birth has been prophesied to upset the whole vampire world, and her best friend, Lucy, a spunky tough mortal teen who tries hard to help her friend lead a normal life.  When Solange is kidnapped, Lucy joins forces with the Drake brothers (includingRead More →

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This article originally appeared in PW’s Children’s Bookshelf. By Kate Pavao — Publishers Weekly, 2/4/2010 12:40:00 PM Carrie Jones has been spending lots of time with pixies, shape shifters and other fantasy creatures—and it doesn’t look like she’ll be stopping anytime soon. Her books Need and Captivate, about a smart girl being stalked by a pixie, have struck a chord with readers; in January, both books landed on the New York Times bestseller lists. Now the series could be as many of five books. Here, Jones talks to Bookshelf about how she became enchanted by pixies, what comes next in the series, and why teenRead More →

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Catherine Fisher’s latest fantasy novel, Incarceron, has recently been released in the US by Dial, and this The Times’ Children’s Book of the Year (2007) is worth picking up. Incarceron is a prison unlike anything you’ve ever imagined: its inmates live their whole lives, from birth to death, in an entirely enclosed world with a vast network of cities, underground tunnels, metal forests, and unbound wilderness, all under the ever-present, all-seeing, sentient Eye of Incarceron.  It has been sealed for centuries and only in legend has anyone ever escaped.  Finn, a 17 year old prisoner, has no memories before waking up in a cell 3 years before. EveryRead More →

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Publisher’s Weekly (1/25/10) Reports:  Driven by increased popularity of mobile and online media, overall media consumption by the 8–18-year-old demographic has exploded over the past five years, according to a study released last week by the Kaiser Family Foundation. The average daily media use by young people in that age group was seven hours and 38 minutes in 2009, up from six hours and 21 minutes in 2004. And while the only segment to decline in use was print, book reading has held its own against the onslaught of new media channels. On average, 8–18-year-olds spent 25 minutes per day reading books in 2009, upRead More →

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Publisher’s Weekly (1/25/10) reports: Monday marked the official launch of inkpop, an interactive writing platform and community for teenagers created by the HarperTeen imprint of HarperCollins Children’s Books. Inkpop serves as an online community for young writers; the publisher calls inkpop the “anchor” of its digital strategy for the teen market. “As with all of our online consumer programs, the concept of community-building is aligned with our ongoing corporate digital marketing efforts to cultivate a two-way dialogue with our readers,” said Susan Katz, president and publisher of HarperCollins Children’s Books, in a statement. “Inkpop provides us with an interactive platform to engage directly with ourRead More →

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16 year old Penny Lane Bloom’s heart has just been crushed: just when she’s ready to give the ultimate gift to the boy she’s loved for years, she catches him with another girl.  Reeling from the hurt and betrayal, Penny Lane runs to the guys she’s loved more than any: John, Paul, George and Ringo.  And she is inspired to stand up for herself, her heart, her dignity, and her woman-power; she forms the Lonely Hearts Club – a club for girls who want to let go of the boy-centric roller coaster ride of high school dating and focus on themselves, their girlfriends, and their own hopes & dreams.  NowRead More →

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18 year old high school senior Logan Witherspoon lives in a tiny Missouri town and at the start of senior year is still nursing his broken heart after being cheated on and dumped by his long time girlfriend.  Then a new girl breezes into his first period biology class: Sage, full of vivacious energy, confidence, tall and striking looking; she chooses Logan’s table and his fate is sealed. As their attraction develops, Logan wrestles with the unfairness of the harsh restrictions Sage’s parents have placed on her: she’s been homeschooled for the past 6 years; she’s not allowed to participate in extra-curriculars; she can’t leave the house except forRead More →

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Michael L Printz Award for excellence in young adult literature: 2010 Winner(s)   Going Bovine by Libba Bray Sixteen year old slacker, Cameron, sets off on a madcap road trip along with a punk angel, a dwarf sidekick, a yard gnome and a mad scientist, to save the world and perhaps his own life. This wildly imaginative modern day take on Don Quixote is complex, hilarious and stunning. The hero’s journey will never be the same after “Going Bovine.” 2010 Honor(s)   Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman, published by Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, an imprint of MacmillanRead More →

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In Mary Amato’s ninth book, Invisible Lines, the reader is drawn into the world of Trevor Musgrove, a smart, funny, artistic 7th grader who has to learn how to navigate the rough waters of jealousy, deception, and poverty.  Trevor is no stranger to life’s hardships: his dad is in jail, his mom is barely keeping the family afloat, he’s responsible for babysitting his siblings and the family is broke.  When Trevor, his mom, younger brother and baby sister arrive at their new apartment in the run-down complex nicknamed “Deadly Gardens,” things maybe about to turn around for Trevor. The school he attends is much better than anyRead More →