Last Updated 6.15.04
Nominations for the 2004 Teens' Top Ten Books
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Author
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Title
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Publisher
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Genre
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Bell, Hilari
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The Book of Sorabh
Volume 1: Flame
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Simon & Schuster
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Fantasy
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As times grow dire, the country of Farsala awaits the return of its legendary warrior, Sorabh, in this epic tale based on an ancient Persian myth. Teen nominator: “This middle-eastern book has a sense of magic and mystery that have been lost through time, with one of the most realistic story lines I have read. It gets right up there with The Lord of the Rings in having an actual history.”
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Bell, Hilari
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The Goblin Wood
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HarperCollins
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Fantasy
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A young hedgewitch joins forces with goblins to overcome the persecution of magical creatures by the government of their Realm of the Bright Gods. Teen nominator: “Each page is stuffed with excitement and thrills, and the ending makes one think, wanting more of the story.”
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Bowler, Tim
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The Firmament
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Simon & Schuster
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Realistic
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Luke’s great talent as a pianist isn’t enough to keep him out of trouble after his father dies—until he is forced to play piano to soothe a frightened young girl. Teen nominator: “This awesome, touching book, with suspense around every corner, is about helping others with your talent.”
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Bray, Libba
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A Great and Terrible Beauty
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Delacorte
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Supernatural
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After her mother’s death, Gemma must attend a London boarding school where she feels like an outsider until she finds a supernatural link with her mother. Teen nominator: “It’s fun to read about mean girls and visions and such.”
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Brian, Kate
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The Princess & The Pauper
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Simon & Schuster
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Realistic
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After two girls switch identities in this retelling of Mark Twain’s classic, wild mayhem and comedy result. Teen nominator: “A fairy tale written very nicely.”
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Bunting, Eve
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The Presence: A Ghost Story
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Clarion
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Supernatural
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Catherine meets a strange man in church who says he can help her contact her friend, who died in an accident. Teen nominator: “This ghost story has romantic appeal and a cliff-hanging ending, and you won’t put it down until you finish it.”
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Cabot, Meg
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Princess in Pink
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HarperCollins
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Realistic
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In Mia’s fifth Princess Diaries adventure, the teen-turned-princess is determined to stay home in New York City for the summer, despite multiple mixups. Teen nominator: “This most hilarious book in the series tells you that anything can happen, and I love that about books.”
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Colfer, Eoin
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The Wish List
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Hyperion/Miramax
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Supernatural
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At 14, Meg is killed by her crime partner Belch as she tries to protect their elderly victim, only to be sent back to earth from the afterlife to make amends in this tale from the author of Artemis Fowl. Teen nominator: “Poking fun at Heaven and Hell, this book lives up to its author’s reputation.”
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Constable, Kate
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The Singer of All Songs: Book I,
The Chanters of Tremaris Trilogy
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Levine/Scholastic
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Fantasy
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Ice priestess Calwyn, whose chanting helps to hold the wall of ice around her land of Antaris, is jarred from her world when ironcrafter Darrow appears from the wall’s other side. Teen nominator: “This beautiful book is mind-gripping and incredibly easy to visualize, full of life, adventure, humor, and love. It’s the kind of book that you want to think about more after finishing it.”
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Donnelly, Jennifer
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A Northern Light
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Harcourt
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Historical Fiction
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Letters written by the victim of an actual 1906 murder at an Adirondacks resort help sixteen-year-old Mattie to break away from her needy family to pursue her dream of going to college. Teen nominator: “This combination mystery/romance/historical novel is very intriguing, and I love the unusual way it is narrated.”
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Dowell, Frances O'Roark
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Where I'd Like to Be
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Atheneum/S & S
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Realistic
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When Murphy, an adventurous new girl with fabulous stories, arrives at the East Tennessee Children’s Home, its residents start to believe they might find real homes. Teen nominator: “A really good and interesting book.”
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Draper, Sharon
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The Battle of Jericho
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Atheneum/S & S
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Realistic
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When joining their school’s service club, the Warriors of Distinction, students discover that they must endure vicious hazing to be accepted. Teen nominator: “After reading about the everyday battle that every teen faces, I felt as if the bar had been raised and I wanted more from myself.”
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Foon, Dennis
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The Dirt Eaters: Book I,
The Longlight Legacy
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Annick Press
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Fantasy
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After raiders destroy their village, Roan and his sister are the only ones living, and Roan’s strange visions hint that the two are essential in restoring their world. Teen nominator: “Taking place in the future after ‘the end of the world,’ this wonderful fantasy has a can’t-put-it-down quality.”
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Funke, Cornelia
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Inkheart
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Chicken House/
Scholastic
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Fantasy
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When characters escaped from a book her father was mending, Meggie’s mother became trapped inside Inkheart—how can they get her out? Teen nominator: With “very cool and well-developed characters, it is the kind of book you never want to put down. It is much, much better than most fantasy stories.”
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Haddix, Margaret Peterson
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Escape from Memory
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Simon & Schuster
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Science Fiction
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Transported to an old-world country hidden within California, Kira learns that her parents invented computer chips that stored memory in people’s heads when she is held hostage by someone who wants the invention. Teen nominator: “Not the standard teen girl’s novel, it’s an exciting thriller, mystery, and tale of friendship.”
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Hale, Shannon
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The Goose Girl
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Bloomsbury
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Fantasy
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Surviving a massacre of the royal family, a princess must live disguised as a goose girl until she can figure out how to regain her throne in this retold fairy tale. Teen nominator: “In this amazing story of courage and learning how to overcome your fears, Ani is a great heroine with such determination. It’s the kind of book I would read over and over.”
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Horowitz, Anthony
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Eagle Strike
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Philomel
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Spy Adventure
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In this fourth adventure of Alex Rider, the teen M16 agent now in the south of France with his girlfriend Sabina, James Bond-type gadgets and villains are enhanced with new revelations about Alex’s character. Teen nominator: “Alex is such a great character and I can really relate to him. It almost feels like I am witnessing it all myself.”
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Hurwin, Davida Wills
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The Farther You Run
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Viking
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Realistic
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In their San Francisco apartment, two college girls struggle to live on their own in this sequel to A Time for Dancing. Teen nominator: “It’s like all my favorite writers got together to write a book. It touches so many aspects of human nature.”
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Jones, Patrick
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Things Change
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Walker
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Realistic
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After brainy Johanna falls for class clown Paul, she discovers that being smart isn’t much help when coping with violence from the one you love. Teen nominator: “This excellent book paints a picture in your head, and most parts relate to your own life at one time or another.”
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Krisher, Trudy
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Uncommon Faith
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Holiday House
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Historical Fiction
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In her town devastated by fire, Faith Common speaks out about what she thinks is wrong, an unusual trait in a young girl during the days before the Civil War. Teen nominator: “Told by many different voices, this book gives a wide range of views about what is happening, and intrigues the reader with issues whose effects can be seen today.”
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Lamm, Drew
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Bittersweet
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Clarion
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Realistic
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As Taylor's junior year in high school ends, she feels that she is losing everyone who matters to her, from her dying grandmother to her best friends—until she learns the truth. Teen nominator: “This well-written, wonderful book is about someone who has a lot in common with me.”
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Lowry, Brigid
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Guitar Highway Rose
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Holiday House
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Realistic
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At 15, Rosie and Asher are in love and experiencing problems with their families, until the only thing to do is run away together. Teen nominator: “On a topic that most of us are going through or have gone through, this book keeps you interested; it’s a good perception of teen life.”
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Lowry, Lois
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Messenger
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Houghton Mifflin
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Science Fiction
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In this third companion volume to The Giver and Gathering Blue, Matty carries messages to other communities until a vote in his own Village turns it from a place that welcomes refugees to a closed society in an increasingly hostile world. Teen nominator: “This amazing book ties up the loose ends in Lowry’s other books; it could be read again and again and you would never get bored.”
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MacCullough, Carolyn
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Falling Through Darkness
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Roaring Brook
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Realistic
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After her boyfriend Aidan dies in a car accident that she survives, Ginny resists facing the truth of what happened in the car and in her relationship with Aidan. Teen nominator: “This book gets to you as it shows Ginny’s challenges from all angles.”
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Mackler, Carolyn
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The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things
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Candlewick
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Realistic
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In her family of thin overachievers, large Virginia feels unworthy, until she discovers that her family isn’t so perfect after all. Teen nominator: “I like how Virginia tells things the way they are instead of making it sound like an older person wrote it. This book really inspires people to learn to respect themselves.”
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Meyer, L.A.
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Curse of the Blue Tattoo
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Harcourt
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Historical Fiction
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In the previous book, Bloody Jack, female Jacky’s disguise as a ship’s boy was unveiled, so she is dropped off in Boston to attend an elite girls’ school until she is arrested for street performing. Teen nominator: “In this hilarious sequel to a great book, Jacky goes from one mess to another, leaving a mark wherever she goes. I can’t wait for the next book.”
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Paolini, Christopher
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Eragon
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Knopf
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Fantasy
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Written by a talented teen author, this first volume in the Inheritance Trilogy features young Eragon, whose adventure begins when he finds a blue stone that is actually a dragon’s egg. Teen nominator: “The world is reminiscent of Tolkien but not as complex and more human, thereby appealing to a larger number of teens.”
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Pattou, Edith
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East
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Harcourt
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Fantasy
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Following a White Bear who is really an enchanted human boy, Rose nears the treacherous Troll Queen’s realm in this fantasy set in ancient Norway. Teen nominator: “This creative mix of fantasy, adventure, and romance never ceases to be exciting. Despite its length [494 pages], I finished it in 3 days. That’s how good it is!”
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Pierce, Tamora
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Trickster’s Choice
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Random House
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Fantasy
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A new series begins, featuring Aly, the daughter of Alanna from the Song of the Lioness Quartet, who wants to become a spy against her parents’ wishes. Teen nominator: “There’s a very juicy story line, lots of action, a bit of romance, and intermixing with gods, humans, and mystical creatures. It’s also pretty funny.”
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Rallison, Janette
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All’s Fair in Love, War, and High School
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Walker
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Realistic
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A popular cheerleader with a poor SAT score, Samantha angles for college admission by running for student government, until her sarcastic mouth alienates voters and her ex-boyfriend dares her to stop insulting people for two weeks. Teen nominator, “In this funny book, the election, the bet, and the irony in the romance is very exciting.”
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Rees, Celia
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Pirates!
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Bloomsbury
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Historical fiction
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In the early 1700s, Nancy flees an arranged marriage to become a pirate attacking merchant ships, her exploits exposing her to brutal treatment of women. Teen nominator: “The adventures in this story are every kid’s dream, mixing action, romance, and some of life’s lessons. It’s thrilling all the way from start to finish.”
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Rowling, J. K.
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Harry Potter and the Order
of the Phoenix
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Scholastic
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Fantasy
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As Harry becomes a teenager, the Ministry of Magic limits freedom of speech and information, setting back Harry and his supporters in their struggle against Voldemort’s evil. Teen nominator: “It’s darker and gloomier than the other Potter books, but it’s the best of the five.”
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Sones, Sonya
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One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies
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Simon & Schuster
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Realistic
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When her mother dies, Ruby is forced to live in “Hellywood” with her famous actor father, who left when she was a baby and never contacted her. Teen nominator: “This entertaining story always keeps you guessing. I couldn’t stop thinking about it afterward.”
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Stahler, David Jr.
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Truesight
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Eos/HarperCollins
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Science Fiction
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In a colony of future Earthlings who choose to live without sight through genetic engineering, Jacob slowly begins to see. Teen nominator: “I love how this book for teens has political and social commentary as well. I was surprised, shocked, and angered. I felt for this book and for Jacob.”
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Stolarz, Laurie Faria
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Blue Is for Nightmares
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Llewellyn
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Supernatural
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Stacey’s nightmares about her boarding school roommate Drea turn out to be premonitions of what really happens. Teen nominator: “Suspenseful and mysterious, it will freak you out.”
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Stolarz, Laurie Faria
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White Is for Magic
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Llewellyn
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Supernatural
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In Blue Is for Nightmares, Stacey’s dreams foretell her best friend’s murder. Now in this sequel, she dreams of her own murder. Teen nominator: “This thriller is mysterious and suspenseful, with a realistic view of magic. It was so exciting and scary, I read it in one day!”
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Strasser, Todd
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Can’t Get There from Here
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Simon & Schuster
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Realistic
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Runaway teens band together for survival on the streets of New York as they face hunger, drug abuse, and prostitution. Teen nominator: “This intense book about teens who have nothing left shows what makes them choose the streets. The dramatic effect grabs and pulls the reader in.”
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Stroud, Jonathan
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The Amulet of Samarkand:
Book I of the Bartimaeus Trilogy
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Hyperion
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Fantasy
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At 12, magician Nathaniel summons the ancient djinni Bartimaeus to steal an amulet in revenge, starting a wild chain of events. Teen nominator: “Lots of fun, plenty of humor, a large dose of action and suspense, and clever use of footnotes—every time I closed the book, I asked what was going to happen next.”
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Tashjian, Janet
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Vote for Larry
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Henry Holt
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Realistic
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After staging his own “death” in The Gospel According to Larry when his identity is revealed as the creator of a popular anti-consumerism Web site, Josh/Larry returns when his friends beg him to run for U.S. President at only seventeen—in this 2004 election! Teen nominator: “I love reading books that comment on issues that are dealt with in other forms of media. Larry makes fun of the government and raises very good points. It’s awesome, plus it’s funny.”
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Trueman, Terry
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Inside Out
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HarperTempest
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Realistic
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Schizophrenic 16-year-old Jack hears two voices in his head that tell him to kill himself. What can he do when he finds himself in the middle of a coffee shop holdup? Teen nominator: “It’s a real issue, telling the story of a kid who is sick and how his life is. Most people don’t know how it feels.”
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Updale, Eleanor
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Montmorency
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Orchard/Scholastic
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Historical Fiction
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London’s new sewer system in the 1870s is the perfect hideout for a burglar with a double identity: the cultured Montmorency who lives in a fancy hotel, and the sewer rat, Scarper. Teen nominator: “The double-sided personality lets you see the story through two different pairs of eyes. There are wonderful new ideas in this excellent story that I couldn’t put down.”
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Wallace, Rich
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Restless: A Ghost Story
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Viking
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Supernatural
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Narrated by Frank, a ghost trying to contact his football-playing brother Herbie, this story explores the extrasensory world. Teen nominator: “It gives you a full ride of emotions and expresses interesting ideas about the afterlife and how the spirits feel about it.”
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Wilhelm, Doug
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The Revealers
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Farrar
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Realistic
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Three seventh graders who are constantly picked on find a solution when they start The Revealer, an e-mail newsletter that publishes bully encounters to the entire school. Teen nominator: “Three strangers become good friends and teach the whole school what life can really be like. Many people can relate to what’s happening to them.”
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Wittlinger, Ellen
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Heart on My Sleeve
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Simon & Schuster
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Realistic
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Four teens chronicle their summer between high school and college with postcards, letters, e-mails, and instant messages. Teen nominator: “The e-mail/letter format was an interesting way to show the characters’ innermost feelings. I loved the way it was written and couldn’t put it down.”
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TTT Nominations