"Books That Won't Make You Blush"

The Young Adult Summer Reading Program---Teen Joust--- was deemed a success by all the participants. You can’t imagine the trepidation I felt at the very first meeting for the 12 to 17 year-olds. Did I have enough activities to keep them interested? Would anyone show up? Did I bring the right kind of soda? Would they think popcorn was hokey? Put yourself in my position, wouldn’t it scare the daylights out of you to entertain teenagers for an afternoon?

My fears were groundless. The afternoon went by so quickly, I was astonished when I glanced at the clock. Two hours! Wow! One Young Adult Book Club meeting under my belt and just three to go.

Actually, the teenagers were very interested and quite helpful. We researched websites that would appeal to that age group. They were very gracious and checked the accuracy of the web addresses.

We also worked on creating a web page for Columbus Public Library’s web site: www.columbuslibrary.info. That has proven to be a more daunting task that I ever imagined. Our Director, Bob Trautwein, created this Library site and do I appreciate his creativity and hard work. Just trying to come up with clever, witty, and interesting items to post was darn near impossible.
I gave the book club members a list of popular paperbacks for young people; I’m including the list in this article. Take a moment to read through it and even cut it out for future reference.

Books That Don't Make You Blush.  No Dirty Laundry Here, fiction and nonfiction that is wholesome in nature as well as popular:


Alcott, Louisa May. An Old-Fashioned Girl. 1996. Puffin. $5.99. 0-14-037449-3.
Bauer, Joan. Backwater. 2000. Putnam. $6.99. 0-698-11865-0.
Beale, Fleur. I am not Esther. 2004. Hyperion. $6.99. 0-7868-1673-2.
Cappo, Nan Willard. Cheating Lessons. 2003. Simon Pulse. $4.99. 0-689-86018-8.
Cleary, Beverly. Fifteen. 1996. HarperTrophy. $5.99. 0-380-72804-4.
Lowry, Lois. The Giver. 2002. Laurel Leaf. $6.99. 0-440-23768-8.
Matas, Carol. After the War. 1997. Aladdin. $4.99. 0-689-80722-8.
Mazer, Harry. A Boy at War: A novel of Pearl Harbor. 2002. Aladdin. $4.99. 0-689-84160-4.
Oppel, Kenneth. Airborn. 2005. HarperEos. $6.99. 0-06-053182-7.
Rennison, Louise. Away Laughing on a Fast Camel: Even More Confessions of Georgia Nicholson. 2005. HarperTempest. $6.99. 0-06-058936-1.
Rinaldi, Ann. A Break with Charity: a story of the Salem Witch Trials. 2003. Guillver Books. $6.95. 0-15-204682-8.
Rinaldi, Ann. The Fifth of March: a story of the Boston Massacre. 2004. Guillver Books. $6.95. 0-15-205078-7.
Weaver, Will. Memory Boy. 2003. HarperTrophy. $5.99. 0-06-440854-x.
Westerfeld, Scott. Uglies. 2005. Simon Pulse. $6.99. 0-689-86538-4.
Criminal Elements
Criminal Elements, fiction and nonfiction about teens who find themselves in opposition to or on the wrong side of the law as well as stories about lives affected by encounters with the legal system, gangs, law enforcement, and prison.
Abagnale, Frank W. with Stan Redding. Catch Me If You Can: The Amazing True Story of the Youngest and Most Daring Con Man in the History of Fun and Profit! 2000. Broadway Books. $14.95. 0-7679-0538-5.
Brooks, Kevin. Martyn Pig. 2003. Scholastic. $6.99. 0-439-50752-9.
Ewing, Lynne. Drive-By. 1998. HarperCollins. $4.95. 0-06-440649-0.
Ferris, Jean. Bad. 2001. Farrar, Straus & Giroux. $5.95. 0-374-40475-5.
Foon, Dennis. Skud. 2004. Groundwood. $6.95. 0-88899-549-0.
Gantos, Jack. Hole in My Life. 2004. Farrar, Straus & Giroux. $8.00. 0-374-43089-6.
Hartinger, Brent. Last Chance Texaco. 2005. HarperCollins. $6.99. 0-06-050914-7.
Jacobs, Thomas A. They Broke the Law, You Be the Judge: true cases of teen crime. 2003. Free Spirit. $15.95. 1-57542-134-8.
Mikaelsen, Ben. Touching Spirit Bear. 2002. HarperTrophy. $5.99. 0-380-80560-x.
Myers, Walter Dean. Monster. HarperTempest. $6.99. 0-06-440731-4.
Myers, Walter Dean. Scorpions. 1990. HarperCollins. $5.99. 0-06-447066-0.ls8_14_05.htm
Shepard, Jim. Project X: A Novel. 2005. Vintage. $12.00. 1-4000-3348-9.
Soto, Gary. The Afterlife. 2005. Harcourt. $6.95. 0-15-205220-8.
Tucker, Lisa. Shout Down the Moon

One of the most rewarding aspects of our fledgling Young Adult Book Club is that the members are going to continue meeting at the Library. New members are welcome--- tentative meeting times are Saturdays at 2:00 pm. Check with me at the Reference Library or call 402/564-7116 ext. 2.