Young Adult Literature

Fiction for teenage readers.

Fairy Tales from Cold Places

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Russia and Slavic folktales are a hot basis for several YA fantasy series that have been making waves in the last few years.   Some of this interest has been driven by the popularity of the television series “American Gods” and the prominent place of Slavic folk religions, but, undoubtedly, some of it is driven by the classical appeal of the old fairy tales and folk tales about the Firebird and Baba Yaga.  Those long cold winter nights in the northern and central part of Europe has given rise to some beautiful tales that have been reworked into some fresh YA fantasies that are suspenseful, thrilling, and intriguing with unexpected plot twists and turns.   McLure Library has several of these series available for check out.

Vassa in the Night

Vassa in the Night by Sarah Porter based in the very old, Baba Yaga tales from Central Europe and Russia, with a very new setting, Brooklyn, New York.  This novel comes complete with a witch named Babs Yaga.

Grisha Trilogy

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The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo took the YA fantasy world by storm a few years ago.  The novels, are set in a world that is reminiscent of Imperial Russia and filled with all the beauty and brutality of that history, and folk life, combined with the perils and power of the 20th Century Soviet Union with all of that destructive firepower.  McLure Library has all three of these novels available for check-out.

Crown’s GAme

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Crown’s Game by Evelyn Skye, and its sequel Crown’s Fate, is a series set in Imperial Russia in the 19th Century when Russia was invaded by France and the Ottoman Empire .  The Tsar initiates the Crown’s Game.  This is a duel to see which of two teenage enchanters will become the Royal Enchanter to the Tsar.  These novels are filled with romance and danger based in the tales of Old Russia.

Girl At Midnight

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The Girl At Midnight trilogy is set in a dystopian world under New York City and involves the hunt for a powerful Firebird and the New York City subway system.  McLure Library has the first two of the three books in this trilogy for series for YA readers.

If you are interested in these titles and want help in getting them, just give us a call at McLure Library.  205-348-6055 and we will be happy to help.

More Norse Reading

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The last blog post featured Norse mythology, so now let’s move on to what McLure Library has that features those berserk wild fighting men of the North and their fearless exploration of the vast northern oceans.  While the Vikings were known for their fighting prowess they also had their softer side.  They were great storytellers and these stories have come down to us in many forms.  McLure Library has several books that incorporate features of the Viking sagas and voyages of exploration into fascinating retellings of these tales of daring-do.  The television mini-series American Gods by Neil Gaiman, and the success of those brutal Viking epics like The Last Kingdom have brought about renewed interest in old Norse myths.  Here is a sample of some of the stories about those cold cold gods of the North and the Viking sagas.

Canadian historical fantasy author Guy Gavriel Kay‘s novel Last Light of the Sun is loosely based on Viking Sagas and is the tale of the conjoined fates of Bern Thorkellson and two others from lands ravaged by the Vikings.

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For a completely twisted Norse story, try Story of Owen.  This novel is not only a mashup of Arthurian legends and myths with a good dose of Beowulf thrown in for good measure, it is alternative history.  Told, somewhat, in the style of the old Norse Sagas, it is the story of Owen Thorskard, the dragon slayer of Trondheim.  Full of daring-do, it also features a bard – Siobhan MacQuaid.

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Feel the Heat! – Cool Northern Mythology

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Take-offs and mashups using mythology as a starting point for YA novels has been a recent trend that shows no signs of abating and the fantasy genre is quickly diversifying its mythology base.  More diverse myths are being brought to the attention of readers and movie goers everywhere and McLure has plenty of titles for you that will keep you in the know when it comes to these myths and legends.

Now that the Dog Days of Summer are over and we are all ready to cozy up with warm drinks and good books that are perfect for those long winter nights, why not cozy up with the imaginative series based on Egyptian, Norse, Chinese, and Middle Eastern myths that are in McLure library?

Middle Grade author, Rick Riordan made his name retelling the Perseus, Greek demi-god myths, in the Percy Jackson series.

That series has been followed by two other series;  The Kane Chronicles, based on Egyptian mythology, that consists of three titles,

Red Pyramid                                    Throne of Fire                            Serpent’s Shadow

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The novels were quickly followed by the graphic novel version of these titles.  Mclure has two of them with the third due to be published soon.

Red Pyramid:                                                               Throne of Fire:

The Graphic Novel                                                   The Graphic Novel

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Riordan has also done a series featuring those fiery gods of the North.  Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series, based on Norse mythology, that currently stands at two titles, with the third that was just published in October.

Sword of Summer                         Hammer of Thor

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PZ7.R4829 Sw 2015               PZ7.R4829 Ham 2016

The successful conversion of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods novel to the small screen world of TV is a modern retelling of Norse mythology for adults.  The UA libraries doesn’t have that particular novel, but McLure Library has Anansi Boy’s, the sequel to American Gods.  Anansi Boys is based in the myths of West Africa and the West Indies.  So if you like Orlando Jones as Mr. Nancy in American Gods, check him out in a starring role in his own book: Anansi Boys.  It was listed for the Alex Award (Adult books suitable for Young Adults) in 2006 and is at McLure in the School Library Collection.

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McLure doesn’t have Neil Gaiman’s current best seller Norse Mythology, (that is at Gorgas library) but we have a beautifully illustrated version of both Egyptian and Norse Mythology done by well known YA and children’s author Donna Jo Napoli.  The amazing colored illustrations are accompanied by brief explanations of each of the major Egyptian and Norse Gods that make looking at these books a real pleasure for these long winter evenings.

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All of these books are in the McLure Library School Library collection located in the basement of McLure Library.  If you would like to read any of these books call 348 – 6346 or 348-1508 and we will put it on hold for you.  Or you can come to McLure and see what other fantastic reading we have on our shelves.

2015 Book Award Results

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By Leslie Grant, Graduate Assistant, McLure Education Library

This morning the American Library Association announced the award winners for children’s and young adult books. These include the Caldecott Medal for picture books, the Newbery Medal for children’s literature, and the Printz Award for young adult literature, as well as many others. The results are as follows:

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Caldecott

Winner: The Adventure of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santat

Honor Books: Nana in the City by Lauren Castillo

The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky’s Abstract Art by Mary GrandPré

Sam & Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett, illus. by Jon Klassen

Viva Frida by Yuyi Morales

The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus by Jen Bryant, illus. by Melissa Sweet

This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki, illus. by Jillian Tamaki

Newbery

Winner: The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

Honor Books: El Deafo by Cece Bell

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

Printz

Winner: I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

Honor Books: And We Stay by Jenny Hubbard

The Carnival at Bray by Jessie Ann Foley

Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith

This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki, illus. by Jillian Tamaki

 

For more information and a complete list of winners, see ALA’s website.

More Young Adult Dystopian Novels

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By Leslie Grant, Graduate Assistant, McLure Education Library

Stories set in dystopian societies are wildly popular right now, with books like The Hunger Games and Divergent becoming blockbuster hits at the box office. If you’re done re-reading  Mockingjay before the release of part one later this month, then you might want to check out some of these other young adult dystopian novels available at the library.

pasPills and Starships

by Lydia Millet

(PZ7.M63923 Pi 2014)

“Seventeen-year-old Nat and her hacker brother Sam have come to Hawaii for their parents’ Final Week. Global warming has devastated the planet, and the disintegrating society that remains is run by “corporates” who keep the population complacent through a constant diet of “pharma.” The few Americans who stil live well also live long — so long that older adults, like Nat’s parents, blow out not by natural means but by buying death contracts. While Nat grapples with the bizarre ritual of her parents’ slickly engineered last days, Sam begins to uncover a secret, wilder Hawaii hidden beneath the high-gloss corporate veneer. Their family’s Final Week races toward its climax in the face of a looming hurricane as Nat struggles to protect herself and the people she loves — Along the way forging her own surprising path to hope.”

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Matched series

by Ally Condie

(PZ7.C7586 Ma 2010)

“All her life, Cassia has never had a choice. The Society dictates everything: when and how to play, where to work, where to live, what to eat and wear, when to die, and most importantly to Cassia as she turns 17, whom to marry. When she is Matched with her best friend Xander, things couldn’t be more perfect. But why did her neighbor Ky’s face show up on her match disk as well?”

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Tankborn series

by Karen Sandler

(PZ7.S2173 Tan 2011)

“Kayla and Mishalla, two genetically engineered non-human slaves (GENs), fall in love with higher-status boys, discover deep secrets about the creation of GENs, and find out what it means to be human.”

 

Thotshe House of the Scorpion series

by Nancy Farmer

(PZ7.F23814 Mat 2002)

“In a future where humans despise clones, Matt enjoys special status as the young clone of El Patrón, the 142-year-old leader of a corrupt drug empire nestled between Mexico and the United States.”

 

smShatter Me series

by Tahereh Mafi

(PZ7.M2695 Sh 2011)

“Ostracized or incarcerated her whole life, seventeen-year-old Juliette is freed on the condition that she use her horrific abilities in support of The Reestablishment, a postapocalyptic dictatorship, but Adam, the only person ever to show her affection, offers hope of a better future.”

 

sbShip Breaker series

by Paolo Bacigalupi

(PZ7.B132185 Sh 2010)

“In a futuristic world, teenaged Nailer scavenges copper wiring from grounded oil tankers for a living, but when he finds a beached clipper ship with a girl in the wreckage, he has to decide if he should strip the ship for its wealth or rescue the girl.”

life

Life As We Knew It series

by Susan Beth Pfeffer

(PZ7.P44855 Lif 2006)

“Through journal entries sixteen-year-old Miranda describes her family’s struggle to survive after a meteor hits the moon, causing worldwide tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions.”

 

These are just a few books to get you started, all of which are available at McLure in the Education School Library downstairs. Enjoy, and let us know your favorite dystopian reads.

Diversity in Children’s Literature

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By Leslie Grant, Graduate Assistant, McLure Education Library

The call for more diversity among book characters and authors has gained a lot of attention recently. We thought it would be helpful to provide some background and information on the topic to help others better understand the issue and some current reactions.

The lack of diversity in book publishing is by no means a new issue, but articles like “Where Are the People of Color in Children’s Books?” by Walter Dean Myers and “The Apartheid of Children’s Literature” by Christopher Myers helped bring the topic to the forefront within the past few months. The articles both react to and reflect on the baffling statistics from a study by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center at the University of Wisconsin that “Of 3,200 children’s books published in 2013, just 93 were about black people.” Rather than being an anomaly, these figures represent the trend of relatively low numbers of minority representation in children’s and young adult fiction.

One of the biggest movements has been the #WeNeedDiverseBooks Campaign. Through the use of social media, authors, publishers, and readers were able to share their reasons for wanting to see more diversity in books. By the end of the first day, the trend had gone viral, leading to thousands of tweets on the topic. The campaign has also been encouraging readers to buy more diverse books and for libraries to work to diversify their shelves.

We Need Diverse Books was largely a reaction to the 2014 Book Expo America. When the book publishing conference announced the lineup for their BookCon panels, the list consisted solely of white male participants. The success of We Need Diverse Books inspired BookCon to create a new panel featuring a more diverse group of children’s authors.

To find out more about We Need Diverse Books and BookCon, read “BookCon Controversy Begets Diversity Social Media Campaign” and “A Loud Start for BookCon”.