Story-Go-Round

Teenage fiction tends to be an area fraught with challenges and problems. Teenage readers want books that are not childish, books that question the status quo and push the limits. They certainly don't want books full of adult guidance. But interestingly enough, many of today's popular teenage novels do contain adult guidance of a sort, cunningly wrapped up as a good story with a positive message. To me, that's the secret of writing a top-quality novel for adolescents.

Recommended age levels are provided as a general guide only. Parents need to be aware of the difficult moral and social themes in many books for teenagers, and take care to choose the right book. 

Recent favourites:

• The Magician of Hoad  Margaret Mahy  (HarperCollins NZ)  ISBN 978 86950 687 2

Another fantasy from Margaret Mahy is cause for excitement. I read it in hardback, and it's also available in paperback. It's set in a pre-Renaissance society where magicians mingle with assassins. There are multiple plot strands following the fates of  several young people, with the main focus on a farm boy called Herriott - who discovers a mysterious and magical side to his personality. We also follow the stories of a mad prince, a treacherous hero, a brave girl of noble birth, and a tough street urchin. The author's ever-questioning intellect challenges the reader, while her unique handling of imagery and language brings constant delight. A great read for fantasy fans. (Nov)

• Living Hell  Catherine Jinks  (Allen & Unwin)  ISBN 9781741148282

This is a nail-biting sci-fi thriller that will keep teens reading to the end. Cheney lives aboard Plexus, which is an ark spaceship searching for a new planet where humans can dwell. After the ship travels through a mysterious force field, it changes from mechanical to organic. Unfortunately the ship identifies the humans inside it as a threat, and its system mobilises to attack and destroy them. Cheney and a handful of survivors struggle to stay alive in a ship that's determined to destroy them. Tons of suspense, action, and blood and guts.  (Nov)

• Bog Child  Siobhan Dowd  (David Fickling)  ISBN 978 0 385 61426 9

This absorbing story is set on the border between Northern Ireland and Eire in the 1980s. Fergus finds a body in the peat which turns out to be a girl from the Iron Age. As Fergus's story progresses, he periodically dreams about the bog girl, whom he calls Mel. Fergus is worried about his older brother, who's on a hunger strike in Long Kesh Prison. He ends up carrying secret packets over the border, thinking they're for the IRA. But his conscience gets the better of him and he confesses to a border guard. Amazingly, things work out in the end for Fergus and his family.  (Nov)

• The 10 PM Question  Kate De Goldi  (Longacre)  ISBN 978 1 877460 20 3

This superbly-written story is about 12-year-old Frankie Parsons, who carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. No-one else in his family seems to have the same worries, even his mother, who never leaves the house. A new girl arrives at school - bold, cynical, forthright - and Frankie makes friends with her. But Frankie's worries continue to pile up until they all get too much for him... Peopled with a fascinating, quirky cast of characters, this book offers a unique voice. My only question is - what age range will read it? Teens are unlikely to read a book about a 12-year-old, but it's not really packaged and formatted for an intermediate audience. Personally, I would recommend it to mature intermediate-aged readers who are reading well ahead of their age group, both girls and boys.  (Oct)

• Juno of Taris  Fleur Beale  (Random House NZ)  ISBN 978 1 86941 988 2

An excellent futuristic sci-fi story set in a world when Earth has been devastated by war and viruses. Taris is a remote island which was provided with a protective dome to create a balmy climate. 500 people were selected to live there to ensure the survival of the human race. Juno is a young descendant who finds the island society has become restrictive and repressive. She joins a rebellion in which people demand the right to grow their hair instead of having it shaved off. The rebellion spreads until the status quo falls apart and terrible secrets are revealed about the ruling group.  (Oct)

• Genius Squad  Catherine Jinks  (Allen & Unwin)  ISBN 9781741751321

This is the sequel to Evil Genius, which I haven't read - but it didn't matter, because I still enjoyed this book. Cadel Piggott is having a hard time with his foster parents. His friend, Sonja, who has cerebral palsy, is also finding life difficult. So when the pair are offered a chance to live in a young people's group home and use their specialist abilities to bring down an evil corporation, they are happy to agree. By the time Cadel realises they are both still being manipulated by the evil criminal mastermind, Prosper English, it's too late. Lively and absorbing reading.  (Oct)

• Smashed  Mandy Hager  (Random House NZ)  ISBN 978 1 86941 9424

Winner of the Esther Glen Award, this is a gritty, uncompromising story narrated by Toby, a genius of Chinese extraction. Toby was meant to be looking after his sister at a party, but he goes off with a girl and his sister is raped by one of his friends, Don. Toby gets wasted and goes after Don - but the next day he can't remember if he's responsible for Don's severe injuries. It's a fast-moving story with tension that winds tighter and tighter...  (Sept)

• Shadow of the Mountain  Anna Makenzie  (Longacre)  ISBN 978 1 877460 00 5

Geneva's family are suffering from a huge loss - her older brother was killed in a climbing accident. This is gradually revealed as Geneva battles to work through her grief. Her mother is clinically depressed and her father won't talk about it. Geneva decides to climb the same mountain to exorcise her ghosts. But when she joins a climbing club, she finds unexpected support coming from other sources. It's a good read with lots of action and emotion, particularly in the climax scenes. (Sept)

• Finding Violet Park  Jenny Valentine  (HarperCollins)  ISBN 978-0-00-722962-8

A quirky and very funny story narrated by 15-year-old Lucas, whose father disappeared about 5 years earlier. Lucas "rescues" an urn of ashes from a cab depot. The urn is labelled Violet Park. Lucas is convinced that the spirit of Violet wants him to find out her history. Some amazing coincidences gradually reveal that his missing father, a journalist, had befriended Violet. As the story unfolds we come to understand the dynamics of Lucas's family in very subtle and amusing ways. It's beautifully written and the plot is very clever. Probably would be enjoyed by girls more than boys, despite the male narrator. (Aug)

• Inside the Cage  Matt Whyman  (Simon and Shuster)  ISBN 978-1-41692669-6

This will be a big hit with boys who like the Alex Rider stories. 17-year-old Carl Hobbes is grabbed by the US military and flown to an isolated detention camp in the Arctic circle - because he hacked into their systems and initiated a robbery of Fort Knox. A terrorist at the camp achieves a breakout. Carl and a female inmate (who was also involved in the Fort Knox heist) are the only ones who can save the camp from complete destruction. Very far-fetched, but the fast action and nailbiting tension make up for that.  (Aug)

• Apache  Tanya Landman  (Walker Books)  ISBN 978-1-4063-0331-5

This riveting and convincing story is narrated by Siki, an Apache girl who becomes a warrior after her whole family is killed by the Mexicans. Gradually her tribe lose their land, their food supplies and their possessions. They also have family members stolen as slaves. But when the White Eyes (Europeans) come, things get much worse. Siki has a special Power that enables her to foresee the demise of her tribe. In the end she turns her back on the offer of help from her traitorous Mexican father and chooses to stay with her tribe, thus choosing honour - and death.  (Aug)

• My So-Called Life: The Tragically Normal Diary of Rachel Riley  Joanna Nadin  (Oxford University Press)  ISBN 978 0 19 275526 1

A very funny diary account of a year in Rachel's life. She's keen for something drastic to happen in her life - but nothing works. In the meantime she copes with a paranoid, over-controlling mother, a genius younger brother, a grandfather who's evicted from his retirement home for indecent behaviour, a friend who's mother is a sex therapist - and a dog that eats literally everything and then vomits it up. The humour lies in Rachel's deadpan, fast-moving account of some hilarious situations. (July)

• Beige  Cecil Castellucci  (Candlewick Press)  ISBN 978 0 7636 3066 9

Some deep themes sweetened with layers of humour in this one. Katy is sent from Montreal to LA to live with her father, an ageing rocker. He's the drummer in a band called Suck. He's also a recovered drug addict. Katy wants nothing to do with him and his disgusting lifestyle. But she eventually makes friends with Lake, the punk rocker daughter of another member of the band. Gradually Katy loosens up and comes to accept the weird and wonderful lifestyle of LA - and also accepts her father as a real father. (July) 

• A Rose For the ANZAC Boys  Jackie French  (Angus & Robertson)  ISBN 978 0 7322 85401

It is 1915 and war is raging in the trenches of France. 16-year-old New Zealander Midge is a long way from her family's sheep station in the South Island - she's at school in England. Desperate to do their bit, Midge and two friends leave school and set up a canteen in France, providing cocoa and comfort to the wounded soldiers being sent home. But Midge is seconded as an ambulance driver and ends up seeing firsthand the horrors of a battlefield hospital. Will Midge survive? Will she find her missing twin brother? Will she find someone to love? This absorbing story is not for the fainthearted - some scenes are graphic and gruesome. But the youth of today should read books like this to ensure they don't fall into the trap of glorifying war. (June)

• The Fire of Ares  Michael Ford  (Bloomsbury)  ISBN 978 0 7475 9366 9

This is the first book in the Spartan Warrior series, and I'll be looking for the next one. Lysander is a Helot, a race of people who are enslaved to the ancient Spartans. After spending all his childhood in the fields, Lysander suddenly discovers that his father was a Spartan, now deceased. His Spartan grandfather decides to turn him into a warrior and organizes for him to train at an agoge - a military school for boys aged 7 to 18. He has a tough time, being scorned and bullied by the other boys. But secret lessons in handling weapons mean that Lysander eventually wins the Festival Games - amid many adventures and betrayals. The descriptions of life in ancient Sparta are fascinating.  (June)

• Tantalize  Cynthia Leitich Smith  (Candlewick Press)  ISBN 978 0 7636 2791 1

This should be popular with fans of fairy and horror stories. It's set in a world where humans rub shoulders with werewolves and vampires. Quincie Morris, an orphan, is helping her uncle set up a vampire-themed restaurant called Sanguini's in Austin, Texas. But things go bad when the head chef is murdered. Quincie doesn't know who to trust - and finds herself betrayed on all sides. Quincie survives - but at the end of the book she's not the person she used to be... (March)

• Lemonade Mouth  Mark Peter Hughes  (Delacorte)  ISBN 978 0 385 73392 2

A wildly differing group of high-school students are thrown together in detention - and as a result they form a rock band and produce some unique music. Initally they are a huge success in their hometown, because all the nerds and loners identify with them. But each band member has personal issues, and these eventually cause the band to crash out at a local band competition. The story is narrated from the point of view of each band member in turn - and the teenage voices are excellent. This is a fun read. (March)

• The Sea-Wreck Stranger  Anna Mckenzie  (Longacre)  ISBN 978 1 877361 88 3

This is an intriguing futuristic story set on a remote island where the farming community keeps to itself and distrusts anything which comes from the sea (which was poisoned). Ness, her brother, and her cousin discover a half-drowned stranger washed up on the shore. Ness hides him in a cave and cares for him. But prejudice and hysteria rage on the island, and eventually Ness escapes from the community in a boat, together with the recovered stranger. There will be a sequel. NB. This is shortlisted for the New Zealand Post Awards. (Feb)

• Repossessed: A Novel  A. M. Jenkins  (HarperCollins)  ISBN 978 0 06 083569 9

A quirky tale about a demon (he prefers Fallen Angel) who takes over the body of a teenage boy, Shaun, at the moment Shaun is about to step in front of a vehicle and be killed. Kiriel is keen to experience the physical world. He knows Shaun's thoughts and desires, but his own very different nature takes over. There are some funny scenes as Kiriel/Shaun interacts with his best friend, his younger brother, his mother, a bully at school, and a girl who has a crush on him. (Feb)

• The Harsh Cry of the Heron  Lian Hearn  (Macmillan, Young Picador)  ISBN 978 0 330 44961 8

This is the sequel to the Tales of the Otori trilogy. It should not be attempted as a stand-alone; it is essential to read the trilogy first. Many years have passed, and Takeo and Kaede have governed the Three Countries for 16 years. Their older daughter is being groomed to be their successor, while their younger twin girls show signs of having the magical skills of the Tribe. In a long and leisurely tale, Takeo faces treachery, betrayal, war and eventual death. It's absorbing but demanding reading.  (Dec)

• Scrambled Eggs at Midnight  Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler  (Speak: Penguin)  ISBN 978 0 14 240867

This is the appealing and feel-good story of two oddball teens who meet and fall for each other. Calliope has to follow her mother round the country from place to place, following the Renaissance Faires. While Eliot lives in a country camp where his father runs summer camps for fat Christian kids. Both teenagers are fed up with their parents' lifestyles, but it takes a while before they get what they want, namely to stay together. It's an amusing take on modern society.  (Dec)

• Time of the Eagle  Sherryl Jordan  (Simon & Schuster)  ISBN 978 1 41690 447 2

This is the sequel to Secret Sacrament, in which Gabriel saves the small Shinali tribe from total annihilation by the cruel Navoran Empire. Gabriel's self-sacrifice marks the beginning of the Time of the Eagle, which is foretold to bring freedom to the remains of the tribe. Avala is the heroine of this second book, daughter of Gabriel and a Shinali healer. Avala has trouble accepting the role of saviour of her tribe - but fate pushes her into fulfilling the prophecy. She spends time as a slave with the Igaal tribe, then is taken to a secret citadel in the mountains where she learns Navoran healing skills. Eventually she is able to lead a joint force of tribes against the evil Emperor, Jaganath. This is a moving and absorbing story about a girl embracing her destiny. It is a story of courage and love triumphing over cruelty and corruption. Great reading for fantasy fans. (Nov)

• Dark Alchemy: Magical Tales From Masters of Modern Fantasy  Edited by Jack Dann and Gardner Dozois  (Bloomsbury)  ISBN 9780747590569

This is a rich and satisfying mixture of short stories on the theme of "the wizard". It includes work by Garth Nix, Eoin Colfer, Neil Gaiman, Jane Yolen, Patricia McKillip, Tanith Lee, and Orson Scott Card. Heartily recommended for fantasy fans, and a must-buy for secondary school libraries. (Nov)

• Zenith  Julie Bertagna  (Young Picador)  ISBN 978 0 230 01534 0

This is the sequel to Exodus, published a few years ago, and I would recommend that you re-read the first book to refresh your memories of the futuristic plot. Mara escapes from the evil sky city in a stolen ship, carrying a mixture of boat people, Treenesters, and Urchins. They are heading north, looking for a new country underneath the melted icecap of the Arctic. When they reach land, they are led off course by local wreckers, the ship founders, and the survivors are taken prisoner. Eventually Mara and her small group of companions escape and hide in the tunnels in the mountains. By this time Mara has given birth to a baby daughter, fathered by Fox, whom she left behind in the sky city. Several loose ends make me wonder if there will be a third book in this absorbing series. (Nov)