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Staff Picks Winter 2012

Crossing Over

    The Young Adult Book has grown up in the last few years, and has gained a legion of fans among the Not So Young Adults.  Make no mistake, there is no Good Night Moon here, no Little House on the Prairie. These books have fast-moving plots, engaging characters and present provocative questions.  And are more "adult" than you might think.

     Pullman's Ruby in the Smoke presents a tight Victorian mystery and a young heroine who's ingenuity rivals Poirot. Lo's Ash is a poetic reimagining of Cinderella, where the original fairy tale is not "retold", but rather transformed into something else.  But YA takes on serious subjects as well. Set during World War II, Zusak's The Book Thief explores themes of family, morality and the power of books to feed the soul.

     And we are aware that crossing over goes both ways. We've chosen a couple of books from the Non-YA section that might appeal to adult audiences as well as older teens. Octavia Butler's Kindred presents a powerful, harrowing story of race and choices. And for pure unadulterated fun, Gail Carriger's Soulless is a wild romp, a cross between Jane Austen and P.G. Wodehouse.

     I encourage you to give one of these Cross Over Books a try. Today's Young Adult Books are not what you might think. You just might be pleasantly surprised.

Selected by RJ Doughty and Amy Lewis

         

(Click the title to see if it's available)