Choose Your Own Reading List (Grades 8-12)

Welcome! This booklist is geared for grades 8-12 and contains fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels, and biographies that can be borrowed from the Salina Library and other OCPL locations. Titles currently available through OCPL Overdrive/Libby or Hoopla as e-books or e-audiobooks are also marked as “Available electronically.” For more information about these services, go to <a href="http://www.salinalibrary.org" target="_blank">www.salinalibrary.org</a>. Click [[here->Intro 2]] to continue.

How It works: This list is set up similar to a choose-your-own adventure book. Follow the description links to discover different titles. Each book’s page contains a brief description and a link to the OCPL catalog, as well as links to a book trailer or other relevant media. Use your library card to order any titles that interest you through the OCPL catalog. Need help? Call the Salina Library at 315-454-4524 or email <a href="mailto:mnorton@salinalibrary.org">mnorton@salinalibrary.org</a>. Keep checking this page--our hope is to keep the list updated with new titles and perhaps new paths to explore! *Titles marked with asterisk have a sequel or are part of a series. Click [[here->Intro 3]] to continue.

Let’s Get Started! Pick a Path: [[Science Fiction or Fantasy]] [[Real Life]] [[Mystery]] [[History]]

Science Fiction & Fantasy stories can be a great escape into another world, or a safe place to explore far-out fears! Pick a path: [[Dystopian Adventure]] [[Fantasy Life]] [[Heroes & Legends]] [[Real Life With a Twist]] [[Horror]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

Real life stories can range from non-fiction to stories based on realistic characters in situations. These stories can help us to travel to new countries, to find solutions with characters in similar situations, or to learn more about our world. Choose your path: [[Romance]] [[Life’s Journey]] [[Culture Clash]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

A shot in the dark! A missing person! A puzzling clue! A good mystery can provide excitement and a fun mental workout! Are you in the mood for: [[Murder!]] [[Secrets!]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

History is not just a subject to study in school, full of names and dates to memorize. History is the retelling of the human experience through the ages, with many lessons to learn and share with the future. How do you prefer to experience history: [[Tell Me a Story!]] [[Straight to the Facts!]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

Dictionary.com defines a dystopia as, “a society characterized by human misery, as squalor, oppression, disease, and overcrowding.” Sounds fun, right? Click [[here->Dystopian Adventure 2]] to continue.

Far-off lands full of magic & wonder can be a great escape, full of whimsy and adventure. Click [[here->Fantasy Life 2]] to continue.

Stories are told all over the world of great heroes. Gods & mortals, mythical creatures, & flawed characters all have one thing in common -- good will triumph over evil in the end. Click [[here->Heroes & Legends 2]] to continue.

Sometimes, the best way to cope with the real world is with the hope and belief that real magic is hidden just around the corner. Click [[here->Real Life With a Twist 2]] to continue.

Horror can mean bloody murder, jump scares, creepy creatures, or something more sinister. What scares you? Click [[here->Horror 2]] to continue.

[[Choice 1->Dystopian Adventure C1]] You are a Muslim-American teenager in the U.S. and have been sent with your family to an internment camp for potential terrorists. You must decide whether it’s enough to just survive or to fight back when injustice abounds. [[Choice 2->Dystopian Adventure C2]] You are a girl in Garner County, preparing to be banished from town with the other girls your age for your grace year, armed with little more than your domestic skills and rumors of the dangers that await. [[Choice 3->Dystopian Adventure C3]] You are a rebel soldier in Nigeria, in a future where soldiers fight in mechanized suits with advanced technology. [[Go back to Science Fiction or Fantasy->Science Fiction or Fantasy]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

[[Choice 1->Fantasy Life C1]] You are a traveling performer, part of a troupe with your family. Your talents lie in powers that must remain secret, or you will be put to death by your country’s colonial government. As you travel through a country on the brink of war, you must learn who can be trusted. [[Choice 2->Fantasy Life C2]] You have lived and worked among the magical & dangerous grimoires for your entire life. Framed by an act of sabotage, you suddenly find yourself having to prove your innocence, as well as trying to save the world. To do this, you must work with a powerful sorcerer--who is also your sworn enemy. [[Go back to Science Fiction or Fantasy->Science Fiction or Fantasy]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

[[Choice 1->Heroes & Legends C1]] You have just moved to Metropolis with your family. Adjusting as one of few Asian-American families is harder than ever when the KK attacks. Superman is there to help, but first both you and Superman must learn to embrace the unique abilities that set you apart from the rest of the community. [[Choice 2->Heroes & Legends C2]] You are an ambitious high-school student, making plans to graduate and move on to a prestigious college and career, when life suddenly becomes--weird. When the new guy at school informs you that not only is he the reincarnated Monkey King of Chinese legends, but also that you are the reincarnation of his greatest weapon, you must learn how to work together with this new knowledge and abilities, before it’s too late. [[Choice 3->Heroes & Legends C3]] You have just walked into your grandmother’s apartment with little more than a knapsack and a few dollars, only to learn that she recently died. With nowhere else to go, the landlord, known as Mama, lets you stay. Now, Mama & friends are faced with eviction from some total boogers and it’s time to repay their kindness. [[Go back to Science Fiction or Fantasy->Science Fiction or Fantasy]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

[[Choice 1->Real Life With a Twist C1]] A dreamer whose dreams come to life. A thief whose dreams are killing her. A hunter who knows that dreamers can kill, and so kills them first. Which are you? [[Choice 2->Real Life With a Twist C2]] You meet the love of your life at a party and all is bliss--but unknown to you, she is dying. After her death, you’re suddenly back at the party where you met. A chance to start over. How far will you go to keep her alive? [[Go back to Science Fiction or Fantasy->Science Fiction or Fantasy]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

[[Choice 1->Horror C1]] You are a high school student with your own Babysitters Club. Ok, it’s just you and your best friend, but there’s snacks. A new girl has arrived in town, eager to join your club while it’s clear she’s never babysat in her life. When scary nightmares & disappearances start plaguing the children in town, you realize there may be a reason why her mother told her to “find the babysitters.” [[Choice 2->Horror C2]] You aren’t sure why you agreed to meet up with your old school friends. After Jim died, everyone went their separate ways--but you have questions that need answers. The night goes from awkward to bizarre and dangerous when a mysterious man appears with an ultimatum: only one person in the group can survive the night, but only if everyone agrees on whom that should be. [[Go back to Science Fiction or Fantasy->Science Fiction or Fantasy]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

Romance is a genre for learning, healing, and/or escape. Romance can be straightforward and breathtaking or messy & embarrassing, or a mixture of all things--as is life. Which do you choose? Click [[here->Romance 2]] to continue.

The hardest part of high school is that it’s also a time of drastic changes in life, when you’re reaching the end of a journey from childhood to adulthood. Most of the lessons learned at this time are about self -- not exactly on the class syllabus. Reading and learning about another person’s life can also help to understand our own struggles. Your next step is to: [[Find Your Strength]] [[Follow Someone Else’s Path]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

Trying to blend two different cultures can be tough, but can also result in great rewards. Click [[here->Culture Clash 2]] to continue.

[[Choice 1->Romance C1]] You have spent every autumn during high school working at Deknocks World Famous Pumpkin Patch and Autumn Jamboree. Now it’s senior year, your last season at the Patch, and your last chance to talk to your crush--if only you can find her! [[Choice 2->Romance C2]] You are attending an amazing summer program before college. Fate may have another prize in store...but when opposites attract, will love follow? [[Choice 3->Romance C3]] You have landed a job at the local amusement park, Magic CastlePlayland. Sure, the place is old and a little cheesy, and “giant dancing hot dog” isn’t exactly your dream gig, but you get to work every day with your best friend. This summer, you’re determined to make it the best possible, with a plan to finally talk to your crush...except you soon learn this may be the last summer for Magic Castle Playland. [[Go back to Real Life->Real Life]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

Growing up can be rough. Changes hit from all sides. Lifelong views are challenged. Family and friends move apart as they too struggle with their own challenges. At the same time, new relationships can be formed and old ones become stronger. Finding ways to deal and adapt is the greatest lesson of all. Click [[here->Find Your Strength 2]] to continue.

Living life, facing challenges and enduring hardship can teach us a lot, but so can learning about how someone else did it, like through reading a memoir or biography! Click [[here->Follow Someone Else's Path 2]] to continue.

[[Choice 1->Culture Clash C1]] You are an Iranian-American teen and self-proclaimed geek. When your parents decide to take a trip to visit family in Iran, you have no idea how you’ll be able to fit in. [[Choice 2->Culture Clash C2]] You are a black teen moving from Canada to Texas with your mom after your parents divorce. You’ve seen all the movies and tv shows and are certain that nothing good can come from this move. [[Go back to Real Life->Real Life]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

Ahh! A murderer is on the lose! Find the clues and solve the crime--before it’s too late! Click [[here->Murder! 2]] to continue.

Secrets can destroy relationships and wreck lives when in the wrong hands. Yet, sometimes keeping a secret is more harmful than the secret itself. Click [[here->Secrets! 2]] to continue.

[[Choice 1->Murder! C1]] You have been offered a place at a prestigious and eccentric boarding school with a tragic past. You are determined to solve the murders that first shut down the school--only now, over 70 years later, students asking questions are dying. Is there a connection to the bloody past? [[Choice 2->Murder! C2]] You are a suspect in the death of D.J. ParSec. The police don’t seem interested in finding the real killer, so now you must team up with your rival to learn the truth. [[Choice 3->Murder! C3]] A major storm has stranded several students and staff at Blackbrook Academy--including you, a student. When the headmaster’s dead body is found hanging in the conservatory, you must find the killer--before time runs out. [[Go back to Mystery->Mystery]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

[[Choice 1->Secrets! C1]] Your friend is in trouble. He is living rough and telling stories about a fantasy world, like he is actually living there. It all seems to have started the day you fell out of his treehouse--if only you remembered what happened before the fall. [[Choice 2->Secrets! C2]] You are the talented teen creator of Slay, a secret MMORPG dedicated to black pride. When a teen is killed over a game dispute, suddenly Slay is in the crosshairs of the media and an anonymous troll is threatening to reveal your identity to the world. [[Choice 3->Secrets! C3]] You are a valet at the Florida resort that your father manages. You dream of becoming a detective and have an eye for clues and a head for solving puzzles. When Charlie, the hotel detective, needs help solving a case, he knows to count on you. [[Go back to Mystery->Mystery]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

Stories about life and life’s lessons have been handed down since humans first began to communicate. It’s important to remember that stories depend on the storyteller--and that the stories in textbooks are only part of what happened. Where to from here? [[Hidden American History]] [[Stories of World War II]]

Some people prefer their information wrapped in a story, while others prefer to keep to the facts. Click [[here->Straight to the Facts! 2]] to continue.

There’s an old saying, that “history is written by the victors.” Often, the stories of the minorities are left out of the “official” retellings of events, yet only in seeking them out can we learn a truer version of what happened. Click [[here->Hidden American History 2]] to continue.

World War II defined a generation worldwide. The stories from this time are those of heroism and heartache, love and betrayal. Click [[here->Stories of World War II 2]] to continue.

[[Choice 1->Hidden American History C1]] You are a black woman in Savannah, Georgia in the 1880s. When a rich and cultured black woman takes you under her wing, you are thrust into upper class black society, a world you only dreamed of--but is it worth leaving your former life behind? [[Choice 2->Hidden American History C2]] You are a Chinese-American woman living with your adopted father as silent unknown shadows, hidden underneath a print shop in Atlanta, Georgia. Working as a lady’s maid by day, you witness the inequities of class, gender, and race. At night, you are the anonymous author of “Dear Miss Sweetie,” an advice column followed by women throughout the city. When the column becomes both popular and controversial, your secrets are threatened to be exposed. [[Choice 3->Hidden American History C3]] You are in an orphanage, but you are not an orphan. Dropped off by your father and left with your sister when he remarries and moves away with your other siblings, you are left to navigate the world of an almost-orphan living during the Great Depression and World War II. [[Go back to Tell Me a Story!->Tell Me a Story!]] [[Go back to History->History]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

[[Choice 1->Stories of World War II C1]] You are a Japanese-American child, living with your family in California in 1942. When Pearl Harbor is attacked by Japanese forces, the U.S. government immediately goes on the defensive. All people of Japanese descent living on the west coast, including your family, are rounded up and sent to “relocation centers” for the duration of the war. This is the story of your childhood, living with your family in these centers. [[Choice 2->Stories of World War II C2]] You are a British woman on a secret mission in occupied France in 1943. The lives of millions depend on the secrets that you keep and share. When face-to-face with the enemy, can you be counted on to do the right thing--at any cost? [[Go back to Tell Me a Story!->Tell Me a Story!]] [[Go back to History->History]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

[[Choice 1->Straight to the Facts! C1]] You are living in America in the year 1919, living through many events like nothing the country has experienced before--with consequences that will resonate 100 years later. [[Choice 2->Straight to the Facts! C2]] You have lived through World War I, known as The War to End All Wars. What ends this war is an illness, a flu virus deadlier than the world has seen before. Now everyone, soldier and civilian, is fighting not on the battlefield but in homes and hospitals and on the streets to survive this lethal pandemic that is wreaking havoc throughout the world. [[Go back to History->History]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780316522694/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=1037897086" alt="Internment Cover Image"> <a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=1&cn=2254657" target="_blank">Internment</a>, by Samira Ahmed. A terrifying, futuristic United Sates where Muslim-Americans are forced into internment camps, and 17-year-old Layla Amin leads a revolution against complicit silence. Available electronically. <a href="https://youtu.be/NrvnKIvMU7M" target="_blank">Internment Quotes</a> [[Go back to Dystopian Adventure->Dystopian Adventure 2]] [[Go back to Science Fiction or Fantasy->Science Fiction or Fantasy]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9781250145444/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=1079864925"> <a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=1&cn=2302085" target="_blank">The Grace Year</a>, by Kim Liggett. In Garner County, girls are told they are full of dangerous and uncontrollable power. That is why they're banished for their 16th year, to release their magic into the wild so they can return purified and ready for marriage--but not all of them make it home alive. Tierney James dreams of a society that doesn't pit friend against friend or woman against woman. She fears the brutal elements, the poachers in the woods, men who are waiting for a chance to grab one of the girls in order to make a fortune on the black market. But her greatest threat may very well be the other girls. <a href="http://bookbub.com/blog/the-grace-year-book" target="_blank">5 Things to Know.</a> [[Go back to Dystopian Adventure->Dystopian Adventure 2]] [[Go back to Science Fiction or Fantasy->Science Fiction or Fantasy]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780451481672/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=1083229292"> <a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=1&cn=2302258" target="_blank">War Girls</a>, by Tochi Onyebuchi. In 2172, when much of the world is unlivable, sisters Onyii and Ify dream of escaping war-torn Nigeria and finding a better future together but are, instead, torn apart. Available electronically. <a href="https://youtu.be/veMV19ptZ2M" target="_blank">Inspiration Behind War Girls</a> [[Go back to Dystopian Adventure->Dystopian Adventure 2]] [[Go back to Science Fiction or Fantasy->Science Fiction or Fantasy]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780062380814/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=1017602265" alt="For a Muse of Fire Cover Image"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=3&cn=2213600" target="_blank">For a Muse of Fire*</a>, by Heidi Heilig. Jetta, a teen who possesses secret, forbidden powers, must gain access to a hidden spring and negotiate a world roiling with intrigue and the beginnings of war. <a href="https://youtu.be/ivBObq0S2Ms" target="_blank">Book Trailer</a> [[Back to Fantasy Life->Fantasy Life 2]] [[Back to Science Fiction or Fantasy->Science Fiction or Fantasy]] [[Back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9781481497619/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=1052905438" alt="Sorcery of Thorns Cover Image"/><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=1&cn=2274942" target="_blank">Sorcery of Thorns</a>, by Margaret Rogerson. All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer's Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery -- magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. She hopes to become a warden, charged with protecting the kingdom from their power. Then an act of sabotage releases the library's most dangerous grimoire. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth starts to question everything she's been taught -- about sorcerers, about the libraries she loves, even about herself. Available electronically. <a href="https://youtu.be/NP6UX1_8aEE" target="_blank">Three Reasons to Be Riveted by Sorcery of Thorns</a> [[Back to Fantasy Life->Fantasy Life 2]] [[Back to Science Fiction or Fantasy->Science Fiction or Fantasy]] [[Back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9781779504210/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=1124904626" alt="Superman Smashes the Klan Cover Image"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=1&cn=2335369" target="_blank">Superman Smashes the Klan</a>, by Gene Luen Yang. When Dr. Lee moves his family to Metropolis, his son Tommy adjusts to the new neighborhood while daughter Roberta feels out of place. When the evil Klan of the Fiery Cross begins a string of terrorist attacks on the city, Superman fights them, and Roberta and Superman soon learn to embrace the unique features that set them apart. <a href="https://youtu.be/LQ5ID_k_iBA" target="_blank">Book Trailer</a> [[Go back to Heroes & Legends->Heroes & Legends 2]] [[Go back to Science Fiction or Fantasy->Science Fiction or Fantasy]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9781419725487/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=973920965" alt="The Epic Crush of Genie Lo Cover Image"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=1&cn=2046713" target="_blank">The Epic Crush of Genie Lo*</a>, by F. C. Yee. The struggle to get into a top-tier college consumes sixteen-year-old Genie's every waking thought. But when she discovers she's a celestial spirit who's powerful enough to bash through the gates of heaven with her fists, her perfectionist existence is shattered. Available electronically. <a href=" https://youtu.be/Z-2VHXNLkHA" target="_blank">Author and Narrator Speak</a> [[Go back to Heroes & Legends->Heroes & Legends 2]] [[Go back to Science Fiction or Fantasy->Science Fiction or Fantasy]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9781401283292/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=1091294167" alt="Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass Cover Image"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=2&cn=2294305" target="_blank">Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass</a>, by Mariko Tamaki. With just 5 dollars and a knapsack to her name, 15-year-old Harleen Quinzel is sent to live in Gotham City. She's not worried, though--she's battled a lot of hard situations as a kid, and knows her determination and outspokenness will carry her through life in the most dangerous city in the world. Available electronically. <a href="https://youtu.be/oIkDU-RqSEY" target="_blank">Book Trailer</a> [[Go back to Heroes & Legends->Heroes & Legends 2]] [[Go back to Science Fiction or Fantasy->Science Fiction or Fantasy]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9781338188325/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=1086336931" alt="Call Down the Hawk Cover Image"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=1&cn=2303114" target="_blank">Call Down the Hawk*</a>, by Maggie Stiefvater. Ronan Lynch is a dreamer. He can pull both curiosities and catastrophes out of his dreams and into reality. Jordan Hennessy is a thief. The closer she comes to the dream object she is after, the more inextricably she becomes tied to it. Carmen Farooq-Lane is a hunter. Her brother was a dreamer . . . and a killer. She has seen what dreaming can do to a person and she has seen the damage that dreamers can do. They are nothing compared to the destruction that is about to be unleashed. Available electronically. <a href="https://youtu.be/T6ksmSWxjzg" target="_blank">Author Review</a> [[Go back to Real Life With a Twist->Real Life With a Twist 2]] [[Go back to Science Fiction or Fantasy->Science Fiction or Fantasy]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780062748379/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=1088557180" alt="The Opposite of Always Cover Image"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=1&cn=2254193" target ="_blank">The Opposite of Always</a>, by Justin A. Reynolds. Jack and Kate met, bonding until sunrise over their mutual love of Froot Loops and their favorite flicks. Jack falls hard, but then Kate dies. Somehow, Kate's death sends Jack back to the beginning, the moment they first meet, and Kate's there again--healthy, happy, and charming as ever. Jack thinks he's losing his mind, but takes the chance to prevent Kate's death. He learns actions are not without consequences and now Jack has to figure out what he’s willing to do to save the people he loves. Available electronically. <a href="https://youtu.be/skfSTAxGxCY" target="_blank">Book Trailer</a> [[Go back to Real Life With a Twist->Real Life With a Twist 2]] [[Go back to Science Fiction or Fantasy->Science Fiction or Fantasy]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780525707370/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=1117494926" alt="The Babysitters Coven Cover Image"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=1&cn=2295484" target="_blank">The Babysitters Coven*</a>, by Kate M. Williams. Esme Pearl has a babysitters club. She knows it's kinda lame, but what else is she supposed to do? Get a job? Gross. Besides, Esme likes babysitting, and she's good at it. Enter Cassandra Heaven. Why is Cassandra willing to do anything to join Esme's babysitters club? The answer lies in a mysterious note Cassandra's mother left her: "Find the babysitters. Love, Mom." Available electronically. <a href="https://youtu.be/hRhgek46N5c" target="_blank">Book Trailer</a> [[Go back to Horror->Horror 2]] [[Go back to Science Fiction or Fantasy->Science Fiction or Fantasy]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780399553943/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=1124906268" alt="Neverworld Wake Book Cover"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=3&cn=2350393" target="_blank">Neverworld Wake</a>, by Marisha Pessl. Once upon a time, back at Darrow-Harker School, Beatrice Hartley and her five best friends were the cool kids, the beautiful ones. Then, Jim’s shocking death changed everything. One year after graduation, Beatrice has returned, hoping she'll get to the bottom of the dark questions gnawing at her about Jim's death. As the night plays out in a haze of stilted jokes and unfathomable silence, a mysterious man knocks on the door. Time for them has become stuck, snagged on a splinter that can only be removed if the former friends make the harshest of decisions. Now Beatrice has one last shot at answers . . . and at life. And so begins the Neverworld Wake. Available electronically. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3FdiFeD5e0" target="_blank">Book Trailer</a> [[Go back to Horror->Horror 2]] [[Go back to Science Fiction or Fantasy->Science Fiction or Fantasy]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9781626721623/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=1045190002" alt="Pumpkinheads Cover Image"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=1&cn=2294206" target="_blank">Pumpkinheads</a>, by Rainbow Rowell. Deja and Josiah are seasonal best friends. Every autumn, all through high school, they've worked together at the world's best pumpkin patch. They say good-bye every Halloween, and they're reunited every September 1st. But this Halloween is different. Josiah and Deja are finally seniors. It's their last season at the Patch, their last shift together--their last good-bye. Available electronically. <a href="https://youtu.be/SDYVRNn64RU" target="_blank">Book Trailer</a> [[Go back to Romance->Romance 2]] [[Go back to Real Life->Real Life]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9781481478687/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=960287573" alt="When Dimple Met Rishi Cover Image"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=1&cn=2023749" target="_blank">When Dimple Met Rishi*</a>, by Sandhya Menon. Dimple Shah has it all figured out. With graduation behind her, she's more than ready for a break from her family, from Mamma's inexplicable obsession with her finding the "Ideal Indian Husband." Ugh. Rishi Patel is a hopeless romantic. When his parents tell him that his future wife will be attending the same summer program as him—wherein he'll have to woo her—he's totally on board. Dimple and Rishi may think they have each other figured out, but when opposites clash, love works hard to prove itself. Available electronically. <a href="https://youtu.be/GK9a7YqUWCA" target="_blank">Author Interview</a> [[Go back to Romance->Romance 2]] [[Go back to Real Life->Real Life]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780525516255/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=1039446338" alt="Hot Dog Girl Cover Image"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=1&cn=2266969" target="_blank">Hot Dog Girl</a>, by Jennifer Dugan. Elouise (Lou) Parker is determined to have the absolute best, most impossibly epic summer of her life. There are just a few things standing in her way: She works as a giant dancing hot dog. Her crush, the dreamy Diving Pirate Nick, already has a girlfriend, who is literally the Princess of the park. Her best friend, Seeley, the carousel operator, who's always been up for anything, suddenly isn't--and it turns out that this will be their last summer at Magic Castle Playland, ever, unless she can find a way to stop it from closing. <a href="https://soundcloud.com/penguin-audio/hot-dog-girl-by-jennifer-dugan" target="_blank">Audio</a> [[Go back to Romance->Romance 2]] [[Go back to Real Life->Real Life]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

[[Choice 1->Find Your Strength C1]] You are a teen mom, struggling to finish school & raise your child, with your grandmother’s help. You dream of becoming a chef, but worry that it is out of your reach. When a new school program is announced, you find hope that your dreams may be possible after all. [[Choice 2->Find Your Strength C2]] You and your best friend always plan the best summer vacations--but this summer, he’s away at camp and you’re stuck at home. His cool older sister takes you under her wing and you discover a shared interest in music that gets you past the loneliness--except now your friend is back from camp and acting super weird. [[Go back to Life's Journey->Life’s Journey]] [[Go back to Real Life->Real Life]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780062662835/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=1099435562" alt="With the Fire on High Cover Image"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=2&cn=2267982" target="_blank">With the Fire on High</a>, by Elizabeth Acevedo. Teen mother Emoni Santiago struggles with the challenges of finishing high school and her dream of working as a chef. <a href="https://youtu.be/0dmZn2mI4RI" target="_blank">Book Trailer</a> [[Go back to Find Your Strength->Find Your Strength 2]] [[Go back to Life's Journey->Life’s Journey]] [[Go back to Real Life->Real Life]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780374304850/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=994315474" alt="All Summer Long Cover Image"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=1&cn=2105625" target="_blank">All Summer Long*</a>, by Hope Larson. 13-year-old Bina faces her first summer without her best friend, Austin, who has left for soccer camp. At first it's a lot of guitar playing, boredom, and bad TV, but things look up when she finds an unlikely companion in Austin's older sister, who enjoys music just as much as Bina. But then Austin comes home from camp, and he's acting even weirder than when he left. <a href="https://youtu.be/JTa04ET1yOk" target="_blank">Book Trailer</a> [[Go back to Find Your Strength->Find Your Strength 2]] [[Go back to Life's Journey->Life’s Journey]] [[Go back to Real Life->Real Life]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

[[Choice 1->Follow Someone Else's Path C1]] You are martial arts legend Bruce Lee, growing up in Hong Kong & the U.S. Your family and personal strengths help you to become an international movie star & martial arts instructor to Hollywood stars. This is your journey. [[Choice 2->Follow Someone Else's Path C2]] You are author/illustrator Jarrett Korsoczka. Your childhood is difficult, with an absent father and drug-addict mom. You try to find a way to make a normal life with your grandparents and find solace in your art. [[Go back to Life's Journey->Life’s Journey]] [[Go back to Real Life->Real Life]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9781338134124/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=1137164936" alt="The Boy Who Became a Dragon: A Bruce Lee Story Cover Image"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=1&cn=2321401" target="_blank">The Boy Who Became a Dragon: A Bruce Lee Story</a>, by Jim Di Bartolo. Graphic novel biography of the martial arts legend, describing his childhood in Hong Kong and how it was shaped by World War II, and his success as an international star. <a href="https://kids.scholastic.com/content/dam/scholastic/kids/pdf/Book%20Excerpts/TheBoyWhoBecameaDragon_Excerpt.pdf" target="_blank">Excerpt</a> [[Go back to Follow Someone Else's Path->Follow Someone Else's Path 2]] [[Go back to Life's Journey->Life’s Journey]] [[Go back to Real Life->Real Life]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780545902472/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=1049152928" alt="Hey, Kiddo Cover Image"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=2&cn=2223897" target="_blank">Hey, Kiddo</a>, by Jarrett Krosoczka. Jarrett's family is complicated. His mom is an addict, in and out of rehab, and in and out of Jarrett's life. His father is a mystery -- Jarrett doesn't know where to find him, or even what his name is. Jarrett lives with his grandparents and goes through his childhood trying to make his non-normal life as normal as possible, finding a way to express himself through drawing. Only as a teenager can Jarrett begin to piece together the truth of his family. Available electronically. <a href="https://youtu.be/JFQVKA240Jc" target="_blank">Author Preview</a> [[Go back to Follow Someone Else's Path->Follow Someone Else's Path 2]] [[Go back to Life's Journey->Life’s Journey]] [[Go back to Real Life->Real Life]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780525552963/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=1014374590" alt="Darius the Great Is Not Okay Cover Image"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=2&cn=2206689" target="_blank">Darius the Great Is Not Okay*</a>, by Adib Khorram. Darius Kellner speaks better Klingon than Farsi, and he knows more about Hobbit social cues than Persian ones. He's a Fractional Persian—half, his mom's side—and his first-ever trip to Iran is about to change his life. Available electronically. [[Go back to Culture Clash->Culture Clash 2]] [[Go back to Real Life->Real Life]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780062824110/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=1080639711" alt="The Field Guide to the North American Teenager Cover Image"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=1&cn=2247202" target="_blank">The Field Guide to the North American Teenager</a>, by Ben Phillipe. When Norris, a black French Canadian, starts his junior year at an Austin, Texas, high school, he views his fellow students as cliches from "a bad 90s teen movie." Yet against all odds, those cliches soon become actual people to Norris and he realizes it might be time to stop hiding behind his snarky opinions and start living his life. Available electronically. <a href="https://youtu.be/faAiSgcVSGw" targer="_blank">Book Trailer</a> [[Go back to Culture Clash->Culture Clash 2]] [[Go back to Real Life->Real Life]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780062338051/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=985073168" alt="Truly Devious Cover Image"><a href="http://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=3&cn=2072763" target="_blank">Truly Devious*</a>, by Maureen Johnson. When Stevie Bell, an amateur detective, begins her first year at a famous private school in Vermont, she sets a plan to solve the cold case involving the kidnapping of the founder's wife and daughter shortly after the school opened. Available electronically. <a href="https://youtu.be/z4QpRux2q_E" target="_blank">Book Trailer</a> [[Go back to Murder!->Murder! 2]] [[Go back to Mystery->Mystery]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9781338219210/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=1034582758" alt="Spin Cover Image"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=1&cn=2248235" target="_blank">Spin</a>, by L. R. Giles. When DJ ParSec (Paris Secord), rising star of the local music scene, is found dead over her turntables, the two girls who found her, Kya (her pre-fame best friend) and Fuse (her current chief groupie) are torn between grief for Paris and hatred for each other. When the lack of obvious suspects stalls the investigation and the police seem to lose interest, the two girls unite, determined to find out who murdered their friend. <a href="https://youtu.be/BEoC8ypjUgU" target="_blank">Author Preview</a> [[Go back to Murder!->Murder! 2]] [[Go back to Mystery->Mystery]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9781419738340/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=1091235587" alt="In the Hall With the Knife Cover Image"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=1&cn=2305553" target="_blank">In the Hall With the Knife*</a>, by Diana Peterfreund. When a storm strikes at Blackbrook Academy, a motley crew of students--including Beth 'Peacock' Picach, Orchid McKee, Vaughn Green, Sam 'Mustard' Maestor, Finn Plum, and Scarlet Mistry--are left stranded on campus with their headmaster. Hours later, her body is found hanging in the conservatory and it's very clear that her death was no suicide. [[Go back to Murder!->Murder! 2]] [[Go back to Mystery->Mystery]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780062456748/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=1105988431" alt="Destroy All Monsters Cover Image"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=2&cn=2286729" target="_blank">Destroy All Monsters</a>, by Sam J. Miller. Ash does not remember the day she fell out of her friend Solomon's tree house, but ever since that day Solomon has retreated into a dark fantasy world and Ash believes the key to saving him is recovering her lost memory. [[Go back to Secrets!->Secrets! 2]] [[Go back to Mystery->Mystery]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9781534445420/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=1077613592" alt="Slay Cover Image"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=1&cn=2301625" target="_blank">Slay</a>, by Brittney Morris. Kiera Johnson is an honors student, a math tutor, and one of the few Black kids at school. At home she joins hundreds of thousands of Black gamers who duel worldwide in the secret multiplayer online role-playing game, SLAY. When a teen is murdered over a dispute in the SLAY world, the game is labeled a racist, exclusionist, violent hub for thugs and criminals. No one knows Kiera is the game developer-- until an anonymous troll infiltrates the game. Can she protect her game without losing herself in the process? <a href="https://youtu.be/TKR5qB9qd8g" target="_blank">Book Trailer</a> [[Go back to Secrets!->Secrets! 2]] [[Go back to Mystery->Mystery]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9781608868988/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=974384745"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=1&cn=2219137" target="_blank">Goldie Vance*</a>, by Hope Larson. Marigold "Goldie" Vance lives at a Florida resort with her dad, who manages the place. Her mom, who divorced her dad years ago, works as a live mermaid at a club downtown. Goldie has an insatiable curiosity, which explains her dream to one day become the hotel's in-house detective. When Charles, the current detective, encounters a case he can't crack, he agrees to mentor Goldie in exchange for her help solving the mystery. <a href="https://youtu.be/HjrIhGcBDsk" target="_blank">Book Trailer</a> [[Go back to Secrets!->Secrets! 2]] [[Go back to Mystery->Mystery]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9781681198071/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=1033643519" alt="Inventing Victoria Cover Image"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=1&cn=2252996" target="_blank">Inventing Victoria</a>, by Tonya Bolden. A young black woman in 1880s Savannah, Essie is trapped between the life she has and the life she wants-- until she meets Dorcas Vashon, the richest and most cultured black woman she's ever encountered. Dorcas transforms Essie into Victoria. With a fine wardrobe, classic education, and the rules of etiquette, Victoria is soon welcomed in the upper echelons of black society in Washington, D. C. When the life she desires is finally within her grasp, Victoria must decide how much of herself she is truly willing to surrender. <a href="https://youtu.be/Eh0T3IzMIJs" target="_blank">Author Speech</a> [[Go back to Hidden American History->Hidden American History 2]] [[Go back to Tell Me a Story!->Tell Me a Story!]] [[Go back to History->History]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9781524740955/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=1035466938" alt="The Downstairs Girl Cover Image"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=1&cn=2289174" target="_blank">The Downstairs Girl</a>, by Stacey Lee. 1890, Atlanta. Jo Kuan works as a lady's maid for the cruel daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Atlanta. But by night she moonlights as the author of a newspaper advice column by a genteel Southern lady, "Dear Miss Sweetie." When her column becomes wildly popular, Jo uses the power of the pen to address some of society's ills, but she's not prepared for the backlash that follows. Available electronically. [[Go back to Hidden American History->Hidden American History 2]] [[Go back to Tell Me a Story!->Tell Me a Story!]] [[Go back to History->History]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780062317643/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=1120936412" alt="Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All Cover Image"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=3&cn=2299138" target="_blank">Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All</a>, by Laura Ruby. When Frankie's mother died and her father left her and her siblings at an orphanage in Chicago, it was supposed to be only temporary. That's why Frankie's not prepared for the day that he arrives for his weekend visit with a new woman on his arm and out-of-state train tickets in his pocket. Now Frankie and her sister, Toni, are abandoned alongside so many other orphans. As the embers of the Great Depression are kindled into the fires of World War II, it will be up to Frankie to find something worth holding on to in the ruins of this shattered America. Available electronically. <a href="https://youtu.be/GgtEyH5WAvw" target="_blank">Book Trailer</a> <a href="https://youtu.be/GLhJYnLxE7k" target="_blank">Chapter 1 Audio</a> [[Go back to Hidden American History->Hidden American History 2]] [[Go back to Tell Me a Story!->Tell Me a Story!]] [[Go back to History->History]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9781603094504/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=1057852913" alt="The Called Us Enemy Cover Image"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=1&cn=2288667" target="_blank">They Called Us Enemy</a>, by George Takei. In 1942, at the order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, every person of Japanese descent on the west coast was rounded up and shipped to one of ten 'relocation centers', where they would be held for years under armed guard. Takei's firsthand account of those years behind barbed wire, recounts the joys and terrors of growing up under legalized racism, his mother's hard choices, his father's faith in democracy, and the way those experiences planted the seeds for his astonishing future. Available electronically. <a href="https://youtu.be/2viOmPMGjuk" target="_blank">Author Preview</a> <a href="https://youtu.be/Ky7Ptt7k_0w" target="_blank">Allegiance Musical</a> [[Go back to Stories of World War II->Stories of World War II 2]] [[Go back to Tell Me a Story!->Tell Me a Story!]] [[Go back to History->History]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9781423152194/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=748286341" alt="Cocde Name Verity Cover Image"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=3&cn=1052225" target="_blank">Code Name Verity*</a>, by Elizabeth Wein. In 1943, a British fighter plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France and the survivor tells a tale of friendship, war, espionage, and great courage. Available electronically. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLZnQEKMwKY" target="_blank">Book Trailer</a> [[Go back to Stories of World War II->Stories of World War II 2]] [[Go back to Tell Me a Story!->Tell Me a Story!]] [[Go back to History->History]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9781681198019/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=1047569426" alt="1919: The Year That Changed America Cover Image"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=1&cn=2250005" target="_blank">1919: The Year That Changed America</a>, by Martin W. Sandler. Some of the most important issues of our time were no less important 100 years ago. America in 1919, at the close of World War I, was shaken from the events of large-scale warfare, fearing a Communist takeover, and facing an incredible amount of social and political change. Showing how these events were interrelated and examining their continued relevance to our country a century later, Martin Sandler offers a unique historical perspective on the major movements of the 20th century. <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2019/05/100-years-ago-photos-look-back-1919/589528/" target="_blank">Article</a> [[Go back to Straight to the Facts!->Straight to the Facts! 2]] [[Go back to History->History]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]

<img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9781101931462/MC.GIF&client=onondagacplb&upc=&oclc=991204043" alt="Very, Very Dreadful Cover Image"><a href="https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?pos=1&cn=2075171" target="_blank">Very, Very Dreadful</a>, by Albert Marrin. In spring of 1918, World War I was underway, and troops at Fort Riley, Kansas, found themselves felled by influenza. By the summer of 1918, the second wave struck as a highly contagious and lethal epidemic and within weeks exploded into a pandemic, an illness that travels rapidly from one continent to another. It would impact the course of the war, and kill many millions more soldiers than warfare itself. Available electronically. <a href="https://youtu.be/XQ9WX4qVxEo" target="_blank">Extra History</a> [[Go back to Straight to the Facts!->Straight to the Facts! 2]] [[Go back to History->History]] [[Go back to beginning->Intro 3]]