AT THE CROSSING-PLACES
Kevin Crossley-Holland
Arthur A. Levine
ISBN: 0439265983
Ages 13-up
352 pages

This is the second volume in the Arthur trilogy; the first was THE SEEING STONE. In this edition, 13 year-old Arthur de Caldicot has achieved his dream --- he now serves as squire to Lord Stephen of Holt Castle --- and he aspires to be a Crusader in his own right. Despite this major accomplishment, Arthur has some problems and concerns that prevent him from feeling content. For example, he wants desperately to escape the shadow of his father, the ferocious Sir William de Gortanore, and he wants to marry the beautiful Winnie de Verdon and still maintain his friendship with Gatty. The events in Arthur's life are reflected in the magical seeing stone, where he steps into stories that center on his namesake, the young King Arthur --- the establishing of the Round Table, quests of the knights, and the days of glory at Camelot.

THE BOOK OF LISTS FOR TEENS
Sandra and Harry Choron
Houghton Mifflin
ISBN: 0618179070
Ages 12-16
352 pages

Many teens are eager to find answers to their questions. However, few have the time or desire to search the Internet, or look through almanacs and reference books. THE BOOK OF LISTS FOR TEENS includes "over 250 lists of who's who, what's up, how to, why not, and whatever!" Sandra and Harry Choron discuss such topics as consumer scams aimed at teens, foods to eat before taking an exam, how to stay safe at concerts, and reasons for keeping a private journal. The book also contains Internet addresses that are of interest to teenagers, as well as recommended reading and project ideas. This book is perfect for any of you who enjoy acquiring knowledge on a variety of topics.

BORN CONFUSED
Tanuja Desai Hidier
Scholastic Press
ISBN: 0439357624
Ages 13-up
288 pages

Dimple Lala is an American-born girl with deep Indian roots. However, she has spent her entire life resisting her parents' traditions. Then, she goes to high school and discovers that the students are practicing various Indian customs. Her best friend wears a bindi dot, while others wear henna or study Hindu gods. Dimple's parents have arranged for her to meet a suitable Indian boy, but the results are not favorable. Although the boy is suitable for Dimple, her best friend also likes him, resulting in inevitable complications. This book should be read by all teens who are struggling with their identities and upbringings. It is a funny and thoughtful story about finding your heart, your culture, and your place in America.

BRINGING UP THE BONES
Lara M. Zeises
Delacorte Press
ISBN: 0385730012
Ages 14-up
224 pages

Bridget Edelstein is going through a difficult time in her life. She is taking a year off before going to college, as she tries to cope with the recent death of Benji, her longtime best friend and reluctant boyfriend. Rather than allowing her family and friends to console her, she chooses to accept the support of Jasper, a generous young man who wants to make her feel happy again. Bridget eventually learns to accept life without Benji and the truth about their relationship. She comes to the realization that true and deep love is essential, even if the one you love doesn't feel the same, and that she must be able to find happiness on her own.

THE COURTESAN'S DAUGHTER
Priscilla Galloway
Delacorte Press
ISBN: 0385729073
Ages 12-up
224 pages

In ancient Athens the traditional age for a man to marry is 30, while the age for a woman to marry is 15. Phano is almost 15 and is in love with 30 year-old Theo. However, her stepmother's enemy, Phrynion, threatens to ruin her plans for marriage. He claims that Phano is a slave who belongs to him, and he is prepared to sell her if he can get his hands on her. Phano, her father, and her stepmother must do everything in their power to keep her safe and restore her reputation. Still, even if they succeed in protecting her from Phrynion, Phano may never be able to marry Theo because he comes from a prominent family who expects him to marry a wealthy girl with a good-sized dowry. To make matters worse, Philip of Macedon threatens to wage war on Athens. Given all these dangers and obstacles, Phano must find her place as an adult in the turbulent society of ancient Greece.

FEED
M.T. Anderson
Candlewick Press
ISBN: 0763617261
Ages 14-up
288 pages

FEED begins on the Moon, where Titus and his friends have gone for spring break. He and his friends all have Feed, an online computer implant installed shortly after one's birth. Feed bombards Titus and his friends with information and keeps them up-to-date on all the latest fashions and music. However, they eventually have their feeds hacked by a white-haired man, sending them to the hospital to lie around with nothing inside their heads for days. Titus then meets Violet, a beautiful, brainy teenage girl who knows what it is like to live without the feed. This book focuses on "identity crises, consumerism, and star-crossed teenage love in a futuristic society where people connect to the Internet via feeds implanted in their brains."

HANNAH'S GARDEN
Midori Snyder
Viking Children's Books
ISBN: 0670035777
Ages 12-up
208 pages

17 year-old Cassie Brittman is looking forward to her violin recital and the prom. However, her excitement suddenly disappears when she finds out that her grandfather, well-known painter Daniel Brittman, is dying. Cassie, her mother Anne, and Anne's new boyfriend drive upstate to the farm where Anne was raised. There, they find that things are far from normal. The house is almost destroyed, except for Great-Grandmother Hannah's herb garden, and someone or something seems to be stalking them. Cassie soon finds herself in the middle of an age-long battle between two supernatural clans --- the evil Red Clan and her own family, the Green Clan. It turns out that Cassie's grandfather is half nature spirit and half human!

PIG TALE
Verlyn Flieger
Hyperion Press
ISBN: 078680792X
Ages 12-up
336 pages

Near the village of Little Wicken, a baby girl is found abandoned in a field. She grows up unwanted and unloved, surviving on the reluctant charity of the villagers. However, they soon begin to notice the strong bond that the girl has with animals. As a result, she is given a permanent place in the village as a pig herder and a name --- Mokie, meaning "Little Pig Girl." Following a brutal attack by the village boys, Mokie leaves the village with her beloved pig, Apple, into the heart of the mysterious Wickenwood. There, Mokie meets three Gypsies who take care of her. However, she soon finds out that her new friends are more than they appear to be. Do they know about her past, and could they hold a key to her future?

WALK AWAY HOME
Paul Many
Walker & Company
ISBN: 0802788289
Ages 12-up
288 pages

Some people respond to a tragic event by embracing their loved ones and openly accepting their support, while others become isolated from them and rebel. The latter is certainly true of Nick, whose older brother was killed in a car accident twelve years ago. Since his brother's death, Nick rarely talks to his parents. He gets detentions and is facing the prospect of a year at military school. Nick decides to escape his troubles and sets off on foot across his midwestern state to visit his fugitive aunt. Her home is a commune full of middle-aged ex-hippies and lost souls, and Nick fits right in. He eventually becomes friends with a girl named Diana, who is going through more serious problems than Nick has ever faced. Suddenly, Nick has some important issues that he must confront. Along with saving Diana from her dark past and convincing his parents that he can be trusted, he has to convince himself never to run away from his troubles again.

WITCH
Nancy Holder
Simon Pulse
ISBN: 0743426967
Ages 16-up
240 pages

Holly Cathor's world is turned upside down when her parents are killed in a rafting accident. She leaves her house in San Francisco and is sent to Seattle to live with her aunt and her twin cousins, Amanda and Nicole. Upon her arrival, though, strange incidents begin to occur: any wish Holly whispers to her cat seems to come true, a friend becomes blind after a freak attack from a vicious falcon, and Holly has a familiar attraction to a boy she barely knows. Holly, Amanda, and Nicole are about to be launched into a dark legacy of secrets, alliances, and schemes, where ancient magic yields dangerous results, possession is commonplace, and reincarnation is taken for granted. These girls must assume roles in an intergenerational feud, the likes of which are beyond belief.