SOH Library Blog

Every year three young adult novels get nominated for the California Young Adult Medal. The winner is chosen by California High School students like you. The library just got the latest titles. Check them out.

Life as we knew it by Susan Beth Pfeiffer

This is the sort of story you can’t put down.  The Moon is going to be hit by an asteroid. It’s one of those natural phenomenons that everyone is talking about. Miranda  and her family bake cookies and sit in the front lawn to watch it but what happens next is totally unexpected. The moon is pushed off its normal course! This creates Tsunamis that wash out parts of the world, giant waves crash over New York City. All power is lost and all communications are affected. Life as we knew it changes drastically.   

Daniel Half-Human by David Chotjewitz

Daniel has everything going for him. He has a great family and great friends. Except for one problem. He lives in 1930’s Germany.  His friends are joining the Hitler Youth but his parents won’t let him join. This is because there is a deep family secret. His Mom is Jewish and that makes him half-Jewish. Even though his Mom was not raised as a Jew it still counts in Hitler’s Germany. But even though they managed to hide this fact from everyone his secret is bound to come out some time don’t you think?

Sold by Patricia McCormick

Is the story of Lakshmi a young teen living in Nepal.  She is living a very simple (and poor) life in Nepal with her family when her gambling addicted step father convinces her that she can help the family by becoming a maid to a rich family in India. When Lakshmi arrives in Calcutta she is horrified to find out that it is all a lie. Her stepfather has sold her into child prostitution. At first they try to convince her that she will be able to pay off her family’s debt if she agrees to stay as a child prostitute but soon she finds out that this is a big lie too. She is trapped in this life forever. Can someone who has suffered so many lies and horrible experiences be able to trust anyone ever again? Read the book and find out.