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New for Teens

Whistle

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Whistle: A New Gotham City Hero by E. Lockhart and Manuel Preitano
Format: Graphic Novel
Who it’s for: Teens

Life is pretty stressful for Willow Zimmerman. She has to balance high school with her budding interest in activism, a job at the local dog shelter, a crush on the new guy who just moved from Lagos, and caring for her mom who has cancer. When an old family friend reaches out to her with an opportunity to make a lot of money running elegant and elaborate poker games for him and his friends, she can’t refuse. That money will fund a lot of cancer treatments for her mom. But the demands of the position cause her neglect her studies, activism, canine friends, and new crush, while at the same time drawing the unwanted attention of a supervillain who has an axe to grind with her boss.

One night she, and a particularly loyal stray Great Dane named Lebowitz, are attacked by Killer Croc. When she awakens in a hospital days later she has a wicked scar across her face… and superpowers. Apparently Willow and Lebowitz became connected during the attack and she now possesses several canine traits, like super hearing, super smell, the ability to communicate with dogs, and the temptation to chase tennis balls. Okay, that last one isn’t that helpful, but when she uses her powers to uncover a plot by Poison Ivy and The Riddler to destroy her beloved neighborhood, Willow and Lebowitz become vigilante heroes Whistle and The Hound.

This graphic novel for teens is bound to entertain fans of DC comics, the Ms. Marvel series, Spider-Man movies, and E. Lockhart’s YA novels.

Find Whistle in our catalog.

Kaleidoscope

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Kaleidoscope by Brian Selznick
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Kids, Teens

“We stood side by side, holding hands. I thought about an hourglass, where the sand is pouring down from above until the top half is empty. My head felt like the top half of the hourglass, and I could feel everything pouring out – my thoughts, my memories, my past, all the books of I’d read, all the diagrams of telephones I’d memorized, my family, my dreams, my fears. I was dissolving and becoming something new.”

This collection of short stories is a magical and mysterious exploration of loss, loneliness, and longing. Each story is linked by reoccurring themes and motifs, but most notably by the connection between the narrator and his friend, James. With settings that shift over time, space, memory, and dreams, these vignettes interspersed with Selznick’s illustrations form a tapestry examining love, friendship, and the grief that follows loss.

While Kaleidoscope is suggested for young readers ages 9-12, the overarching themes and speculative writing style will also appeal to teens and adults.

Find Kaleidoscope in the catalog here!

Inkblot

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Inkblot by Emma Kubert, Art by Rusty Gladd
Format: Book & eBook on Hoopla
Who’s it for?: Teens and Young Adults

Meet Inkblot! Anyone who cohabitates with a cat knows that our feline friends are going to do what they want, when they want. Inkblot is no exception. Seeker, a bookkeeping sorceress, accidentally summons this magical black cat, a “space-distorting demon” that has “no regard for any established law of nature, magic or otherwise.” As Seeker chases Inkblot through time and space, he leads them into chaos, from a pirate mutiny to battling giants and dragons and even solving a sphynx’s riddle. If you’re a cat person who happens to enjoy space travel, I highly recommend.

Find Inkblot in the catalog or on Hoopla!

The Rock from the Sky

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The Rock from the Sky by Jon Klassen
Format: Book
Who’s it for: Kids

Do you have a favorite chair in your house, or a favorite table at a café; that one place where you feel at peace? And don’t you hate it when someone is in that spot? Well, Turtle can relate. He has a favorite spot, too. One day his spot changes—a huge rock falls from the sky, right on his spot! Follow Turtle and his two friends, Armadillo and Snake, as they navigate the uncertainties of the future and how to deal with a bad feeling that just won’t go away.

While this book may be intended for younger audiences, it is absolutely delightful! The dialogue is light and dynamic, making it the perfect choice for story time with your children, or if you just need a good pick-me-up. There are subtle shifts in color schemes that pair beautifully with the pace of the book, and who wouldn’t enjoy a little turtle in a top hat?

Find The Rock from the Sky in the catalog.

Blackout

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Blackout by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, Nicola Yoon
Format: Audiobook
Who it’s for: Teens

*Sighs* New York City in the summer. The birds are chirping, music is playing, kids running around and all is well in the world, then a blackout happens. “Blackout” is a book that proves the city of New York is smaller than we think. Each character in the series of short stories within the book interconnect throughout and it exudes the story of young Black teens in love. I saw this book last year in an article and was SO excited about its release. It gives the book world something it desperately needs – Black teens in love and living life. The inclusiveness of the characters is something that makes this book a great read. All six authors are powerhouses and I hope to see more collaborative stories from them in the future.

Find Blackout in the catalog.

Across the Green Grass Fields

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Title: Across the Green Grass Fields by Seanan McGuire
Format: Book
Published: January 12, 2021
Who it’s for: Adults and Teens

As with the previous 5 books in the Wayward Children series, this next novel is beautifully written in such a way that draws the reader into a fantasy world that is tempting and beautiful, but always expects more of its inhabitants than meets the eye.

Young Regan is growing up, and her parents have decided that now is the time to tell her about her genetic identity. As she grapples with this news, she hopes that she can trust Laurel with this really big secret about herself. She can’t. Regan runs to the woods between school and home, and stumbles across a strange doorway. It beckons her, but is she sure that she wants to enter? As she passes through the twisted branches, she enters Hoofland, and leaves her world behind. The supposed mythical, but very real, centaurs explain that the appearance of a human in their world means that “something’s coming”; and Regan will be expected to be a hero.

Across the Green Grass Fields is a stand alone novel in The Wayward Children series, introducing a new character. If you are curious about the first book, check out this previous blog post by Tess.

This series can be found in the adult fiction collection, but the stories will be loved by teens as well.

Find it in the catalog