Norah Piehl

Have you ever wondered what’s happening in your neighborhood when most people are asleep? Popular teen novelist Sarah Dessen has, especially after recently becoming a mother and seeing lots more of those wee hours than she used to. In Along for the Ride, Dessen vividly imagines the very different, but intersecting, lives of two of those late-night denizens.

Perpetually high-achieving Auden West has been an insomniac ever since her parents’ divorce. At first, she’s planning to spend the sleepless nights of the summer after senior year getting a jump on her college reading list and spending time with her high-powered academic mother. But somewhere between econ and calc, the invitation from her father and stepmother to spend the summer with them and their infant daughter starts to seem more attractive, and Auden finds herself relocating to their small beach town, Colby, on a whim.

Her stepmother, bubbly Heidi, is nothing like Auden’s mom, and life in Colby bears little resemblance to what she’s left behind. One thing hasn’t changed, though—she still can’t sleep. In Colby, however, sleepless nights can mean beach parties, cute boys and late-night sessions with the girls who work at Heidi’s trendy beachfront store. And they can mean Eli, a talented but stoic former bike jumper who refuses to talk with anyone except Auden. Auden helps Eli get beyond his tragic past, while Eli helps Auden rediscover the childhood she missed while she was trying to be the perfect student.

One of those things Auden never experienced was learning to ride a bike. The images of falling off and getting back on (both of which Auden does a lot) serve as metaphors for starting over: “Given the chance for a real do-over, another way around,” Auden reflects, “who would say no?” Along for the Ride’s striking imagery of jumping and landing also reflects Auden’s hard-won ability to let go, to be free, to find her own way, even if it’s not as smooth or perfect a road as she had always planned. Her journey will speak to mothers, daughters and anyone who’s ever needed a second, or even a third, chance to get things right.

Norah Piehl is a writer and editor who lives near Boston.

It’s been 10 years since Laurie Halse Anderson burst onto the literary scene with her powerful debut novel, Speak. Now Anderson is back with her fifth novel, one whose raw emotion, troubling subject matter and indelible images will further cement her reputation as one of the best young adult authors writing today.

Although Anderson’s theme is eating disorders, Wintergirls is a far cry from the kind of popular “problem novels” about anorexia and bulimia that seem to flood bookstore shelves. Instead, Anderson simultaneously explores both the brutally isolating self-loathing experienced by those suffering from these diseases and the twisted “support” that girls with eating disorders offer each other, encouragement that often spirals into mutual self-destruction.

At the center of Wintergirls is Lia, a high school senior who has already been hospitalized twice for anorexia. Now living with her father, stepmother and stepsister to avoid conflict with her overbearing mother, Lia has managed to keep her whole family in a state of denial.

Inside, though, Lia is in crisis. Her longtime best friend, Cassie, died the night she called Lia 33 times, each voice mail more desperate than the last. Lia ignored every one and is now wracked with guilt. The two girls had a difficult relationship, both of them locked in a dangerous pact to be the skinniest girl in school.

Tear-jerker novels and books of pop psychology might lead many to believe that there are simple, straightforward reasons why girls develop eating disorders. In her typically thoughtful style, Laurie Halse Anderson reveals that, in many cases, the motivations are far more complex, nuanced and dangerous. With naked emotion, brutal honesty and a narrative that’s simultaneously captivating and claustrophobic, Wintergirls gives readers a haunting window into the disordered thinking behind eating disorders.

Normal. Natural. These are words that Katsa would never, could never use to describe herself. How could she be considered normal when she shudders at the thought of falling in love or having a baby? And then there’s her unique talent, the one that has brought her infamy through seven kingdoms. If that’s not unnatural, what is?

Throughout the kingdoms, there are people gifted with Graces, known as Gracelings. They can be identified by their different-colored eyes and, more importantly, by the unique, almost magical gifts that set them apart from mere mortals. Others have Graces of drawing, singing, dancing, even swimming. So why is Katsa fated to have the most fearsome Grace of all—the Grace of killing?

Katsa’s Grace was discovered when, as a young girl, she accidentally killed a relative who made unwanted physical advances. Since then, her life has been marked by the fear and aversion of others, even as she’s spent her entire youth learning to control her urges and master her terrible gift. But Katsa’s uncle, the ruler of the middle kingdom, also has learned to control Katsa, and she spends her days helping him enact his reign of terror. Katsa has found small ways to rebel, but she has seen few ways to escape her uncle’s tyranny for good. That is, until she meets Po, a prince from the island kingdom of Lienid, and a Graceling himself. Po’s unique Grace seems to make him both Katsa’s ideal dueling partner and, perhaps, the only man who could break through Katsa’s fortifications and into her heart.

Graceling is the first novel in a new series by first-time novelist Kristin Cashore, and it marks the debut of an intriguing new fantasy world and a fantasy author to watch. Cashore strikes a strong balance between adventure, drama and romance—bloody battles and sexual tension co-exist in equal measure—and Katsa’s combination of pride in her unique talents and vulnerability in her self-doubts make her a strongly sympathetic character. Readers will identify closely with this young woman, whose coming of age also involves coming to terms with a talent that is both a blessing and a curse.

Norah Piehl is a writer and editor who lives near Boston.

Many American readers have recently discovered Swedish writer Henning Mankell, whose novels about Inspector Kurt Wallander have already become bestsellers worldwide. Now, fans of Mankell’s adult books have an equally exciting, but very different, set of stories to share with their children. Although Mankell’s children’s novels featuring Joel Gustafson are not mysteries, they do share the same thoughtful introspection and perceptive, deliberate character development that have drawn so many adults to his other books.

Shadows in the Twilight is the second novel featuring Joel Gustafson, but it can easily be enjoyed by those who have not read its predecessor, A Bridge to the Stars. Joel, who’s about to turn 12, lives with his father Samuel in northern Sweden in 1957. His mother disappeared years ago, and Joel doesn’t even remember her. Joel, a lonely, quiet boy, fills his days by solving puzzles, caring for his father and interacting with their eccentric neighbors; he has few friends his own age and complains to his father that nothing ever happens in their sleepy little town.

That is, until Joel narrowly escapes being killed by a bus speeding down the main street in town. Convinced that he’s been visited by a genuine Miracle, Joel believes that he must now do a good deed for someone to express his gratitude to Providence.

Readers accustomed to the frenetic writing style of much recent American fiction for young people will need time to adjust to Mankell’s leisurely, lyrical storytelling. By taking his time to tell Joel’s story, however, Mankell allows readers to really get to know Joel, his father and their small town. Joel is portrayed with sensitivity and thoughtfulness, and his complex, realistic relationships with adults are unusual in children’s books, which tend to focus more on peer group dynamics. These intriguing elements make Joel’s story one that children and adults will enjoy reading and discussing together – thereby broadening this talented Swedish author’s reach even more.

What if the only world you ever knew had a sky that was always blue, with puffy white clouds that never moved? What if every house on every street was exactly the same? What if your pets, your food, even your little sister arrived in a shipment from the dangerous, mysterious outside world—a world you had never seen? That's what life is like for Martin. He and his family have lived their entire lives in a domed "suburb," where neighbors gather for Sport Day and enjoy big meals (automatically selected by their slot-machine oven) on Rest Day. Their identical townhouses are decorated with pictures of seasonal flowers, and their school day is made up of endless drills conducted on handheld computers. Every morning, his parents use the family computer to vote on an issue of national concern, such as the color of the Oval Office's drapes.

Life in the suburb might seem orderly, but there's a darker side. What happens to the people who suddenly disappear? And why is the government threatening to recall the latest batch of Wonder Children, the precocious kids—like Martin's sister Cassie—who are asking too many questions? Martin might not have all the answers, but he is fiercely loyal to his sister, and he's determined to find her, even if it means leaving the domed world he's always known.

Clare B. Dunkle, author of the popular Hollow Kingdom fantasy trilogy, has created a richly imagined, thoroughly frightening society. Her novel takes place in a world much like our own, and its characters have believable strengths and weaknesses. Offering insightful commentaries into today's society and raising challenging questions about the future, The Sky Inside is the kind of science fiction novel that will encourage young readers to think about—and discuss—some of the larger issues in their own lives.

Norah Piehl is a writer and editor in the Boston area.

Fourteen-year-old Kayla Dean thought she had her future all mapped out. With the help of her Grandma JoJo and her best friend Rosalie, Kayla, a budding feminist, has been inspired to right wrongs through investigative journalism and to empower other young women through SPEAK (Sisters Providing Encouragement And Kindness). But now, as she's about to enter high school, Kayla's got a lot of questions. Is it so wrong to want to wear her This Is What a Feminist Looks Like t-shirt with a pair of really fabulous high heels? Would she be dishonoring her grandma's memory by choosing to tame her Afro just a little? And, most importantly, would it be the end of the world if Kayla, with her small breasts, queen-sized booty and incredible talent, made it onto the rump-shaking, super-sexy Lady Lions dance team and actually liked it?

Assigned to investigate the Lady Lions' sexist underpinnings, Kayla soon discovers that the team and its members are a lot more appealing than she had ever imagined. Can Kayla reconcile the two spheres of her life, mend fences with her staunchly feminist best friend and finally find her own voice? Along the way, Kayla just might end up re-defining feminism and herself on her own terms.

Kayla narrates her story with plenty of sass, energy and enthusiasm, and she's willing to laugh at her mistakes even as she struggles with her own internal conflicts. True to Kayla's journalistic ambitions, each chapter includes its own headline, just like a real newspaper story chronicling Kayla's mishaps and triumphs.

Few books for young readers take on feminism the way Sherri Winston does in The Kayla Chronicles. Kayla's story is sure to inspire young women to realize that feminists come in all shapes, sizes, colors and attitudes, and that before you can speak up for all women, you have to learn how to stick up for yourself.

Norah Piehl is a writer and editor in the Boston area.