No More Dead Dogs:Humorous Young Adult

LiteratureDonna Blackall and Deborah Will

February 25, 2011

Things I Know About Loveby Kate Le Vann

Seventeen-year-old Livia Stowe travels from England to Princeton, New Jersey, to visit her brother who is studying there and to celebrate her recovery from a year-long struggle with leukemia, and while she is there she writes a blog about her experiences, which include falling in love.

Masterpieceby Elise Broach A charming fantasy

about Marvin, a beetle who possesses exceptional artistic talent, and how his friendship with a lonely boy named James leads them into an adventure involving grand masterpieces and arts thieves!

Going Bovineby Libba Bray Cameron Smith, a

disaffected sixteen year-old who, after being diagnosed with Creutzfeld Jakob's (aka mad cow) disease, sets off on a road trip with a death-obsessed video gaming dwarf he meets in the hospital in an attempt to find a cure.

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tateby Jacqueline Kelly It’s summer , 1899,

and Callie Tate longs for a life much different than the “road to being a housewife” that her mother has planned for her. With the encouragement of her grandfather and her own determination, her life is forever changed.

Saving Julietby Suzanne Selfors Seventeen-year-old Mimi

Wallingford's stage fright and fight with her mother on the closing night of Romeo and Juliet are nothing compared to the troubles she faces when she and her leading man are transported to Shakespeare's Verona, where she decides to give the real Juliet a happy ending.

The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figgby Rodman Philbrick

Homer is searching for his older brother who was sold into the Maine regiment of the Yankee army by an unscrupulous relative, and meets a wild cast of characters along the way. The wit and charm of those adventures are blended with the realities of the gruesome Civil War to make for a most interesting read.

Deadlineby Chris Crutcher

Given the medical diagnosis of one year to live, high school senior Ben Wolf decides to fulfill his greatest fantasies, ponders his life's purpose and legacy, and converses through dreams with a spiritual guide known as "Hey-Soos.".

Knucklehead: Tall Tales and Mostly True Stores about Growing Up Scieszka by Jon Scieszka

Fun tales about being one of six brothers growing up in Flint, Michigan. Filled with classically funny sibling stuff and lots of pictures, too.

Artichoke’s Heartby Suzanne Supplee

Sixteen year old Rosemary decides she is sick of being overweight, mocked at school and at her mother's beauty salon, and feeling out of control. As she slowly loses weight, she realizes that she is able to cope with her mother's cancer, having a boyfriend for the first time, and discovering that other people's lives are not as perfect as they seem from the outside.

All Shook Upby Shelly Pearsall Imagine trying to

reconnect with your dad in Chicago, whom you have not lived with since he split from your mom and you moved to Boston. The last time you spent time with him, he was selling shoes. Now, he is making his living as an Elvis impersonator! You can see why Josh might be All Shook Up.

Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Treeby Laruen Tarshis

Emma Jean is, by her own admission, strange. And she likes it that way. To her it means extraordinary, remarkable and singular. With her strong sense of self, she is the best friend to have, and some unlikely girls find this out!

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banksby E. Lockhart

Sophomore Frankie starts dating senior Matthew Livingston, but when he refuses to talk about the all-male secret society that he and his friends belong to, Frankie infiltrates the society in order to enliven their mediocre pranks.

A Crooked Kind of Perfectby Linda Urban Zoe Elias longs for

a life as a musician. She gets her wish in a rather unusual way and learns of the importance of family and friends, too.

Audrey, Wait! By Robin Benway

While trying to score a date with her cute co-worker at the Scooper Dooper, sixteen-year-old Audrey gains unwanted fame and celebrity status when her ex-boyfriend, a rock musician, records a breakup song about her that soars to the top of the Billboard charts

Kimchi and Calamari by Rose Kent Joseph Calderaro is

the classic Italian-American teen-ager - except the fact that he was born Korean throws a little twist into his life. I heart-warming coming-of-age tale.

King of the Screwupsby K.L. Going

After getting in trouble yet again, popular high school senior Liam, who never seems to live up to his wealthy father's expectations, is sent to live in a trailer park with his gay "glam-rocker" uncle.

The Misadventures of Maude Marchby Audry Couloumbus

The tale of two young orphan girls from Cedar Rapids whose reputations are transformed into those of notorious bank robbing cowboys as they try to make their way to their Uncle Arlen’s in Independence, MO. And it all starts with a dime novel....

An Abundance of Katherinesby John Green

Having been recently dumped for the nineteenth time by a girl named Katherine, recent high school graduate and former child prodigy Colin sets off on a road trip with his best friend to try to find some new direction in life while also trying to create a mathematical formula to explain his relationships

Hoot/Flush/Scatby Carl Hiaasen These are three YA books

written by the Miami Herald writer best known for his crazy cast of ADULT characters who are leading ecological crusades against the over-development of Florida. Each of these books focuses on a different environmental issue - and kids are the heroes! Hoot is the best, but kids love them all!

One of those Hideous Books Where the Mother Diesby Sonya Sones

Fifteen-year-old Ruby Milliken leaves her best friend, her boyfriend, her aunt, and her mother's grave in Boston and reluctantly flies to Los Angeles to live with her father, a famous movie star who divorced her mother before Ruby was born.

The Outlandish Adventures of Liberty Aimesby Kelly Easton

When ten-year-old Libby Aimes finally escapes from the prison of her house and weirdly awful parents, she becomes Liberty - and her life transforms. A lively mix of fantasy and coming of age.

Avalon Highby Meg Cabot Having moved to

Annapolis, Maryland, with her medievalist parents, high school junior Ellie enrolls at Avalon High School where several students may or may not be reincarnations of King Arthur and his court.

Fairestby Gail Carson Levine A fantasy about

Aza, a poor working girl, who learns about self esteem/self perception and the cost of vanity. Clever and witty!

Clementineby Sara Penny Packer Charming and

funny story of third-grader Clementine who just “can’t sit still” and who is brimming with ideas and a zest for life.

Carter Finally Gets Itby Brent Crawford

Awkward freshman Will Carter endures many painful moments during his first year of high school before realizing that nothing good comes easily, focus is everything, and the payoff is usually incredible.

Evil Geniusby Catherine Jinks

Child prodigy Cadel Piggot, an antisocial computer hacker, discovers his true identity when he enrolls as a first-year student at an advanced crime academy.

Jerk, Californiaby Jonathan Friesen Plagued by Tourette's

syndrome and a stepfather who despises him, Sam meets an old man in his small Midwest town who sends him on a road trip designed to help him discover the truth about his life.

Saint Iggyby K.L. Going

Iggy Corso, who lives in city public housing, is caught physically and spiritually between good and bad when he is kicked out of high school, goes searching for his missing mother, and causes his friend to get involved with the same dangerous drug dealer who deals to his parents.

Repossessedby A.M. Jenkins

A fallen angel, tired of being unappreciated while doing his pointless, demeaning job, leaves Hell, enters the body of a seventeen-year-old boy, and tries to experience the full range of human feelings before being caught and punished, while the boy's family and friends puzzle over his changed behavior.

Ms. Taken Identityby Dan Begley Chick lit gets a

Twelfth night-twist when a struggling male literary novelist decides to write a fun commercial novel--but he has to pose as a woman to do so

The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Budding cartoonist Junior leaves his troubled school on the Spokane Indian Reservation to attend an all-white farm town school where the only other Indian is the school mascot.

Oh. My. Gods.by Tera Lynn Childs When her mother marries

a man from Greece and moves the family onto an island in the Aegean Sea, Phoebe's life takes an unexpected turn when she discovers that her new classmates at her exclusive academy are all descendants of real Greek gods--and her very real competition on the track team!.

The Juliet Clubby Suzanne Harper When high school junior

Kate wins an essay contest that sends her to Verona, Italy, to study Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" over the summer, she meets both American and Italian students and learns not just about Shakespeare, but also about star-crossedlovers--and herself.

Son of the Mob by Gordon Korman

Vince wants to get as far away from his father’s “business” as he can, so he goes to college in California

When his brother comes to “visit” and a union leader turns up “missing,” Vince’s life becomes complicated

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler

Feeling like she does not fit in with the other members of her family, who are all thin, brilliant, and good-looking, fifteen-year-old Virginia tries to deal with her self-image, her first physical relationship, and her disillusionment with some of the people closest to her.

Ironman by Chris Cruthcer

While training for a triathlon, seventeen-year-old Bo attends an anger management group at school which leads him to examine his relationship with his father.

Paper Townsby John Green

One month before graduating from his Central Florida high school, Quentin "Q" Jacobsen basks in the predictable boringness of his life until the beautiful and exciting Margo Roth Spiegelman, Q's neighbor and classmate, takes him on a midnight adventure and then mysteriously disappears.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Sixteen-year-old Miles' first year at Culver Creek Preparatory School in Alabama includes good friends and great pranks, but is defined by his great affection for a girl he can never have, Alaska

Size 12 is Not Fatby Meg Cabot Former pop star

Heather Wells has left behind hordes of screaming fans to settle into a new life, but when strange things start happening at her college, she finds herself once again in the spotlight, this time as a detective.