As usual, the Candlewick catalog is very impressive. Here are some of the titles that caught my eye:

War in the Middle East A Reporter's Story: Black September and the Yom Kippur War by Wilborn Hampton. That's right - a book for YAs about the Jordanian Civil War in 1970 (Black September) and the 1973 Yom Kippur War (between Israel and several Arab states). Hampton was a UPI correspondent and on the ground during both wars. He writes not only about what he saw but also "a clear balanced overview of the issues that have plagued the Middle East for decades and continue to this day."

I am absurdly excited about this book.

Explorer: A Daring Guide for Young Adventurers by Henry Hardcastle. Labeled as a gift book, this sounds like a fun look at imaginary exploration in 1930. It tells readers how to "prepare for, navigate and survive all manner of expeditions, as well as to imagine the world of possibilities just waiting to be explored." Fun stuff!

Twelve Rounds to Glory: The Story of Muhammad Ali by Charles R Smith Jr. Smith uses rap-inspired verse along with Bryan Collier's collage artwork to tell Ali's story.

There can never be enough books written about Ali.

Sam Stern's Real Food, Real Fast. A cookbook for teens! I so wanted something like this when I was young. I hope it's good (and the food is good too!)

Don't Shoot! by Miichael J. Rosen. I missed this when it came out in hardcover (as ChaseR). Chase has just moved from the city to a country farmhouse and is finding out about life in a rural community (deer in the yard and deer on the hood of hunters' cars). He starts blogging about it all as a typical "city kid in country territory" fish out of water sort of thing. Then he devises "The Plan". No idea what that is, but I like the idea here (and the inclusion of blogging in the plot.)

Full House by Dayle Ann Dodds. A picture book set at the Strawberry Inn where Miss Bloom has to constantly figure out how to split things up among her guests. So we are learning fractions through rhymes and funny drawings. Sounds way more interesting then how I learned it. (don't ask)

The Museum Book: A Guide to Strange and Wonderful Collections by Jan Mark. My son is loving Night at the Museum (I thought it was fun too) so this book couldn't be more timely. "Find out where the word museum comes from and some unusual items some early museums placed on view". Vivid examples of museums all over the world and Richard Holland's mixed media illustrations. If they liked the Ben Stiller movie, they will want to look through this (aimed at the middle grade age, so good for everyone).

The Penalty by Mal Peet. I still need to read and review Tamar (as soon as I get past my intense desire to read fun light hearted books only), but this new book from Peet sounds equally appealing. A teenage soccer prodigy goes missing after losing a big game in San Juan. South America's top sport reporter gets sucked into the mystery and follows a story of corruption and murder as well as the bitter history of "slavery and the power of the occult". Sounds like a fascinating thriller and most unusual.

From Bloomsbury Kids (and also their imprint Walker):

Dusssie by Nancy Springer. On the day Dusie "becomes a woman" her hair becomes full of snakes. That's how she finds out her family is descended from Medusa - as in the gorgon. They live in NYC along with other hiding mythological creatures but Dusie is not happy with how things are going. She turns a guy she likes into stone and sets out on a quest to save him. Sounds hip and funny and maybe will get readers interested in the story of Medusa - I'm all for these urban fantasies that make the old stories come alive.

Omega Place by Graham Marks. Paul runs away from home and ends up with a "radical action group called Omega Place". They are determined to let people know how the government is watching them. Paul wonders why the secret cameras are everywhere and what they mean. What do they want to know about us?

Not set in a dystopian future but here and now - a thriller that will get the curious thinking even more.

Night Shift by Jessie Harland. My father worked second shift all my life so I was very happy to see a book about people who work nights. This is a no-brainer for kids who know their moms and dads are out there when everyone else is sleeping and I hope it gets some attention.

The Chaos Code by Justin Richards (author of the awesome The Death Collector). Matt is spending his vacation with his archaeologist dad when he goes missing. There's a cryptic message, strange footprints and Matt and some "unusual family friends" go looking for an ancient code rumored to have brought down the Mayans and maybe Atlantis. They must traverse the globe, find the code, defeat the madman and save Dad.

Please - can you think of anything that sounds like more fun?

The Chicken Dance by Jacques Couvillon. Comparisons to Napoleon Dynamite, all about a boy who stumbles upon a family secret and then must decide what to do about it. Set in Louisiana, it is all things southern, rural and oddly funny. I love a thinking teenager and this one seems to have that big time.

The Declaration by Gemma Malley. Stand back - we have YA science fiction here people! Set in the future where longevity drugs have erradicated old age, choosing to have a baby is not so easy. Grange Hall is full of children whose parents violated the Declaration forcing people to opt in or opt out of ageing. Anna is a surplus. One day she meets Peter who says that people outside are questioning whether we should live forever. Should they escape? Who do you trust? And do you want to live forever?

I am so all over this book. (Logan's Run, people!!! Logan's Run!!!!)

Lily Dale: Awakening by Wendy Corsi Staub. The first in a proposed series (I think), you've got intrigue, suspense, a little romance and all things creepy about the community of mediums in Lily Dale, NY. Long long overdue as a YA setting as far as I'm concerned. There's a family secrets twist (of course) and a lot of coming-of-age and what-the-heck-am-I stuff thrown in. A little creepy mystery - how can I resist?

I just might wallow in YA thrillers this fall..I hope nobody expects to read something significant or anything.....more on that tomorrow.