Best from my pre/teen years

Relive the magic of your pre/teen years with this handpicked list of the best books for teens. Discover timeless classics and unforgettable stories that shaped a generation.

Mara, Daughter of the Nile Cover
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Mara, Daughter of the Nile

by Eloise Jarvis McGraw

This compelling story of adventure, romance, and intrigue, set in ancient Egypt, was written by the three-time Newbery Honor and Edgar Award winning author Eloise Jarvis McGraw. Mara is a proud and beautiful slave girl who yearns for freedom in ancient Egypt, under the rule of Queen Hatshepsut. Mara is not like other slaves; she can read and write, as well as speak the language of Babylonian. So, to barter for her freedom, she finds herself playing the dangerous role of double spy for two arch enemies—each of whom supports a contender for the throne of Egypt. Against her will, Mara finds herself falling in love with one of her masters, the noble Sheftu, and she starts to believe in his plans of restoring Thutmose III to the throne. But just when Mara is ready to offer Sheftu her help and her heart, her duplicity is discovered, and a battle ensues in which both Mara’s life and the fate of Egypt are at stake. “Dangerous espionage, an unusual love story, and richly drawn background make this a book to capture quick and lasting interest.”—Horn Book “Thoroughly engrossing.”—Kirkus Reviews
Howl's Moving Castle Cover
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Howl's Moving Castle

by Diana Wynne Jones

In the land of Ingary, such things as spells, invisible cloaks, and seven-league boots were everyday things. The Witch of the Waste was another matter. After fifty years of quiet, it was rumored that the Witch was about to terrorize the country again. So when a moving black castle, blowing dark smoke from its four thin turrets, appeared on the horizon, everyone thought it was the Witch. The castle, however, belonged to Wizard Howl, who, it was said, liked to suck the souls of young girls. The Hatter sisters--Sophie, Lettie, and Martha--and all the other girls were warned not to venture into the streets alone. But that was only the beginning. In this giant jigsaw puzzle of a fantasy, people and things are never quite what they seem. Destinies are intertwined, identities exchanged, lovers confused. The Witch has placed a spell on Howl. Does the clue to breaking it lie in a famous poem? And what will happen to Sophie Hatter when she enters Howl's castle? Diana Wynne Jones's entrancing fantasy is filled with surprises at every turn, but when the final stormy duel between the Witch and the Wizard is finished, all the pieces fall magically into place.
A Murder for Her Majesty Cover
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A Murder for Her Majesty

by Beth Hilgartner

A cloth bag containing eight copies of the title.
Dealing with Dragons Cover
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Dealing with Dragons

by Patricia C. Wrede

The first two volumes of Patricia C. Wrede's beloved, bestselling Enchanted Forest Chronicles!
Wild Magic Cover
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Wild Magic

 

No summary available.
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ID: 0395564018
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Winter of magic's return Cover
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Winter of magic's return

 

No summary available.
The Perilous Gard Cover
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The Perilous Gard

 

No summary available.
The Dark-angel Cover
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The Dark-angel

by Meredith Ann Pierce

The servant girl Aeriel must choose between destroying her vampire master for his evil deeds or saving him for the sake of his beauty and the spark of goodness she has seen in him.
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ID: 0688075029
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ID: 0440955297
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The Blue Sword Cover
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The Blue Sword

by Robin McKinley

Originally published: New York: Greenwillow Books, 1982.
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ID: 0449702413
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Time Enough for Drums Cover
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Time Enough for Drums

by Ann Rinaldi

Sixteen-year-old Jem struggles to maintain the status quo at home in Trenton, New Jersey, when the family men join the war for independence. There are signs of rebellion in the Emerson household several years before the actual American Revolution hits in 1776! Brought up in a relatively liberal household, Jemima Emerson is quite a challenge for her tutor, John Reid, who is known as a Tory with strong ties to England. How could Jem's parents be friends with a man who opposes American freedom? Jem longs for freedom on every level, in the home and her homeland--and John represents the forces that restrict her. Jem and her family soon find themselves fighting for freedom in whatever ways they can in the Revolutionary War. Before long, Jem discovers that there is much more to Mr. Reid than she ever imagined. Her feelings about him change when Jem realizes that John shares her love of freedom--and will risk his life to defend it.
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ID: 0395479835
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The Witch of Blackbird Pond Cover
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The Witch of Blackbird Pond

by Elizabeth George Speare

A young woman brought up in Barbados comes to live with her uncle in Connecticut, and finds their Puritan way of life difficult after her unconventional upbringing.
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ID: 0152011919
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The Ornament Tree Cover
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The Ornament Tree

by Jean Thesman

When fourteen-year-old Bonnie moves to her cousin's boardinghouse in Seattle in 1918, she learns about life from the boarders and progressive women who live and work there.
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ID: 0380706148
(Type: books)
Westmark Cover
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Westmark

by Lloyd Alexander

Winner of the American Book Award (now known as the National Book Award) An ALA Best of the Best Books for Young Adults A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year When Theo agrees to print a traveling showman's pamphlet, he only thinks of the money it will bring in. Instead, it sets off a chain reaction that results in the smashing of the press and the murder of his master. Caught on the wrong side of the law, Theo must flee the city. Soon, he has teamed up with the traveling showman Count Las Bombas (who is actually a con artist) and his servant. The trio is soon joined by Mickle, a clever, strong-willed girl with a mysterious past. Performing feats that astound and amaze, the motley crew falls into a trap set by Chief Minister Cabbarus, who is determined to wrest power from the grief-stricken king. Now they must not only save themselves-they must save the kingdom... This is the first volume in Lloyd Alexander's classic Westmark trilogy.
The Forgotten Beasts of Eld Cover
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The Forgotten Beasts of Eld

by Patricia A. McKillip

A wizard, accustomed to the company only of great legendary beasts, is introduced to the human world with all its sorrows and delights when a baby comes into her care.
Bridge to Terabithia Cover
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Bridge to Terabithia

by Katherine Paterson

A secret world of their own Jess Aaron's greatest ambition is to be the fastest runner in the fifth grade. He's been practicing all summer and can't wait to see his classmates' faces when he beats them all. But on the first day of school, a new kid, a new girl, boldly crosses over to the boy's side of the playground and outruns everyone. That's not a very promising beginning for a friendship, but Jess and Leslie Burke become inseparable. It doesn't matter to Jess that leslie dresses funny, or that her family has a lot of money -- but no TV. Leslie has imagination. Together, she and Jess create Terabithia, a magical kingdom in the woods where the two of them reign as king and queen, and their imaginations set the only limits. Then one morning a terrible tragedy occurs. Only when Jess is able to come to grips with this tragedy does he finally understand the strength and courage Leslie has given him.
The Giver Cover
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The Giver

by Lois Lowry

Since winning the Newbery Medal in 1994, Lois Lowry's The Giver has become one of the most influential novels of our time.This stunning redesign of The Giver Quartet presents a fresh, cohesive package that ties The Giver, Gathering Blue, Messenger, and Son together. The story centers on twelve-year-old Jonas, who lives in a seemingly ideal world. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver does he begin to understand the dark secrets behind this fragile community. The Giver is the first book in The Giver Quartet, which also includes Gathering Blue, Messenger, and Lois Lowry's latest return to Jona's world, Son, available September 2012.
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ID: B0007DKHP8
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Johnny Tremain Cover
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Johnny Tremain

by Esther Forbes

C.1 GIFT. 11-30-2010. $6.99.