April - CrimeReads for Teens
Heist Society by Ally Carter
For as long as she can remember, Katarina
has been a part of the family business—thieving. When Kat tries to leave 'the
life' for a normal one, her old friend Hale conspires to bring her back into
the fold. Why? A mobster’s art collection has been stolen, and Kat’s father is
the only suspect. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad
needs her help. The only solution is to find the paintings and steal them
back. Kat’s got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully enough talent to pull
off the biggest heist in her family’s history—and, with any luck, steal her life
back along the way. The Heist Society series is stealing the hearts of
Ally Carter fans everywhere.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Lawyer Atticus Finch defends the real
mockingbird of Harper Lee's classic, Puliter Prize-winning novel—a black man
charged with the attack of a white woman. Through the eyes of Atticus's children,
Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with rich humor and unanswering honesty
the irrationality of adult attitudes toward race and class in the Deep South of
the 1930's. This is a 1001 books entry.
Thieves like us by Stephen Cole
Jonah Wish, a brilliant
computer hacker, is the newest addition to an elite group of teen outlaws all
hired by the same mysterious benefactor, Nathaniel Coldhardt. Each of them
offers a unique talent: Patch is a one-eyed locksmith; Motti can dismantle any
electrical system; Con’s charm is truly mesmerizing; and Tye can detect a lie
with more precision than a polygraph. Under Coldhart’s watchful eye, this motley
crew races from a high-tech underground conference centre to exotic locations
where they hunt for priceless ancient artefacts that may bring riches . . . or
the secret to eternal life. also E-Book
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
"Speak up for yourself—we want to know what
you have to say." From the first moment of her freshman year at Merryweather
High, Melinda knows this is a big fat lie, part of the nonsense of high school.
She is a friendless, outcast, because she busted an end-of-summer party by calling
the cops, so now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her. As time
passes, she becomes increasingly isolated and practically stops talking
altogether. Only her art class offers any solace, and it is through her work on
an art project that she is finally able to face what really happened at that
terrible party: she was violated by an upperclassman, a guy who still attends
Merryweather and is still a threat to her. Her healing process has just begun
when she has another violent encounter with him. But this time Melinda fights
back, refuses to be silent, and thereby achieves a measure of vindication. An utterly believable heroine with a
bitterly ironic voice delivers a blow to the hypocritical world of high school.
She speaks for many a disenfranchised teenager while demonstrating the
importance of speaking up for oneself. (A mature read for those interested)