Best of the Best

The Chicago Public Library recommends the following books as some of the best published in 2004 for young adults. For more suggestions of outstanding books available at your neighborhood library, please check our web site or ask your librarian for assistance. Best of the Best is made possible by a generous grant from Kraft Foods and the Chicago Public Library Foundation.

Read, Learn, Discover!

Be More Chill
By Ned Vizzini
Hyperion/Miramax, Ages 16 and up
Can a squip make Jeremy cool or give him the confidence and charisma he needs to gain approval at Middleborough High with, among many, the Hot Chicks and Christine?

Double Helix
By Nancy Werlin
Dial, Ages 16 and up
Eli's position at Wyatt Transgenics provides him with confidential information about Huntington's disease and, more importantly, new knowledge that he is not sure he's ready to face about himself, his parents and Kayla.

Girl, 15, Charming But Insane
By Sue Limb
Delacorte, Ages 12 and up
Jess is a British teen who feels inadequate and envious of her best friend, Flora, but gradually grows to accept her flaws and appreciate the comic genius of her guardian angel, Fred.

Honey, Baby, Sweetheart
By Deb Caletti
Simon & Schuster, Ages 14 and up
Unhappy in their relationships with Chip and Travis, Ruby and her mother learn some sweet and surprising lessons about life and romance from a senior book
discussion group.

Jason & Kyra
By Dana Davidson
Hyperion/Jump at the Sun, Ages 14 and up
Complete opposites, suave Jason and smart Kyra, fall for each other while working on a research project, but Jason's ex, Lisa, is gorgeous and popular and determined to make sure their romance doesn't last.

Kissing Vanessa
By Simon Cheshire
Delacorte, Ages 14-16
Getting the girl of his dreams to feel the same way he does is a challenge for Kevin, who gets some unhelpful advice from his friend Jack.

Luna
By Julie Anne Peters
Little, Brown/Megan Tingley, Ages 15 and up
Regan O'Neill's older brother, Liam, dresses up as a beautiful girl named Luna at night, but he wants to be a girl around the clock so he seeks the strength to take that step on his eighteenth birthday.

One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies
By Sonya Sones
Simon & Schuster, Ages 14 and up
Through raw, emotional poems and letters to her mother, Ruby recovers from the death of her mother; discovers why her father, Whip, has been absent; and almost loses her best friend Lizzie.

Realm of Possibility
By David Levithan
Knopf, Ages 15 and up
From a blissful relationship between Daniel and Jed to the dissatisfaction of Cara, this
collection of flowing, poetic verse gives readers a peek into the passions and agonies of teens in love.

So Yesterday
By Scott Westerfield
RazorBill, Ages 13 and up
Teens Hunter and Jen get swept into the New York world of advertising in this hip and intriguing novel about
consumerism.

The Truth About Forever
By Sarah Dessen
Viking, Ages 15 and up
After her father's death, Macy latches onto predictability and gives up her passion for not only running, but also life, until she takes a catering job that
exposes her to people who awaken her heart.

Under the Wolf, Under the Dog
By Adam Rapp
Candlewick, Ages 16 and up
This novel gives readers a peek into the unordinary and horrific life experiences of Steve Nugent, now a resident at a place for suicidal and substance- abusing teens.

Who Am I Without Him?: Short Stories about Girls and the Boys in Their Lives
By Sharon Flake
Hyperion/Jump at the Sun, Ages 14 and up
Through the use of unique storytelling techniques and perspectives, this short story collection depicts the lives of many different teenage girls who have been affected by or who have affected boys and men, covering topics of family, sex and pregnancy, absent fathers, bad boyfriends, disobedience, death, poor decisions and more.