In a world where everyone must fit themselves into one of five factions, choices about how to live your life are extremely limited. Sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior has more choices than most: when she takes the compulsory test that is supposed to reveal a sixteen-year-old’s suitability for a certain faction, her results are “inconclusive”. She shows equal ability for membership in Abnegation, the selfless faction of her birth; Dauntless, the courageous faction that has always fascinated her; and Erudite, the so-called “genius” faction that she despises. In a nutshell, she is Divergent. When Beatrice chooses a faction, Dauntless, the hard part is supposed to be over. But the truth is far from it. If Beatrice, now calling herself Tris, wants to be Dauntless, she must rank in the top ten of her group of initiates, some of whom have been preparing for this all of their lives. The rankings are decided by violent fights, random acts of daring and idiocy, excruciatingly painful tests that delve into the fabric of your fears, and frankly, whether or not those in charge despise you. In the weeks that follow her choice, Tris must remake herself in the image of the Dauntless, figure out a complicated relationship with an enigmatic instructor named Four, and most of all, watch her back: Divergence isn’t safe, and there are people who want her dead. Divergent is a fascinating read, and is entirely un-put-downable. The realistic and utterly human characters of Tris, Four, and their friends and family, as well as their intriguing world, draw in you into the story and keep you there. It is a fresh and show-stopping addition to the ranks of teen literature, and is sure to delight anyone who is tired of the same-old, same-old.

Since the death of her father, young Liesl has been trapped in her stepmother’s attic, drawing pictures and dreaming of a place she and her father called home long ago. Her lonely existence is interrupted when she meets Po, a similarly lonely ghost who takes an interest in Liesl, her drawings, and the world of the living. Meanwhile, a young alchemist’s apprentice named Will has accidentally switched a wooden box of the world’s most powerful magic for a wooden box containg the ashes of Liesl’s father. When Liesl’s stepmother attempts the murder of her stepdaughter, and Will’s master discovers his apprentice’s great mistake, the two children (and Po) must run away together to find Liesl’s old home, carrying only a wooden box (which one?) and following only Liesl’s hazy memories. Liesl and Po is a beautiful story to be enjoyed by those of all ages, a tale that never loses its hope no matter how dark the situation seems. It is an extraordinary testament to the powers of friendship, hope, and a child’s dreams.

All right, doubters. I know you're scoffing at the title. I did, too. But the lives of the girls and women portrayed in The Secret Life of Prince Charming are no fairy tale. Quinn Hunt, her little sister Sprout Hunt, and her half-sister Frances Lee Giofranco have a problem. That problem's name is Barry Hunt, and he is, for better or worse, their father. Quinn has always gotten along all right with her father, though Sprout's angry outbursts occasionally threaten their fragile peace. Frances Lee is another story. Frances and Barry's mutual dislike is strong enough that Barry has taken to pretending that his eldest daughter doesn't even exist. But the shaky sort of balance maintained by this multinuclear family is upset when Quinn discovers that for years her father, a notorious heartbreaker, has been collecting trophies: he has taken something of value from every woman he was ever involved with, from his high school girlfriend to the girls' mothers. Quinn knows that she can't just let this slide, not even for the sake of preserving her relationship with her father. And so the three girls, armed with Sprout's pink emergency cell phone and a couple of lies involving Disneyland, begin a "karmic quest" to return the stolen objects and learn the truth about their father, setting off on a whirlwind road trip in Frances Lee's temperamental pickup truck, accompanied by a teen musician who is NOT a bad boy and a ten-foot-tall Big Boy statue. Quinn's karmic quest is an eye-opener. And not only for the characters, but also for readers. The Secret Life of Prince Charming is a heartfelt revelation about right and wrong, love, and what makes a family. Once again, Deb Caletti nails it. Best for ages fourteen and up.