911: The Book of Help, edited by Michael Cart, Marc Aronson and Marianne Carus. Cricket Books. Twenty-five acclaimed authors for young people share their responses to 9/11. Under headings such as Healing, Searching for History, Asking Why? Why? Why? and Reading and Recovering, the authors' essays and poems should induce readers to share their own stories and feelings. A magnificent example of the power of words to stimulate thought and support healing.

19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East by Naomi Nye. Greenwillow. A collection of old and new poems about the Middle East, including Different Ways to Pray and The Palestinians Have Given Up Parties.

A Boy at War: A Novel of Pearl Harbor by Harry Mazer. Simon and Schuster. Fourteen-year-old Adam changes from a boy to a man as he experiences, first-hand, the horrors of the Pearl Harbor bombing, the anti-Japanese hysteria, and the beginning of World War II. Powerful and intense. For mature readers.

A Girl Named Disaster by Nancy Farmer. Orchard. Nhamo, better known as Disaster, sets off on a courageous and dangerous journey from Mozambique to Zimbabwe when she runs away to her father's village instead of marrying the cruel man to whom she is promised. An intense and richly detailed novel of survival, faith and courage.

A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck. Dial. In 1929, Joey and his sister Mary Alice, two city slickers from Chicago, make the first of their summer visits to Grandma Dowdel's sleepy Illinois town - where they meet eccentric, often hilarious, sometimes poignant characters and unexpected adventures in America's heartland.

A Step from Heaven by An Na. Front Street. In this beautifully written tale, a family of Korean immigrants attempts to adjust to life in the United States. Differences in family members' abilities to adapt play an important role.

After the First Death by Robert Cormier. Pantheon. The events of a hijacking of a busload of children by terrorists are told from multiple viewpoints-including a hostage, a terrorist and a hostage negotiator.

After the Holocaust by Howard Greenfield, Howard. Greenwillow/ HarperCollins. These are the stories of eight young Jewish Holocaust survivors after their liberation. These sometimes grim but always hopeful accounts are told using family pictures, news photos and the words of the teens themselves.

Alien Secrets by Annette Curtis Klause. Delacorte. Expelled from boarding school, twelve-year-old Puck travels on a space ship to the distant planet where her parents work. She finds herself in the middle of a dangerous mystery when she befriends Hush, an alien with a secret.

America the Beautiful: The Stirring True Story behind Our Nation's Favorite Song by Lynn Sherr. Public Affairs. Television Sherr tells the story of how New England poet Katherine Lee Bates, moved by the glory of Pike's Peak, came to write this most patriotic and beloved national songs and how the song's significance grew through history.

Americans' Favorite Poems edited by Robert Pinsky and Maggie Dietz. Norton. The Favorite Poem Project encouraged Americans to write then U. S. Laureate Pinsky and nominate their favorite poems for inclusion in this volume-and to tell just why the poem they chose means so much to them. A treasure trove of poetry, passion, patriotism, and humanity. Best read aloud in the company of friends.

Amistad: The Long Road to Freedom by Walter Dean Myers. Dutton. A careful reexamination and dramatic account of the slave ship Amistad - the journey, the legal battles, and the courage of those who fought for freedom.

Anne Frank: Beyond The Diary: A Photographic Remembrance by Rian Verhoevenn & Ruud Vander Rol, translated by Tony Lanham and Plym Peters. Viking. Through more than one hundred photos, plus maps, essays, interviews and the testimony of people who know her, Anne Frank's short but significant life before and after the diary is recounted in this remarkable book. A 1994 Batchelder Honor book.

Bad Boy by Walter Dean Myers. HarperCollins. This is Walter Dean's story of growing up in Harlem in the 1940s. This portrait presents a boy who liked to read and write when it wasn't the cool thing to do, and his realization that being black wasn't cool, either.

Bat 6 by Virginia Euwer Wolff. Scholastic. Aki (a Japanese-American girl) and Shazam (whose father died at Pearl Harbor) are on opposing teams of the annual girls' softball game. It is only a few years after World War II and unresolved racial issues escalate into violence in the small Oregon town. The story, related in turn by each of the teammates, provides unique insights into the events.

Carver, A Life in Poems by Marilyn Nelson. Front Street. Born to slaves and raised by white slave owners, Carver triumphed over adversity to become a renowned scientist, educator, and American icon. His life and legacy are revisited, re-evaluated and celebrated in a series of moving poems that draw us into the life of the man and the times in which he lived.

Castles Burning: A Child's Life in War by Magda Denes. W.W. Norton. This amazing and true saga of a young girl in wartime Hungary on the run from the Nazis, is told with the honest voice of childhood. Intense, heartwrenching, very rewarding reading.

Crazy Lady! by Jane Leslie Conly. HarperCollins. This Newbery Honor Book details the life of Vernon, a young boy in junior high who is battling with the recent loss of his mother, poverty, bad grades, relationships with siblings, and also with his gang of friends who are headed in the wrong moral direction. Thanks to his tutor, Vern begins to develop a friendship with the neighborhood outcasts: Maxine Flooter (aka the "crazy lady") and her mentally challenged son.

Dateline: Troy by Paul Fleischman. Candlewick. Juxtaposing the story of the Trojan War with newspaper headlines reporting current events, Fleischman shows that while the Trojan War may have happened centuries ago, it is still relevant and as fresh as today's headlines.

Earthshattering Poems edited by Liz Rosenberg. Holt. Poems for older teens capturing moments of intense experience and emotion.

Fever, 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson. Simon & Schuster. It's Philadelphia, 1793 and an epidemic of yellow fever has broken out. 14-year-old Mattie Cook is sent to the country to escape the dread disease-but it's everywhere. A spirited, resourceful heroine living in dangerous times.

Flight of the Raven by Stephanie S. Tolan. HarperCollins. As current as today's headlines, Tolan's fantasy deals with environmental terrorists, white militia, Native American folk knowledge, and a boy who can read minds.

Gideon's People by Carolyn Meyer. Harcourt Brace. Cultures clash when Isaac, an Orthodox Jew, has an accident while traveling, and is aided by an Amish family.

Give a Boy a Gun by Todd Strasser. Simon and Schuster. Why did Gary and Brendan, two tenth-graders, arm themselves with rifles and terrorize students and teachers at a high school dance? A riveting exploration of school violence by award-winning Westchester author.

Go and Come Back by Joan Abelove. DK Ink. When two old white ladies, actually anthropologists in their 20s, come to her remote village, Alicia learns about modern life.

Greater than Angels by Carol Matas and John Suh. Simon and Schuster. Anna and other Jewish refugees are taken in by an entire village in France, a village called Le Chambon, where the inhabitants, at great risk to themselves, cared for them. A fictionalized story of a real place and true heroism.

Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye. Simon & Schuster. Fourteen-year-old Liyana finds the move from St. Louis to a village in the West Bank a hard adjustment. Romance with an Israeli boy and the jailing of her father don't help. An autobiographical novel.

Haveli by Suzanne Fisher Staples. Knopf. In this compelling sequel to Shabanu, we follow the plight of this brave eighteen-year-old Pakistani woman, now the fourth wife of a wealthy sixty-year-old landowner. This uncompromising novel shows the betrayals and violence of Shabanu's life, as well as the joys and friendships, enabling readers to see across cultural barriers to universal truths.

Hear These Voices: Youth at the Edge of Millennium. Dutton. From New York to Bangkok, 18 teens from around the world tell what it's like living on the edges of society. From Aids to alcohol abuse, poverty and violence the honest voices of teens at risk are documented in compelling interviews and piercing photographs.

Helen Keller: Rebellious Spirit by Laurie Lawlor. Holiday House. An absorbing portrait of an individual whose life was a series of private and public challenges.

Here Is New York by E.B. White. Harper. White captures the spirit of the city circa 1948 in this classic essay that still has the power to touch the heart of all who love New York City.

Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan. HarperCollins. A widow at thirteen, Koly must find the strength and courage to make her way alone in the world when she is abandoned by her mother-in-law. A fascinating look at Indian culture and the role of women in another part of the world. Winner of the National Book Award.

Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer. Penguin Putnam. After having bounced around the country, 16-year-old Hope (a waitress) and her Aunt ( a short order cook) head toward Wisconsin and the Welcome Stairways Diner in search of home. A humor-filled book that will grab your heart.

Hostage to War by Tatjana Wassiljewa. Scholastic. Tatjana is not yet 14 when she is sent out of Germany as a slave laborer. Her harrowing memories are recounted in journal format.

I Will Remember You: What to Do When Someone You Love Dies. A Guidebook through Grief for Teens by Laura Dower. Scholastic. Practical advice from a grief counselor includes exercises on coping with the pain.

In the Company of Men by Nancy Mace. Simon & Schuster. After the Supreme Court ordered the Citadel to admit women, the author became its first woman graduate. Here, she details her first year of struggles with grueling cadet life, added difficulties caused by sexism, and attention deficit disorder.

Islam: A Short History by Karen Armstrong. Modern Library. In a compact, readable format, the origins and impacts of Islam are described as well as the challenges of Islam today. Chronology, key figures, glossary, bibliography and index enhance this excellent resource.

It's Our World, Too! By Phillip Hoose. Farrar. An inspiring collection of essays about young people who made a difference-with tips on things you can do.

John and Abigail Adams: An American Love Story by Judith St. George. Holiday. Based on the letters they sent each other during their 54 years of marriage, these two remarkable figures in American history-who helped to found this country--continue to inspire us.

Life: Our Century In Pictures For Young People edited by Richard B Stolley and Amy E. Sklansky. Little, Brown. The major events and people of the twentieth century are chronicled with wonderful photos from the famous magazine. Each section is put into historical perspective in essays by noted authors such as Katherine Paterson, Robert Cormier, Jerry Spinelli, and Lois Lowry.

Long Season of Rain by Helen S. Kim. Holt. When an orphaned boy comes to live with Junehee and her family during the rainy season in Seoul, South Korea, Junehee begins to question the roles of women and family. The region and culture of South Korea are intimately detailed.

Lord of the Nutcracker Men by Iain Lawrence. Delacorte. Johnny, a young boy living in England during WWI, comes to believe that the games he plays with his toy soldiers are influencing the course of the war-and that he may even be holding his father's life in his hands.

Make Lemonade by Virginia Ewer Wolff. Holt. Brief chapters, in words arranged like poetry, welcome the reader to the stories of fourteen-year-old LaVaughn, and Jolly, a seventeen-year-old single mom with two children, for whom LaVaughn babysits. Readers of this moving and memorable book will think about making lemonade.

Making Up Megaboy by Virginia Walter. DK Ink. Why did 13-year-old Robbie shoot the old man in the liquor store? Computer-generated graphics along with comments from family, friends and acquaintances explore this seemingly random act of violence.

Memory Boy by Will Weaver. HarperCollins. In 2008, Minneapolis is covered in volcanic ash and Miles must save the lives of his family.

Mick by Chris Lynch. HarperTrophy. Fifteen-year-old Mick is trying to expand his world beyond the narrow thinking of his Irish-American neighborhood in Boston. His older brother, who is a violent drunk and bigot, is giving him a hard time.

My Brother, My Sister And I by Yoko Kawashima Watkins. Bradbury. Thirteen-year-old Yoko and her older brother and sister struggle to survive in post-World War II Japan, in this inspirational sequel to the much acclaimed So Far From The Bamboo Grove.

No Pretty Pictures: A Child of War by Anita Lobel. Greenwillow. The award-winning illustrator reveals the wrenching story of her war-time childhood in Nazi-occupied Poland, revealing a child and young woman imbued with indomitable resiliency and hope.

October Sky: A Memoir by Homer Hickam. Delacorte. The true and inspiring story of how a poor boy from coal fields of West Virginia beat the odds and became a rocket scientist.

On the Fringe edited by Donald Gallo. Dial. This book is a collection of short stories. Each one gives a peek into what life is like in high school if you are different.

Part of Me Died Too: Stories of Creative Survival among Bereaved Children and Teenagers by Virginia Fry. Dutton. Eleven true stories of young people and their grief are gently conveyed and may help readers share their own feelings.

Red Scarf Girl by Ji Li Jiang. HarperCollins. Ji Li is in middle school when the cultural revolution begins. Ostracized classmates, her father jailed - she is asked to betray her family to save herself.

Remix: Conversations with Immigrant Teenagers by Marina Budhos. Holt. Fourteen portraits of teens from around the world, adjusting to life in America. Moving, informative and filled with warmth.

Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman. HarperCollins. A young girl plants some lima beans and more than the vegetable seeds take root as the transforming power of the garden brings community members together.

Slap Your Sides by M. E. Kerr. HarperCollins. Because of his strong Quaker beliefs, Bud Shoemaker registers as a conscientious objector during WWII, and 14-year-old Jubal and the rest of His family must face the consequences in their small strongly patriotic Pennsylvania town.

Slaughterhouse-Five: Or the Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. Delacorte. Billy Pilgrim travels through time before, after and during the fire-bombing of Dresden in World War II. The reader journeys with him and is given the opportunity to ponder how best to live in an uncertain world-a world of chance where a person may survive a disaster only to be run over by a car. Thought-provoking, ironic and oddly comforting.

Smoke And Ashes: the Story of the Holocaust by Barbara Rogasky. Holiday. Well-researched, deftly written and moving accounts of the Holocaust ask readers to bear witness to a terrible time in the history of humankind and to ponder the moral choices involved in being a civilized human being. Powerful and important reading.

So Far From the Bamboo Grove by Yoko Kawashima Watkins. Lothrop. The compelling story of a Japanese family forced to flee their home in Korea at the end of World War II and the incredible hardships of their journey and resettlement in Japan. A testament to the human spirit in the tradition of the The Diary Of Anne Frank and Upon The Head of a Goat. Unforgettable.

Soldier's Heart by Gary Paulsen. Delacorte. Having lied his way into the Union Army, fifteen-year-old Charley faces the grim reality of fighting in the Civil War. A shattering masterpiece that takes you onto the battlefield.

Some Reasons For War: How Families, Myths and Warfare Are Connected by Sue Mansfield & Mary Bowen Hall. Crowell. Traces the history of war from the Stone Age to the Nuclear Age and offers theories on why warfare plagues humankind. Provocative, important reading.

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. Knopf. Will Leo stick by his girl friend as she falls from the heights of popularity into the world of outcasts? High school life and issues of conformity present challenges to our hero.

Talking Peace: A Vision For The Next Generation by Jimmy Carter. Dutton. Former President Carter shares his thoughts and experiences as a peace negotiator in this clear and insightful book. He gives tips on conflict resolution for both global and personal use and suggests how young people can become involved in working for peace.

Terrorism by Ann G. Gaines. Chelsea House. An introductory exploration of the nature of terrorism, what makes a terrorist and what a free society can do to combat it.

The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thorton Wilder. HarperCollins. Five people die when a bridge in eighteenth century Peru collapses. This short, Pulitzer Prize winning novel ponders the cosmic questions of why? Was there a reason that these five people died and not some others? Was it chance or the hand of fate?

The Brimstone Journals by Ron Koertege. Candlewick. Many voices discuss the situation at Branston High School, where an outsider is almost pushed to violence. A dark, realistic novel about high school life.

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier. Knopf. A teenager finds that there are consequences when he dares to disturb the universe by not selling chocolates for his school. A classic that confronts tough issues of good and evil and choices.

The Chosen by Chaim Potok. Simon and Schuster. Two Jewish boys in Brooklyn-one from a religious Hasidic family, the other from a more modern, assimilated home-struggle with their place in the world and role of religion in their lives.

The Color of Absence: 12 Tales About Loss and Hope. Edited by James Howe. Atheneum. Stories by authors such as Angela Johnson, Norma Fox Mazer, Michael J. Rosen, Virginia Euwer Wolff, Naomi Shihab Nye, Avi, Walter Dean Myers, Jacqueline Woodson, Chris Lynch, and James Howe.

The Greatest: Mohammed Ali by Walter Dean Myers. Scholastic. Ali was not only a great boxer, but also one of the first Americans who converted to Islam, changed his name, and became a conscientious objector against the war in Vietnam.

The Grieving Teen: A Guide for Teenagers and Their Friends by Helen Fitzgerald. Simon and Schuster. Compassionate advice.

The Hero's Trail: A Hiking Guide for a Heroic Life by T. A. Barron. Penguin Putnam. What makes a hero? What is courage? A fascinating and thoughtful exploration of both famous and everyday heroes and the choices they made.

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. Bantam. The true story of a religious Dutch Christian woman and her sister living during the dark days of the Holocaust. An inspiring tale of goodness overcoming evil.

The Land by Mildred Taylor. Phyllis Fogelman. The son of a white slave owner and a black slave mother, Paul-Edward Logan struggles to find his place in the world. A powerful prequel to Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.

The Other Side of Truth by Beverly Naidoo. HarperCollins. After fleeing Nigeria and finding themselves abandoned in London, Sade and Fermi must find their uncle and secure their father's safety. A gripping tale of modern day refugees.

The Space Between Our Footsteps: Poems and Paintings from the Middle East by Naomi Shihab Nye. Simon & Schuster. Poems and paintings from 19 Middle Eastern countries reflecting universal concerns of family and home, war and peace.

The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula LeGuin. Parnassus. In this first book of the series, Sparrowhawk, an apprentice wizard, must face his dark side if he is to master the powers of magic.

Toning the Sweep by Angela Johnson. Scholastic. It is fourteen-year-old Emmie's videotaping of farewells to her grandmother (who is leaving her home in the desert to move in with her daughter, Emmie's mom) that helps the three generations of women come to terms with grandma's illness and with each other. A Coretta Scott award winner.

True Believer by Virginia Euwer Wolff. Atheneum. As her mother contemplates remarrying and religious fervor comes between her and her two best friends, LaVaughn makes a startling discovery about the boy who leaves her speechless. In this sequel to Make Lemonade, Wolff again captures the voice of a strong young woman growing up in urban poverty.

We Were There Too: Young People in U. S. History by Phillip Hoose. Farrar. The forgotten Americans; women, people of color, and children, are now being heard. This survey of important dates and events in US history features the deeds and voices of youth.

Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher. Greenwillow. TJ, a gifted athlete, has a grudge against the jock mentality in his high school. After getting everyone furious at him for quitting the football team, he forms his own swimming squad with all of the misfits.

Whirligig by Paul Fleischman. Holt. In a botched suicide attempt, Brent accidentally kills a young woman and undertakes a journey to honor her memory. Poignant twists and whimsical humor leaven this tale of redemption.

Wish Me Luck by James Henaghan. Frances Foster/FSG. Sent away for safe keeping during World War II, Jamie finds that the ship that is supposed to carry him to safety brings him to danger instead. Based on a true story!

With Their Eyes: September 11th-the View from a High School at Ground Zero compiled by Annie Thoms. HarperCollins. Firsthand accounts by high school students who were at Ground Zero on 9/11.

Witness by Karen Hesse. Scholastic. The townspeople in rural 1924 Vermont witness the arrival of the Klu Klux Klan. The Klan's agenda of hatred affects everyone, especially a 12-year-old African American girl and a 6-year-old Jewish refugee. A riveting story of how ordinary people deal with evil in their midst.

World Religions by John Bowker. Dorling Kindersley. An insightful and amazingly informative overview of major religions of the world including: Buddhism, Confucianism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Shinto, touching on African traditions, Native American traditions, and the growing Baha'i faith. Generously illustrated.