Good Reads

Tayshas Reading List 2008-2009

When transfer student Jane is forced to move from the confines of Metro City to Suburbia, she thinks her life is over. But there she finds her tribe: three other girls named Jane. The four girls form a secret art gang, but can art really save the hell that is high school? Young adult. ...More

As a little kid, who needs imaginary friends--or even man's best friend--whenthey can have their very own ninja? ...More

BookPage Notable Title
"There's a fine line between a friend and an enemy. One minute there's all this trust, and laughter, and love. And the next minute... ... there's hurt. And cruelty. And betrayal." Meet Chloe Sacks: Thoughtful, artistic, and a junior at Georgia O'Keefe School for the Arts, nicknamed "Fashion High" for its trendy student body. Along with her best friends, Erika, Isabel, and MacKenzie, she's looking forward to a sparkling year of parties and romance. And it is an eventful year. But not quite what she expected. Who'd have thought that falling in love would be such a disaster? ...More

The highly acclaimed drama featuring the life of a teenage Mary Jane Watson returns! And this time, she's got some friendly neighborhood backup! With her circle of friends and recent relationship left in disrepair, MJ is on the market once again! But who will she choose to be the next object of her affections: Peter Parker, her bookish-but-sweet tutor and newly-minted friend, or that dangerous, exciting crimefighter in red and blue tights, Spider-Man? Stick with Eisner Award-winner Sean McKeever and superstar artist Takeshi Miyazawa to find out! Collects Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane #1-5. ...More

Polly is caught between the prim-and-proper boarding school set she's grown-up with and the legendary legacy of the Pirate Queen that she never knew she was a part of! But which is the cruel, cold world and which is the care-free paradise? And does it even matter when there's a dashing pirate prince involved? Hoist the sails and batten the hatches on this brand new adventure! ...More

This moving, charming, and wordless graphic novel about a dog and a robot shows in poignant detail how powerful and fragile relationships are, as it depicts 12 months in dreams and quiet moments in the life of a dog and a robot. Full color. ...More

Being a new student at Avalon High has been exciting for Ellie, to say the least. And shes dating the super-hot class president, Will, who also happens to be the alleged reincarnation of King Arthur. This very first manga by the bestselling author of "The Princess Diaries" is indeed a tale for the ages. Young adult. ...More

Part humor, part pathos, "Lenore" is a combination of cuteness and creepiness that many will find appealing. Lenore tackles everyday life with a perverted innocence that makes readers want to give her a big hug--then stand back to make sure that they still have everything attached.SLG Publishing ...More

Presenting the initial Courtney Crumrin miniseries in a new digest-sized format. Courtney's parents have dragged her out to a high-to-do suburb to live with her creepy Great Uncle Aloysius in his spooky old house. She's not only the new kid in school, but she also discovers strange things lurking under her bed. ...More

Alex Award Winner - 2004
CCBC Choices - 2004
An intelligent and outspoken only child, Satrapi--the daughter of radical Marxists and the great-granddaughter of Iran's last emperor--bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country. Illustrations. ...More

2007 Printz Award Winner
American Born Chinese tells the story of three apparently unrelated characters: Jin Wang, who moves to a new neighborhood with his family only to discover that he's the only Chinese-American student at his new school; the powerful Monkey King, subject of one of the oldest and greatest Chinese fables; and Chin-Kee, a personification of the ultimate negative Chinese stereotype, who is ruining his cousin Danny's life with his yearly visits. Their lives and stories come together with an unexpected twist in this action-packed modern fable. ...More

Depicting the renowned illustrator's yearlong trip around the world following his graduation from college, this annotated volume offers a unique snapshot of an artist's coming-of-age as he tries to understand the world around him. ...More

Scott Pilgrim's life is totally sweet. He's 23 years old, he's in a rock band, he's "between jobs," and he's dating a cute high school girl. Nothing could possibly go wrong, unless a seriously mind-blowing, dangerously fashionable, rollerblading delivery girl named Ramona Flowers starts cruising through his dreams and sailing by him at parties. Will Scott's awesome life get turned upside-down? Will he have to face Ramona's seven evil ex-boyfriends in battle? The short answer is yes. The long answer is Scott Pilgrim, Volume 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life. ...More

Action! Excitement! Explosions! The Highest Anti-Terrorism Effort, or H.A.T.E. (a subsidiary of the Beyond Corporation) put Nextwave together to fight Bizarre Weapons of Mass Destruction. When Nextwave discovers that H.A.T.E. and Beyond are terrorist cells themselves, and that the BWMDs were intended to kill them, they are less than pleased. In fact, they are rather angry. So they make things explode. Lots of things. Starring Monica Rambeau (formerly Captain Marvel and Photon), Aaron Stack (Machine Man), Tabitha Smith (X-Force's Meltdown), monster-hunter Elsa Bloodstone and the Captain! Guest-starring Fin Fang Foom! Collects Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. 1-6. ...More

Hundreds of years in the future, Manhattan has become a deadly slum, run by mutant crime-lords and disinterested cops. Stuck in the middle is a young girl who thought she had no future, but learns she has a great destiny. In a world so poisoned that it doesn't notice the monsters on its streets, how can a street kid like Fray unite a fallen city against a demonic plot to consume mankind? Joss Whedon, the celebrated creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, brings his vision to the future in this unique tale. As inventive in the comics medium as in that of television of film, Whedon spins a complex tale of a skilled thief coming of age without the help of friends or family, guided only by a demonic Watcher. ...More

2008 Great Graphic Novel

Meticulously researched and beautifully rendered, EMMA is a beloved, award-winning series that was adapted into an acclaimed anime series in Japan. In Victorian-era England, a young girl is rescued from a life of destitution and raised to become a proper British maid. Emma meets William, the eldest son of a wealthy family, and immediately falls in love with him. William shares her feelings, but the strict rules of their society prevent their relationship from ever coming out in the open. Traditional class distinctions and rich, historical details provide the backdrop for this appealing romance. ...More

Family ties are the earliest ties that bind, setting the tone for the paths we will take in our future. So what if your father is Dirk Hopeless and your mother Nikki Savage, a superstar couple from the days of punk rock? When you're born a rebel, what can you possibly do to make yourself stand apart? For Rat Hopeless-Savage, the answer is to leave home and become a normal citizen with a nine-to-five job! ...More

Josh Kim pines for Nicole Hayes, but he just can't seem to snap her out of her daydreams and get her to notice him. If only he could see what she was dreaming about, maybe he could win her over. Rated for teens. ...More

BookPage Notable Title
2008 Great Graphic Novel

Meet Jen Dik Seong--or "Dixie" as she's known to her friends. Korean American, dirt poor, and living on the ragged edge of LA's Koreatown, Dixie's only outlet is the ancient martial art of hapkido. In fact, she's on the verge of winning a championship--until she falls for fellow hapkido fan/California surfer boy Adam and gets thrown spectacularly off her game. As she struggles to win the tournament--not to mention Adam's affections--Dixie learns that in love and in gift-giving, what goes around comes around. ...More