The Underdogs of the YA world: Unsung, Underpraised but AWESOME!

YAnnabe is hosting the the best YA books you haven't read and I wanted to get in on the fun. There are so many great YA books out there. But there are also plenty of titles that don't get the praise and accolades they should. Well, here are a few favorite of my own "unsung YA titles."

Perfect You by Elizabeth Scott seems to get often overlooked in her backlist. This is one of my very favorite relationship books of all time for YA. Not just romantic relationships but family and friend relationships, and the lengths we will go through to try to please others, versus the reality of relationships: they are hard. Kate and Will steal the show and you may just want to make out by the mall trash after reading this book.

The Explosionist by Jenny Davidson. The cover grabbed me right away. I love the old-fashion appeal of it. Then, the contents itself are wonderful. Seances, spiritualism, girls being turned into the perfect secretaries and workers, explosions and terrorism. This book is jam packed and unfortunately it just doesn't seem to get the attention it deserves.

Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy by Sonya Sones. This author's other books (What My Mother Doesn't Know, etc) seem to get much more attention than this small gem. It is also written in verse and it tells the story of what happens when the character's sister has a breakdown. The poems convey so well the reality, pain, and healing of mental illness. You are immediately gripped in this family's emotions and you will be left with an indelible impression. A must read!

Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman. I admit, I saw this title on someone else's list and I am stealing the idea. This book is fabulous! A great play off Pride and Prejudice, my favorite book of all time. The characters are great, the setting is up to date so that teens will be immediately drawn in, and well, the romance is sweet! Shulman is also a great writer so the story comes together so well.

North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley. To me, this was the underdog book of 2009. I hadn't heard about it at all until I read it for the Cybils and I was blown away. Such a fantastic, moving, gripping, and transformative story. I know it doesn't have vampires or a really convoluted worldbuilding but it doesn't need to. It relies on the beauty of language and the realities of people to make a compelling story. Terra is a great character but I have to say, it was her mom's journey that just added a wonderful addition to this story.

Jerk, California is another story of renewal, hope, and the hardships of family. Sam's journey to discover who he is, the family he has never known is poignant, comical, and sad. This is a road trip book with a very interesting and strong male protagonist, even if he does not always realize his strength.





Those are my titles. I'm sure there are more that will come to me as soon as I post this, but as of now, these titles stand out so beautifully in my mind as amazing stories.