The Hunger Games introduced us to Katniss Everdeen who has to be one of the most courageous heroines in young adult literature.  Katniss is intelligent, brave, loyal, and kind. Katniss is just one of the many strong heroines that have been featured in recent young adult fiction.  If you admire Katniss, here are some other heroines you should meet.

Divergent by Veronica Roth is a fast-paced read.  Beatrice Prior is 16 and lives in futuristic Chicago.  The government has divided people up into five different groups. Beatrice must choose to join one of these groups, which will define her identity for the rest of her life.   When she makes her decision, she must leave her family, and train for her new role in society.  But, she discovers she is an anomoly and doesn’t want to conform to strict rules. She decides to join a rebel faction that plans to overthrow the government, and puts herself, her friends, and her family in danger.

In Legend by Marie Lue, America has been split into two battling nations.   June has grown up in a world of luxury and is a brilliant soldier.  When her brother is murdered during a break-in at a hospital, she is out for revenge.  She begins tracking down a suspect named Day.  She discovers, that Day is not all that he appears on the surface, and that they both have a common enemy that is much more dangerous than they could have imagined.  If you are looking for a page-turner, I recommend this one. It has lots of action, and lots of twists and turns that keep you guessing what will happen next.

Another strong heroine is Katsa in the book Graceling by Kristin Cashore.  This is a definite read for anyone who loves fantasy.  Katsa lives in a world where everyone has a special skill, called a Grace.  Katsa carries the burden of having the Grace of killing.  She lives under the command of her uncle who expects her to torture and kill anyone he doesn’t like.  When Katsa meets Prince Po, who is Graced with combat skills, her life changes forever.  Katsa and Po discover a secret and plot together to destroy her uncle and his evil powers.

A different kind of heroine is found in Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer.  A giant meteor has hit the moon causing world wide tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions.  The world has changed and there are shortages of food, water, and electricity.  Miranda Evans, her mother, and brother must somewhow learn to survive in this new word.   Miranda finds herself scavenging for food, protecting her home, and doing things she never imagined to keep her family alive.  Readers will admire her courage and perserverance.  The book is followed by a sequel, This World We Live In, which is just as compelling!

These are just a few of the strong, courageous heroines you can find in young adult novels in the LMC!

 

 

 

Ever wonder where movie producers get their ideas?  Many of them come from books.  Several novels are being adapted for the big screen this year. Just in time for Valentine’s Day comes the classic romance, Romeo and Juliet, starring Hailee Steinfeld and Damien Lewis.  I am not sure how many times these star-crossed lovers have been portrayed on screen, but obviously they bring in money at the box office.

Also premiering in February is I Am Number Four.  This action-packed sci-fi thriller stars Alex Pettyfer, Dianna Agron, and Callan McAuliffee.  It is based on the book by the same name by Pittacus Lore, and tells the story of a teen who has hidden out on Earth for 10 years gathering power so he can battle the people who destroyed his planet.

Fantasy and action are combined in Incarceron, also scheduled out in 2013.  Taylor Luatner is reported to star in this adaptation of the book by Catherine Fisher.  No one escapes the futuristic prison known as Incarceron, but Claudia, the daughter of the prison’s warden, decides she is going to risk her life to help a young man escape.  If you read the book, you can also read the sequel, Sapphique.

Keep you eyes out for If I Stay, based on the novel by Gayle Forman.  Be sure you have kleenex before heading to see this one because it will definitely make you cry. Mia’s life is changed forever when a car accident kills her family and leaves her in a coma.  Should she let go of life and be with her family, or should she stay and keep on living?  The book made me cry, so I know I will be shedding many tears during the movie.

Another adaptation of The Great Gatsby is coming out this spring starring Leonardo DiCapprio and Carey Mulligan. The F. Scott Fitzgerald novel about the rich Jay Gatsby and his friends in the 1920s is required reading in many high schools, so there might be an audience among those who want to see the movie along with reading the book.  Or, they will see the movie in place of reading the book, which in my opinion is a big mistake.  Never judge a book by the movie!

You can read all of these books before you head to the movie theater.  Just stop by the LMC and check one out!