Stay warm and keep reading.

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)

FOREVER IN BLUE: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares (Fiction)
The fourth and final installment in Ann Brashares's wildly popular series finds the four wearers of the Traveling Pants spread across the globe. Carmen is at a theater camp, Tibby and Lena stay in summer school at their colleges, and Bridget goes to Turkey for an archaeological dig. They each experience heartbreak during their time off, but luckily the magical pair of jeans is there to help. Reviewed by Amy Alessio.

-Click here to read an excerpt from FOREVER IN BLUE.

Drew Bowling began writing his first work of fiction, THE TOWER OF SHADOWS, during a high school math exam and published it shortly after his 21st birthday. In this interview, Bowling discusses how his young age has worked to his advantage as a fantasy author and describes his literary upbringing amongst a family of avid readers. He also talks about why he is drawn to this particular genre, provides some words of wisdom for other young writers, and explains how he balances his writing career with his course load as a sophomore at Loyola College.

THE TOWER OF SHADOWS by Drew Bowling (Fantasy)
The world stands on the brink of destruction when an apocalyptic force is released --- and it is up to a handful of rag-tag heroes to find the path to salvation. Debut novelist Drew Bowling, a 21-year-old college student, has written a fast-paced adventure story that marks the beginning of a promising new fantasy series. Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard.

-Click here to read an excerpt from THE TOWER OF SHADOWS.
-To learn more about Drew Bowling and THE TOWER OF SHADOWS, visit his website, DrewBowling.com.

DRAMA HIGH: SECOND CHANCE by L. Divine
Sassy Jayd Jackson is back...and dating the cutest guy in school. But the path of love isn't smooth and Jayd's in for more drama than ever!

Visit www.dramahigh.com to win prizes and look for DRAMA HIGH: JAYD'S LEGACY in February!

The Traveling Pants are back for one last, glorious summer in FOREVER IN BLUE, the fourth and final installment in the #1 New York Times bestselling series by Ann Brashares. What might the future hold for Lena, Carmen, Bridget and Tibby as the beloved sisterhood faces yet another event-filled summer break? January's roundup of Cool New Books also includes two additions to Meg Cabot's The Princess Diaries --- VALENTINE PRINCESS (a novella) and PRINCESS ON THE BRINK (Volume VIII); CUPCAKE, Rachel Cohn's third and final book featuring Cyd Charisse, who has just graduated from high school and is looking to start life anew in Manhattan; and FLORA SEGUNDA, an enchanting tale full of wildly clever plot twists from first-time novelist Ysabeau S. Wilce.

January's roundup of New in Paperback titles includes REBEL ANGELS, a companion to the New York Times bestseller A GREAT AND TERRIBLE BEAUTY by Libba Bray; Julie Hearn's THE MINISTER'S DAUGHTER, a dual tale of deception, witchcraft, hypocrisy and betrayal set during the tumultuous era of the Civil War in England; and LOOKING FOR ALASKA by John Green, winner of the Michael L. Printz Award in 2006. We also spotlight PTOLEMY'S GATE, the third and final adventure in Jonathan Stroud's Bartimaeus Trilogy; PARTY PRINCESS, the seventh volume in Meg Cabot's Princess Diaries series; and THE EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF ALFRED KROPP by Rick Yancey, in which an overgrown, underachieving teenager becomes involved in a scheme that will change his life forever.

TRIGGER by Susan Vaught (Fiction)
Broken in both mind and body, Jersey Hatch has to piece his life back together, step by painful step. He must re-learn to tie his own shoelaces, somehow pass Algebra and graduate high school, and try to repair old friendships that are as severed as the connection between his brain and his once-athletic body. Reviewed by Carlie Webber.

MERCY ON THESE TEENAGE CHIMPS by Gary Soto (Fiction)
Newly 13, Ronnie and Joey have no reason not to believe that they've become chimps: everything they do, everything everyone says about them, supports this theory. Soon, Ronnie is faced with the challenge of helping his best friend --- and doing so means facing his chimp-iness head-on. Reviewed by Brian Farrey.

POP! by Aury Wallington (Fiction)
Marit is convinced that she is the only 17-year-old virgin left in Connecticut. The problem is, whenever things get physical with the opposite sex, she freaks out. But then the obvious solution presents itself --- what if she loses "it" with her best guy friend Jamie? Would this be too much for their long-term friendship to handle? Reviewed by Kristi Olson.

SET IN STONE by Linda Newbery (Fiction)
When idealistic young artist Samuel Godwin accepts a job with the Farrow family at their majestic home, little does he expect to come across a place containing such secrets and lies. Everyone's closet has a skeleton in Linda Newbery's clever, spine-tingling homage to classic Victorian gothic novels. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

THE MISLAID MAGICIAN OR TEN YEARS AFTER by Patricia C. Wrede & Caroline Stevermer (Historical Fantasy/Mystery)
While 10 years have passed since cousins Kate and Cecy married Thomas and James in THE GRAND TOUR, it doesn't mean they have settled down to a life of simple domesticity with their families. In fact, once again they are solving a mystery that could affect the very future of England. Reviewed by Sarah Sawtelle.

AN UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIP: A Novel of Mary Todd Lincoln and Elizabeth Keckley by Ann Rinaldi (Historical Fiction)
Mary Todd Lincoln, the wife of a president, and dressmaker Elizabeth Keckley, a former slave, shared an unusual friendship at the White House. This novel by award-winning author Ann Rinaldi compares and contrasts their very different backgrounds and explains how they became acquainted. Reviewed by Carole Turner.

STORY OF A GIRL by Sara Zarr (Fiction)
When she is caught in the backseat of a car with her older brother's best friend, Deanna Lambert's teenage life is changed forever. Struggling to overcome the lasting repercussions and the stifling role of "school slut," she longs to escape a life defined by her past. Reviewed by Kristi Olson.

RUBBER HOUSES by Ellen Yeomans (Fiction)
Kit is a typical teenager who lives a happy, normal life with a nurturing family and good friends. She and her younger brother, Buddy, are incredibly close despite their eight-year age difference, bonded by a shared love of baseball and math. But when Buddy is taken suddenly by cancer, Kit and her parents struggle to survive. Reviewed by Renee Kirchner.

BETTER THAN YESTERDAY by Robyn Schneider (Fiction)
At the elite Hilliard Preparatory School, the competition is fierce, the gossip is worse, and Blake Dorsey has just arrived back on campus after an unexplained two-year absence. BETTER THAN YESTERDAY is a solid and enjoyable first novel from promising young author Robyn Schneider. Reviewed by Hannah Gomez.

CHAIN MAIL: ADDICTED TO YOU by Hiroshi Ishizaki (Fiction)
Four disillusioned Tokyo teenagers who have never met are suddenly drawn together by a mysterious chain mail message sent to their cell phones. Each takes on a role in the intriguing and absorbing narrative: the schoolgirl stalked by an older boy, her mysterious stalker, the schoolgirl's boyfriend and the female detective. Reviewed by Joy Held.

Click here to read our reviews and features.

Manga Reviews:

The following reviews are courtesy of the graphic novel review website for teens No Flying No Tights:

AFTER SCHOOL NIGHTMARE, Volume 1 by Setona Mizushiro (Go! Comi)
Ichijo Mashiro has clung to the illusion that he is a normal freshman going to a normal school. But he has a secret, and being found out would be his worst nightmare...or so he thinks. Reviewed by Jennifer Webb.

KAZE HIKARU Series (Volumes 1-9) by Taeko Watanabe (VIZ Media LLC)
When Sei's father and brother are murdered, she dresses as a boy and joins the Shinsengumi, soon to be a legendary band of warriors. But when young hot swordsman Okita Soji discovers she's a girl, will he let her stay? Reviewed by Eva Volin.

LINE by Yua Kotegawa (ADV Manga)
One day, Chiko picks up a lost cell phone and hears a disturbing message: someone is about to die. Soon, she is racing across Tokyo to stop a suicide pact. How did a regular high school girl end up with the fates of strangers in her hands? Reviewed by Jennifer Webb.

R.I.P.: REQUIEM IN PHONYBRIAN by Mitsukazu Mihara (TOKYOPOP)
Transylvania Rose is a bored angel who descends to Earth to clean a few souls. When she witnesses a depressed undertaker slitting his wrists, Rose rips off one of her wings and gives it to the undertaker, trapping them both somewhere between heaven and hell --- and life and death! Reviewed by Snow Wildsmith.

STRAWBERRY MARSHMALLOW (Ichigo Mashimaro), Volume 1 by Barasui (TOKYOPOP)
Nobue, Chika, Miu and Matsuri are neighborhood friends who hang out, make mischief and torture one another. See Miu drive her pals crazy while supposedly "observing" them for a school project. Watch Nobue try to quit smoking (again). And find out how Chika got stuck in a wastebasket. Randomness is part of the fun in Strawberry Marshmallow! Reviewed by Jennifer Webb.

Click here to read all our Manga reviews.

Christian Reviews:

TrueColors Series

BRIGHT PURPLE: COLOR ME CONFUSED by Melody Carlson (Fiction)
Ramie Grant is shocked when she hears that her best friend, Jessica LeCroix, is a homosexual. It's just a matter of time before others on the basketball team find out. In the end, Ramie must decide if she will stand by Jessica's side or turn her back on a friend in need. Reviewed by Michele Howe.

Becoming Beka

THE MASQUERADE: Becoming Beka #1 by Sarah Anne Sumpolec (Fiction)
Since her mother's tragic death, Beka Madison's "good girl" image has been crumbling around her. She can't let her family discover that she's not really a Christian, but her ragged emotions threaten to expose her. This is an absorbing story of a teenage girl's struggle with self-discovery and the revelation that truth brings freedom. Reviewed by Michele Howe.

THE ALLIANCE: Becoming Beka #2 by Sarah Anne Sumpolec (Fiction)
Beka heads back to school with a newfound faith, but that faith is tested sooner than she expected. As she spends time with the eclectic theater group, she is pulled further into her friendship with Gretchen who has become fascinated with the occult. Beka also struggles in her growing relationship with Mark, who is pressuring her to spend time with him behind her father's back. Reviewed by Michele Howe.

Click here to read our Christian Fiction reviews.

Recent Bookreporter.com Titles Perfect for Teens:

DEAR JOHN by Nicholas Sparks (Fiction)
Internationally bestselling author Nicholas Sparks explores the complexities of love -- how it survives time and heartbreak, and how it transforms us forever --- in this incredibly moving novel about a young couple whose commitment to one another is put to the test. Reviewed by Judy Gigstad.

-Click here to read an excerpt from DEAR JOHN.

SIZE 14 IS NOT FAT EITHER: A Heather Wells Mystery by Meg Cabot (Mystery)
In this follow-up to SIZE 12 IS NOT FAT, former pop star Heather Wells has settled nicely into her new life as assistant dorm director at New York College. But she soon finds herself deep in another mystery when a cheerleader she knows literally loses her head. Heather, of course, will NOT investigate. Riiiight... Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.

-Click here to read an excerpt from SIZE 14 IS NOT FAT EITHER.

THE BOOK OF LOST THINGS by John Connolly (Fiction)
New York Times bestselling author John Connolly takes his writing in an entirely new and imaginative direction with THE BOOK OF LOST THINGS, a rich, reflective exploration of children's fantasy worlds that is no less thrilling than Connolly's previous works. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

THE USES OF ENCHANTMENT by Heidi Julavits (Fiction)
In 1985, West Salem teen Mary Veal goes missing after field hockey practice and turns up weeks later, seemingly unharmed and claiming amnesia but alluding to being abducted and raped. Or was she? In her latest novel, Heidi Julavits explores memory and time and how the tenuous lines between the two can get blurred. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.

A GOOD DOG: The Story of Orson, Who Changed My Life by Jon Katz (Memoir)
"Lifetime dogs are dogs we love in especially powerful, sometimes inexplicable ways." In this gripping and deeply touching book, bestselling author Jon Katz tells the story of his lifetime dog, Orson: a beautiful border collie who is intense, smart, crazy --- and unforgettable. Reviewed by Judy Gigstad.

Click here to read the Bookreporter.com titles perfect for teens.

The Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award, established by the Association for Library Service to Children in 2001, is awarded annually to the author of the most distinguished informational book published in English during the preceding year. The award is named in honor of Robert F. Sibert, the long-time President of Bound to Stay Bound Books, Inc. of Jacksonville, Illinois, and is sponsored by the company.

-This year's winner of the Robert F. Sibert Award is TEAM MOON: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon by Catherine Thimmesh.

-Three Robert F. Sibert Honor Books were named: FREEDOM RIDERS: John Lewis and Jim Zwerg on the Front Lines of the Civil Rights Movement by Ann Bausum, QUEST FOR THE TREE KANGAROO: An Expedition to the Cloud Forest of New Guinea written by Sy Montgomery, photographs by Nic Bishop, and TO DANCE: A Ballerina's Graphic Novel written by Siena Cherson Siegel, illustrated by Mark Siegel.

The Alex Awards were created to recognize that many teens enjoy and often prefer books written for adults, and to assist librarians in recommending adult books that appeal to teens. The award is named in honor of the late Margaret Alexander Edwards. Nicknamed "Alex," this young adult specialist at the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, Maryland firmly believed that adult books are as beneficial toward enhancing and enriching the minds of young adults as designated "teen books" are.

The 2007 Alex Award winners are: BLACK SWAN GREEN by David Mitchell, THE BLIND SIDE: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis, THE BOOK OF LOST THINGS by John Connolly, COLOR OF THE SEA by John Hamamura, EAGLE BLUE: A Team, A Tribe, and a High School Basketball Season in Arctic Alaska by Michael D'Orso, THE FLOOR OF THE SKY by Pamela Carter Joern, THE THIRTEENTH TALE by Diane Setterfield, WATER FOR ELEPHANTS by Sara Gruen, THE WHISTLING SEASON by
Ivan Doig and THE WORLD MADE STRAIGHT by Ron Rash.

The Margaret A. Edwards Award, established in 1988, honors an author's lifetime achievement for writing books that have been popular over a period of time. It recognizes an author's work in helping adolescents become aware of themselves and addressing questions about their role and importance in relationships, society, and in the world.

On January 22nd, at the 2007 Midwinter Meeting of the American Library Association (ALA) held in Seattle, Lois Lowry received this year's Margaret A. Edwards Award for her outstanding lifetime contribution to writing for teens. Lowry is the author of THE GIVER, which explores a future where differences have been erased and strict rules govern society. Published more than 20 years ago, this complex novel continues to provide a mechanism for teens to understand themselves, the world in which they live and their relationships with others and with society.

-Click here to read our review of THE GIVER.

The Schneider Family Book Award, donated by Katherine Schneider, Ph.D., honors an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. The book must portray some aspect of living with a disability or that of a friend or family member, whether the disability is physical, mental or emotional. Recipients are selected in three categories: birth through grade school (ages 0-10), middle school (ages 11-13), and teens (ages 13-18).

-This year's winner of the Schneider Family Teen Book Award is SMALL STEPS by Louis Sachar.

Poll:

Some of our favorite series have new books that are scheduled to be released in 2007. Which of the following are you most excited about? Check as many as apply.

-DON'T YOU FORGET ABOUT ME: Gossip Girl #11 by Cecily von Ziegesar
-ECLIPSE by Stephenie Meyer (sequel to TWILIGHT and NEW MOON)
-FOREVER IN BLUE: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares
-HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS by J. K. Rowling
-IT'S NOT EASY BEING MEAN: The Clique #7 and SEALED WITH A DISS: The Clique #8 by Lisi Harrison 
-NIGHTRISE: The Gatekeepers #3 by Anthony Horowitz
-PRINCESS ON THE BRINK: The Princess Diaries, Volume VIII by Meg Cabot
-SAVING THE WORLD AND OTHER EXTREME SPORTS: Maximum Ride #3 by James Patterson
-THE SWEET FAR THING by Libba Bray (sequel to A GREAT AND TERRIBLE BEAUTY and REBEL ANGELS)
-None of the above.

Click here to answer our Poll.

Question: