Hole in the Sky by Pete Hautman

"I look toward the sound and see a pile of rags on the floor against the far wall. My eyes adjust further and the pile of rags becomes a man hugging his knees to his chest. He coughs, a dry cough that starts high in his throat, then works its way down until it becomes a bubbling chortle."

In the year 2038, only 38 million people are left on Earth. Most have fallen victim to the worst flu in history. Many others have been killed in the aftermath by the warring tribes of people left behind. Some have survived the flu, only to live without hair, or sight, or sanity. Four teens are on their own, trying to survive, and hoping to find a hole in the sky. Told, in turn, from the points of view of all four teens (including the deaf mute) this is a harrowing story of loyalty and hope.

SLJ recommends grades 7 to 10.

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Wabi by Joseph Burchac

"'Young one, do you hearrr meeee?'
I turned my head to listen more closely to that voice. It was a voice I had never heard before. It was...strange. I might have said it was pleasant, but somehow it made me feel uneasy. Yet is was an attractive voice, a voice that made me curious. I knew immediately that I wanted to see the one who had that voice.
'Young one, come hhhhhheeeerrre," it trilled, "into the swaaaammmp. I have something forrrr you.'"

Wabi is an owl. Or is he a human? Joseph Bruchac spins a tale of an owl who becomes a man through the magic of the seven stones and through his own battles against monsters like Mamaskwa, the Toad Woman, and Mojid, the Greedy Eater. Bruchac combines a respect for the natural world, the elements of the heroic journey, and just a dash of love with the style of a Native American storyteller to produce a story that is in turn exciting and mystical. Wabi will appeal to fantasy fans, adventure readers, and nature lovers.

SLJ recommends grades 5 to 8.

Learn more at HCL, Barnes and Noble, and here.