Biblio File, Stuff for the Teen Age

Summer of Steampunk

High adventure, gears and gadgets, fantastical inventions, Victorian-era atmosphere (or not)… the rise of steampunk gives authors of young-adult fiction rich new ground to tread.

Two years ago, one of our expert YA librarians wrote a great introduction for teen readers; now, we’re offering up six of our relatively recent favorites.

gears
Lorraine Diétrich automobile parts, ca. 1909. Image ID: 1159917

 

Inventor's Secret

The Inventor’s Secret by Andrea Cremer
“Would you offer your life for your freedom?” the cover asks, inviting readers into an alternate universe in which America lost its fight for independence and is still controlled by Britain.

 

 

 

 

Clockwork

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare
The indomitable Shadowhunters in the Infernal Devices trilogy made a major splash when the first book, Clockwork Angel, was published in 2010. Now, in the third and final installment, they must face down the mammoth automaton army.

 

 

 

 

red plague affair

The Red Plague Affair and The Ripper Affair by Lilith Saintcrow
In these follow-ups to Saintcrow’s The Iron Wyrm Affair, the alternative universe of Britannia is threatened by a terrifying weapon and a serial killer.

 

 

 

 

 

Tae Back

Take Back the Skies by Lucy Saxon
This page-turner adventure stars Cat Hunter, who escapes her arranged marriage, dresses as a boy, and stows away on a galaxy-hopping airship.

 

 

 

 

 

Scarab

The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason
Sherlock Holmes meets vampires meets turn-of-the-century London in this tale of two detective heroines.

 

 

 

 

Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your picks, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend.

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