For this month’s column, I had the pleasure of interviewing three of East Hampton’s young adult librarians about some of their favorite newer books and some books they love to revisit over the holiday season. East Hampton Library’s Cassandra Rummel, Chase Filasky, and Jill Sollazzo have such a vast knowledge of Y.A. novels, it was a challenge for them to choose only a few. The picks are from all different genres and I had so much fun hearing why they chose them.
It is safe to say these librarians have great taste. If you want to hear more, visit the library. They'll be happy to share some recommendations with you.
Jill Sollazo: "The Hunger Games" and "Where the Red Fern Grows"
Jill Sollazo, the head of the library's young adult department, picked a classic beloved by tweens and teens since it was first published in 2008, "The Hunger Games." The author, Suzzane Collins, received the Hal Clement Award in 2009, the California Young Reader Medal, and is critically acclaimed in many other ways. The series, "The Hunger Games," "Catching Fire," and "Mockingjay" tell the story of Katniss, a girl from District 12, one of the 12 districts under the Capitol’s rule. Every year, the districts hold something called the Reaping Day, in which two children, a boy and a girl, are sentenced to compete in the Hunger Games, a match in which 24 young people under the age of 18 are forced to fight to the death, with one winner emerging. On Reaping Day, Katniss’s little sister Prim is picked to fight in the arena, and not being able to stand the thought of her sister dying, Katniss volunteers in her place and goes to compete with her fellow district partner Peeta. So begins an epic friendship journey millions of readers have fallen in love with.
Ms. Sollazo loves this story because of how strongly and powerfully Katniss is voiced. She has no qualms about expressing her feelings and opinions, much like other strong female characters in dystopian literature. She also became invested in the friendship between Katniss and Peeta throughout the entire series. Over the holiday season, Ms. Sollazo will be delving into "No Rest for the Wicked" by Rachel Louise Adams. Not only are the holidays a great time for new reads, they are the perfect opportunity to revisit old family favorites.
Her favorite childhood read is "Where the Red Fern Grows" by Wilson Rawls.
Chase Filasky: "Along for the Ride" and "Grandmothers’ Stories: Wise Woman Tales from Many Cultures"
The next book, recommended by the librarian Chase Filasky, is "Along for the Ride," a romance novel by Sarah Desson, which Ms. Filasky describes as an engaging, warm summer easy read. The setting, Colby, Me., also reminds her of Montauk’s sandy shores.
"Along for the Ride" is a coming-of-age story, following main character Auden through a summer staying with her father. Auden’s parents divorced when she was in high school, and her father now has a new wife and baby. Before Auden goes off to college, she hopes to spend quality time with her father, Robert, as well as savor her last summer before college. It will be a summer where she makes new friends, makes some bad decisions, navigates complicated family dynamics, and in the end develops a romantic relationship that transcends a summer fling.
Over the holidays, Ms. Filasky is reading "Such Charming Liars" by Karen McManus, an East Hampton Library Book Club favorite. She also may revisit a family favorite of her own, "Grandmothers’ Stories: Wise Woman Tales from Many Cultures" by Burleigh Muten.
Cassandra Rummel: "The Lunar Chronicles" and "Anne of Green Gables"
Cassandra, or Cassie, Rummel, another young adult librarian, recommends "The Lunar Chronicles," a fantasy series by Marissa Meyer. She loves adaptations of classics, specifically fairy tales, and that's what this series is.
The first in its chronicles is Cinder which follows a Cinderella-based heroine through her journey as a cyborg mechanic. Cinder lives in a high-tech city called New Beijing, in which cyborg residents are fitted with partially mechanical body parts. Although cyborgs such as Cinder are integral parts of New Beijing, they face discrimination on a daily basis. Most keep their part-metal identities to themselves, including Cinder.
Cinder asks to attend an upcoming ball, hosted by the royal family and Prince Kai. Like in the traditional fairytale, she is denied admittance to the ball at the hands of her stepmother. Her stepmother does offer an exchange: If Cinder can find a new “magbelt” for the family’s android, she can go to the ball.
As Cinder and her stepsister Peony scavenge for the missing part at various junkyards, Peony’s skin begins to be covered with discolored splotches. It is discovered that Peony has caught the near-deadly plague of the city –- Letumosis. Furious with Cinder for endangering Peony, her stepmother volunteers her for plague research, which means likely death.
Trapped in the lab, Cinder discovers she is connected with Prince Kai in ways she never could have imagined, something she must keep from others, at the expense of her own life.
To Ms. Rummel, Cinder is an intriguing and strong main character –- the reason she loves "The Lunar Chronicles" so much.
Her favorite childhood read is "Anne of Green Gables" by Maud Montgomery.
The three librarians I spoke to are an integral part of East Hampton’s reading world and I hope you will visit them at the library, as they have lots of activities for teenagers and tweens.
This will be the last Teen Pager of 2025. If you read any great books over the holidays and have recommendations for the column in 2026, please email me at [email protected]. Happy holidays, and happy reading!
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Note: The three novels featured in this month's column contain more adult themes and are recommended for kids 13 and up.