Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

Finn is a prisoner in one of the worst prisons imaginable, Incarceron, a dilapidated wasteland where no one leaves --ever.  No matter, Finn is sure he came from Outside, and is determined to somehow return there.  Claudia lives Outside, but her life isn't so easy either.  She's a pawn in a complicated game of political intrigue involving arranged marriages, secret alliances, lies and half-truths.  They'll need each other to solve their problems, but what they need more is to understand Incarceron.  It's more and less than they think it is, and time is running out for both of them. 
Incarceron is the first of a two book series, and sure to be a popular with fans of The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner or anyone who appreciates well-written, complex, action adventures.  The sequel Sapphique is due out in December 2010, but the good news is that Fisher has several other excellent fantasy series available.
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The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan illustrated by Peter Sis

Neftali is keenly aware of his environment including his family and things he finds and collects while exploring outside. Because he is sickly he is often confined inside and must rely on his younger sister’s description of what she sees from the window. Unfortunately for both of them their father is overbearing and determined to make them physically strong and intellectually brilliant. Naturally this leads to conflict and this conflict finally leads Neftali to leave for university in a distant city.
The story is based on poet Pablo Neruda’s life. He also had a difficult father and left his family when he went to the university. Later he became one of the most famous poets in the world. The illustrations perfectly show the details which Neftali sees and feels but in a day dreaming kind of way. The three panels at the beginning of each chapter outline the progression of events in the chapter.
Neftali cares deeply about people’s feelings and fairness. Through his story you will also gain insights into what it means to have dreams you want to pursue. The library has a biography of Neruda in the Children’s collection, and many volumes of his poetry and stories in the adult collection.
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The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

The latest and greatest from Rick Riordan (author of the Percy Jackson series) doesn't disappoint. True, it's a bit long and provides the reader with tons of information about Ancient Egypt and 21st century siblings Carter and Sadie Kane, but Riordan's thrilling new series starts off with a bang!

Carter and Sadie Kane see each other only twice a year. Older brother, Carter lives (or rather travels) with his father an archeologist specializing in Egyptian artifacts who drags Carter around to different dig sites. Sadie has been living in London with her grandparents since her mother mysteriously died several years ago.

On one of their rare family outings they travel with their father to the British Museum where strange things begin to happen and Carter and Sadie are thrust into a world they never knew existed. With help from a few new friends, the siblings must work together to complete a dangerous journey and uncover the mysteries of their family's ancient history.

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