TARGET:YA books with a hero?

[Sandy Krieg <skrieg@SPRYNET.COM>]

Today an 8th grade teacher was discussing a workshop she attended a few years
ago.  It dealt with the topic that YA's face many hard decisions and often
falterand this is the normal cycle of life through the ages.  This was in some
way related to the Odyssey and Telemachus, who symbolizes youth coming of age,
facing a difficult challenge.  She is beginning the story of Telemachus next
week and would like contemporary novels to share with her class about young men
(all boys school) facing a challenge or a crisis and coping hopefully
positively.

I thought of Ironman and Dean Duffy.  Adult novels with a teenage protagonist
would work also.  This is the first time she has asked me for suggestions so I
would like to be able to give her a bibliography of titles.  I will post a Hit
of the suggested titles.

TIA for all your help.

Sandy Krieg
The Haverford School
Severinghaus Library
skrieg@haverford.pvt.k12.pa.us    or  skrieg@sprynet.com