Guilty pleasure confession time: I read the "Twilight" books and actually somewhat enjoyed them. Now, by "enjoy" I don't mean I'm jumping into the Team Edward vs. Team Jacob debate, but they were an entertaining escape from the trials and tribulations of everyday life. Besides, being able to talk to teens is part of my job, so we'll just call it "research." (Don't judge me.)

So "Twilight"'s take on vampires, werewolves, and chastity has turned the gothic mythos of vampyr into a cheesy tale of forbidden love. Still, the angst displayed by the characters clearly resonates with kids who are undergoing their own transformation from childhood to adult. My generation had Judy Blume; today's books just do it with more teeth. But once the vampire trend has been staked and Harry Potter has cast his last franchised spell, what can we expect to see as the next big thing? Depending on who you ask, it's all about zombies, or ninjas, or werewolves, or historical fantasy, or...well, you get the picture.

"Overall a big trend seems to be ‘magic in the real world,' or supernatural and fantasy stories about regular teens in today's world dealing with typical teen problems as well as extraordinary circumstances," says Lyla Grills, young adult librarian at Penfield Library.

A deeper dig into trends by asking experts such as literary agents, authors, writers, librarians, and others yielded a list of recommended titles. In fact, it's articles like these that can add to the hype and build a franchise. "Most of these trends occur by word of mouth, as was the case with both the Harry Potter series and the ‘Twilight' series," says Elizabeth Falk, director of the Rochester Children's Book Festival.

In other words, if one of these turns into the next super-mega-success, remember you read it in City first.

For young readers (8 to 10 years old)

There were a few recommendations that we might hear more from, including the "Mallory" series of titles by Laurie Friedman, hilarious stories about the life and times of an 8 3/4-year-old girl that carries the torch from the "Junie B. Jones" series. On the same note, I received several recommendations for the "Clementine" series by Sara Pennypacker, which centers on the mind and musings of a distracted third-grader.

In fact, the focus on the awkwardness growing up, coupled with humor, seemed to be a major trend. One such example is "Emma Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree" by Lauren Tarshis, which was recommended for kids ages 8 to 12.

"Emma Jean is a geeky sort of person and is lost in 7th grade trying to connect with her peers; but when she does try to help, it is with surprising results," says Darcy Patterson, award-winning children's author and writing teacher. "It's very ‘clean,' with nothing that would make a parent object." Patterson also recommends a new series on the block: "Ellie McDoodle," an art-filled fun tale for middle-grade readers.

Graphic novels and manga also reign supreme, especially "Bakugan Battle," according to several children's librarians with whom I spoke.

For tweens (10 to 12 years old)

"The Warriors" series, published by HarperCollins and written by multiple authors, has spent dozens of weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Oddly enough, it's a story about cats. Yes, cats. They have magical powers and clans, go on adventures and have battles. I may read this. (Again, don't judge me.)

The "39 Clues" series, a planned 10-book series written by multiple authors, is Scholastic's next attempt at a Potter-like franchise. The plot centers around members of the world's most powerful family, two of which must beat their other up-to-no-good kin in a race to find 39 clues that lead to ultimate power. There's a web-based tie in game and all kinds of merchandise (of course).

The "Percy Jackson" series of books by Rick Riordan brings Greek mythology into modern day. This imaginative and action-filled series about a 12-year-old boy who discovers he's the son of Poseidon has become quite popular. One to watch, especially with a movie scheduled for release in early 2010. Also highly recommended for teens.

For teens

"The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where a "Running Man"-like game pits teens against each other for survival. At its center is a female main character, and plenty of action and PG-13-ish violence.

The "Warrior Heir" series by Cinda Williams Chima is about a boy who discovers his daily medication is anti-Wheaties, holding back his super warrior wizard ass-kicking powers. There are swords and, of course, someone named Nicodemus.

Meg Cabot gets "Freaky Friday"-ish with "Airhead." A somewhat geeky teen is in a freak accident and awakens in the body of a teen supermodel.

Thriller writer James Patterson takes on the teen set with the "Maximum Ride" series, featuring kids that 98 percent human and 2 percent bird, spawned by evil scientists. There are mutant wolf-humans as well. Like most Patterson stuff, this is a quick read and fast paced.

It's true that young adult themes are a far cry from "typical" childhood classics, but that's just a sign of the times, says Elizabeth Falk of the Rochester Children's Book Festival. "Although some of the content of YA is very mature, and not what I would have wanted my own children to read, I do believe that it is a natural evolution," Falk says. "Kids today face topics that I didn't even know existed when I was a teen, and writers today reflect that.

There are several websites to visit for recommendations. Grills touted Teenreads.com and ala.org/yalsa, and Darcy Patterson recommends flamingnet.com, written by teens for teens. Perhaps this means I won't have to read any more "Twilight" in order to do my job. Yeah, not likely. See you at the library. Look for the redhead in the Team Jacob shirt.