Susan, I'm posting my reply to your "where should I start on the FTR list?" here because it fits in better than under a discussion of name change and others may have the same question. Certainly not everyone will agree with my suggested method of reading through the titles, but that's what "discussion" is all about!
Since you've read the Alexie (good -- it's showing up on all kinds of awards lists for "children" and "young adults" and is now being cross-marketed to adults), I'd suggest Three Little Words: A Memoir as your next title. It's non-fiction and the author lives in Florida. Professional friends tell me she does one whale of an author visit also. Not a happy book but a book about surviving and overcoming, much like A Child Called It and The Glass Castle.
Then entertain yourself with Suck It Up (vampires) and Generation Dead (zombies). Might not be your thing but it sure is the teens' thing. Twisted funny, both of them.
Homeboyz is going to generate the most discussion, I feel. It is a "Mature Theme" book, very urban. You don't have to like it, but you'd best have read it.
Now that you're exhausted from that one, read Suite Scarlett just for the fun of it. It's a chick book. And what teen doesn't want to live in NYC?
Then romp your way through the rest according to your mood-of-the-day:
Unwind and Little Brother -- your kids who loved Firestorm by David Klass last year will love these two.
Gym Candy - regular kid uses steroids to get that athletic edge - mom ignores - dad thinks it's a good thing
Last Exit to Normal - obnoxious urban skater kid screws up one time too many, so his gay dads move the family to rural Montana
Shark Girl - surfer girl loses arm in shark attack and she is truly p*%$ed about it before accepting loss and change
Shift - good, good mystery
Hunger Games - good, good sci fi
Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks - "sexism isn't a problem any more"? - I don't think so - Frankie's feminist stand is deliverd via an online "male" personality. (Way better than I just made it sound.)
The Market - the funnest way to learn economics ever along with usual teen angst and betrayal
Here's hoping that many of you disagree (or agree) and post your own takes on how to read your way through this year's FTR list.
Ginger
