Midnighters 1: The Secret Hour

Westerfeld, S. (2005). Midnigthers 1: The Secret Hour. New York, NY: HarperTeen.
ISBN: 978-0060519537 

Fifteen-year-old girl named Jessica moves with her family to Bixby, Oklahoma. Shortly thereafter she wakes up in the middle of the night and discovers that time has frozen. The next night she wakes again and begins to investigate outside her room. Seeing her family frozen Jessica becomes even more confused and frightened. She sees a cat in her living room and follows it outside. 

Once outside the cat transforms into a snake and with a group of other snakes begins to attack Jessica. Her rescuers are three individuals: Dess, Rex, and Melissa. They call themselves the “Midnighters.” They explain to Jessica what the secret hour is and the dangerous creatures that inhabit it. Each Midnighter possesses a special ability. Eager to find out what Jessica's ability is Rex takes her to the Snake Pit in the badlands; also home to the darklings. A battle proceeds, and Rex discovers Jessica is a flame-bringer.

Identity is key element in Westerfeld's Midnighters 1: The Secret Hour. Jessica is the new kid who also finds out she is a part of a separate world where a group of her peers have special abilities. These abilities are a part of thier identity, which is highlighted in Jessica's struggle to find her identity. The search for identity begins in the tween/teen years and Westerfeld is smart to incorporate that issue within a fun, sci-fi, young adult novel.

Cover art link: bufrito 
Image link: thegathering