Teen Book Lists

New High School Fiction

Starchaser (Deluxe Limited Edition)

An INSTANT New York Times Bestseller!

Dive into Starchaser, the thrilling, romantic, and action-packed sequel to the New York Times bestselling Nightweaver that's perfect for fans of Powerless and Heartless Hunter.

This gorgeous DELUXE LIMITED EDITION is available while supplies last―featuring stenciled sprayed edges, as well as exclusive special design features. This must-have special edition is only available in a limited first printing.

Seventeen-year-old pirate Aster Oberon faces a stunning new reality, gifted with a magical ability that she's struggling to master. Worse, both she and Will--the Nightweaver who has captured her heart--have been cursed. In mere weeks, they will become ferocious Underlings, creatures forced to serve the evil Morana. The only way to break the curse is by procuring Morana's blood.

To track down the cure, Aster teams up with both Will and Titus, the infuriatingly handsome prince of the Eerie who secretly aims to overthrow his royal family's tyrannical reign. The trio's journey takes them to Castle Grim, where danger is around every corner, and no one is who they seem. Between deadly dinners, extravagant balls, and shifting desires toward Will and Titus, Aster will have to keep her blades at the ready and determine who she can rely on before the ticking clock of her curse runs out.

This ultra-romantic, ultra-exciting follow-up to Nightweaver is filled to the brim with mind-bending twists, swoon-worthy moments, and more adventure than a pirate could have ever expected.

The Nightweaver series:

Nightweaver

Starchaser

The Girl in the Love Song

He survived the worst. She was his only light.
Now his music belongs to the world, and he wrote her into every song...
But will she ever hear the words?

From USA Today bestselling author Emma Scott comes a breathtakingly emotional coming-of-age romance about love, timing, and the songs we write with our hearts.

Miller Stratton is a survivor. After a harrowing childhood marked by poverty, he will do anything it takes to find security for himself and his mom. He's putting all his hopes and dreams in the fragile frame of his guitar and the beauty he creates with its strings and his soulful voice. Until Violet.

No one expects to meet the love of their life at age thirteen, yet the spunky rich girl steals Miller's heart and refuses to give it back.

Violet McNamara's life hasn't been as simple as it looks. Her picture-perfect family is not so flawless after all. Her best friend Miller is her one constant, and she is determined not to ruin their friendship with romantic complications.

But the heart wants what it wants. As Miller's star begins to rise to stratospheric heights, what will it take for Violet to realize that she's the girl in all his love songs?

Set against a California backdrop and the dizzying lights of musical stardom, this is a story of friendship, first love, and the kind of heartbreak that leaves a permanent echo, perfect for fans of Tillie Cole, Colleen Hoover, and Chloe Walsh.

Tropes fans love-
Poor boy/rich girl
Musician hero
Friends to lovers
Unrequited love (but not really)
Chronic illness rep
Found family
Right person, wrong time
Angst, angst, angst

Reader reviews-
"Emma Scott ripped my heart out and handed it back wrapped in a love song." - ★★★★★ Goodreads
"If you love angst, heartbreak, and slow-burn romance, this will ruin you-in the best way." - ★★★★★ Amazon
"Miller Stratton is the definition of a book boyfriend. Vulnerable, loyal, beautiful inside and out." - ★★★★★ Goodreads
"This is Colleen Hoover-level pain. You've been warned." - ★★★★★ BookTok

The Uninvited

A YA paranormal fantasy about vampires in the Paris underground, where a young woman's bohemian dream turns into a chilling nightmare. Now her survival hinges on bringing to light the city's darkest and deepest secrets.

When 17-year-old Tosh Reeves moves from Portland, Oregon to Paris, it’s a dream come to life. The city embraces her with its street-life, iconic architecture, and infinite gustatory delights. There’s even a charming expat boy, Nick, who introduces her to sights tourists never see.

From medieval catacombs to the viciously competitive street art scene, Tosh’s immersion in Paris makes her feel wholly alive in a way she’s never before experienced. She belongs.

But when a series of brutal vampiric attacks creeps closer to her new circle of bohemian friends, Tosh will confront the darker side of her beloved Paris, and learn how deeply monsters can strike at a young woman’s power and heart.

The Hidden Girl

Within the pages of a stolen diary, Melati discovers a coded cry for help—the diary belongs to Devi, an Indonesian teenager who is being held by traffickers.

Mel races across the island of Java and against the clock to work out Devi's identity and where she's being held. Before long, the pieces fall into place, and Mel must put her own life on the line to save a girl she's never met.

Heart Check

A star hockey player and his biggest critic must reexamine their assumptions about each other when forced to work together at an after-school job in this feel-good young adult rom-com debut about breaking the ice.

Luke Dawson and Harper Braedon could have been friends. They trade shifts at the same diner, share classes at school, and are driven by their greatest passions: hockey for Dawson and jewelry-making for Harper. But some things aren't meant to be. Dawson thinks Harper is stuck-up, too good for anything resembling school spirit. Harper thinks Dawson is a self-centered jock, a perfect fit for a hockey team that seems to absorb all the budget away from the arts departments.

When his beloved hockey coach gets fired for misallocation of funds, Dawson is terrified that all his plans for impressing scouts are vanishing before his eyes. A rumor goes around that Harper was the one who got him fired, and suddenly she’s public enemy number one.

But even with their mutual dislike at an all-time high, Harper and Dawson can’t escape splitting shifts forever. Can forced proximity help them find some common ground, or will long-held grudges finally succeed in bringing them both down?

We're Not Safe Here

From the author of The Bone Witch and The Girl from the Well comes a chilling horror told primarily through video transcripts, message boards, and radio shows, that will shake you to your core.

Wispy Falls is safe. The town motto is even "You'll be safe here!" But you aren't safe in the woods that surround the town. In the woods there are monsters. People go missing in the woods. And sometimes the monsters don't stay in the woods...maybe you aren't that safe in Wispy Falls.

A seventeen-year-old vlogger known as Storymancer is determined to get to the bottom of what's wrong in his town. A few years ago, his little brother went missing in the woods and no one, not even his parents, seemed to care enough to try and find him.

But for the first time, an actual body has been found in the woods, and Storymancer is using the opportunity to uncover the rotten core at the heart of Wispy Falls. To investigate the monsters that lurk in the shadows, and the people in town who might just want the monsters there after all.

Wavelength

Hannah Montana meets Heartstopper in this story of a teen pop star on the run from fame who finds family, love and gender euphoria when they become entangled with a local band.

Seventeen-year-old pop sensation Sasha may be famous, but they've always kept a layer of anonymity by covering their face to perform. Facing pressure to unmask in public, Sasha runs away to a nowhere midwestern city, planning to finish senior year and come out as nonbinary away from the limelight. But their plan falters from the moment they meet Wavelength, an alt-rock band, and their lead singer.

Lillian is struggling to keep the band together, caught in a mess of lyrics, late-night texts and ill-conceived love notes. She's torn between feelings for her ex-girlfriend (and ex-bandmember) and her new infatuation with Sasha. Maybe this stranger is the new singer and the new love she's looking for -- even though Sasha's stories don't seem to quite add up.

If a whisper of Sasha's fame gets out, their new life is over. Sasha's manager is tracking them down, Wavelength is on the rise, and everyone's hearts are in the mosh pit. Turn off the houselights. The band's counting in.

Cruel Summer (the Taylors Version #2)

Four girls, all named Taylor, make for one unforgettable friendship! International bestseller Elizabeth Eulberg follows four stories of first love, friendship, and heartbreak. Don't miss the sister novel, Jen Calonita's The Taylors!

The Taylors -- Teffy, Tay, TS, and Taylor -- have survived their first year of high school and can't wait for summer to start. But the drama doesn't go away just because they want it to.

It turns out that Teffy's been keeping a massive secret from her parents. Tay's supposed to spend the summer performing with her new band, but it's not the rockstar life she expected. Taylor's past comes back to haunt her while working at summer camp. And TS gets to spend the summer in London with Gemma's very fancy family . . . who doesn't approve of her.

The Taylors need each other more than ever, but they're spending the summer apart. Is it going to be so long, London and so long, Taylors?

Red as Royal Blood

The Inheritance Games gets the royal treatment in this paperback original thriller that combines courtly intrigue, succession drama, and romance.

Ruby has never found a puzzle she couldn't solve. Even though she's destined to spend the rest of her life as a servant to the royal family, her mind itches for a true challenge. But no puzzle could prepare her for the king's decision to name Ruby as the next heir to the throne just before his death.

Thrown into the viper's nest of court, Ruby is forced to contend with a kingdom in crisis, the dead king's angry wife, and the three entitled and annoyingly handsome princes. Then, as if being newly crowned queen wasn't enough, she discovers a note left by the king that claims he was murdered . . . and that she might be next.

Unsure of who she can trust, Ruby makes uneasy alliances with each of the princes as she tries to solve the king's murder. But with the clock winding down, she will face her most difficult challenge yet: finding the truth before the killer comes for her.

Under the London Sky

A thrilling YA historical fiction novel from renowned children's author, Anna Woltz

A Telegraph best new children's book

A Daily Mail book of the year

London, September 1940. Deep in the Underground, taking shelter from the bombs, four teenagers meet.

Without the Blitz, they never would have met.

Fourteen-year-old Ella walks with a limp. Some days, she feels like a laughing stock. Other days, like no one sees her at all. Quinn is fifteen, fancy and fearless. She’s run away from home with a bag of family jewels and big ideas about changing the world. Jack is sixteen and doesn’t care about anything anymore – he’s already lost it all. And then there’s Sebastian, Quinn’s older brother. He used to be her hero. Until he became a traitor

A coming-of-age historical novel for teens from internationally bestselling children's author, Anna Woltz.

My Roommate from Hell

A swoon-worthy YA rom com about an ambitious college student whose plans get derailed when he discovers his roommate is the prince of hell.

Owen is not going to college to have fun. Nothing is going to stop him from achieving his goals: study hard, get a good job, and set himself up for the rest of his life. The last thing he needs is to have a loud, obnoxious, and infuriatingly hot roommate. Especially since said roommate just so happens to be the prince of hell.

Prince Zarmenos has come to Summit University for the first-ever Earth/hell exchange program, and he's determined to make the most of it. Which may or may not include wild parties, bringing in random boys to his and Owen's room, and accidentally setting Owen's furniture on fire. Sparks fly (literally) as Owen and Zar clash, but Zar's actions threaten to not only ruin Owen's peaceful college life, but demon-human relations as well. To clean up his image, he asks Owen to be his fake boyfriend and teach him how to be a better human in exchange for an internship that will secure Owen’s future. That, and Zar will consider being a better roommate.

A deal is struck, and the two start pretending to be in a relationship where they each have agendas of their own. Only Owen has a secret—dating his mortal enemy, even if it’s fake, is the most fun he's ever had.

Charming and fun, My Roommate from Hell is a rom com with a magical twist. Think just one bed: but that bed is in hell, surrounded by fire and brimstone.

Where There's Room for Us

DELUXE EDITION—featuring beautiful sprayed edges, custom endpapers and a foiled case stamp. Order your copy while supplies last!

In WHERE THERE'S ROOM FOR US, #1 New York Times bestselling author Hayley Kiyoko brings us a young adult novel set in a reimagined 1880s Victorian England where everyone is free to love whoever they choose.

When her brother unexpectedly inherits an English estate, the outspoken and infamously daring poet, Ivy, swaps her lively New York life for the prim and proper world of high society, and quickly faces the challenges of its revered traditions–especially once she meets the most sought-after socialite of the courting season: Freya Tallon.

Freya’s life has always been mapped out for her: marry a wealthy lord, produce heirs, and protect the family’s noble status. But when she unexpectedly takes her sister’s place on a date with Ivy, everything changes. For the first time, she feels the kind of spark she’s always dreamed of.

As Ivy and Freya’s connection deepens, both are caught between desire and duty. How much are they willing to risk to be true to themselves—and to each other?

Inspired by Hayley Kiyoko’s own experiences and classic favorites like Little Women and Pride and Prejudice, Where There’s Room for Us is a romance set in a world where society’s expectations are everything—but love is so much more.

I'll Find You Where the Timeline Ends

A teen descendant of a Japanese dragon god must find out the truth of what happened to her missing sister while trying not to fall for a handsome rogue agent in acclaimed author Kylie Lee Baker's magical new YA romance, I'll Find You Where the Timeline Ends.

“Here's one thing I know for certain: I’ll never see you again. And if I never see you again, then in fifty years, the world will end.” -Yejun

Yang Mina, descended from a Japanese dragon god, was born with the power to travel through time, and has spent her life training to take her place in the Descendants, a secret organization whose purpose is to protect the timeline. But since moving to Seoul, everything is falling apart. Mina has discovered that the Descendants are corrupt, that her sister has been erased from existence, and that she can’t pass Calculus, which puts her mission to kiss the cutest boy in her year at risk.

With her very existence on the line, Mina decides to tread a dangerous path: team up with a handsome rogue agent named Yejun, who has a plan to free the Descendants from the corrupt influence, and (hopefully) restore Mina’s sister. Between class and their time travel dates, Mina can’t stop herself from falling for the mysterious Yejun. Yet, as Mina grows closer to Yejun, she also grows closer to discovering the truth, which may be the very thing that breaks her...

Deadly Ever After

Two dead princesses must find true love's kiss to be brought back to life in this heart-stopping romantic fantasy debut.

“A captivating blend of suspense, romance, and fantasy.” —Kalynn Bayron, New York Times bestselling author of Cinderella Is Dead

Amala has spent her whole life trying to be the perfect princess: delicate, quiet, obedient. But when she’s murdered on the night of her wedding, her story is cut short before it begins.

Kha’dasia has been told her whole life that she is too rough, too loud, too much. She’s no ordinary princess but a ruthless warrior on a quest to fulﬁll her late brother’s dying wish. Except she dies before reaching her destination.

When both girls wake up in a cursed forest, the gods offer them a second chance at life—if they can find true love’s kiss. But there’s a catch, the gods warn. While the right kiss will save you, the wrong kiss will kill you.

On their journey, the princesses must overcome challenges that force them to face the truth of their lives…and their deaths. And as Amala and Kha’dasia grow closer, they can’t help but wonder if true love has been standing right in front of them all along.

An Archive of Romance Deluxe Illustrated Edition

The enchanting world of A Study in Drowning comes to life through letters, poems, art, and more in this novella from #1 New York Times bestselling author Ava Reid. This full-color illustrated collector's edition is a jaw-dropping addition to the beloved dark academia series with stunning painterly endpapers, romantic rose gold foil flourishes, over 40 illustrations, and expanding and new text.

"I will love you to ruination," the Fairy King said, brushing a strand of golden hair from my cheek.

"Yours or mine?" I asked.

The Fairy King did not answer.

Effy and Preston have been torn apart by the wars of men, the power of words, and the specter of magic--but it was through stories that they found each other. Relive Effy and Preston's love story through their own pens in this immersive collection of mementos, illustrations, maps, blueprints, diary entries, and more. Read Angharad with Effy's annotations; sneak excerpts of Preston's diary; see the architectural sketches that brought Effy to Hiraeth; get your own ticket to Saltney; and experience, for the first time, the epilogue to Effy and Preston's romance. This deluxe package includes:

Full color throughout with painterly endpapers
Over 40 illustrations
Romantic rose gold foil
Expanded and new text from the world of A Study of Drowning
An enchanting never-before-seen epilogue

A perfect gift for fans of A Study in Drowning and A Theory of Dreaming and anyone who wants to embark on their own dark academia journey, this gorgeously illustrated novella collects ephemera from Effy and Preston as they remember the romance and prepare for a new chapter in their lives--together.

New Junior High Fiction

Bad Sister

"Chelsea knows that her sister is dead. But she also knows that Angelica never really went away. Ever since that tragic day, Angelica has been around. Talking to her. Listening to her. Being her truest friend. No one else can see Angelica, and Chelsea has learned to lie about her existence, because nobody else would believe it. It's their secret... until Chelsea makes a new friend and Angelica becomes jealous. Jealous enough to hurt someone. Chelsea's biggest secret has become her biggest fear"--

The Firefly Crown

An unlucky sorcerer must learn to wield her insect magic in this charming middle grade fantasy that's perfect for fans of Impossible Creatures and Witchlings.

In the empire, magic determines your fate. But Yumi is tired of being a failed Cricket. Their magic is lousy and boring. She dreams instead of the sparkling magic of Fireflies, whose powers rival the sun. If only she could harness her talents like other magicians. . . For now, Yumi is ignored by even the crickets who are supposed to follow her spells.

Then, Yumi gets a chance to prove herself sooner than expected when all sorcerers are summoned for the princess's coronation. But everything falls apart when the Firefly Crown is stolen, leaving the empire defenseless against the Ghost Swarm, a horde of undead bugs. Worse, Yumi is blamed. Suddenly this lowly Cricket is the empire's most wanted. To clear her name and protect her loved ones, Yumi must find the real thief. But can a Cricket really save the day?

The Last Ember

A New York Times Bestseller! Impossible Creatures meets The Mysterious Benedict Society in this epic, fast-paced upper-middle grade fantasy full of dragon-like creatures, heroic hijinks, battle-forged friendships, and sharp humor.

★ "Expert worldbuilding with a rip-roaring plot." ―Publishers Weekly, starred review
★ "Reminiscent of The Golden Compass." ―Booklist, starred review
★ "Fans of The Princess Bride and Terry Pratchett's work will devour this series opener." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

New York Public Library Best Book of the Year • Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year • Junior Library Guild Selection • New York Times Bestseller

Aerimanders are extinct. Or so the government would have you think. Centuries ago, the Kingdom of Glaucus decreed the destruction of these dangerous, dragon-like creatures whose deadly flame could level entire cities and upend world orders.

But when twelve-year-old Eva Alexander, a wealthy chemistry student in the city of Porttown, walks into a fashionable department store and walks out (accidentally) with the world’s last aerimander egg, everything changes. Suddenly, Eva is the target of unwanted attention—including from the Thieves’ Union, a mysterious organization with a rebellious streak and fingers in every pie in Porttown. The Union orders its youngest member, the orphaned dairy delivery boy Dusty St. Ichabod, to steal the egg from Eva. Which is far easier said than done.

When Eva and Dusty meet one autumn night under extraordinary circumstances, an epic game of cat and mouse unfolds across the Kingdom. Initially at odds, the unlikely pair must come together to navigate a maze of sinister crime syndicates, elite boarding schools, and an incredibly slow getaway pony named Gourd—all while fighting to keep the egg out of the hands of power-hungry Eoin Parnassus, Director of Kingdom Secrets. As the duo races against time, their fates and that of the whole world are at stake. Because there’s one question no one dares to ask: What happens when the egg hatches?

The Last Ember is the first installment in an action-packed fantasy adventure about a powerful creature, those who seek to exploit it, and those who are willing to protect it at all costs.

With stained edges, a map, and 6" x 9" trim, the book's package is as lush as its storytelling.

The First Flame: Aerimander Chronicles Book 2 takes flight in Fall 2026!

All the Things We Found

Ruthie is finally getting used to the new normal: her parents' divorce, having a stepdad and (annoying) stepbrothers and trying not to think too much about before.

When her mom starts feeling sick, Ruthie's relieved it's nothing serious...until her mom tells her she's pregnant again. Their family suffered a loss three years ago and it was devastating. How could her mom risk that again?

At least Ruthie has her best friend and her dog to help comfort her, as well as her favorite book series that always cheers her up: The Unicorns of Faravelle Forest. When Ruthie unexpectedly meets Ally, an older woman in the park where she takes her dog to play, she learns Ally is grieving a loss too, and the two develop an unlikely friendship. Though the journey is never smooth, Ruthie eventually realizes there's comfort to be found in expressing your feelings and cherishing the memory of those you've loved.

The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Praise for Joanne Levy:

★ "A heartfelt and expertly written tale of loss, family, and friendship that will have readers blinking back their tears...Beautiful and sincere."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review for Sorry for Your Loss

Mixing Magics

Young witch Ber uncovers buried secrets tying her family's coven to the demon dimension in this sequel to Accidental Demons, perfect for fans of Witchlings and Aru Shah and the End of Time!

Bernadette Crowley feels like she's finally getting a handle on her diabetes diagnosis. At least, she can finally manage to not summon a demon every time she checks her blood sugar. But without her Grandma Orla, who disappeared into the demon dimension while protecting their family's coven, even big wins don't seem to matter as much.

Frustrated that no one is trying hard enough to rescue Grandma Orla, Ber takes matters into her own hands, using her growing powers to try to reach the demon dimension. But nothing can prepare her for the truth, a history that ties together her family and demons back generations and a betrayal that has haunted them for years.

With her friends Cai and Phoebe and her alert dog Clio, Ber must venture into the unknown to save her grandma and the magical world as a whole.

Aarzu All Around

“Heartfelt and triumphant.” —Rajani LaRocca, Newbery Honor–winning Author of Red, White, and Whole

A cricket-loving Pakistani girl stifled by patriarchal expectations disguises herself as a boy to get a job to pay her sister’s medical bills in this “lyrical action-packed debut full of determination and grit” (Reem Faruqi, award-winning author of Golden Girl).

Living with her aunt and patriarchal uncle in Karachi, Pakistan, recently orphaned twelve-year-old Aarzu detests the way she and her younger sister get treated like extras and excluded from all the fun stuff. Aarzu dreams of playing cricket, just like her male cousins and the neighborhood boys in the streets, but her uncle will hear nothing of it. According to him, girls ought to master the art of making round rotis, not play sports.

When her sister requires urgent medical treatment but finances are tight, Aarzu decides to earn money herself. She hears of a part-time job at a bungalow near her school—but it’s only open to boys. Aarzu has no choice but to disguise herself as a turban-wearing boy to get the gig.

Now, Aarzu must find a way to balance school, work, chores, and secret cricket practices—all without burning out or getting caught by her uncle—or else her dreams of making the girls cricket team and her quest to save her sister will crumble around her.

Ghoul Summer

In this beachside ghost story that's perfect for fans of Erin Entrada Kelly and Wednesday, twelve-year-old Barnaby is forced to spend his summer helping his grandpa move, only to be confronted by Maxwell--a moody ghost boy with some unfinished business.

Barnaby had grand plans for his summer. He should've been spending his days watching movies and gaming with his friends. Instead, his parents drag him to the boring beach town of Sunnyside to help his grandpa move.

Just when he thinks this summer can't get any worse, a ghost boy named Maxwell shows up in their vacation rental home to kick Barnaby and his family out.

Barnaby tries everything to get rid of Maxwell on his own. But when his attempts fail and Maxwell actually becomes stronger, Barnaby realizes that there's only one solution to his ghost troubles: helping Maxwell figure out his unfinished business. If he doesn't, the ghost might ditch the rental home for Barnaby's body instead.

With the clock counting down to the end of the trip, Barnaby is forced to enter an uneasy truce with Maxwell to find the truth--or be haunted forever.

Perfect for Halloween reading
A charming cozy seasonal pick

D. J. Rosenblum Becomes the G. O. A. T.

"A fresh new voice, Abby White delivers the perfect dose of humor and heartbreak with her debut D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T. Readers will root for D.J. as she navigates a new home, friends, even a crush, with such insight and truth. A standout especially-young adult from an exciting new voice!"

-- Lilliam Rivera, author of Barely Floating

"Such a fun read!" -- Rick Riordan

WHERE: Middle Woods, Briar, Ohio

VICTIM: Rachel Simon

HERO: D.J. Rosenblum

VILLAINS: ???

It's the beginning of the school year--and Briar's newest resident, D.J. Rosenblum, is not here for it. Ever since her cousin Rachel died, D.J.'s family has been a mess: Her aunt and uncle are catatonic. Her mom is even more scatterbrained than usual. She had to postpone her bat mitzvah a whole year. Worst of all, she and her mom had to move--leaving her best friend, Eva, behind.

Briar does have one redeeming factor, though: Here, in Rachel's hometown, D.J. can finally get to the bottom of her cousin's death. With the help of a chatty journalist and a queen-bee hacker, D.J. can fill in the last days of Rachel's life. And if she can just figure out her Torah portion--with help from her cute tutor, Jonah--maybe, just maybe, she'll be able to solve a bigger mystery.

For fans of Looking for Alaska and Never Have I Ever comes Abby White's debut novel, D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T. It's a basket of matzo ball soup dumplings for anyone learning to chart their own path, navigate new friendships and crushes, and figure out how to love--and live--after loss.

A Year Without Home

A poignant novel in verse about a Hmong girl losing and finding home in the aftermath of the Vietnam War. For fans of Jasmine Warga and Veera Hiranandani.

"As gripping as it is informative and as beautiful as it is heartbreaking, A Year Without Home does what all great books do: spark curiosity, ignite compassion, and leave its readers changed for the better. The young people who read V.T. Bidania's story will feel energized and empowered to make their future kinder, more peaceful, and more just than either the past or our present."—Jarrett Lerner, award-winning author-illustrator of A Work in Progress

For eleven-year-old Gao Sheng, home is the lush, humid jungles and highlands of Laos. Home is where she can roll down the grassy hill with her younger siblings after her chores, walk to school, and pick ripe peaches from her family’s trees.

But home becomes impossible to hold onto when the communist government takes over after U.S. troops pull out of the Vietnam War. The communists will be searching for any American allies, like Gao Sheng’s father, a Hmong captain in the Lao Army who fought alongside the Americans against the Vietnamese. If he’s caught, he’ll be killed.

As the adults frantically make plans – contacting family, preparing a route, and bundling up their silver and gold, Gao Sheng wonders if she will ever return to her beloved Laos and what’s to become of her family now. Gao Sheng only knows that a good daughter doesn’t ask questions or complain. A good daughter doesn’t let her family down. Even though sometimes, she wishes she could be just a kid rolling down a grassy hill again.

On foot, by taxi and finally in a canoe, Gao Sheng and her family make haste from the mountains to the capitol Vientiane and across the rushing Mekong River, to finally arrive at an overcrowded refugee camp in Thailand. As a year passes at the camp, Gao Sheng discovers how to rebuild home no matter where she is and finally find her voice.

Inspired by author V.T. Bidania’s family history, A Year Without Home illuminates the long, difficult journey that many Hmong refugees faced after the Vietnam War.

The Ordinary and Extraordinary Auden Greene

In this poignant, magical tale by the acclaimed author of Eventown, two girls find themselves dropped into each other's world--and must face down dragons they've only imagined.

Auden "Denny" Greene is happiest with her friend Runa, creating stories set in their imaginary land of Sorrowfeld, where princesses rule and cursed dragons are a constant danger. But now that they are turning twelve, Runa seems ready to give up on the magic of Sorrowfeld just when Denny needs it the most...

Princess Auden is the last remaining princess of Sorrowfeld--and on her twelfth birthday, she will be expected to vanquish the dragons that took her family. Only, when a swarm attacks her birthday celebration, all she can do is run...

But suddenly. Auden is in Denny's world. And Denny is in Auden's.

The two Audens have switched places. No one but them has any idea. And now, each girl must come into her own power in order to fight the other's dragons.

The magical beasts of Impossible Creatures meet the body-swap of Freaky Friday, set in a world as fantastical as Wicked's Oz!

At the Speed of Gus

A smartly funny and sympathetic story about being different and understanding that there is more than one way to see the world.This new novel from middle grade master Richard Scrimger will reach so many kids who need to see that their brains are a gift.

Augustus (Gus) Constantine's brain moves fast, and not necessarily on a straight track. His mind (and mouth) operates at a different speed than everyone else he knows. This might have something to do with the fact that Gus has ADHD. Sometimes it feels like the best thing about him, and sometimes it lands him in a load of trouble.

For example, one morning, Gus takes morning announcements wildly off script. Even though he hears nothing but laughter from fellow students at Pendrell Elementary, he's finally pushed Miss Funn (who's anything but) and Principal Gorby (who's getting tired of Gus's endless jokes and unfiltered stream of consciousness) to the limit.

Now he's suspended for two whole days. With nothing else to do, Gus takes up his sister's invitation to take the ferry to meet her at her college. But on the ferry, Gus's thoughts begin to race. He's having trouble concentrating and can't calm down. At the speed of Gus's brain, the ride gets wilder and wilder, until it's hard to tell what's real from what's imagined. But despite the convoluted road he takes, can he still find a way to get to his destination?

Fast-paced, funny and deeply sympathetic, At the Speed of Gus is about not always fitting, but figuring out how to find your own way.

Talia's Codebook for Middle School

From the creator of Amelia's Notebook--the series that launched the hybrid diary format--book two in this series filled with doodles, graphs, and puzzles draws mathletes and code breakers deeper into the wilds of middle school.

With help from her trusty notebook, Talia thinks she has cracked the codes of middle school--what to wear, what to say, what not to say. But knowledge and mastery don't always equate, and codes are like homework: just when you think you're caught up, a new batch arrives. Luckily math brims with codes, and Talia, with her knack for observations and deductions, understands math. As part of a newly merged coed math team, Talia must navigate not only her own struggles with competition, leadership, and stage fright, but also the girl-boy codes and her jealousy of the team's "perfect" new captain. Being on the same team, it turns out, doesn't always mean you're friends, but it does give you the space to try. Second in a charming spin-off series from the creator of the phenomenally popular Amelia books, this doodle-dense, STEM-centric diary will delight and engross readers navigating unfamiliar social terrain.

The Moon Without Stars

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The Newbery Honor–winning author of Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All explores the way growing up, finding friends, and discovering who you are can be both awkward and empowering in this heartfelt middle school novel.

★ "Genuine and poignant; has the makings of a modern classic.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

At the beginning of seventh grade, Luna knows who she is: an observant, quiet girl who loves writing and making zines with her best friend, Scott. But when one of their zines takes off, Luna is somehow swept up into the popular group and learns just how much of herself she's going to have to compromise to stay there. Will she give up her writing? Her best friend? What about her own beliefs about who she is and what she stands for?

Featuring author-illustrator Chanel Miller’s signature line drawings, The Moon Without Stars is a deeply personal and often funny novel about what it means to lose and then find yourself again during the vulnerable, life-changing years of middle school.

The Other Side of Imani

A story about finding your voice alongside your real self, The Other Side of Imani is a heartfelt, fresh, and powerful middle grade contemporary debut that's perfect for fans of Front Desk, That Girl Lay Lay, and Just Right Jillian.

Ever since she could remember, thirteen-year-old Imani has wanted to be a fashion designer.

But fashion designers are bold, out-there, and in your face. And despite her unique sense of style, Imani has trouble fitting in, let alone standing out. Entering her new school's design competition for a scholarship to the nearby arts high school seems like the perfect way to make new friends and get closer to her dream of being a designer.

Then Imani's designs are stolen by one of her classmates, and Imani is forced to enter the competition anonymously, under a virtual persona of her own creation--"Estelle." When Estelle then goes viral, Imani must figure out how to be her "real" self as she finds her true friends and her voice... all while hoping to win the competition.

Down Came the Spiders

Arachnophobia meets Five Nights at Freddy's in this middle grade horror novel perfect for fans of K.R. Alexander and Mary Downing Hahn.

Can you outrun eight legs?

Twelve-year-old Andi loves everything about spiders -- they're endlessly fascinating creatures. So when she finds a species she's never seen before at a classmate's Halloween party, she's over the moon. Until the spiders start to behave in unusual and threatening ways, that is. They can camouflage themselves incredibly well, they can jump higher than she's ever seen, and their webs are strong. Maybe even strong enough to trap a person . . .

Andi and her friends Carly and Devon try to find an adult to help, but make a terrifying discovery: the parent chaperones have been immobilized by the spiders. As the only ones who know what's going on, Andi, Carly, and Devon will have to take on the spiders themselves -- before it's too late!

New Teen Graphic Novels

In Mourning

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEONE DIES?
The fact of the matter is, no one really knows. What is left behind is what we really know: a tornado of emotions and a feeling of deep, complex change: that what was once there now no longer is.

Paula Cheshire tells the story of her complex feelings and her grieving process after the loss of her mother, walking us through the process of her loss. And, while this loss hurts more than anything, the grieving process—being in mourning—leads to one goal: learning to live with this newfound pain and learning to grow from it without letting it take you over.

Hello Sunshine (a Graphic Novel)

"Beautiful, spooky, and emotional." --Kirkus

"Excruciatingly heart-wrenching and deeply affecting, drawn with nostalgia and care." --Booklist, starred review

"Supernatural suspense keeps readers on their toes while complex characterizations create fodder for nuanced and empathetic discussion surrounding mental health stigma and bullying." -- Publishers Weekly

"A bold accomplishment that provides an unflinching yet compassionate look at schizoaffective disorder, and how love can help those living with it." - School Library Journal

In this lush and romantic queer horror graphic novel, a troubled teen disappears from his small town--sending his loved ones on a paranormal journey to bring him home.

Noah is heartbroken. He returns from Bible camp to find that Alex, his secret boyfriend, has had a breakdown and disappeared. He wishes more than anything that he hadn't left that day.

Sky is determined. She'll stop at nothing to find her childhood friend, even if it means alienating the people she loves.

Izzy is ashamed. She knew something weird was going on with Alex, and she didn't say anything to her boyfriend, Jamie--Alex's twin brother. If she had, would Alex still be here?

Jamie is angry. Angry at Alex for being gone, angry at himself for not noticing something was wrong, and angry at his long-dead mother, Desdemona, who had problems of her own.

But what if there was something more to Desdemona's demons? Why is Jamie seeing her ghost? And can he get past his hatred of her if it means finding out what happened to his brother?

Silenced Voices

In this moving intergenerational tale perfect for fans of Messy Roots and Illegal, Eisner-nominated creator Pablo Leon combines historical research of the Guatemalan Civil War with his own experiences as a Guatemalan immigrant to depict a powerful story of family, sacrifice, survival, and hope.

Langley Park, Maryland, 2013

Brothers Jose and Charlie know very little about their mother's life in Guatemala, until Jose grows curious about the ongoing genocide trial of Efrain Rios Montt. At first his mother, Clara, shuts his questions down. But as the trial progresses, she begins to open up to her sons about a time in her life that she's left buried for years.

Peten, Guatemala, 1982

Sisters Clara and Elena hear about the armed conflict every day, but the violence somehow seems far away from their small village. But the day the fight comes to their doorstep, the sisters are separated and are forced to flee through the mountains, leaving them to wonder...Have their paths diverged forever?

My Trip with Drip

Winner of the Max and Moritz Prize

Facing death leads to the most unexpected friendships: In the surprising German comic of the year, a foul-mouthed lone wolf and a toxic bunny set off together on an action-packed road trip.

The Wolf's Code says that if someone saves your life, you need to return the favor. And if a bunny rabbit plugged into an IV drip saves your life, you're in for a real adventure. The two unforgettable protagonists fight for their lives on every page. The two animals face trigger-happy hunters, scale frozen mountains, nab a motorcycle and set fire to a cabin. As Wolf nurses Bunny back to health, they stare down death with a fearless spirit that is both hilarious and touching.

Praised for its subtle humor and inspirational "graphic medicine," My Trip with Drip began as a book about the author's own experience with illness, but became so much more: a triumphant story of courage, survival and friendship.

Rodeo Hawkins and the Daughters of Mayhem

Foster kid Sidney Poblocki is thrilled to learn his destiny is to save the multiverse--until he discovers it's actually his destiny to destroy it--in this fantasy adventure graphic novel!

Get ready for Mayhem!

When Sidney Poblocki runs away from his troubled home life, he winds up in a whole new world of trouble. Why are interdimensional assassins after him along with every other kid named Sidney Poblocki throughout the multiverse? Will he ever see his best bud Walt again now that Walt's memory of Sidney has been erased? And what the heck is the deal with Rodeo Hawkins and her ragtag gang of mischief-making girls the Daughters of Mayhem?!

They claim they're trying to keep him safe, but Sidney isn't so certain "safe" is even in their vocabulary. As Sidney is swept into a series of misadventures that will change the multiverse forever, one thing is for certain: with Rodeo Hawkins around, his life is about to be filled with a lot more mayhem.

Milk Without Honey

NPR's 2024 Books We Love list

Starred Review in Publishers Weekly: "Through elegant yellow and black illustrations, Harms's powerful English-language debut traces the ecosystems that pollinators inhabit--and exposes the dangers that threaten their existence. . . Readers will be convinced by this firm and vibrantly drawn warning call."

What would the future of the world look like without bees?

Bees are vital to securing our food supply. We could live in a paradise where insects, especially bees pollinate fragrant seas of flowers whose fruits we harvest. Instead, vast lawns are now replacing flower gardens, and agriculture is characterized by monocultures. Pesticides and climate change are also causing insect mortality, with dramatic consequences for the global ecosystem. As we destroy the insect populations, honey is just one of many foods that will no longer be available to us, unless we learn to honor our innate connection with nature before it's too late.

In gorgeous, limited palette artwork, using contemplative images as well as informative charts, Hanna Harms brings us into the world of bees: their hives, their colonies, and their interactions with the global ecosystem. This is the perfect gift book for anyone concerned about climate change and the environment.

I Wish I Didn't Have to Tell You This: a Graphic Memoir

"An exceptional work: atmospherically illustrated and underpinned by strong but restrained feelings." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

In a stunning sequel to The Genius Under the Table, Eugene Yelchin's graphic memoir depicts his harrowing journey from Leningrad's underground art scene to a state-run Siberian asylum--and to eventual safety in the US.

No longer the creative little boy under his grandmother's table, Yevgeny is now a young adult, pursuing his artistic dreams under the constant threat of the KGB's stranglehold on Russia's creative scene. When a chance encounter with an American woman opens him up to a world of romance and possibility, Yevgeny believes he has found his path to the future--and freedom overseas. But the threat of being drafted into the military and sent to fight in Afghanistan changes everything in a terrible instant, and he takes drastic measures to decide his fate, leading to unthinkable consequences in a mental hospital. With bold art bringing a vivid reality to life, National Book Award Finalist and Newbery Honoree Eugene Yelchin's sequel to the acclaimed memoir The Genius Under the Table returns to Yevgeny's saga, balancing the terror and oppression of Soviet Russia with the author's signature charm and dark wit. I Wish I Didn't Have to Tell You This shines a stark spotlight on history while offering a poignant, nuanced, and powerfully resonant look at growing up in--and ultimately leaving--Cold War Russia in the early 1980s.

The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang

In this “unique, amusing, and compulsively readable” (School Library Journal, starred review) debut graphic novel, a girl born on a day considered unlucky in Chinese superstition starts to wonder if she really is cursed when she’s troubled by visions of doom set to occur on her thirteenth birthday.

Twelve-year-old Eugenia Wang has never celebrated her birthday on her actual birthday, April 4th, because of her mom’s belief in the Chinese superstition that four is an unlucky number. And that’s not the only thing Mom’s strict about; she won’t let Eugenia go to a summer comic art camp because she thinks art is a waste of time. This year, Eugenia is determined to defy her mom by applying for the camp, having her party on her actual birthday, and inviting her super cute crush while she’s at it, too!

But when Eugenia gets hit in the head with a sneaker during PE, she starts getting unnerving visions of impending doom about her upcoming birthday. It might be the aftereffects of her head injury, or maybe she’s just anxious about turning thirteen. As the visions get worse, even affecting her artwork, Eugenia suspects an unseen force may be sending her messages. If she’s haunted after all, Eugenia will have to figure out why before it’s too late. Even more horrifying, she may have to do the unthinkable: admit her mom was right.

The Puzzling Fate of Millicent Graves (a Graphic Novel)

Twelve-year-old Millicent Graves discovers she can alter the personalities of her friends and family with hilarious reality-warping results in this extra-magical middle grade graphic novel. Perfect for fans of The Witches of Brooklyn.

Twelve-year-old Millicent Grave's life is a mess. After her mom sank all their money into a fancy fish tank business, her family had to move to an apartment with three creepy landladies.

Then fate (or, actually, the Fates) leads Millie to discover a room full of jigsaw puzzles that give her the power to fix the imperfections in everyone she knows. Soon, her sister is sensible instead of gross, and her mom is successful instead of unlucky. Dad still needs some work, and her new neighbor and classmate Sam Smolt is still annoying--but he's kind of becoming her best friend anyway.

And if there are mysterious new cracks in the universe in the exact shape of those puzzle pieces, that's not a problem, right? It's not like all of reality is about to unravel. Right? . . . Right?

Cry Out Loud

In this spine-chilling YA horror graphic novel, a rebellious Irish teen visits distant relatives, only to discover that she's to be sacrificed as part of a generational blood ritual. Now, she must confront her ancestors and break the violent cycle to save herself.

Nobody understands Nell.

Strongheaded, fiercely independent, and constantly furious, Nell just wants to be free to carve out her own path in life. And she doesn't care whether her mom or anyone else approves of her choices.

But what Nell doesn't know is that her destiny was etched in stone generations ago.

After getting suspended from school, Nell is forced to go live with an aunt and uncle whom she's never met before. Her sense of unease quickly evolves into terror when Nell discovers that she's been chosen as the latest victim in a perilous plot that spans centuries and has left countless bodies in its wake.

Flip

SENIOR YEAR BUCKET LIST? SWITCH BODIES WITH YOUR CRUSH.

Chi-Chi Ekeh has one huge problem: She keeps having crushes on rich white boys who have no idea she exists. Enter Flip Henderson, the most popular boy at school, who receives Chi-Chi's private video proposal to go to senior prom.

But when Flip rejects Chi-Chi in front of their entire class, what happens next is completely unexpected: Chi-Chi--shy nerd and scholarship student--switches bodies with Flip. Suddenly Chi-Chi is 6'1" and cool, while Flip gets a crash course on Chi-Chi's life--that is, k-pop, hair-braiding, and being a poor kid of color at a rich white private school.

With graduation looming and their body swaps lasting longer and longer, Chi-Chi and Flip must form the most unlikely friendship their school has ever seen. But will they survive senior year? And, most importantly, can they find a way back to themselves?

From bestselling author of Check, Please! comes Flip, a thrilling and fantastical tale about self-acceptance, black girlhood, and how walking a mile in someone else's shoes can teach you how to finally see yourself.

self-acceptance, black girlhood, and how walking a mile in someone else's shoes can teach you how to finally see yourself.self-acceptance, black girlhood, and how walking a mile in someone else's shoes can teach you how to finally see yourself.self-acceptance, black girlhood, and how walking a mile in someone else's shoes can teach you how to finally see yourself.

New Teen Nonfiction

Generation Queer

Activism. Art. Community care. Education. These are the hallmarks of the work done by the youth highlighted in this collection featuring LGBTQ+ leaders working to make our world more inclusive.

Civil Rights activist Marian Wright Edelman once said, "You can't be what you can't see."

In this collection of short biographies, readers will see the example of thirty young trailblazers representative of a generation that values intersectional, collaborative social justice and who are working to build a world that values everyone.

Meet leaders who founded organizations for their liberation as teenagers, leaders who brought Black transgender representation to people's television screens, and leaders who successfully advocated for access to restrooms for transgender students. Meet the first transgender athlete to compete in Division I sports, and artists advocating for inclusiveness through poetry, film, fashion, and other mediums.

Whether their work involves protesting, working with policymakers for change, or just existing in the world as their creative selves, each of these young leaders shares what brings them joy and keeps them motivated to do the work they do-- even when it's hard--and their hope for better things to come.

Teen Skincare: the Ultimate No Nonsense Guide

What every teen needs to feel great in their own skin - now a Sunday Times bestseller!

Being a teenager is hard - add in hormones, breakouts and an avalanche of dubious TikTok 'hacks', and it's easy to feel overwhelmed.

In Teen Skincare, world-renowned skincare expert Caroline Hirons cuts through the noise to deliver the straight-talking, no-nonsense guide every teen - and their parents - have been waiting for. Forget filters, fads and viral gimmicks; this book is all about real, effective advice that genuinely works.

Packed with easy-to-follow routines, myth-busting insights and budget-friendly product recommendations, Teen Skincare helps teens take control of their skin with confidence. Inclusive, practical and relatable, with advice from a dermatologist, nutritionist and psychologist, this book goes beyond the surface, offering a holistic approach to self-care and well-being.

No unrealistic promises, no pressure to be perfect. Just the tools, tips and truths every teen needs to feel great in their own skin and build habits that last a lifetime.

Say goodbye to confusion and hello to confidence.

Caroline Hirons's book Teen Skincare was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 2025-06-21.

The Forgotten Teachers

Interweaving science and storytelling, spirituality and art, a neuroscientist and an artist guide us toward a deeper understanding of how radically interconnected all of life is.

A Kirkus Reviews Fall Preview selection!
Selected for The New Yorker Holiday Gift Guide!

Starting from science, while reaching for spiritual truth, The Forgotten Teachers charts the evolution of life on Earth under the mentorship of six teachers: Ocean, Air, Theia (through collision with this planet, Earth was set on its tilt), Sun, Plants, and Symbionts. Ideas from the field of evolutionary biology, accompanied by watercolor illustrations, guide this factual yet mytho-poetic exploration of life.

Motivated by their shared concern over the severance of science from the sacred, and humans from their place within nature, Isett and Biçen set out to write a scientific wonder story for our times--to enchant readers with the strangeness and beauty of evolutionary biology, while reintegrating us into the natural world.

As Rachel Carson did in her time and as Wendell Berry has done as a poet and essayist across the years, Isett writes with precision and urgency to remind us that we participate in a story that is far larger than ourselves, and that to see ourselves more truly would be to see the many ways in which we belong to the molecules and mysteries of the living world.

The New Baseball Bible

Discover how the players’ approach, use of equipment, and even salaries and schedules have changed over time. Learn the origin of team and player nicknames, fun facts about the All-Star Game and World Series, and so much more.

For Yankee and Red Sox fans, for Dodger and Giant fans, for Cubs and Cardinal fans, for every baseball fan, The New Baseball Bible serves as the perfect gift for fans of America’s pastime.

For fans of baseball trivia, the third edition of The New Baseball Bible, first published as The Baseball Catalog in 1980 and now fully up to date, is sure to provide something for everyone, regardless of team allegiance. The book covers the following topics: beginnings of baseball, rules and records, umpires, how to play the game (i.e., strategy), equipment, ballparks, famous faces (i.e., Hank Aaron vs. Babe Ruth), managers, executives, trades, the media, big moments in history, the language of baseball, superstitions and traditions, spring training, today’s game, and much more.

Veteran sportswriter Dan Schlossberg weaves in facts, figures, and famous quotes, discusses strategy, and provides stats and images—many of them never previously published elsewhere.

Play It Forward

New from TOGETHXR--the sports media company that set the sports world on fire with their defining statement "EVERYONE WATCHES WOMEN'S SPORTS"--this inspiring collection of stories shines a light on the grit, smarts, and determination of record-setting and boundary-breaking female athletes around the world and across sports.

Play It Forward features twenty-five inspirational stories of badass women from all corners of the sports universe, curated by TOGETHXR, a sports media companyfounded by legends Sue Bird, Alex Morgan, Simone Manuel, and Chloe Kim. From profiles of professional athletes and Olympians at the top of their game to everyday women putting in the work without a crowd, these are true tales of fierce competitors, dedicated teammates, and passionate advocates who are all too accustomed to hearing the word "no." Each story highlights an inspiring athlete or team who is defying expectations and rebelling against inequality in big and small ways, including:

Indigenous women forming a softball team in Mexico
Older women finding friendship and purpose through competitive swimming
A woman mountain-climbing her way out of oppression in Afghanistan
WNBA players developing a voice for social justice and influencing a pivotal election

For sports fans of all ages, Play it Forward celebrates and elevates the gutsy true stories of activists and dreamers who are changing the game, and the world of sports, for the better.

WORLD'S GREATEST ATHLETES: A foreword and afterword by world-class athletes and Olympians Alex Morgan and Sue Bird set the stage and offer key context for this inspirational collection of stories of women who are defying the odds and breaking the rules.

STORIES FROM ACROSS WOMEN'S SPORTS: TOGETHXR created the viral sensation "Everyone Watches Women Sports" that caught fire during the record-breaking NCAA 2024 Women's Basketball Tournament. Their ongoing mission is to elevate women's sports coverage in a space where culture, activism, lifestyle, and sports converge. In this powerhouse book, TOGETHXR gathers celebrity and everyday stories to create a breadth of inspiration from powerful women across a range of sports, from basketball, soccer, and hockey to swimming, gymnastics, rowing, and professional bowling.

CELEBRATION OF ATHLETES AT ALL AGES: These stories will appeal to generations of sports fans--from those who fought the early battles of Title IX to young women just lacing up their sneakers, ready to take on the world.

ENGAGING JOURNALISM: The stories are contemporary and underreported features covering athletes and teams that will be new to many readers. ULTIMATE GIFT FOR WOMEN: This is a perfect present for women to give women: mom to daughter, daughter to mom, grandmother to granddaughter, friend to friend, and many more.

Perfect for:

Athletes and sports enthusiasts
Parents, coaches, teachers, mentors
Viewers of college and pro sports, the Women's World Cup, and the Olympics
Fans of books about current events, feminism, or strong women
Readers of Strong is the New Pretty and the Rebel Girls series
Birthday, Mother's Day, holiday, or graduation gifts for teens and adults
Resource for celebrating International Women's Day and International Women in Sports Day

How the Word Is Passed (Adapted for Young Readers)

Adapted from Clint Smith's #1 New York Times bestselling and universally acclaimed How the Word Is Passed, this must-read narrative takes readers to historical sites across America, exploring the legacy of slavery to help readers make sense of our nation's past and present, and be better stewards of their own future.

Beginning in his own hometown of New Orleans, Clint Smith leads young readers through an unforgettable tour of monuments and landmarks--those that are honest about the past and those that are not--offering an intergenerational story of how slavery has been central in shaping our nation's collective history, and ourselves.

How the Word Is Passed illustrates how some of our country's most essential stories are hidden in plain view--whether in places we might drive by on our way to school, holidays such as Juneteenth, or entire neighborhoods (like downtown Manhattan) on which the brutal history of the trade in enslaved people has been deeply imprinted.

Informed by scholarship and brought alive by the story of people living today, this adaptation of Clint Smith's #1 bestselling, award-winning work of nonfiction offers kids a new understanding of the hopeful role that memory and history can play in making sense of our country, and shows how they can reckon with the past and present to become better stewards of their future.

Chappell Roan

Chappell Roan is a 2025 Grammy Award winner for Best New Artist. The queer queen’s meteoric rise from small-town girl to pop icon is a story of self-discovery, resilience, and triumph. With a back-and-forth journey that resulted in your favorite artists’ favorite artist and a TikTok sensation hit after hit, there is much to discuss about how this Midwesterner paved her own path and made her voice loud in Hollywood. Chappell Roan captures the star’s personal and professional journey, celebrating her talent, fierce creativity, and commitment to self-expression and LGBTQ+ representation. Find glimpses into her songwriting process as this book unveils how Roan stays true to her individuality in an industry often demanding conformity.

From overcoming challenges as an emerging artist to crafting a distinct image and voice, Chappell Roan’s story of self-acceptance and resilience has inspired her fans to embrace their own identities without compromise. Filled with emotional depth, candid stories, and stunning visuals, this book is a celebration of how one artist is reshaping the pop world, and perfect for fans of Chappell Roan and music lovers alike.

Sabrina Carpenter

Her journey from portraying the main character’s best friend to Grammy Award winner, Sabrina Carpenter won two Grammys in 2025 for Best Pop Vocal Album for Short n’ Sweet and Best Pop Solo Performance for “Espresso.” With a number of catchy singles featuring tongue-in-cheek lyricism, it is no surprise that Sabrina Carpenter has made a name for herself as a modern pop princess. But did you know, before her rise on the music charts, Carpenter was also an actress on the Disney Channel? With a rocket ship rise to fame, Sabrina Carpenter is a visually dynamic biography of the star, documenting her first recording contract and her famous friends and relationships, and detailing one of the most talked about talents who has left “quite an impression” on Hollywood.

Tiger Slayer: The Extraordinary Story of Nur Jahan, Empress of India

More than four centuries ago in India, a Muslim woman ruled a magnificent empire: Nur Jahan, whose name means 'light of the world.' Nur led troops into battle atop an elephant, hunted tigers, designed public buildings, and issued coinage and royal decrees in her own name. In a world dominated by men, her astute handling of court politics and affairs of state propelled her to the position of co-sovereign of the vast Mughal empire--and made her mighty enemies who would plot to bring about her downfall.

Never Silent

A 2025 EUREKA! Nonfiction Children's Book Awards Gold Winner
Hiroshima survivor Setsuko Thurlow shares her memories of that horrific event and her resulting lifelong commitment to activism to ban nuclear arms.

When Setsuko Thurlow was thirteen, she witnessed one of history's most horrific events. She experienced--and survived--the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. Since then, she has worked tirelessly to educate people about the catastrophe and to ensure that it never happens again. As a leading member of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), she gave the acceptance speech when the organization won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize.

Never Silent recounts Setsuko's earliest memories of her happy life in Hiroshima, followed by the devastating firsthand impact she witnesses after the dropping of the atomic bomb, and finally traces the steps she takes to rebuild a life in the aftermath of her experiences. With informational text scattered throughout the book to give historical context for the places and events, readers are given a full and profoundly affecting picture of what it was like after the bomb dropped, the struggle to return to normalcy, and the plea for activism to ban nuclear weapons.

Zendaya

Zendaya has been called a triple threat as a talented actor, dancer, and singer. This book looks at her early life, breakout television roles, rise to the silver screen, love of fashion, and charity work.

Do Not Disturb

An empowering and practical guide to help teens and kids build a healthier relationships with their phones, Do Not Disturb is from psychologists Brad Marshall and Lindsay Hassock.

In Do Not Disturb, Brad Marshall and Lindsay Hassock share cutting-edge insights on how young people can unplug from their phones. Readers will discover the effects that their phone has on their brain and body.

They'll find out how to create a relationship with their phone on their terms. They'll even establish simple, healthy screen time habits that stick.

This is a must-have resource that includes:

Ten practical steps to help teens and children unplug from their phones
A toolkit at the end of each step, providing accessible, practical techniques
Advice from trusted psychologists who have spent two decades working with young people
Full-color illustrations by Lauriane Bohémier
Additional resources at the back of the book

Practical, insightful, and never preachy, this book will help readers stop doomscrolling and start unplugging!

Hello, Cruel World

This 20th anniversary edition of transsexual trailblazer Kate Bornstein’s unconventional guide to staying alive for teens, freaks and gender outlaws features 20 NEW Alternatives, a new foreword by the author, and a new afterword by Paul Preciado.

"A don't-hurt guide for anyone who's been tempted to give in to despair."—Time Out New York

"You'll want to keep extra copies of this one on the shelf to give away to friends in need." —Bitch magazine

Now updated and with new material Hello, Cruel World features a catalog of 121 alternatives to suicide that range from the playful (moisturize!), to the irreverent (shatter some family values), to the controversial, fun, challenging and easy. Encouraging readers to unleash their hearts' harmless desires, the book has only one directive: "Don't be mean." It is this guiding principle that brings the reader on a self-validating journey and toward a resounding decision to embrace life.
Using graphics and checklists, and with great humor and gutsiness, Kate Bornstein dares readers to re-envision the gender system as we know it. She offers stories and insights that are tenderly intimate and unapologetically edgy. Hello, Cruel World also includes:

an Introduction by Sara Quin of Tegan and Sara
The Hello Cruel Scale of Feelings
an Index of Alternatives with safety and effectiveness scales

Suicide rates among LGBTQ+ teens are much higher than for their cis peers; with love and humor and confession and insight, Bornstein hopes to keep every freak out there alive. She is a radical role model, an affectionate best friend, and a guiding mentor all in one. This one-of-a-kind guide to staying alive is a much-needed, sometimes unorthodox approach to life for those who want to stay on the edge, and alive.

Finalist, LGBT Nonfiction Lambda Literary Award, 2009 Honor Book, Stonewall Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award, 2009

Black History for Every Day of the Year

Did you know that Aretha Franklin was the first woman to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame? Or that the first accounts of a Black samurai in Japan date back almost 500 years ago? Written by historian and broadcaster David Olusoga and his siblings, professor Yinka Olusoga and artist Kemi Olusoga, Black History for Every Day of the Year is an illuminating overview of consequential people, places, and events in Black history. Accompanied by photos, quotes, and illustrations, these 366 entries will take you on a journey across global history, from the ancient Kingdom of Kush to the Black Lives Matter movement.

You'll learn about unsung heroes from history, as well as contemporary figures and events.

Activists: Toussaint L'Ouverture, Harriet Tubman, Malcolm X
Athletes: Jackie Robinson, Venus and Serena Williams, Simone Biles
Authors and Poets: James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Amanda Gorman
Musicians: Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, Beyoncé
Public Figures: Kofi Annan, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Kamala Harris
Scientists: Alice Ball, Katherine Johnson, Neil deGrasse Tyson
Movies and Art: the Benin Bronzes, Hamilton, Black Panther
Events: the Tulsa Race Massacre, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Selma to Montgomery Marches

With accounts of triumph and celebration, ingenuity and creativity, alongside tales of racism and oppression, hope and resistance, Black History for Every Day of the Year gives you something new to learn every day--a rich history that is relevant to us all.

We Can Be Brave

As seen on CNN's Amanpour, CBS Mornings, and MSNBC's Morning Joe!

Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde is no stranger to bravery in the face of bullies. In this adaptation of her New York Times bestselling How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith, Bishop Budde and acclaimed novelist Bryan Bliss share lessons in how to learn to be brave in life’s hardest moments.

The decisive moments in life—even in the life of a young person—are those pivot points when we’re called on to push past our fears and act courageously in the face of injustice and bullying. In How We Learn to Be Brave, Bishop Mariann Budde shows readers examples of how to respond even in the toughest times. Bravery is not a singular occurrence; it’s a journey that we can choose to undertake every day and it begins when we're young.

Budde explores the range of decisive moments people of all ages encounter, from the most visible and dramatic (the decision to go), to the internal and personal (the decision to stay), to brave choices made with an eye toward the future (the decision to start), those born of suffering (the decision to accept that which we did not choose), and those that come as surprises (the decision to step up to the plate). Drawing on examples relevant to young readers ranging from Harry Potter to Martin Luther King Jr., she weaves together personal experiences with stories from scripture, history, and pop culture of how adults and kids throughout history have faced these moments and heeded the call to be brave in challenging times.

Rebecca Caudill Award Books

A Royal Conundrum (The Misfits)

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • When a notorious thief is out for priceless treasure (gems! cats! general decorum!)—who're you gonna call? An elite team of crime-fighting underdogs, that's who! The Misfits are on the case in this hilarious illustrated series from Newbery Honoree Lisa Yee and Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat!

“For any kid who’s felt like a misfit, this crackling adventure packs a wallop!” —Lincoln Peirce, creator of Big Nate and Max & the Midknights

Olive Cobin Zang has . . . issues. And they mostly aren’t her fault. (No, really!) Though she often slips under the radar, problems have a knack for finding her. So, imagine her doubts when she’s suddenly dropped off at the strangest boarding school ever: a former castle turned prison that's now a “reforming arts school”!

But nothing could’ve prepared Olive for RASCH (not “rash”). There, she’s lumped with a team of other kids who never quite fit in, and discovers that the academy isn’t what it seems—and neither is she. In fact, RASCH is a cover for an elite group of misfits who fight crime . . . and Olive has arrived just in time.

Turns out that RASCH is in danger of closing, unless Olive’s class can stop the heist of the century. And as Olive falls in love with this wacky school, she realizes it’s up to her new team to save the only home that’s ever welcomed them.

Greenwild

The Secret Garden meets A Wrinkle in Time in Greenwild: The World Behind the Door, the first book in the most extraordinary new fantasy series.

*An Instant New York Times Bestseller*

"If you don't believe in magic, you will after you've read Greenwild" - A. F. Steadman
"An eco-thriller novel that every child should read" - The Telegraph

Open the door to a spellbinding world where the wilderness is alive and a deep magic rises from the earth itself . . .

Eleven-year-old Daisy Thistledown is on the run. Her mother has been keeping big, glittering secrets, and now she has vanished. Daisy knows it’s up to her to find Ma—but someone is hunting her across London. Someone determined to stop her from discovering the truth.

So when Daisy flees to safety through a mysterious hidden doorway, she can barely believe her eyes—she has stepped out of the city and into another world.

This is the Greenwild. Bursting with magic and full of amazing natural wonders, it seems too astonishing to be true. But not only is this land of green magic real, it holds the key to finding Daisy’s mother.

And someone wants to destroy it.

Daisy must band together with a botanical genius, a boy who can talk with animals, and a spunky cat to uncover the truth about who she really is. Only then can she channel the power that will change her whole world . . . and save the Greenwild itself.

Parachute Kids

**National Book Award Longlist Title**

**Asian/Pacific American Award Honor Book**

This funny, fast-paced, and heartrending story about three siblings living on their own as undocumented new immigrants is perfect for fans of New Kid and Front Desk.

A DREAM TRIP TO AMERICA TURNS INTO A NIGHTMARE!

Feng-Li can't wait to discover America with her family! But after an action-packed vacation, her parents deliver shocking news: They are returning to Taiwan and leaving Feng-Li and her older siblings in California on their own.

Suddenly, the three kids must fend for themselves in a strange new world--and get along. Starting a new school, learning a new language, and trying to make new friends while managing a household is hard enough, but Bro and Sis's constant bickering makes everything worse. Thankfully, there are some hilarious moments to balance the stress and loneliness. But as tensions escalate--and all three kids get tangled in a web of bad choices--can Feng-Li keep her family together?

Warrior Girl

An insightful novel in verse about the joys and struggles of a Chicana girl who is a warrior for her name, her history, and her right to choose what she celebrates in life.

Celina and her family are bilingual and follow both Mexican and American traditions. Celina revels in her Mexican heritage, but once she starts school it feels like the world wants her to erase that part of her identity. Fortunately, she’s got an army of family and three fabulous new friends behind her to fight the ignorance. But it’s her Gramma who’s her biggest inspiration, encouraging Celina to build a shield of joy around herself. Because when you’re celebrating, when you find a reason to sing or dance or paint or play or laugh or write, they haven’t taken everything away from you. Of course, it’s not possible to stay in celebration mode when things get dire--like when her dad’s deported and a pandemic hits--but if there is anything Celina’s sure of, it’s that she’ll always live up to her last name: Guerrera--woman warrior--and that she will use her voice and writing talents to make the world a more beautiful place where all cultures are celebrated.

What Happened to Rachel Riley?

ALA Notable Children's Book
Regional Indie Bestseller
Audie Award Winner
Edgar Award Nominee
Cybils Award Nominee
YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults
New York Public Library Best Book of the Year
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best
Amazon Best Book of the Year
SLJ Best Book of the Year
Texas Lone Star Reading List
Capital Choices Noteworthy Book for Children
BookPage Best Book of the Year
2024 Elizabeth Burr/Sheridan Worzalla Award for the most distinguished work in children's literature

In this engrossing and inventive contemporary middle grade novel that's Where'd You Go, Bernadette with a #MeToo message, an eighth grader uses social media posts, passed notes, and other clues to find out why a formerly popular girl is now the pariah of her new school.

Anna Hunt may be the new girl at East Middle School, but she can already tell there's something off about her eighth-grade class. Rachel Riley, who just last year was one of the most popular girls in school, has become a social outcast. But no one, including Rachel Riley herself, will tell Anna why.

As a die-hard podcast enthusiast, Anna knows there's always more to a story than meets the eye. So she decides to put her fact-seeking skills to the test and create her own podcast around the question that won't stop running through her head: What happened to Rachel Riley?

With the entire eighth grade working against her, Anna dives headfirst into the evidence. Clue after clue, the mystery widens, painting an even more complex story than Anna could have anticipated. But there's one thing she's certain of: If you're going to ask a complicated question, you better be prepared for the fallout that may come with the answer.

Impossible Escape

From three-time National Book Award finalist and Newbery Honor author Steve Sheinkin, a true story of two Jewish teenagers racing against time during the Holocaust—one in hiding in Hungary, and the other in Auschwitz, plotting escape.

It is 1944. A teenager named Rudolf (Rudi) Vrba has made up his mind. After barely surviving nearly two years in the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland, he knows he must escape. Even if death is more likely.

Rudi has learned the terrible secret hidden behind the heavily guarded fences of concentration camps across Nazi-occupied Europe: the methodical mass killing of Jewish prisoners. As trains full of people arrive daily, Rudi knows that the murders won’t stop until he reveals the truth to the world—and that each day that passes means more lives are lost.

Lives like Rudi’s schoolmate Gerta Sidonová. Gerta’s family fled from Slovakia to Hungary, where they live under assumed names to hide their Jewish identity. But Hungary is beginning to cave under pressure from German Nazis. Her chances of survival become slimmer by the day.

The clock is ticking. As Gerta inches closer to capture, Rudi and his friend Alfred Wetzler begin their crucial steps towards an impossible escape.

This is the true story of one of the most famous whistleblowers in the world, and how his death-defying escape helped save over 100,000 lives.

World Made of Glass

An "inspiring" (Kirkus, starred review), "heartfelt" (The Horn Book, starred review) coming-of-age novel about a girl finding her way to activism in the early years of the AIDS pandemic, from award-winning author Ami Polonsky.

Iris tries to act normal at school, going through the motions and joking around with her friends. But nothing is normal, and sometimes it feels like she'll never laugh again. How can she, when her dad is dying of a virus that's off-limits to talk about? When she knows that soon all she'll have left of her kind, loving dad are memories, photos, and a binder full of the poems they used to exchange?

In a sea of rage and grief, Iris resolves to speak out against the rampant fear, misinformation, and prejudice surrounding AIDS--and find the pieces of Dad that she never knew before. Along the way, Iris might just find new sides to herself.

Critically-acclaimed author Ami Polonsky has crafted a lyrical, tender, earth-shattering novel that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page.

The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn

Neurodivergent Maudie is ready to spend an amazing summer with her dad, but will she find the courage to tell him a terrible secret about life with her mom and new stepdad? This contemporary novel is a must-read for fans of Leslie Connor and Ali Standish. A Schneider Family Book Award winner!

Maudie always looks forward to the summers she spends in California with her dad. But this year, she must keep a troubling secret about her home life--one that her mom warned her never to tell. Maudie wants to confide in her dad about her stepdad's anger, but she's scared.

When a wildfire strikes, Maudie and her dad are forced to evacuate to the beach town where he grew up. It's another turbulent wave of change. But now, every morning, from their camper, Maudie can see surfers bobbing in the water. She desperately wants to learn, but could she ever be brave enough?

As Maudie navigates unfamiliar waters, she makes friends--and her autism no longer feels like the big deal her mom makes it out to be. But her secret is still threatening to sink her. Will Maudie find the strength to reveal the awful truth--and maybe even find some way to stay with Dad--before summer is over?

Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Club: Roll Call

From New York Times bestselling author Molly Knox Ostertag and critically acclaimed illustrator Xanthe Bouma comes an all-new Dungeons & Dragons graphic novel series!

Middle school is a dungeon... At least, that's how Jess sees it.

Luckily, she and her best friend Olivia know how to escape into the sprawling worlds of their own imaginations. The two friends have always loved making up stories, first with little kid games of make-believe, and more recently with the fantasy roleplaying game, Dungeons & Dragons. When they play, Olivia runs the game as Dungeon Master and Jess is the solo party member, playing a take-no-prisoners, lone-wolf fighter of her own design named Sir Corius.

But when Olivia wants to add new players to their group, Jess finds herself struggling to share their game--and her best friend. Will their epic campaign withstand all this change, or has their adventure--and their friendship--finally come to an end?

Don't Want to Be Your Monster

A 2024 Sydney Taylor Honor Book!

Two vampire brothers must set aside their differences to solve a series of murders in this humorous and delightfully spooky novel for young readers. For fans of Too Bright to See.

Adam and Victor are brothers who have the usual fights over the remote, which movie to watch and whether or not it's morally acceptable to eat people. Well, not so much eat . . . just drink a little blood. They're vampires, hiding in plain sight with their eclectic yet loving family.

Ten-year-old Adam knows he has a better purpose in his life (well, immortal life) than just drinking blood, but fourteen-year-old Victor wants to accept his own self-image of vampirism. Everything changes when bodies start to appear all over town, and it becomes clear that a vampire hunter may be on the lookout for the family. Can Adam and Victor reconcile their differences and work together to stop the killer before it’s too late?

Mexikid

NEWBERY HONOR AWARD WINNER • An unforgettable graphic memoir about a Mexican American boy’s family and their adventure-filled road trip to bring their abuelito back from Mexico

“One of those books that kids will pass to their friends as soon as they have finished it.”—Victoria Jamieson, creator of the National Book Award finalist When Stars Are Scattered

WINNER OF THE PURA BELPRÉ AUTHOR AWARD AND ILLUSTRATOR AWARD • ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, NPR, Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Booklist, New York Public Library, Chicago Public Library

Pedro Martín has grown up hearing stories about his abuelito—his legendary crime-fighting, grandfather who was once a part of the Mexican Revolution! But that doesn't mean Pedro is excited at the news that Abuelito is coming to live with their family. After all, Pedro has 8 brothers and sisters and the house is crowded enough! Still, Pedro piles into the Winnebago with his family for a road trip to Mexico to bring Abuelito home, and what follows is the trip of a lifetime, one filled with laughs and heartache. Along the way, Pedro finally connects with his abuelito and learns what it means to grow up and find his grito.

Medusa

"You won't be able to stop turning pages . . . it is so stinking good!" --Colby Sharp, author of The Creativity Project: An Awesometastic Story Collection

From National Book Award finalist Katherine Marsh: Percy Jackson meets Wednesday Addams in this fantastical adventure about Ava, who attends a boarding school for the descendants of Greek monsters and uncovers a terrible secret that could change the world forever.

Ava Baldwin has always tried to keep her anger in check, just like her mom taught her. But when know-it-all classmate Owen King tries to speak over her yet again, Ava explodes . . . and Owen freezes, becoming totally unresponsive.

Although Owen recovers, Ava's parents whisk her off to her mother's alma mater, the Accademia del Forte, a mysterious international boarding school in Venice. There, Ava and her brother, Jax, discover that the Olympian gods founded the Accademia to teach the descendants of mythological monsters how to control their emotions and their powers and become functioning, well-adjusted members of society.

But not everything at the Accademia is as it seems. After her friend Fia is almost expelled for challenging a teacher, Ava realizes the school is hiding a dangerous secret. To uncover the truth, Ava and her new friends embark on an adventure that could change the way they view history, mythology--and themselves--forever...or end their lives.

Praise for Medusa

"I'm in love with this book. Like the best Pixar movies, Katherine Marsh's Medusa is full of layers." --Jennifer La Garde, The Adventures of Library Girl!
"Here is a novel that casts young people as agents of that change, while acknowledging the risks they face when adults, or a pack of patriarchal gods, lie in wait to silence those who speak truth to power. In this feminist retelling, girls take the lead while boys support and trust them." --The New York Times
"Sound the sirens! Katherine Marsh has gifted us with the Greek mythology series we didn't know we were missing!" --Melissa LaSalle, The Book Mommy and What to Read to Your Kids
"A unique and distinctly feminist fantasy series launch set in a contemporary world." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A fast-paced adventure offering a fresh, feminist take on popular themes." --Kirkus Reviews
"A story flipping traditional mythology and the voices telling them on their head starring a resourceful, brave Gorgon. Suggested where mythology stories are popular." --School Library Journal
One of Kirkus's most anticipated books of 2024!

Hands

“Gorgeous and gripping, Hands is a poetic page-turner. You might just finish it in one sitting. Torrey Maldonado understands the kids he writes for at the deepest level.” —Adam Gidwitz, Newbery Honor–winning author of The Inquisitor’s Tale
The author of What Lane? and Tight delivers a fast-paced read that packs a punch about a boy figuring out how to best use his hands—to build or to knock down.

Trev would do anything to protect his mom and sisters, especially from his stepdad. But his stepdad’s return stresses Trev—because when he left, he threatened Trev’s mom. Rather than live scared, Trev takes matters into his own hands, literally. He starts learning to box to handle his stepdad. But not everyone is a fan of his plan, because Trev’s a talented artist, and his hands could actually help him build a better future. And they’re letting him know—but their advice for some distant future feels useless in his reality right now. Ultimately, Trev knows his future is in his hands, and his hands are his own, and he has to choose how to use them.

The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels

#1 New York Times bestseller!

The critically lauded, wickedly smart whodunit with a “Knives Out feel by way of Lemony Snicket,” now in paperback.

On the day they are born, every Swift child is brought before the sacred Family Dictionary. They are given a name, and a definition. A definition it is assumed they will grow up to match.

Meet Shenanigan Swift: Little sister. Risk-taker. Mischief-maker.

Shenanigan is getting ready for the big Swift Family Reunion and plotting her next great scheme: hunting for Grand-Uncle Vile’s long-lost treasure. She’s excited to finally meet her arriving relatives—until one of them gives Arch-Aunt Schadenfreude a deadly shove down the stairs.

So what if everyone thinks she’ll never be more than a troublemaker, just because of her name? Shenanigan knows she can become whatever she wants, even a detective. And she’s determined to follow the twisty clues and catch the killer.

Deliciously suspenseful and delightfully clever, The Swifts is a remarkable debut that is both brilliantly contemporary and instantly classic. A celebration of words and individuality, it’s packed with games, wordplay, and lots and lots of mischief as Shenanigan sets out to save her family and define herself in a world where definitions are so important.

A Work in Progress

A young boy struggles with body image in this poignant and “perceptive” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) middle grade journey to self-acceptance told through prose, verse, and illustration.

Will is the only round kid in a school full of thin ones. So he hides…in baggy jeans and oversized hoodies, in the back row during class, and anywhere but the cafeteria during lunch. But shame isn’t the only feeling that dominates Will’s life. He’s also got a crush on a girl named Jules who he knows he doesn’t have a chance with, because of his size—but he can’t help wondering what if?

Will’s best shot at attracting Jules’s attention is by slaying the Will Monster inside him by changing his eating habits and getting more exercise. But the results are either frustratingly slow or infuriatingly unsuccessful, and Will’s shame begins to morph into self-loathing.

As he resorts to increasingly drastic measures to transform his appearance, Will meets skateboarder Markus, who helps him see his body and all it contains as an ever-evolving work in progress.

Lincoln Award Books

Lunar New Year Love Story

An NPR Best Book of the Year
A Kirkus Best Book of the Year
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
A Booklist Best Book of the Year
A Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year
A Horn Book Best Book of the Year
A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year

Graphic novel superstars Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham join forces in this heartwarming rom-com about fate, family, and falling in love.

She was destined for heartbreak. Then fate handed her love.

Val is ready to give up on love. It's led to nothing but secrets and heartbreak, and she's pretty sure she's cursed—no one in her family, for generations, has ever had any luck with love.

But then a chance encounter with a pair of cute lion dancers sparks something in Val. Is it real love? Could this be her chance to break the family curse? Or is she destined to live with a broken heart forever?

Hell Followed with Us

A furious, queer debut novel about embracing the monster within and unleashing its power against your oppressors.

“A long, sustained scream to the various strains of anti-transgender legislation multiplying around the world like, well, a virus." —The New York Times

*INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER*

Sixteen-year-old trans boy Benji is on the run from the cult that raised him—the fundamentalist sect that unleashed Armageddon and decimated the world’s population. Desperately, he searches for a place where the cult can’t get their hands on him, or more importantly, on the bioweapon they infected him with.

But when cornered by monsters born from the destruction, Benji is rescued by a group of teens from the local Acheson LGBTQ+ Center, affectionately known as the ALC. The ALC’s leader, Nick, is gorgeous, autistic, and a deadly shot, and he knows Benji’s darkest secret: the cult’s bioweapon is mutating him into a monster deadly enough to wipe humanity from the earth once and for all.

Still, Nick offers Benji shelter among his ragtag group of queer teens, as long as Benji can control the monster and use its power to defend the ALC. Eager to belong, Benji accepts Nick’s terms…until he discovers the ALC’s mysterious leader has a hidden agenda, and more than a few secrets of his own. Perfect for fans of Gideon the Ninth and Annihilation.

"A defining voice of our generation." –H.E. Edgmon, author of The Witch King
"Hands down the best YA horror book I've read." –Aden Polydoros, author of The City Beautiful
"A chimera of horror, romance, and something stranger." –Rose Szabo, author of What Big Teeth
"A timely and riveting tale." –Ray Stoeve, author of Between Perfect and Real

Remarkably Bright Creatures

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Soon to be a Netflix Film

A Read With Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick!

NAMED A BEST BOOK OF SUMMER by: Chicago Tribune * The View * Southern Living * USA Today

"Remarkably Bright Creatures [is] an ultimately feel-good but deceptively sensitive debut. . . . Memorable and tender." -- Washington Post

For fans of A Man Called Ove, a charming, witty and compulsively readable exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope that traces a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus

After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she's been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.

Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors--until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.

Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova's son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it's too late.

Shelby Van Pelt's debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.

Accountable

YALSA AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN NONFICTION WINNER

From the New York Times-bestselling author of The 57 Bus comes Accountable, a propulsive and thought-provoking true story about the revelation of a racist social media account that changes everything for a group of high school students and begs the question: What does it mean to be held accountable for harm that takes place behind a screen?

“Powerful, timely, and delicately written.” —Ibram X. Kendi, #1 New York Times–bestselling and National Book Award-winning author

When a high school student started a private Instagram account that used racist and sexist memes to make his friends laugh, he thought of it as “edgy” humor. Over time, the edge got sharper. Then a few other kids found out about the account. Pretty soon, everyone knew.

Ultimately no one in the small town of Albany, California, was safe from the repercussions of the account’s discovery. Not the girls targeted by the posts. Not the boy who created the account. Not the group of kids who followed it. Not the adults—educators and parents—whose attempts to fix things too often made them worse.

In the end, no one was laughing. And everyone was left asking: Where does accountability end for online speech that harms? And what does accountability even mean?

Award-winning and New York Times–bestselling author Dashka Slater has written a must-read book for our era that explores the real-world consequences of online choices.

Starter Villain

Now a New York Times bestseller!

Featuring an exclusive short story from the perspective of your favorite feline!

Inheriting your uncle's supervillain business is more complicated than you might think. Particularly when you discover who's running the place.

Charlie's life is going nowhere fast. A divorced substitute teacher living with his cat in a house his siblings want to sell, all he wants is to open a pub downtown, if only the bank will approve his loan.

Then his long-lost uncle Jake dies and leaves his supervillain business (complete with island volcano lair) to Charlie.

But becoming a supervillain isn't all giant laser death rays and lava pits. Jake had enemies, and now they're coming after Charlie. His uncle might have been a stand-up, old-fashioned kind of villain, but these are the real thing: rich, soulless predators backed by multinational corporations and venture capital.

It's up to Charlie to win the war his uncle started against a league of supervillains. But with unionized dolphins, hyper-intelligent talking spy cats, and a terrifying henchperson at his side, going bad is starting to look pretty good.

In a dog-eat-dog world...be a cat.

Divine Rivals

When two young rival journalists find love through a magical connection, they must face the depths of hell, in a war among gods, to seal their fate forever.

After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again. But eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow just wants to hold her family together. Her mother is suffering from addiction and her brother is missing from the front lines. Her best bet is to win the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

To combat her worries, Iris writes letters to her brother and slips them beneath her wardrobe door, where they vanish—into the hands of Roman Kitt, her cold and handsome rival at the paper. When he anonymously writes Iris back, the two of them forge a connection that will follow Iris all the way to the front lines of battle: for her brother, the fate of mankind, and love.

Shadow and Bone meets Lore in Rebecca Ross's Divine Rivals, an epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love.

Monstrous

"A beautiful, courageous book.”
Gene Luen Yang, author of American Born Chinese

Five Starred Reviews and a Finalist for the L.A. Times Book Prize

Monstrous is a poignant, award-winning young adult graphic memoir about a Korean-American girl who uses fandom and art-making to overcome racist bullying.

Sarah has always struggled to fit in. Born in South Korea and adopted at birth by a white couple, she grows up in a rural community with few Asian neighbors. People whisper in the supermarket. Classmates bully her. She has trouble containing her anger in these moments—but through it all, she has her art. She's always been a compulsive drawer, and when she discovers anime, her hobby becomes an obsession.

Though drawing and cosplay offer her an escape, she still struggles to connect with others. And in high school, the bullies are louder and meaner. Sarah's bubbling rage is threatening to burst.

image of "Little library of banned books"

Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books

"Kirsten Miller has that rare ability to take a serious subject and make it very, very funny. I enjoyed this novel and you will too."--James Patterson

The provocative and hilarious summer read that will have book lovers cheering and everyone talking! Kirsten Miller, author of The Change, brings us a bracing, wildly entertaining satire about a small Southern town, a pitched battle over banned books, and a little lending library that changes everything.

Beverly Underwood and her arch enemy, Lula Dean, live in the tiny town of Troy, Georgia, where they were born and raised. Now Beverly is on the school board, and Lula has become a local celebrity by embarking on mission to rid the public libraries of all inappropriate books--none of which she's actually read. To replace the "pornographic" books she's challenged at the local public library, Lula starts her own lending library in front of her home: a cute wooden hutch with glass doors and neat rows of the worthy literature that she's sure the town's readers need.

What Lula doesn't know is that a local troublemaker has stolen her wholesome books, removed their dust jackets, and restocked Lula's library with banned books: literary classics, gay romances, Black history, witchy spell books, Judy Blume novels, and more. One by one, neighbors who borrow books from Lula Dean's library find their lives changed in unexpected ways. Finally, one of Lula Dean's enemies discovers the library and decides to turn the tables on her, just as Lula and Beverly are running against each other to replace the town's disgraced mayor.

That's when all the townspeople who've been borrowing from Lula's library begin to reveal themselves. That's when the showdown that's been brewing between Beverly and Lula will roil the whole town...and change it forever.

The House in the Cerulean Sea

A NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY, and WASHINGTON POST BESTSELLER!
A 2021 Alex Award winner!
The 2021 RUSA Reading List: Fantasy Winner!
An Indie Next Pick!
One of Publishers Weekly's "Most Anticipated Books of Spring 2020"
One of Book Riot’s “20 Must-Read Feel-Good Fantasies”

Lambda Literary Award-winning author TJ Klune’s bestselling, breakout contemporary fantasy that's "1984 meets The Umbrella Academy with a pinch of Douglas Adams thrown in." (Gail Carriger)

A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret.

Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow

A love letter to Syria and its people, As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow is a speculative novel set amid the Syrian Revolution, burning with the fires of hope, love, and possibility. Perfect for fans of The Book Thief and Salt to the Sea.

Salama Kassab was a pharmacy student when the cries for freedom broke out in Syria. She still had her parents and her big brother; she still had her home. She had a normal teenager's life.

Now Salama volunteers at a hospital in Homs, helping the wounded who flood through the doors daily. Secretly, though, she is desperate to find a way out of her beloved country before her sister-in-law, Layla, gives birth. So desperate, that she has manifested a physical embodiment of her fear in the form of her imagined companion, Khawf, who haunts her every move in an effort to keep her safe.

But even with Khawf pressing her to leave, Salama is torn between her loyalty to her country and her conviction to survive. Salama must contend with bullets and bombs, military assaults, and her shifting sense of morality before she might finally breathe free. And when she crosses paths with the boy she was supposed to meet one fateful day, she starts to doubt her resolve in leaving home at all.

Soon, Salama must learn to see the events around her for what they truly are--not a war, but a revolution--and decide how she, too, will cry for Syria's freedom.

This Is My America

"Incredible and searing." --Nic Stone, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin

The Hate U Give meets Just Mercy in this unflinching yet uplifting first novel that explores the racist injustices in the American justice system.

Every week, seventeen-year-old Tracy Beaumont writes letters to Innocence X, asking the organization to help her father, an innocent Black man on death row. After seven years, Tracy is running out of time--her dad has only 267 days left. Then the unthinkable happens. The police arrive in the night, and Tracy's older brother, Jamal, goes from being a bright, promising track star to a "thug" on the run, accused of killing a white girl. Determined to save her brother, Tracy investigates what really happened between Jamal and Angela down at the Pike. But will Tracy and her family survive the uncovering of the skeletons of their Texas town's racist history that still haunt the present?

Fans of Nic Stone, Tiffany D. Jackson, and Jason Reynolds won't want to miss this provocative and gripping debut.

Shut Up, This Is Serious

WINNER OF THE PURA BELPRÉ YA AUTHOR AWARD

* A Morris Award Finalist * Parade Best Young Adult Books of All Time * Indie Next List Pick *

An unforgettable YA debut about two Latina teens growing up in East Oakland as they discover that the world is brimming with messy complexities, perfect for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo and Erika L. Sánchez.

Belén Dolores Itzel del Toro wants the normal stuff: to experience love or maybe have a boyfriend or at least just lose her virginity. But nothing is normal in East Oakland. Her father left her family. She's at risk of not graduating. And Leti, her super-Catholic, nerdy-ass best friend, is pregnant--by the boyfriend she hasn't told her parents about, because he's Black, and her parents are racist.

Things are hella complicated.

Weighed by a depression she can't seem to shake, Belén helps Leti, hangs out with an older guy, and cuts a lot of class. She soon realizes, though, that distractions are only temporary. Leti is becoming a mother. Classmates are getting ready for college. But what about Belén? What future is there for girls like her?

From debut author Carolina Ixta comes a fierce, intimate examination of friendship, chosen family, and the generational cycles we must break to become our truest selves.

A Face for Picasso

A Schneider Family Book Award Honor Book for Teens

"Raw and unflinching . . . A must-read!" --Marieke Nijkamp, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of This Is Where It Ends

"[It] cuts to the heart of our bogus ideas of beauty." –Scott Westerfeld, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Uglies

I am ugly. There's a mathematical equation to prove it.

At only eight months old, identical twin sisters Ariel and Zan were diagnosed with Crouzon syndrome -- a rare condition where the bones in the head fuse prematurely. They were the first twins known to survive it.

Growing up, Ariel and her sister endured numerous appearance-altering procedures. Surgeons would break the bones in their heads and faces to make room for their growing organs. While the physical aspect of their condition was painful, it was nothing compared to the emotional toll of navigating life with a facial disfigurement.

Ariel explores beauty and identity in her young-adult memoir about resilience, sisterhood, and the strength it takes to put your life, and yourself, back together time and time again.

Rez Ball

This compelling debut novel by new talent Byron Graves tells the relatable, high-stakes story of a young athlete determined to play like the hero his Ojibwe community needs him to be.

These days, Tre Brun is happiest when he is playing basketball on the Red Lake Reservation high school team--even though he can't help but be constantly gut-punched with memories of his big brother, Jaxon, who died in an accident.

When Jaxon's former teammates on the varsity team offer to take Tre under their wing, he sees this as his shot to represent his Ojibwe rez all the way to their first state championship. This is the first step toward his dream of playing in the NBA, no matter how much the odds are stacked against him.

But stepping into his brother's shoes as a star player means that Tre can't mess up. Not on the court, not at school, and not with his new friend, gamer Khiana, who he is definitely not falling in love with.

After decades of rez teams almost making it, Tre needs to take his team to state. Because if he can live up to Jaxon's dreams, their story isn't over yet.

This book is published by Heartdrum, an imprint that publishes high-quality, contemporary stories about Indigenous young people in the United States and Canada.

Looking for Smoke

A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK

In her powerful debut novel, Looking for Smoke, author K. A. Cobell (Blackfeet) weaves loss, betrayal, and complex characters into a thriller that will illuminate, surprise, and engage readers until the final word. A must-pick for readers who enjoy books by Angeline Boulley and Karen McManus!

When local girl Loren includes Mara in a traditional Blackfeet Giveaway to honor Loren's missing sister, Mara thinks she'll finally make some friends on the Blackfeet reservation.

Instead, a girl from the Giveaway, Samantha White Tail, is found murdered.

Because the four members of the Giveaway group were the last to see Samantha alive, each becomes a person of interest in the investigation. And all of them--Mara, Loren, Brody, and Eli--have a complicated history with Samantha.

Despite deep mistrust, the four must now take matters into their own hands and clear their names. Even though one of them may be the murderer.