Teen Reads

Description: Katrell can talk to the dead. And she wishes it made more money. She’s been able to support her unemployed mother—and Mom’s deadbeat-boyfriend-of-the-week—so far, but it isn’t enough. Money’s still tight, and to complicate things, Katrell has started to draw attention. Not from this world—from beyond. And it comes with a warning: STOP or there will be consequences. Katrell is willing to call the ghosts on their bluff; she has no choice. What do ghosts know of having sleep for dinner? But when her next summoning accidentally raises someone from the dead, Katrell realizes that a live body is worth a lot more than a dead apparition. And, warning or not, she has no intention of letting this lucrative new business go. Only magic isn’t free, and dark forces are coming to collect. Now Katrell faces a choice: resign herself to poverty, or confront the darkness before it’s too late.

Description: There’s only one thing standing between Finch Kelly and a full-blown case of high school senioritis: the National Speech & Debate Tournament. Taking home the gold would not only be the pinnacle of Finch’s debating career, but the perfect way to launch himself into his next chapter: college in Washington, DC, and a history-making career as the first trans congressman. What could possibly go wrong? Well, for starters, Finch could develop a teeny tiny crush on his very attractive, very taken, and very gay debate partner, Jonah. Never mind that Finch has never considered whether he’s interested in more than just girls. And that dream of college in DC? Finch hasn’t exactly been accepted anywhere yet, let alone received the full-ride scholarship he'll need to make this dream a reality. Worst of all, though, is this year's topic for Nationals: transgender rights. If he wants to cinch the gold, and get into college, Finch might have to argue against his own humanity. People say there are two sides to every argument. But, as Finch is about to discover, some things—like who you are and who you love—are not up for debate.

Description: It's been one year since Edie's mother died. But her ghost has never left. According to her GG, it's tradition that the dead of the Mitchell family linger with the living. It's just as much a part of a Mitchell's life as brewing healing remedies or talking to plants. But Edie, whose pain over losing her mother is still fresh, has no interest in her family's legacy as local "witches." When her mother's teenage journal tumbles into her life, her family's mystical inheritance becomes once and for all too hard to ignore. It takes Edie on a scavenger hunt to find objects that once belonged to her mother, each one imbued with a different memory. Every time she touches one of these talismans, it whisks her to another entry inside the journal--where she watches her teenage mom mourn, love, and hope just as Edie herself is now doing. But as Edie discovers, there's a dark secret behind her family's practice that she's unwittingly released. She'll have to embrace--and master--the magic she's always rejected...before it consumes her. Tinged with a sweet romance with the spellbinding Rhia, who works at the local occult shop, Edie in Between delivers all the cozy magic a budding young witch finding her way in the world needs.

Description: Every Friday after school, seventeen-year-old Alice Choy and her little sister, Olivia, head to Myeongdong to sing karaoke. Back in San Francisco, when she still had friends and earthly possessions, Alice took regular singing lessons. But since their diplomat mom moved them to Seoul, her only musical outlet is vamping it up in a private karaoke booth to an audience of one: her loyal sister. Then a scout for Top10 Entertainment, one of the biggest K-pop companies, hears her and offers her a spot at their Star Academy. Can Alice navigate the culture clashes, egos, and extreme training practices of K-pop to lead her group onstage before a stadium of 50,000 chanting fans—and just maybe strike K-pop gold? Not if a certain influential blogger and the anti-fans get their way.

Description: In this mixed-media collection of short stories, personal essays, poetry, and comics, this celebrated group of authors share the borders they have crossed, the struggles they have pushed through, and the two cultures they continue to navigate as Mexican Americans. Living Beyond Borders is at once an eye-opening, heart-wrenching, and hopeful love letter from the Mexican American community to today's young readers.

Description: Eliza Quan is the perfect candidate for editor in chief of her school paper. That is, until ex-jock Len DiMartile decides on a whim to run against her. Suddenly her vast qualifications mean squat because inexperienced Len—who is tall, handsome, and male—just seems more like a leader. When Eliza’s frustration spills out in a viral essay, she finds herself inspiring a feminist movement she never meant to start, caught between those who believe she’s a gender equality champion and others who think she’s simply crying misogyny. Amid this growing tension, the school asks Eliza and Len to work side by side to demonstrate civility. But as they get to know one another, Eliza feels increasingly trapped by a horrifying realization—she just might be falling for the face of the patriarchy himself.

Description: North Carolina, 1863. As the American Civil War rages on, the Freedpeople's Colony of Roanoke Island is blossoming, a haven for the recently emancipated. Black people have begun building a community of their own, a refuge from the shadow of the "old life." It is where the March family has finally been able to safely put down roots with four young daughters: Meg, a teacher who longs to find love and start a family of her own. Jo, a writer whose words are too powerful to be contained. Beth, a talented seamstress searching for a higher purpose. Amy, a dancer eager to explore life outside her family's home. As the four March sisters come into their own as independent young women, they will face first love, health struggles, heartbreak, and new horizons. But they will face it all together.

Description: Dare Chase doesn’t believe in ghosts. But as the host of Attachments, her brand-new paranormal investigation podcast, she knows to keep her doubts to herself if she wants to win over listeners. Her first season’s subject is the Arrington Estate—a sprawling manor rumored to be haunted by the spirit of Atheleen Bell, who drowned in its lake almost thirty years ago. Dare’s more interested in investigating the suspicious circumstances of Atheleen’s death, which she thinks point to a decades-old murder, not something supernatural. But Arrington is full of surprises. As Dare is drawn deeper into the mysteries of the estate, she’ll have to rethink the boundaries of what is possible. Because if something is lurking in the lake...it might not be willing to let her go.

Description: Uly would rather watch old Westerns with his new girlfriend, Sallie, than get involved in his school's politics—why focus on the “bad” and “ugly” when his days with Sallie are so good? His older sister Regina feels differently. She is fed up with the way white school-body presidential candidate Leona Walls talks about Black students. Regina decides to run against Leona...and convinces Uly to be her campaign manager. Sallie has no interest in managing her sister's campaign, but how could she say no? After their parents' death, Leona is practically her only family. Even after Leona is accused of running a racist campaign that targets the school's students of color—including Sallie's boyfriend, Uly—Sallie wants to give her sister the benefit of the doubt. But how long can she ignore the ugly truth behind Leona's actions? Together and apart, Uly and Sallie must navigate sibling loyalty and romantic love as the campaign spirals toward a devastating conclusion.

Description: Sixteen-year-old Willow Zimmerman has something to say. When she's not on the streets protesting City Hall's neglect of her run-down Gotham neighborhood, she's working nights at the local dog shelter. But despite how much she does for the world around her, she's struggling to take care of her sick mother at home. She's got no time for boys (though there's one she really likes), and no means to adopt the amazingly loyal stray Great Dane, Lebowitz, that follows her around. Without health insurance and with money running out, a desperate Willow reconnects with an estranged family friend E. Nigma--party promoter, and real estate tycoon. Nigma opens the door to an easier life, offering Willow a new job hosting his glamorous private poker nights with Gotham City's elites. Now Willow is able to afford critical medical treatments for her mother and get a taste of the high life she's never had. Then everything changes: Willow and Lebowitz are attacked by one of Gotham's most horrific villains, the monstrous Killer Croc. When they wake after the fight, they can understand each other. And Willow has powers she never dreamed of. When Willow discovers that Nigma and his poker buddies are actually some of Gotham's most corrupt criminals, she must make a choice: remain loyal to the man who saved her mother's life, or use her new powers to save her community.

Description: Creating a website can be loads of fun. With the use of the computer language HTML, it is possible for anyone to learn the basics and get started on the road to creating a website. The step-by-step activities in this title will help readers explore tags,color hex codes, URLs, linking webpages, and the use of graphics and photos--all of which are needed to design and craft a website. Beginners will quickly see how easy and rewarding it can be to code with these activities, which also contribute to careerreadiness in computer science.

Description: Silwan is a Palestinian village located just outside the ancient walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. This is a moving story of a village and its people. As Silwani youth and community members share their lives with us, their village becomes an easily accessible way to understand Palestinian history and current reality. Written with young people in mind, the richly illustrated text stresses connections between the lives of youth in the US and Palestine: criminalization of youth, forced relocation, the impact of colonialism on Indigenous communities, efforts to bury history, and inspiring examples of resistance and resilience.

Description: Gun violence has had a continued impact on public safety. This title takes a closer look at the effects of gun violence on specific demographics and American society.

Description: The killing of Emmett Till is widely remembered today as one of the most famous examples of lynchings in America. African American children in 1955 personally felt the terror of his murder, and would rise up against the culture that made Till's death possible. The young people of Mississippi picketed, boycotted, organized, spoke out, and marched, working to reveal the vulnerability of black bodies and the ugly nature of the world they lived in. They changed that world. As the U.S. still reckons with racism and inequality, the activists working In the Name of Emmett Till can serve as models of activism for young people today.

Description: The US criminal justice system disproportionately targets Black men, resulting in much higher incarceration rates and impacts that can last a lifetime. Readers learn this system's history and context and ways they can help.

Description: How you learn how to handle your money now will go a long way in determining which financial track you will take in life. Financial literacy is generally defined as having the right habits and knowledge about money that lead to financial security and the ability to weather an unexpected emergency expense.

Description: Most kids of color grow up talking about racism. They have "The Talk" with their families--the honest talk about survival in a racist world. But white kids don't. They're barely spoken to about race at all--and that needs to change. Because not talking about racism doesn't make it go away. Not talking about white privilege doesn't mean it doesn't exist. This book begins this much-needed conversation for white kids. Brendan Kiely offers young readers a way to understand one's own white privilege and why allyship is so vital, so that we can all start doing our part--today.

Description: This is a memoir of George's boyhood in New Jersey, growing up with their brother and two cousins, all under the supervision of their larger-than-life grandmother.

Description: Over the centuries, women, people from underrepresented communities, and immigrants overcame prejudices and social obstacles to make remarkable discoveries in science--but they weren't the ones to receive credit in history books. People with more power, money, and prestige were remembered as the inventor of the telephone, the scientists who decoded the structure of DNA, and the doctor who discovered the cause of yellow fever. This book aims to set the record straight and celebrate the nearly forgotten inventors and scientists who shaped our world today.

Description: Social anxiety is a serious--yet often overlooked--form of anxiety commonly experienced by teens. If left untreated, it can lead to a significantly increased risk of developing depression and even addiction in adulthood. Bridget Flynn Walker presents a five-step cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program to help teens gain confidence and stop living in fear of social situations.

Description: Adapted for young readers who can join Olympic gold medalist, two-time Women's World Cup champion, and trailblazing activist Megan Rapinoe in the fight for equality and justice.

Description: Virginia "Dindy" Hall craved adventure. With the world gearing up for WWII, this fearless woman knew that she had to find a way to get involved. When the State Department proved to be a sexist boy's club that wouldn't allow her in, she went to England to join their Special Operations unit. Even after a terrible accident left her needing a wooden leg, she remained undeterred. Soon Virginia became an essential part of the Allied mission and the French Resistance, earning the dangerous honor of being named "the most dangerous of all Allied spies" by the Gestapo. This is a smart and spirited celebration of Virginia Hall, a woman with audacious courage and kickass spy skills.

Description: A collection of personal narratives told by those who were children during World War II and survived harrowing experiences. So many children were separated from their loved ones in the midst of the terror and chaos. As a result, some grew up in orphanages or were raised by grandparents or extended family; others were taken in and cared for by strangers who risked punishment for such acts. Still others lived on their own or became underage soldiers. These oral histories of survival reveal the heart-rending details of life during wartime while reminding us that resilience is possible, no matter the circumstances.

Description: An oral history about Japanese internment during World War II, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, from the perspective of children and young people affected.