Ó Castilleja School Espinosa Library 2024
Castilleja librarians love nothing more than helping a reader find their new favorite book. Whether you are looking for something in a beloved genre or thinking of broadening your horizons, we’re here to help! Use the handy genre symbols in this guide as a starting point. You’ll also notice symbols that indicate books that are available in our eand audiobook collection, Sora. You can access Casti library e- and audiobooks all year around, 24 hours a day, from wherever you may be! Pro tip: try listening to audiobooks together with your family! If you need any help accessing Sora, contact a librarian.
This list was fully updated in 2024, and contains only materials published since 2020. There are so many great new books to read! You’ll find choices for both middle school and upper school readers here. Books for older teen readers can include some mature content, so keep this in mind when making your selections. Each title in this list is accompanied by a suggested grade range, usually provided by School Library Journal. Books originally published for adults are noted as “adult for teens.” We’ve chosen these particular titles because of their strong appeal for teen readers.
Don’t forget, we love to hear about what you’re reading, so if you find anything fantastic or want more suggestions, reach out to us at library@castilleja.org! Happy reading!
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Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed by Dashka Slater
A page-turning true story about a racially charged incident at a high school in the Bay Area’s Albany, CA. In 2017, an anonymous social media account posting anti-Black racism in the guise of humor was outed as belonging to a Korean American teenager at a top tier public school. Journalist and author Slater examines the case through the experiences of a diverse group of teenagers, and includes interviews, court documents, and statistics. Illuminating the emotional impacts of hate speech while considering the challenges facing advocates for free speech, Slater’s latest is a must-read. Grades 9 and up.
Ain’t Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds and Jason Griffin
This gorgeously illustrated book length poem takes place over the course of three breaths. It’s the summer of 2020. An African American boy is feeling stifled at home with his family during lockdowns. His mother can’t stop watching the terrifying news. His brother plays video games while his sister is on the phone making plans with a friend to join the Black Lives Matter protests in the streets. And in the back room, his loving father coughs and coughs. Brilliantly, poet Reynolds and illustrator Griffin illuminate the fear, the confusion, and the hope of our time. Grades 7 and up.
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Rise: Resistance and Rebellion in South Africa by Richard Conyngham
Drawn from archives and court records, it covers the period from 1910 to 1946 and begins to answer the question, what does it look like when ordinary citizens choose to resist government oppression? Each chapter is based on primary source documents and illustrated by a different artist, producing a dynamic range of visions that resonates with the many individual stories of courage and determination. A powerful introduction to an important history. Grades 9 and up.
All That It Ever Meant by Blessing Musariri
Mati’s mom is suddenly gone, and now her father has taken her and her two siblings from their home in Britain to his home country of Zimbabwe for a road trip through the national parks. There, amid the incredible beauty of strange landscapes, she meets a mysterious character, Meticais, who appears at various points along their journey and questions Mati about the event that led up to this trip: the loss of Mati’s mother. Breaking the heavy silence among her family members, loud with unspoken pain, Meticais helps unpack Mati’s grief and open up possibilities for healing. Lyrical, reflective, sad but also humorous – this is a meaningful read. Grades 9 and up.
Alone: The Journey of Three Young Refugees by Paul Tom
Based on an award-winning documentary, this beautifully illustrated book examines the plight of unaccompanied children fleeing conflict and danger in their home countries. It shares the stories of three teens: Persian Afshin, Alain from Burundi, and Ugandan Patricia. Each one has a different, essential reason for leaving their homeland, and all three arrive alone seeking protection in Canada. The author, himself born in a refugee camp in Thailand, highlights not only the fear and losses, but also the hopes and joys in the refugees’ lives. Grades 6 and up.
America Redux: Visual Stories from Our Dynamic History by
Ariel Aberg-Riger
Vividly illustrated in full color historical photographs, this is American history like you’ve never read it before. The author highlights 21 different episodes from our nation’s history with a keen eye to inequality and injustice, from the exploitation of Hawaiian resources to the rights of California’s Filipinx farm laborers. It sheds new light on the familiar events and reveals lesser-known stories, focusing especially on the historic contributions of women, people of color, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ communities. Meaningful connections are made to ongoing struggles in our present day, inviting both outrage and hope. Grades 8 and up.
Amira & Hamza: The War to Save the Worlds by Samira Ahmed
Amira and her brother Hamza are hanging around their mosque when, by carelessly touching a relic, they accidentally trigger an ancient prophecy. Everyone else on Earth falls asleep, and magical jinn appear, explaining that the siblings are now responsible for saving multiple worlds. Amira is scientifically minded, so she has her doubts, but Hamza is thrilled to be on this ride. A fast-paced adventure steeped in Indian culture and Islamic folklore. Grades 6 and up.
And Don’t Look Back by Rebecca Barrow
It’s only ever been Harlow and her mother, and they have always been on the run. They are experts at hiding. Now, at 17, Harlow is in a car accident that leaves her mother dead. Reeling from the loss of the only person she is close to, Harlow is determined to find the truth about what they have been running from. At the bank, a safety deposit box full of papers and photographs is the key to unraveling the mystery, but will Harlow regret discovering the horrible truths about her family – family she’s never even met? A well-paced thriller full of twists and turns. Grades 9 and up.
Attack of the Black Rectangles by Amy Sarig King
At first, Mac doesn’t know what to think when he finds certain words blacked out in the novel he’s reading in English class, but he soon traces the marks back to Ms. Sett. His 6th grade teacher runs her classroom with strict rules, and she has blacked out words she doesn’t think are appropriate for students. Mac and his friends are outraged by the censorship; they enlist their parents’ support and head to the school board. Book bans are on the rise; read this entertaining book to better understand why freedom of information is important for everyone. Grades 6 and up.
Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi
After a childhood in foster care, Bitter is thrilled to be attending a special high school for students with artistic talents. But outside the safety of school, political protests are raging, and Bitter’s new friends are involved. Whether she likes it or not, she will be drawn in. These are complex characters who struggle to balance the need to stand up for what is right with the responsibility to protect themselves and their loved ones. Significant and thought-provoking. Grades 8 and up.
Bittersweet in the Hollow by Kate Pearsall
Linden James has a peculiar ability: she can taste other people’s emotions. In a small town in West Virginia, Linden and her three sisters work in the family diner. There have been a string of disappearances in their town, including Linden’s own absence, obscured in her memory by amnesia. When Linden’s best friend is found murdered, she can no longer wait for others to handle things. Using all the sisters’ magical talents, the James family will put everything on the line to get to the bottom of the deadly mystery that’s tearing their community apart. Grades 9 and up.
The Blood Years by Elana K. Arnold
This emotionally intense novel is based on the experiences of the author’s grandmother who lived through World War II as a Jewish girl in Romania. Throughout the Soviet and Nazi occupations, two teen sisters hide out in their grandfather’s watch repair shop, fighting to survive illness, hunger, and hatred in their community. They must make difficult choices and transcend terrible loss, but they will gain profound insights. Compelling, beautifully written, memorable. Grades 9 and up.
Black Bird, Blue Road by Sofiya Pasternak
In 11th century eastern Europe, Ziva’s twin brother Pesah is so very ill that the Angel of Death is drawing near, but she will not surrender him easily. The two siblings take off alone on a desperate journey to find a cure for his sickness. Their trip is perilous and not at all certain of success. An adventure tinged with fantasy and enriched by fascinating and detailed world building, this is a story about love, justice, determination, and loss. Grades 6 and up.
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
Galadriel, or El, is in her third year at Scholomance, where aspiring magicians study and fight for survival against not only the treacherous curriculum and campus full of monsters, but also in direct conflict with other students. Allegiances are critical, and El doesn’t have any to speak of, but she has plenty of natural magical talent. The stakes are high: the graduation ceremony is an all-out battle which her own father did not survive. Featuring a snarky protagonist, fresh magical world building, and plenty of dramatic battle scenes. Adult for teen
The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar Bangladeshi-Irish teenager Shireen loves baking. It’s the only thing that is cheering her up after a hard breakup, until she gets a phenomenal opportunity: to compete as a cast member on the Junior Irish Baking Show. Imagine her surprise when she discovers that her exgirlfriend Christina is on the show as well, and the producers have paired them up for the first challenge. With a proud, brown, queer, Muslim protagonist who is enthusiastic, anxious, and has a great sense of humor, this book is for anyone who enjoys romance, reality tv, or baking puns. Grades 9 and up.
An Echo in the City by K.X. Song
Full of action and emotional intensity, this story takes place in 2019 Hong Kong as the city is rocked by the largest political protests in its history. After literally bumping into each other at a protest, Nix and Kai accidentally exchange phones. When they meet up to trade them back, Nix invites Kai to the next protest – not realizing he is a student at the police academy and not at all a pro-democracy protester like herself. Told in alternating perspectives, the story reveals each character’s background and motivations, making the complex political issues crystal clear. For activist readers with romance in their hearts. Grades 7 and up.
Echo North by Joanna Ruth Meyer
In a retelling of traditional fairy tales, Echo’s fate, and those of her loved ones, are tied to a mysterious wolf. In payment to the wolf for saving her father’s life, Echo journeys into a darkly magical wood to a bizarre mansion trapped in eternal winter. There she discovers a mysterious library of enchanted books with stories into which she can physically enter –though emerging from them may be more of a challenge. Can Echo break the powerful curse that has trapped her family? A captivating, romantic tale. Grades 7 and up.
Everything Sad is Untrue: A True Story by Daniel Nayeri
With drama, humor, and heart, Nayeri ties together Persian history, myths, and a personal story of forced migration. In an Oklahoma classroom, no one relates to, or even believes his stories of childhood in Iran, but Daniel is desperate not to forget what it felt like to be with his grandfather, or worse yet, his father, who did not come along when his mother took their two children out of the country to avoid religious persecution. Torn between these profound losses and the immediate, everyday challenges of middle school, Daniel sees his own life on an epic, mythical scale. You’ll be caught up in the precise details and the grand scale of this epic too. Grades 6 and up.
Family Style: Memories of an American from Vietnam by Thien Pham
This illustrated memoir traces the author’s family’s departure from a war-torn Vietnam, through a stay in a temporary camp for refugees, to their settlement in the San Francisco Bay area, where they gradually adjust to their new lives. The young Pham often feels like an outsider in his new home, even as he senses his connection to his traditional culture fraying. Food provides points of connection to both his history and his future. Insightful, hopeful, and delicious. Grades 9 and up.
Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
18 year-old Daunis lives on a Native reservation in Michigan. Rather than heading off to college, Daunis defers her admission when her uncle dies of a drug overdose. Meth is a growing problem in their community, and she is determined to help her mother investigate a string of drug related deaths. When Daunis witnesses a murder driven by the drug trade, her investigation becomes both more essential and more dangerous. An intricately plotted, high stakes mystery. Grades 9 and up.
Forever is Now by Mariama Lockington
Sadie is a Black high school student in Oakland. As the book opens, she’s in a park with her girlfriend, who is declaring they need “some space”. As Sadie struggles to control her rising panic at the unexpected break up, a racially charged incident in the park leaves another Black girl unjustly arrested. Sadie spends more and more time at home, anxious and isolated. Jackson, a transracial adoptee, moves in next door and starts following Sadie’s social media posts about mental health and racial justice. Slowly, the two neighbors connect, in a narrative of community building, personal growth, and true compassion. Grades 9 and up.
Freedom Swimmer by Wai Chim
In the era of Mao's Cultural Revolution in China, two very different boys, Ming and Li, strive to better their lives. Ming, a country boy living in the coastal southeast of China, has just lost his mother to famine. Ming’s father was already gone, shot by revolutionary guards while trying to swim to British Hong Kong in search of opportunity and greater freedom. Li, a patriotic and ambitious young member of the Red Guard, is sent to Ming’s village as a part of his training. As life in the Communist Party becomes increasingly difficult, the two boys plot to make their own escape to Hong Kong by night swim. Author Wai Chim was inspired by her own father’s history. Grades 6 and up.
From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial that Galvanized the Asian American Movement by Paula Yoo Chinese American Vincent Chin was murdered at his own bachelor party in a Detroit nightclub in 1982. The two white auto workers who were found guilty of the crime received a minimal sentence, sparking dramatic uprisings and forging critical alliances among the Asian American community. Told through multiple first-person accounts and enriched with photos and clips from news articles, it reads almost like a tv crime drama. Grades 8 and up.
The Gaps by Leanne Hall
When Chinese Australian Yin Mitchell is abducted, it is not the first time someone has gone missing from their girls’ school, and Yin’s disappearance raises way more questions than it answers. A whole cast of characters is fully realized as the narrative explores how Yin’s life touched those of many of her classmates. Power imbalances around gender, race, and social class shape reactions to the abduction. The tension is high as speculation mounts as to Yin’s whereabouts. A riveting read for fans of suspense with an interest in social justice. Grades 9 and up.
Gather by Kenneth M. Cadow
Ian has had to give up a lot to help his mother recover from her opioid addiction, but at least he still has Gather, his beloved dog. When disaster strikes, Ian and Gather go on the run. Will they be able to make it back to their community? Philosophical in the face of hardships, with the support of friends and family, Ian brings humor and insight to his challenges. This is a book for readers who like thoughtful, emotionally moving tales. Grades 9 and up.
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
In a tale drawn from Korean legend, a village sacrifices one girl each year in a bid for protection from violent weather. This year Mina steps in to take the place of her brother’s beloved who was to be sacrificed. Legend holds that if the true bride of the Sea God is ever found, the people will be forever protected. Could Mina have found her calling? Plunged to the bottom of the sea, voiceless, and separated even from her own soul, Mina finds a richly detailed world filled with mythical creatures. For readers who like a little romance in their fastpaced adventure. Grades 8 and up.
The Grimoire of Grave Fates created by Hanna Alkaf and Margaret Owen
There’s been a murder at the Galileo Academy for the Extraordinary, a school of magic. 18 different writers contribute to the tale, representing diverse points of view among the student body, each of whom possesses a different kind of magical talent, and most of whom believe themself to be the one prophesied to solve the murder. In the face of inequality within the school, including ableism, racism, homophobia, and classism, it will take collaboration between the students to solve the mysterious killing. Draws on magical traditions from around the world and features many top contemporary YA writers. Grades 7 and up.
The Hard Parts by Oksana Masters
Oksana Masters is the United States’ most decorated winter Paralympian. In 1986 the worst nuclear disaster in history took place in Chernobyl, Ukraine, when a power facility melted down. Oksana’s mother suffered radiation poisoning, causing Oksana to be born with severe birth defects. This memoir vividly details her early childhood featuring orphanages, surgeries, and depression, and shows how, against all odds, she eventually became an elite athlete in rowing, cross-country skiing, biathlon, and road cycling. An engaging read that is powerfully inspiring. Adult for teen.
Her Radiant Curse by Elizabeth Lim
When Channi’s sister Vanna is born, her beauty is truly radiant. Their father takes Channi into the forest as a sacrifice to a powerful witch to protect the newborn beauty. Channi is saved by the king of serpents, but in return the witch curses her with the face of a snake, which leaves her with no friends but her own dear sister. As the stunning Vanna comes of age, their village plans to auction her in marriage to the highest bidder. The girls have one chance to free themselves from the witch’s curse and the villagers’ greed. Lushly detailed, steeped in East Asian folklore, and full of adventure. Grades 7 and up.
Huda F Are You? By Huda Fahmy
As a Muslim American teenager, Huda understands herself as the hijabi girl in her class. She may be different, but she has her place. Then her family moves to Dearborn, Michigan, a town with a large Muslim population, where she finds herself less comfortable as one among many hijabi girls. How will she distinguish herself? Is she even sure who she is? With simple, engaging illustrations, this funny, honest exploration of identity makes for a great quick read. Grades 8 and up.
I Kick and I Fly by Ruchira Gupta
14 year-old Heera has seen a lot growing up in an impoverished neighborhood of Bihar, India that is controlled by criminals. She is in danger of being trafficked into India’s sex trade to pay off her family's debts when she is given a precious opportunity to be trained in martial arts and compete for cash prizes. As her strength and skill grows, she becomes determined to use it to help liberate other girls who are victims of exploitation. The author draws on her experience as the founder of a nongovernmental organization working to end sex trafficking. Intense and empowering. Grades 9 and up.
I’d Rather Burn than Bloom by Shannon C. F. Rogers
Growing up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Marisol is constantly fighting with her mother, a Filipina immigrant. When her mother dies in a tragic accident, Marisol is overcome by grief and guilt. Her white father, also grieving, is unable to help her, and Marisol’s loss is too overwhelming for the support of her friends. Her behavior spirals out of control, and she ends up in juvenile detention, where she makes connections that help her grow in acceptance and forgiveness. An emotionally powerful, universal story about one very particular girl. Grades 9 and up.
Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim by Patricia Park
It is Korean Argentine American Alejandra Kim’s senior year in high school. She’s already got enough to deal with when a teacher makes a comment that feels racially insensitive. Ale is ready to let it go, but her well-meaning white friend is not. As controversy swirls around her, Ale has to decide what she really cares about and how to best stand up for it. This relatable story recognizes real world challenges without losing a sense of humor. Grades 8 and up.
Iveliz Explains it All by Andrea Beatriz Arango
Printed on lined paper and featuring the narrator’s doodles, this is the journal of Iveliz, a 7th grader. Ive has been getting in trouble at school, and she’s trying to get back on track, but the loss of her father leaves her with real mental health challenges. When her grandmother, who is losing her memory, moves from Puerto Rico to live with them, she disapproves of Ive seeing a therapist or taking medication. Only through trust, courage, and compassion will Ive start to heal. Iveliz is a sincere and unforgettable character. Grades 6 and up.
The Killing Code by Ellie Marney
World War II is raging, and Kit is a smart girl with secrets to keep. She gets recruited and trained to work in code breaking for the US government. Contributing to the war effort is both important and fascinating, but Kit grows increasingly concerned as one girl after another working for the government turns up dead, and the police don’t seem to be doing much about it. Together with a few friends among the code breakers, Kit is determined to investigate the deaths. Inspired by historical female codebreakers, the art and science of cryptography give this mystery extra intrigue. Grades 9 and up.
The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
After a major comet strikes, the Earth grows quickly uninhabitable. Petra’s family, along with hundreds of other scientists and their children, board a spaceship for another habitable planet, frozen in sleep for the journey. When she wakes, hundreds of years later, Petra is the only one who remembers where they came from. Someone has taken over the ship during the journey and intentionally erased their memories. What can Petra do to save her family and her history? Emotionally intense, thoughtful, engrossing. Grades 6 and up.
Little Monarchs by Jonathan Case
In the 22nd century a shift in the sun’s radiation has killed most of humanity. Those who survive live the daylight hours deep underground. Elvie lives above ground with her guardian, a scientist called Flora who has found a way to turn monarch butterfly wings into an antidote for sun sickness. Hoping to create a permanent vaccine, they head to Mexico in search of the monarch colony and Elvie’s parents. This fast-moving adventure includes fascinating scientific details Grades 6 and up.
A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin
Ning’s family uses a form of magic derived from carefully brewed teas to cure physical and emotional ailments. When a mysterious series of tea poisonings throughout the land hits Ning’s home, she is devastated to learn that she herself poured the tea that killed her mother and sickened her sister. Ning enters a royal contest in hopes that the prize will enable her to save her sister. A delicious blend of rich worldbuilding, page turning mystery, and elements from Chinese folklore. Grades 9 and up.
The Mona Lisa Vanishes: A Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity by Nicholas Day
How could the world’s most famous painting be stolen directly from its home in a Paris museum? This is nonfiction that reads like a crime thriller, detailing the heist and all of its context. How did the portrait come to be made? How was it viewed in its own time? How was the stolen painting recovered? Moving back and forth through time, featuring celebrities and other fascinating characters, and sprinkled with charming illustrations, this is a truth stranger than fiction. Great for history buffs and mystery lovers. Grades 6 and up.
My Flawless Life by
Yvonne WoonHana is known at her prestigious private high school in Washington D.C. as someone who can fix your problems – for a price. But ever since her politician father got into a high-profile problem, she’s been a social outcast. Now, an anonymous client asks Hana to spy on her former best friend. What has she got to lose? This is a thriller for thoughtful readers interested in questions of privilege and responsibility. Grades 7 and up.
Nearer My Freedom: The Interesting Life of Olaudah Equiano, by Himself edited by Monica Edinger and Lesley Younge
Olaudah Equiano was born in West Africa in 1745, captured and enslaved as a child, and forced to work aboard a ship. Even while enslaved he learned to read and earn wages. At 21, he purchased his own freedom from bondage. In 1789, he published his autobiography and became an influential antislavery activist. This new edition uses text from the original book and adds illustrations and contextual documents, presenting vivid and important history from a first-person perspective. Grades 7 and up.
Nigeria Jones by Ibi Zoboi
Nigeria has lived her whole life in the Movement an activist, all Black community led by her charismatic father. She has always been homeschooled within that community, and while she has learned a lot, she has only ever seen the world through one lens. When her mother abruptly departs from the community, Nigeria is shaken After discovering that her mother had wanted her to attend a mostly white, Quaker private high school, she is determined to try it. This choice will shake up not only Nigeria’s worldview, but her relationship with her powerful father, and potentially the entire Movement. Grades 7 and up.
Nowhere Better Than Here by Sarah Guillory
Jillian lives in Boutin, a tiny town in coastal Louisiana, with her mother and her grandmother, and she loves it there. Residents of Boutin are used to big storms; they can see the evidence of past storms around them every day. But after a colossal flood that severely damages her school, requiring Jillian and her classmates to bus to a school 40 miles inland, Jillian’s mother is thinking of moving the family to a safer place. Unable to imagine leaving the beautiful natural environment and her close-knit community, Jillian throws herself into environmental mitigation and historic preservation projects. Shedding light on coastal lives, this is a story full of heart. Grades 6 and up.
The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill
Stone-in-the-Glen used to be a lovely place, before a mysterious fire, possibly caused by a dragon, that destroyed the library, the school, the forest, and just about everything else Perhaps the only functional place left in town is the orphanage, with its kindly old couple and cooperative community of kids, but when one of the orphans goes missing the mayor blames the ogress who lives on the outskirts of town. She has always seemed gentle, but she’s so different – can she be trusted? By examining what binds a community together or tears it apart, the true meaning of kindness is revealed. Grades 6 and up.
Pardalita by Joana Estrela
Raquel, 16, lives in a small town in Portugal. Her parents are divorced, her house is often empty, and she’s losing interest in Miguel, her boyfriend of six months. But someone else has caught her interest: Pardalita. Pardalita is a senior who Raquel hasn’t met but is always looking out for on campus and around town. When Pardalita’s theater group is casting for a new play, Raquel and her friend Fred sign up. Beautifully illustrated, this story of first love is told in few words with humor and intimacy. Grades 8 and up.
The Pear Affair by Judith Eagle
British Nell’s parents are the opposite of loving, but at least she had her beloved au pair, Pear, until boarding school separated them and Pear returned to France. Years later, in 1969, on a trip to Paris, Nell can’t wait to visit, but Pear is nowhere to be found. In her search she befriends some local children who show her the maze of tunnels beneath the city. Together they investigate: as chain bakeries rapidly open around the city, what - or who? - is spreading the spores ruining the bread at locally owned small bakeries? A fast-paced tale of multiple mysteries. Grades 6 and up.
The Red Palace by June Hur
In 18th century Korea, four nurses have been killed in the royal palace. 18 year-old nurse Hyeon’s mentor is under suspicion; she embarks on a perilous investigation to clear her teacher’s name. A handsome young palace inspector becomes her partner. Featuring danger, romance, and exploration of the power dynamics of class and gender, the story is enriched with cultural and historical detail. Grades 8 and up.
Remember Us by Jacqueline Woodson
It’s the 1970s and the summer before Sage enters 7th grade in Brooklyn, New York. All she wants to do is play basketball and hang out with her friends, but real trouble is brewing around them. That summer their Bushwick neighborhood becomes known as “The Matchbox'' because of mysterious fires that burn down home after home in the community. In the chaos and danger, Sage has lost her firefighter father. Woodson’s writing is beautiful, capturing the pain, healing, and growth of these tumultuous times. Grades 6 and up.
Ruby Lost and Found by Christina Li
Ruby is grieving the loss of her beloved grandfather, and it’s causing her to act out. She ducked out of her San Francisco middle school at lunchtime – and got caught. Now she has to spend the summer in her grandmother’s apartment in Chinatown so someone can keep a close eye on her. With her sister leaving for college and her friend group falling apart, Ruby has a lot to think about. Slowly, she gets comfortable in her grandmother’s routines and finds connections in Chinatown, but the city is changing around them. When she discovers her grandfather’s favorite bakery is in danger of closing under pressure from wealthy developers, Ruby decides to do something about it. Grades 6 and up.
Saints of the Household by Ari Tison
In a tale of abuse, recovery, and standing up for your beliefs, brothers Max and Jay are Bribri, indigenous Costa Rican, teenagers. Growing up in a household with physical violence, they’ve learned to keep their heads down and not make trouble, but when they intervene in a fight to protect a vulnerable classmate, everything in their carefully balanced world begins to shift. This emotionally powerful story is told in poetry and vignettes, providing a window into each of the two boys’ perspectives. Grades 8 and up.
The Space Between Here and Now by Sarah Suk
17 year-old Korean Canadian Aimee has a condition called Sensory Time Warp Syndrome. If she encounters a scent that links to one of her memories, she travels briefly back in time to the moment of that memory. When one trip reveals something from her past that seems to conflict with her family’s version of events, Aimee heads to Seoul to investigate. There she finds new friends, a possibility for romance, and importantly, some clues to her mother’s absence. An unusual and engaging exploration of mental health, grief, and cultural identity. Grades 9 and up.
Stateless by Elizabeth Wein
It’s 1937, and Stella, a young pilot, will represent Britain in an international youth air race to promote peace in the era following the first World War. As the race begins, one pilot disappears, and Stella believes she may have witnessed his murder. Each contestant and their chaperone is a suspect. Tense intrigue and fascinating details about flight make this historical mystery a winner. Grades 6 and up.
A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid
Effy is the only female in the architecture college; she’d rather be in literature but they won’t take women. She can’t resist the lure of a contest to design a home for the estate of a famous, long dead author of fairy tales – her favorite author. When she wins the contest and goes to work at the estate, she finds some very strange happenings indeed. A dark academia mystery rich with magical details and a slow burning romance. Grades 10 and up.
Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas
When Bree moves from Brooklyn to Florida, she doesn’t even know how to swim. Regardless of her fear of the water, she’s forced to take Swim 101. Luckily, she has the help of Etta, a neighbor and former captain of the swim team. With Etta’s training, Bree is turning into a star. Soon the whole school is rooting for her – and counting on her to lead the team to a championship. It’s a lot of pressure, and given the cost of resources like swimming pools and top coaches, systemic inequities also play a role in the team’s chances. This page turner touches on sports, history, friendships, and race and class differences. Grades 6 and up.
There Goes the Neighborhood by Jade Adia
Rhea hates the way that high end boutiques, yoga studios, and expensive coffee shops are displacing local and minority-owned businesses in her south Los Angeles neighborhood. Prices are going up for rents too, making it harder for Rhea’s family and friends to get by. Rhea is determined her community won’t be split up, especially not now as she may be falling for one of her closest friends. Rhea and her friends hatch a plan: they spread rumors about a new gang in the area to try to scare away some of the bougie arrivals. It might be working too – until someone turns up dead. But if it wasn’t the gang they invented, who was behind the murder? Grades 9 and up.
A Thousand Steps into Night by Traci Chee
Too loud, too clumsy, too opinionated Miuko, 17 year-old daughter of an innkeeper, is cast out from her village when she stumbles into a demon’s curse. The magic is slowly transforming Miuko into a demon herself. She must traverse the countryside in search of a religious sect that may be able to break the curse. As the transformation steals her humanity, it also grants her great strength. In the end, will she want to give up this power? Detail from Japanese mythology inspires a high-stakes quest. Grades 8 and up.
Thunderbird by Sonia Nimr
13 year-old Noor is grieving the loss of her parents in a plane crash and living quietly with her grandmother. Strangely, fires often seem to break out in Noor’s vicinity. The fortune teller sees a disturbing figure in the coffee grounds of Noor’s cup: a phoenix, the bird that burns. With the help of an anthropologist friend of her parents’, Noor discovers she is named in a prophecy that threatens the separation between the human and the djinn worlds. Together with a talking cat, who is, in truth, a magical djinn, she travels through a portal to the 16th century, and encounters a girl who could be her twin. High stakes adventure and a fascinating setting kick off this trilogy. Grades 6 and up.
True Biz by Sara Nović
Charlie’s parents had hoped a cochlear implant would allow for her to use spoken language, but it has left her isolated and struggling. Now, knowing no ASL and having never met another Deaf person, she is a transfer student at River Valley High School for the Deaf. Meanwhile, Austin, the school’s golden boy, is shaken by the birth of a new, hearing baby in his family, and February, the head of the school and the hearing daughter of Deaf parents, faces a crisis that may lead to the school’s closure. These character’s lives intersect in ways that will transform them all. Moving and thought-provoking. Adult for teens.
Unraveller by Frances Hardinge
In the land of Radith, if you carry anger and hate in your heart, it will slowly solidify into a dark magic that you can use to curse others around you. Kellen has the mysterious and valuable ability to unravel those curses by tracing them to their source, but this skill comes with its own dangers. Kellen and his companion Nettle, who he saved from a curse that had turned her into a crane, are hired to unravel a very complex curse – a task they will be hard pressed to survive. Full of detail, fast-paced, and suspenseful, this novel asks readers to consider the source and the justifications of our own resentments. Grades 7 and up.
What the Fact? By Seema Yasmin
If, as Dr. Seema Yasmin says, “information spreads from one person to another, just like a virus,” then you can think of this book as an N-95 mask applied with carefully washed hands, helping you filter out dangerous misinformation. Through specific, relevant examples, she helps readers learn to discern truth from distortion, clickbait, and misleading headlines. An accessible and insightful guide on an issue of critical importance. Grades 10 and up.
What the Jaguar Told Her by Alexandra V. Méndez
It’s 2001, and Jade is starting 8th grade not in her hometown of Chicago, but in Atlanta, where her mother has landed an exciting new job. While Jade struggles with leaving her friends and her beloved abuela behind, she discovers new things to enjoy, like her beautiful walk to school on a path through a wood. There she meets Itztli, an elderly storyteller who shares tales of his Mexican ancestors, where Jade’s family also has ties. In surprising and profound ways, his tales of the ancient world have clear parallels to Jade’s life in the present. A book about change, identity, and the power of stories to help us grow. Grades 6 and up.
What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez
In the late 1800s, 19 year-old Inez is an heiress who has grown up in Buenos Aires, Argentina, while her parents spend much of their time working with her archaeologist uncle in British-ruled Egypt. When word reaches Inez that her parents have gone missing, she heads for Egypt to search for them. There, she meets the handsome Whit, her uncle’s assistant and a former British soldier, who will both aid and impede her investigation. Historical mystery, mythology, and romance make a compelling mix Grades 8 and up.
When the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb
Little Ash is a demon whose dearest friend is an angel named Uriel. For hundreds of years the two have debated finer points of religious doctrine in a tiny Jewish village in Poland. Now, under pressure, many of the residents are leaving for America. Ash and Uriel go too, to investigate the disappearance of an immigrated daughter of their town. They befriend the feisty Rose, on her own migrant’s journey. The three of them uncover dastardly doings in New York, and they quickly take matters into their own hands. A funny, fascinating, and unusual story of the many ways to make a family. Grades 9 and up.
Where You See Yourself by Claire Forrest
High school senior Effie has cerebral palsy. She is the only wheelchair user in her school, where legally required ADA accommodations are not always met. This limits her mobility and makes it impossible for her to join her friends for a major senior perk: off campus lunch. Effie realizes that if she’s going to be ready for college, it’s time to get better at advocating for herself and she starts organizing protests. Meanwhile, as she attempts to tour college options, she finds all kinds of challenges waiting for her. Effie is a character with a sharp, dry sense of humor and a whole lot of determination. Grades 9 and up.
The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec
After being burned at the stake, the powerful witch Angrboda flees Asgard, the home of the gods, without even her own physical heart in her chest. She builds a home in hiding at the edge of the world, alone, until Loki the trickster arrives to return her heart. They fall in love and their family grows. Soon their family is too large to be ignored by the gods, who know Angrboda’s children figure in the prophecy of Ragnarok, the apocalypse that threatens the very gods themselves. What will it take to defend her family, and if she can, will the terrifying prophecy come to pass? A fascinating tale from Norse mythology. Adult for teen.
The Woman Who Split the Atom: The Life of Lise Meitner by Marissa Moss
When Lise Meitner was young, most women did not receive a formal education. Passionately curious, she became the first woman in Austria to earn a PhD in physics. In the face of intense sexism, Meitner did groundbreaking research on radiation and was involved in the discovery of nuclear fission – for which her male lab partner was awarded the Nobel Prize. Further, as a Jewish person, with Hitler in power in Germany, Meitner faced serious threats to her safety. This fast-paced biography, sprinkled with comic panels illustrating key moments, brings a lesser-known genius the attention she richly deserves. Grades 6 and up.
Worm: A Cuban American Odyssey by Edel Rodriguez
Rodriguez’s fully illustrated memoir begins in his early childhood in Cuba. The book details his family’s migration to the US, and follows the writer through art school in New York City to a successful career as an illustrator and author of children’s books. His early experiences inform his analysis of contemporary American politics, with a focus on the dangers of totalitarianism and the role of media bias. For thoughtful readers seeking an emotionally compelling story with political significance. Adult for teen.
You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson
It’s her senior year, and low-drama Liz wants nothing more than to attend the prestigious college that was her late mother’s alma mater. Black, working class, and queer, Liz has always counted on winning a music scholarship. When that falls through, she decides to try for the funds she can get if she is selected as prom queen at her prom-obsessed high school. If she’s going to compete with the pageant types, she’ll have to learn some new tricks quickly. Complete with humor, creativity, and tons of heart. Grades 9 and up.
You: The Story by
Ruta SepetysThis nonfiction debut from a beloved author of historical fiction is both a writer’s handbook and a memoir. Using stories from her own life, Sepetys encourages and guides readers to find inspiration in their own experiences. It is filled with writing prompts that show readers methods to turn their own memories into raw material for creative writing. A great balance of practical tips and interesting anecdotes from the writer’s own life. Grades 6 and up.