Queen of the Tiles

by Hanna Alkaf

YA FIC ALKAF

Najwa returns to compete in a Scrabble tournament where her best friend died just one year ago. While Najwa meets up with old friends and competitors, she gets surprised by a new post on Trina's Instagram account. This makes her wonder if Trina's death might not have been an accident. As more mysterious posts show up, Najwa, along with a few friends, decides to find out the truth about what happened to Trina.

Out of My Mind

by Sharon Draper

YA FIC DRAPER

Melody is not like most people. She cannot walk or talk, but she has a photographic memory; she can remember every detail of everything she has ever experienced. She is smarter than most of the adults who try to diagnose her and smarter than her classmates in her integrated classroom - the very same classmates who dismiss her as mentally challenged because she cannot tell them otherwise. But Melody refuses to be defined by cerebral palsy. And she's determined to let everyone know it - somehow.

The Summer I Turned Pretty

by Jenny Han

YA FIC HAN

Belly has always loved summers at the beach house with her mother's friend Susannah and Susannah's sons Jeremiah and Conrad. For years, the boys have seen Belly as a little girl, but the summer she turns sixteen marks a new beginning, with everyone noticing Belly's blossoming prettiness. Now that everything is changing, Belly's head is spinning. How can she know who she really loves, and in what way? How can she sort through the intersections between love and friendship, want and need, and the past, present and future.

Slay

by Brittney Morris

YA FIC MORRIS

Kiera, a seventeen-year-old girl, is the hidden mastermind behind SLAY, a widely loved online gaming community celebrating Black culture. She made SLAY to highlight the greatness, diversity, and strength of Black people. However, when a troublemaker disrupts SLAY and real-life violence occurs, Kiera faces the challenge of investigating the events without losing herself or harming her creation.

Amal Unbound

by Aisha Saeed

YA FIC SAEED

Amal enjoys a quiet life in her Pakistani village while pursuing her dream of becoming a teacher. However, her dreams are disrupted when she must stay home to care for her siblings. Things take a drastic turn when she accidentally crosses paths with the landlord's son and ends up working for his family to pay off her own debt. Life at the Khan estate is challenging, especially with a girl named Nabila as an adversary. As Amal becomes aware of the Khan family's corrupt actions, she realizes the need to collaborate with others to challenge the unjust system and achieve her dreams.

Dear Martin

by Nic Stone

YA FIC STONE

Justyce excels academically and dreams of the Ivy League, but none of it shields him from unjust treatment by the police. Despite leaving his tough neighborhood, he faces ridicule from both old and new peers. Seeking guidance from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s teachings, Justyce starts a journal to explore their relevance today. A troubling incident unfolds when he and his friend Manny, playing music loudly, provoke the anger of an off-duty white cop. In the aftermath, Justyce becomes the focus of media scrutiny and criticism.

Basil and Oregano

by Melissa Capriglione

[GRAPHIC] YA FIC CAPRIGLIONE

At Porta Bella Magiculinary Academy, Basil Eyres aims to be the top student in magical cooking. On the first day of senior year, Arabella Oregano, a chef's daughter, joins the academy. They quickly develop feelings for each other, but Basil senses Arabella is hiding something. Despite this, they team up to stand out in their class for the upcoming culinary festival. When Arabella's secret is exposed, Basil faces a tough decision that could jeopardize her future goals.

Sheets

by Brenna Thummler

[GRAPHIC] YA FIC THUMMLER

Marjorie Glatt, a practical thirteen-year-old running her family's laundry business, feels like a ghost in her routine. Dealing with difficult customers, tough P.E. classes, and the destructive Mr. Saubertuck, life is challenging. On the other hand, Wendell is a real ghost, a boy seeking purpose in the human world after losing his life. When their worlds collide, Wendell transforms Glatt's Laundry into his nighttime playground, creating unexpected problems for Marjorie. Wendell's attempt to build a new afterlife unintentionally disrupts Marjorie's already difficult life.

Secrets of My Hollywood Life

by Jen Calonita

YA FIC CALONITA

Kaitlin Burke is an overworked teen celebrity who thinks it would be cool to be ordinary for a couple of months. She also wants to get away from her competitive costar, Sky Mackenzie, who has been making her life difficult. After a bit of brainstorming, she decides to enroll, incognito, in her friend Liz's high school. During the next few weeks, she discovers how nice it is to have friends who like her for who she is-or appears to be-rather than because she's famous.

My Life Uploaded

by April Earle

YA FIC EARLE

Millie decides to start an advice vlog #help to make her feel like she’s making a difference - and she gains traction and serious popularity online. But with Internet fame comes Internet trolls. Putting herself out there has some serious drawbacks for Millie, including a social media war with the school’s Instagram queen. As Millie becomes more and more caught up with her online persona, her role as a good friend and daughter falls by the wayside. Can Millie learn to balance friendship, high school, family drama, dating, and her online life?

Warcross

by Marie Lu

YA FIC LU

One minute Emika Chen is a hacker and bounty hunter in a futuristic New York City, struggling to make ends meet, and the next minute--after she's hacked into Warcross, the phenomenally popular virtual reality game--she's on a private jet to Tokyo to meet Hideo Tanaka, the young inventor of the game. It turns out she's only the second person to hack the game, and Hideo promises her an outrageous sum of money if she can track down the first, a shadowy villain known as Zero, but in order to do so Emika has to join one of the teams competing in the Warcross tournament, a virtual reality version of Capture the Flag.

Thirty Talks Weird Love

by Alessandra Narváez Varela

YA FIC NARVAEZ-VARELA

Anamaria is trying to figure out being 13-years-old in Ciudad Juarez in 1999. Her parents own a Taqueria, and how well she does in school gives her major anxiety. One day, a woman Anamaria deems Thirty, approaches her saying that she is her, from the future. This novel in verse explores growing up as well as the femicides in Mexico at the time.

Counting by 7s

by Holly Goldberg Sloan

YA FIC SLOAN

Willow Chance is a genius, obsessed with nature and diagnosing medical conditions, who finds it comforting to count by 7s. It has never been easy for her to connect with anyone other than her adoptive parents, but that hasn’t kept her from leading a quietly happy life...until now. Suddenly Willow’s world is tragically changed when her parents both die in a car crash, leaving her alone. Her new friend Mai Nguyen persuades her mother to take Willow in. Despite the Nguyens' poverty, their makeshift home and open arms help bring Willow back from the void.

Genesis Begins Again

by Alicia D. Williams

YA FIC WILLIAMS

Genesis faces numerous challenges, including her father's alcoholism and gambling issues leading to constant evictions. Her struggle intensifies as she tries unsuccessfully to lighten her dark skin to fit societal standards. When her African-American family moves to an upscale white suburb, Genesis encounters both racism and unexpected compassion. Battling with ingrained colorism, she attempts to bleach her skin to belong. Despite the hardships, Genesis discovers inner strengths, genuine friends, and a mentor who encourages her to embrace her true self.

Saving Sunshine

by Saadia Faruqi

[GRAPHIC] YA FIC FARUQI

During their family trip to Florida for a medical conference honoring their mother, it doesn't take long for twins Zara and Zeeshan to start bickering. Amid their forced bonding time, the siblings discover deeper wounds that they both carry: Zara resents Zeeshan for not standing up for her in the past when being bullied for wearing her hijab, and Zeeshan is frustrated with ignorant people misinterpreting what it means to be a Pakistani American. But when Zara discovers a stranded sea turtle, Zeeshan surprises them both with his eagerness to help. While exploring without technology, they overcome their differences, learn more about one another's interests, and start appreciating and supporting each other.

Look on the Bright Side

by Lily Williams

[GRAPHIC] YA FIC WILLIAMS

Abby deals with difficulties in her blog and school, Christine wrestles with her feelings for Abby, Brit navigates confusion with boys after surgery, and Sasha is captivated by her first boyfriend. As they navigate a new school year together, the friends face challenges with online issues, health, relationships, and crushes. To keep their friendships strong, they need to talk openly, stay open-minded, and be honest with each other.

The Taking of Jake Livingston

by Ryan Douglass

YA FIC DOUGLASS

Jake Livingston, one of the few Black students at St. Clair Prep, faces the challenge of fitting in, especially with his popular older brother. However, Jake has an even more complicated issue—he can see and interact with ghosts, usually harmless ones stuck in death loops. When he encounters Sawyer, a vengeful ghost responsible for a past school shooting, Jake's understanding of ghosts and life's rules is shattered. As bodies appear in his neighborhood and Sawyer haunts him, high school becomes a survival game with an uncertain outcome for Jake.

Starfish

by Lisa Fipps

YA FIC FIPPS

Ever since Ellie wore a whale swimsuit and made a big splash at her fifth birthday party, she’s been bullied about her weight. Her swimming pool has become a safe haven where she feels weightless in a society focused on body size. In the water, she stretches out freely like a starfish, escaping the criticisms of her mom, who believes commenting on Ellie's weight will encourage her to diet. Luckily, Ellie finds support from her dad, therapist, and new neighbor, Catalina, who appreciates Ellie for who she is. With this backing, Ellie hopes to break free from the pressures of "Fat Girl Rules" and confidently embrace her fabulous self.

Aniana Del Mar Jumps In

by Jasminne Mendez

YA FIC MENDEZ

Aniana faces the challenge of balancing her love for swimming with a worsening physical condition. Her mother, traumatized by the loss of her twin brother to drowning, is uneasy about Aniana's passion for swimming. Despite her father's help in concealing Aniana's struggles, her joints swell, and eventually, a doctor's visit leads to a diagnosis of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. Aniana dreams of trying out for a swim camp, but her mother remains fearful. As Aniana navigates her limitations, the question arises: can she convince her mother to see beyond her illness and allow her to pursue her dreams?

Layoverland

by Gabby Noone

YA FIC NOONE

Beatrix has a terrible day - she ruins her sister’s life, gets into a car crash and dies. After waking up from the crash, Bea finds herself on a plane to an unknown place. Turns out, she's in purgatory and has to join the Memory Experience team to earn her way to heaven. The catch? She must help 5,000 souls move on by using her manipulation skills. The problem is, her first assignment is Caleb, the boy responsible for her accident. Despite wanting revenge, Bea can't ignore that Caleb is kind of cute and sweet. Now torn between romance and revenge, Bea must decide what's worth pursuing in purgatory.

Dead Wednesday

by Jerry Spinelli

YA FIC SPINELLI

Robbie aka Worm, is looking forward to Dead Wednesday. Established as way to encourage a 8th graders to consider the dire consequences of actions such as texting while driving, DWI, and other avoidable causes of death. Students are given the name and brief bio of a deceased teen, must wear a black shirt, and are ignored by all in an effort to send the message of “this could be you.” For the kids, however, it is a day of strange freedom and pranks. Worm receives the identity of 17-year-old Becca Finch, who suddenly, mysteriously appears in her pajamas on his desk at school. She can interact with him but is invisible to others.

Batter Royale

by Leisl Adams

[GRAPHIC] YA FIC ADAMS

When 17-year-old small-town waitress Rose impresses a famous food critic, she and her best friend, Fred, find themselves thrust into the tough world of competitive baking. The contest is an intense 10 days of bizarre challenges, and the competition is cutthroat. Some competitors are willing to lie, cheat, and sabotage their way to the top. Rose may be in over her head, but she is determined to show that she can become a top chef.

Nimona

by Noel Stevenson

[GRAPHIC] YA FIC STEVENSON

In a medieval-modern fantasy kingdom, a gentlemanly clash between rivals takes an unexpected turn when a lively shapeshifter named Nimona joins the fray. She offers her services to Lord Ballister Blackheart, a banished evil genius, and former friend-turned-nemesis of Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin, the champion of the powerful Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics. Nimona's penchant for violence escalates Ballister's plans from mild to deadly, prompting the Institution to take drastic actions that expose its own sinister tendencies.

Maybe an Artist

by Liz Montague

[GRAPHIC] YA FIC MONTAGUE

Liz Montague, one of the first Black female cartoonists published in the New Yorker at 22, shares her life story in a funny graphic novel. In college, she asked the New Yorker why they didn't have more diverse comics. They challenged her to recommend some, and she did—her own. Follow Liz from age five to college, revealing how she faced challenges in her mostly white New Jersey town, conquered dyslexia through art, and gained the confidence to follow her passion. Liz humorously and touchingly explores common teenage questions about identity and aspirations. This entertaining graphic memoir provides a unique view on life and societal issues, breaking the stereotype that success in art is only for a certain demographic.