Best Fiction for Young Adults (#BFYA2026) Featured Review: Cope Field by T.L. Simpson

Crawford “Craw” Cope lives in constant anger. He’s currently serving community service for letting his anger get the best of him and won’t say exactly what happened or how his father ended up with a baseball bat to the face because of it. In their tiny town in the Ozarks Craw meets a punk rock girl at community service who challenges him to finally talk, and think about life outside of the abuse and expectations of his father, but is Craw in too deep trying to protect his father as the baseball legend everyone believes in?

Craw’s voice and inner anger as he deals with abuse, expectations, and living in a place the book says “many don’t get out of” is so freshly done and has enough of small town life and baseball to entice some readers that have yet to find that read they connect with. Craw’s little brother is so sweet and funny, and Hannah, while being a bit of a manic pixie punk girl, also has fleshed out enough character development to be more than just an eye opener for Craw. Readers might come for the baseball and the mystery of what happened before the start of the book, but will stay for the realistic and often hard to read authenticity.

Teens that enjoy realistic reads with hopeful endings will enjoy this one. Fans of Cope FIeld would also like T. L. Simpson’s first book, Strong Like You, Saints of the Household by Ari Tison, and Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt.

– Molly Dettmann

The Selected Lists teams read throughout the year in search of the best titles published in their respective categories. Once a book is suggested (either internally or through the title suggestion form), it must pass through a review process to be designated an official nomination.

Each week, the teams feature a review of one of the officially nominated titles. Additional titles to receive this designation are listed as well. At year’s end, the team will curate a final list from all nominated titles and select a Top Ten.
The Best Fiction for Young Adults Committee appreciates teen feedback as members evaluate the nominated titles. Teen librarians are encouraged to share the List of Potential Nominees under consideration with their patrons and solicit feedback using the link: tinyurl.com/bfya2026