These titles have been suggested by the team or through the title suggestion form, read by multiple team members, and received approval to be designated an official nomination. Previous nominations featured in blog posts aren’t included. These titles are the final nominated titles before the QPRR team compiles its final list and Top Ten.
–Leanna Chappell, QPRR 2026 Coordinator
Biology Lessons. Melissa Kantor. 2025. 272 p. Feiwel & Friends, $19.99 (9781250334046). Gr. 9-12.
Grace’s plans for college are derailed when she unexpectedly becomes pregnant. Abortion is illegal in Texas, and with parents who would expect her to keep the baby, Grace doesn’t know where to turn to get her future back on track – until she finds a helpful number in a bathroom stall.
Breath of the Dragon. Shannon Lee and Fonda Lee. 2025. 352 p. Wednesday Books, $21.00 (9781250391148). Gr. 8-12.
After their exile from the East, Li Jun enters the Guardian’s Tournament against his father’s wishes. But as he fights through the increasingly deadly Tournament, Jun realizes there’s more at stake than proving his worth as a fighter; the fate of everyone and everything he loves hangs in the balance.
Candace, The Universe, and Everything. Sherri L. Smith. 2025. 336 p. GP Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, $18.99 (9781524737931). Gr. 5 and up.
The discovery of a wormhole in her locker leads a Black teen girl, Candace, to develop an unexpected alliance with two older women in the pursuit of answers.
Every Borrowed Beat. Erin Stewart. 2025. 352 p. Delacorte Press, $19.99 (9780593710661). Gr. 7-12.
17-year-old Sydney has just received a heart transplant. Due to an overheard conversation in the OR, she thinks she’s figured out the identity of her donor, a girl from a nearby town, and tries to learn more about her to help feel like she deserves this chance.
The Executioners Three. Susan Dennard. 2025. 304 p. Tor Teen, $22.99 (9781250334664). Gr. 8-12.
In a small town, two rival schools battle each other with elaborate pranks. When bodies begin to show up in the woods, it seems there is something (or someone) else at play. With a heart-pounding mix of romance and mystery, this atmospheric fall read is a pageturner.
It’s All or Nothing, Vale. Andrea Beatriz Arango. 2025. 272 p. Random House Books for Young Readers, $17.99 (9780593810927). Gr. 5-9.
Valentina is the top junior fencer at her gym – until the accident. Now Vale’s been cleared to fence again, but she can’t move like before, and there’s a new number one, Myrka. As Vale tries to catch up to Myrka, she realizes there’s more than her injury holding her back.
Legendary Frybread Drive-In. Cynthia Leitich Smith (editor/contributor), Kate Hart, Eric Gansworth, Marcella Bell, Darcie Little Badger, Karina Iceberg, Kaua Mahoe Adams, Andrea L. Rogers, Cheryl Isaacs, Christine Hartman Derr, Brian Young, K. A. Cobell, Jen Ferguson, A. J. Eversole, Byron Graves, Angeline Boulley, David A. Robertson. 2025. 352 p. Heartdrum, $19.99 (9780063314269). Gr. 8-12.
A magical restaurant accessible to teens of every tribal Nation, Sandy June’s Legendary Frybread Drive-In is serving up just what you need, when you need it.
Check out our interview with Cynthia Leitich Smith here!
Love in 280 Characters or Less. Ravynn K. Stringfield. 2025. 320 p. Feiwel & Friends, $19.99 (9781250899385). Gr. 9-12.
Writer Sydney is interested in fashion but feels pressured to study law, and she blogs and tweets about her experiences during her first year of college while she’s making new friends, navigating her first romantic relationship, and choosing a major.
Midnights with You. Clare Osongco. 2024. 368 p. Disney Hyperion, $18.99 (9781368101936). Gr. 7-12.
In her senior year, Deedee takes driving lessons from Vietnamese American Jay, which provides her with the opportunity to move forward from her emotionally abusive mother, her grief over the loss of her father, and her feelings of isolation as a half Filipino teen in a mostly white town.
Never Thought I’d End Up Here. Ann Liang. 2025. 320 p. Scholastic, $19.99 (9781546110675). Gr. 7-12.
After accidentally ruining her cousin’s wedding with her poor Mandarin skills, Leah Zhang must work with the boy who ruined her life to improve her abilities on a two-week immersion trip to China.
One Step Forward. Marcie Flinchum Atkins. 2025. 320 p. Versify, (9780063339316). Gr. 8-12.
This historical novel in verse follows Matilda Young, the youngest American suffragist jailed for protesting outside the White House, as she wrestles with family tensions and the risks of fighting for women’s voting rights.
Pretty Girl County. Lakita Wilson. 2025. 320 p. Viking Books for Young Readers, $19.99 (9780593525647). Gr. 7-12.
Prince George’s County feels like another (richer) world to girls like Sommer Watkins, who works and needs a scholarship if she wants to think about going to college. Sommer’s former BFF Reya moved to PGC and tanked their friendship years ago, but now they’re forced together on a project.
Run Like a Girl. Amaka Egbe. 2025. 352 p. HarperCollins, $21.99 (9781335009937). Gr. 8-12.
When Chidera is sent to live with her estranged father in a rich, white Dallas suburb and is forced to join the all-boys track team, she must figure out how to continue her dreams of competing on the Olympics track team while facing racism and misogyny.
Solar Punks. Gume Laurel III. 2025. 200 p. West 44 Books, $25.80 (9781978597624). Gr. 7-12.
Told in sparse yet beautiful verse, Veny’s isolated life in a near-future ravaged by climate change is upended when he is rescued by a stranger to the island, Mateo.
Stranded. Nikki Shannon Smith. 2024. 240 p. Scholastic Inc., $7.99 (9781339011240). Gr. 5-8.
Nature-loving Ava escapes New York City to go live with her aunt Raven in the Adirondack Mountains, a dream come true. But when Raven has to cut Ava’s visit short, Ava accidentally ends up stranded alone in her cabin in the mountains – and winter is coming.
This Is How We Roll: A Queer Anthology. Rosiee Thor (editor), Akemi Dawn Bowman, DeAndra Davis, M.K. England, Jonny Garza Villa, Anna Meriano, Linsey Miller, Margaret Owen, Marieke Nijkamp, Jamie Pacton, Rebecca Podos, Tara Sim, and Andrew Joseph White. 2025. 320 p. Page Street YA, $18.99 (9798890033086). Gr. 10-12.
Twelve short stories explore the intersections between reality and fantasy through the lens of tabletop and roleplaying games. The game itself provides a way to safely explore their identities for the players. Adventure awaits, both in the game and in real life – it’s time to roll for initiative!
To the Bone. Alena Bruzas. 2024. 256 p. Rocky Pond Books, $19.99 (9780593616208). Gr. 9-12.
Survival is never easy in 1609 Jamestown, and for Ellis, every day is a fight against starvation, danger, and betrayal – with courage and love as her only allies.
Heart Check. Emily Charlotte. 2025. 304 p. Margaret K. McElderry Books, $20.99 (9781665971423). Gr. 9-12.
Hockey star Dawson and jewelry-maker Harper can’t stand each other, but working the same after-school job forces them to team up. Rumors, school drama, and big dreams collide as they learn they might’ve been wrong about each other. Sometimes breaking the ice leads to something real in surprising ways.
Legend of the White Snake. Sher Lee. 2024. 352 p. Quill Tree Books, $19.99 (9780063327191). Gr. 8-12.Unless Prince Xian can find the white snake that bit his mother years ago, she will die. On his quest to find it, he meets Zhen, a beautiful stable boy, and they fall in love. Except Zhen is hiding a secret – he is the human embodiment of the white snake.
Like Water for Dragons. Maija Barnett. 2025. 200 p. West 44 Books, $25.80 (9781978597655). Gr. 7-12.
C-235’s organs will be harvested when he turns 18 to support the Dragons, genetically superior soldiers fighting in the war between humans and sentient AI. But C can read, and Dragon-in-training Ethan helps him escape. If C can learn to intercept AI data, he can prove his – and others’ – worth.
Love Spells Trouble. Nia Davenport. 2025. 320 p. Bloomsbury YA, $19.99 (9781547612963). Gr. 7-12.Cayden is a witch who’s never belonged to a fancy coven. In fact, she thinks covens are vastly overrated, especially because their actions threaten her father’s bakery and her neighborhood. Then she meets Khy, who seems like the PERFECT boy – except that he’s basically a prince in the coven world.
Needy Little Things. Channelle Desamours. 2025. 320 p. Wednesday Books, $20.00 (9781250334817). Gr. 8-12.When the second time a person close to her goes missing – and seeing the lack of community response for a missing Black girl – Sariyah puts her exceptional skill of hearing the needs of those around her to use to try to solve this case before it’s too late.
The Nightmares of Finnegan Quick. Larry Hayes. 2025. 256 p. Bloomsbury Children’s Books, $10.99 (9781547617159). Gr. 4-7.
Finnegan Quick’s strange dreams become all too real when he’s pulled into a wild, unpredictable world of nightmares. With quirky friends and bizarre creatures, Finnegan must conquer his fears to find his way home.
Please Pay Attention. Jamie Sumner. 2025. 240 p. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, $17.99 (9781665956079). Gr. 5 and up.
Bea Coughlin is a survivor of a school shooting and cannot handle the trauma that follows. She blames being in a wheelchair for not being able to move or help during the event. Only with the help of therapeutic horseback riding can she finally start to deal with her grief
The Right Call. Tommy Greenwald. 2025. 272 p. Amulet Books, $18.99 (9781419772856). Gr. 5-9.
Told through transcripts, articles, texts, and emails, this story follows star pitcher Cal as he navigates the fallout after his father attacks an umpire during a game.
The Scammer. Tiffany D. Jackson. 2025. 368 p. Quill Tree Books, $19.99 (9780063271272). Gr. 9 and up.
Jordyn is excited to begin her adult life as a freshman at a historically black college with her new roommates. When a persuasive leader turns everyone’s heads and builds a cult-like following, Jordyn has to find a way to open her friends’ eyes before it’s too late.
Starstuff: Ten Science Fiction Stories to Celebrate New Possibilities. Wade Roush and
William Alexander (editors/contributors), A. R. Capetta, Maddi Gonzalez, Carlos Hernandez, Kekla Magoon, Jenn Reese, David A. Robertson, Eliot Schrefer, Fran Wilde. 2025. 288 p. MIT Kids Press, $19.99 (9781536236392). Gr. 4-8.
This collection of adventurous science fiction short stories features writing by 10 notable middle grade authors and explores alternate dimensions, artificial intelligence, space exploration, future technology, astrophysics, and more.
That Kind of Girl. Natalie C. Anderson. 2025. 304 p. Nancy Paulsen Books, $19.99 (9780593406298). Gr. 7-12.
Sixteen-year-old Roxie, an amateur detective, and Inez, a part‐time maid and sex worker, become suspects in a murder at an elite prep school. Told in alternating points of view, this gripping YA thriller weaves a tension-filled mystery involving family secrets, hidden treasures, and betrayal.
Titan of the Stars. E. K. Johnston. 2025. 304 p. Tundra Books, $19.99 (9781774884089). Gr. 9-12.
Trapped on a spaceship with a terrifying alien threat, two teens fight for their lives as the passengers around them turn on each other.
We Fell Apart. E. Lockhart. 2025. 320 p. Delacorte Press, $22.99 (9780593899168). Gr. 7-12.Matilda discovers family secrets while fostering new relationships the summer her estranged father invites her to his secluded beach home in this compelling standalone addition to the We Were Liars series.
We Won’t All Survive. Kate Alice Marshall. 2025. 336 p. Viking Books for Young Readers, $12.99 (9780593691830). Gr. 9-12.
Mercy is a survivor. She saved her sister and others from a mass shooting, but her medical bills drained her sister’s college fund, so Mercy signs up for a Survivor-style reality show to repay her. But when Mercy arrives at the show location, something seems off. Then people start dying.
GRAPHIC NOVEL OR ILLUSTRATED TEXT
A Bite of Pepper. Balazs Lorinczi. 2025. 224 p. Margaret K. McElderry Books, $23.99 (9781665970471). Gr. 9-12.
All Pepper the half-vampire wants to do is skateboard in her free time, but her mother is pressuring her to find a bride to turn into a full vampire. When she meets Ana, a beautiful art student, her life starts to change, and not necessarily for the better.
Evil-ish. Kennedy Tarrell. 2025. 208 p. Feiwel & Friends, $16.99 (9781250839954). Gr 9-12.
Tired of their boring life as a potions barista, Hawthorne Vandecast auditions for a spot in the evil Brigade of Shade. By accident, they wind up ruling the group. Excited to leave their mundane life behind, they start to find out the group isn’t exactly as evil as it seems.
Love, Misha. Askel Aden. 2025. 320 p. First Second, $17.99 (9781250866219). Gr. 9-12.
Misha, who recently came out as nonbinary, doesn’t want to be stuck on a road trip with their emotionally distant mom, Audrey. When they get lost and end up in the Realm of Spirits, they don’t know who to trust and how to get home.
Renegade Girls: A Queer Tale of Romance and Rabble-Rousing. Nora Neus & Julie Robine. 2025. 304 p. Little, Brown Ink, $18.99 (9780316439930). Gr. 7-12.
In 1888, Nell Cusack dreams of becoming a hard-hitting journalist. When Nell’s friend Lucia is injured at her factory job, Nell thinks she might have a real story. Nell finds a kindred spirit in young photographer Alice Austen, and the three work together to expose the factory.
Cry Out Loud. Tara O’Connor. 2025. 256 p. Random House Graphic, $17.99 (9780593125533). Gr. 7-12.
Rebellious teen Nell O’Brien is sent to a remote Irish island, where she discovers a dangerous family secret that could cost her life. With the help of a mysterious local, she faces her ancestors and tries to break a centuries-old curse.
The Flip Side. Jason Walz. 2025. 304 p. Rocky Pond Books, $17.99 (9780593618011). Gr. 7-12.
After the death of his best and only friend Evan, Theo finds himself in a desolate, flipped version of Earth haunted by monsters projecting his darkest thoughts with only one troubled teen, Emma, to help him in this hauntingly illustrated depiction of mental health issues, grief, and coping with trauma.
Morgana and Oz, vol. 1. Miyuli. 2024. 320 p. WEBTOON Unscrolled, $18.99 (9781998854837). Gr. 8-12.
Morgana is a witch of the Winterberry family; Oz, a vampire from their rival clan. A meeting intended to broker peace between the clans goes horribly wrong – including Morgana accidentally turning Oz into a cat. They must work together to reverse the spell, and maybe discover what’s really going on.
This Place Kills Me. Mariko Tamaki & Nicole Goux. 2025. 272 p. Abrams Fanfare, $26.99 (9781419768460). Gr. 9-12.
Abby’s attempts to fit into her new boarding school are thwarted when she’s caught up in a murder mystery while also navigating her closeted queer identity.
Nonfiction
Beyond the Board: The Untold Story of the World’s Most Daring Big Wave Surfer. Maya Gabeira. 2025. 264 p. Amulet Books, $19.99 (9781419760020). Gr. 8-12.
A thoughtful coming of age tale and action-packed memoir about beating the odds from acclaimed surfer and Guinness world-record holder Maya Gabeira.
How the Word is Passed: Remembering Slavery and How it Shaped America (Young Readers Edition). Clint Smith, Sonja Cherry-Paul (adapter). 2025. 336 p. Little, Brown and Company, $18.99 (9780316578509). Gr. 5 and up.
This young readers’ edition of Smith’s award-winning book takes readers on a journey to eight different historical sites to examine how each place communicates the story of American slavery.
The Six: The Untold Story of America’s First Women Astronauts (Young Readers Edition). Lauren Grush with Rebecca Stefoff. 2025. 320 p. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $17.99 (9781534497047). Gr. 3-7.
Before Sally Ride made history, five other women joined her in breaking NASA’s gender barrier. This engaging narrative follows their struggles, triumphs, and teamwork as they trained to take on space exploration and change history.
Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection. John Green. 2025. 208 p. Crash Course Books, $28.00 (9780525556572). Gr. 10 and up.
John Green shares the story of Henry, a boy living with tuberculosis, alongside surprising history and science about the disease. Short chapters, fast pacing, and Green’s trademark humor and heart make this an eye-opening read about friendship, resilience, and global health.
How To Say Goodbye In Cuban. Daniel Miyares. 2025. 240 p. Anne Schwartz Books, $21.99 (9780593568293). Gr. 3-7.
Daniel Miyares tells the story how his father, Carlos, escaped Cuba as a child during Fidel Castro’s government takeover. This graphic account presents perspectives held by Cubans surrounding communism and choosing to leave or stay, and includes historic events/facts to provide background knowledge and context.
The Small and the Mighty: Twelve Unsung Americans Who Changed the Course of History, from the Founding to the Civil Rights Movement. Sharon McMahon. 2024. 320 p. Thesis, $32.00 (9780593541678). Gr. 10 and up.
A powerful collection of twelve true stories that spotlight ordinary Americans whose quiet bravery shaped the nation. From teachers to families torn apart by injustice, McMahon uncovers overlooked individuals who made a lasting impact. Inspiring and deeply human, this book celebrates resilience, hope, and the many forms courage can take.