Category: Uncategorized

Amazing Audiobooks (#AA2024) Featured Review: Promise Boys by Nick Brooks

  • Promise Boys
  • by Nick Brooks
  • Narrated by Renier Cortes, Christopher Hampton, Alfred Vines, and a full cast
  • Macmillan Audio| Macmillan Young Listeners
  • Publication Date: January 31, 2023
  • ISBN: 9781250877253

The Urban Promise Prep School is determined to create responsible, upstanding, college-bound young men out of all of its students. Principle Moore, the founder of the school, says that following the school’s unyielding discipline is what it takes to escape the violence of the students’ neighborhoods and to make it to college.  When Moore, a beloved pillar of the city of Washington D.C. turns up murdered in the school, three detention students are immediately suspects. J.B., Trey and Ramón. Each maintain that there is no way they could have committed the crime, no matter how much it may look like they did. The students and their friends are soon working together to discover who really murdered Principle Moore and why.

Nick Brooks has written a compelling mystery that will appeal to lots of different readers. The short chapters and constant change in point of view helps create urgency in the plot making this a fast read, even for reluctant readers. This is produced to great effect in the audiobook due to a full cast of narrators and sound effects. Readers who love crime or mystery and gravitate toward the television version of One of Us is Lying, the books of Karen McManus or Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé’s Ace of Spades will enjoy Promise Boys.

-Natalie LaRocque

Other Nominated Titles

Release Date: November 11, 2022
Release Date: November 29, 2022
Release Date: March 7, 2023
Release Date: November 1, 2022

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.

Graphic Novels Overview, Part One: Format Guide

What is a Graphic Novel

The graphic novel is a distinct literary format that employs sequential art in the form of comic-strip-style illustrations throughout a book-length work to tell a complete narrative. Unlike traditional written books, graphic novels use shorter sentences and rely heavily on images to communicate the story. The sequential art in graphic novels is not just a complement to the written text; it is the driving force behind the story. The artwork is essential to the graphic novel format, much like the importance of visuals in a children’s picture book. The artwork in graphic novels collaborates with the text to create a cohesive storytelling experience. Unlike illustrated children’s picture books that often embellish the written text, the artwork in graphic novels collaborates with the text to create a cohesive storytelling experience. Graphic novels are longer than comic books and provide a cohesive storyline within a single volume.

Graphic novels, like comics and manga, use panels to organize the narratives. These panels are often presented as boxed segments that contain scenes or parts of scenes in the story and are divided by blank space known as the “gutter.” Graphic novels also use speech and thought bubbles, emanata, and captions to tell a story to readers. Unlike most comic books and manga series, graphic novels are usually published as regular bound books. They are more likely to be standalone works, but like other novels, they can be turned into a series.

Definitions by The Graphic Library

Comic books: are serialized stories featuring comic drawings, generally following the adventures of superheroes, villains, etc. These are usually presented in a single-issue, paperback format.

Graphic Novel: A story told with sequential, illustrated panels.

Original Graphic Novel (OGN): a story published in a full-length graphic novel without being published as single-issue floppies first.

Online Resources

Books to Learn More

Ballestro, J. (2020). Core. ALA.
Phoenix, J. (2020). Halzbrink.
Goldsmith, F. (2017). ALA.

Awards

-Stephanie Mahar

Stephanie’s Favorites

Check out our review here.
Check out our review here.
  • Huda F Are You?
  • by Huda Fahmy
  • Publisher: Dial Books
  • Release Date: November 23, 2021
  • Reading Level: Gr. 7-9
  • ISBN: 9780593324318
  • The Legend of Auntie Po
  • by Shing Yin Khor
  • Publisher: Kokila
  • Release Date: June 15, 2021
  • Reading Level: Gr. 5-9
  • ISBN: 978-0525554899
  • Squad
  • By Maggie Tokuda-Hall & Lisa Sterle
  • Publisher: Greenwillow Books
  • Release Date: October 5, 2021
  • Reading Level: Gr. 9-12
  • ISBN: 978-0062943149
Check out our review here.
  • Other Ever Afters: New Queer Fairy Tales
  • by Melanie Gillman
  • Publisher: Random House Graphic
  • Release Date: September 20, 2022
  • Reading Level: Gr. 7-9
  • ISBN: 978-0593303184
  • Almost American Girl 
  • By Robin Ha
  • Publisher: Balzer + Bray
  • Release Date: January 28, 2020
  • Reading Level: Gr. 8-12
  • ISBN: 978-0062685094
  • The Magic Fish 
  • By Trung Le Nguyen
  • Publisher: Random House Graphic
  • Release Date: October 13, 2020
  • Reading Level: Gr. 7-12
  • ISBN: 978-1984851598
  • Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me
  • By Mariko Tamaki & Rosemary Valero-O’Connell
  • Publisher: First Second
  • Release Date: May 7, 2019
  • Reading Level: Gr. 8-12
  • ISBN: 978-1626722590
  • Mooncakes
  • By Suzanne Walker & Wendy Xu
  • Publisher: Oni Press
  • Release Date: October 15, 2019
  • Reading Level: Gr. 8-12
  • ISBN: 978-1549303043
  • Check, Please! Book 1: # Hockey 
  • By Ngozi Ukazu 
  • Publisher: First Second
  • Release Date: September 18, 2018
  • Reading Level: Gr. 8-12
  • ISBN: 978-1250177964
  • The Prince and the Dressmaker
  • By Jen Wang
  • Publisher: First Second
  • Release Date: February 13, 2018
  • Reading Level: Gr. 7-12
  • ISBN: 978-1626723634
  • Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert’s Story 
  • By Debbie Tung
  • Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
  • Release Date: November 7, 2017
  • Reading Level: Gr. 7-12
  • ISBN: 978-1449486068
  • Nimona 
  • By N.D. Stevenson
  • Publisher: Quill Tree Books
  • Release Date: May 12, 2015
  • Reading Level: Gr. 7-12
  • ISBN: 978-0062278227

Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers (#QP2024) Feature Review: Chaos Theory by Nic Stone

  • Chaos Theory
  • by Nic Stone
  • Publisher: Penguin Random House
  • Imprint: Crown Books for Young Readers
  • Release date: February 28, 2023
  • ISBN: 9780593307700

Andy Criddle is at a party and drunkenly texts his ex-girlfriend: or so he thought.  Instead, he mistakenly texts Shelbi Augustine, a quiet classmate from school. Andy gets behind the wheel, receives a DUI, and must serve community service as a result. Andy and Shelbi’s paths cross again when they meet at the soup kitchen where Andy decides to volunteer. As time goes on their relationship deepens, but Shelbi is determined to stay in “just friends” territory only. Stone addresses self-harm, substance abuse, and mental illness in this novel.

Andy and Shelbi have been through “stuff”, as many teen readers have. Teen readers will find several things that they can relate to as they are reading this novel. Text messages are included through the novel, making it easy to navigate because large blocks of text are broken up by the text message conversations. Stone addresses the reader at the beginning and end of the novel, furthering the conversation around mental illness and the stigma that is often involved. 

Teens who cope with mental illness and/or support someone they care for who is struggling will appreciate this title. Readers should also look at Little and Lion by Brandy Colbert, Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram

– Katie Guzan

Other Nominated Titles

Release Date: April 4, 2023
Release Date: September 6, 2022

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.

10 Fantasy Reads of 2023

via GIPHY

Get out of the heat and into a comfy, air conditioned space with a cool glass of iced tea while embarking on a fantastical journey exploring ten exciting new worlds!

via GIPHY

  • Blood Debts Volume 1
  • By Terry J. Benton-Walker
  • Publisher:  Tor Teen
  • Release Date:  April 4, 2023
  • Reading Level:  Gr. 8-12
  • ISBN:  9781250825926

Thirty years after a New Orleans murder and tragic magical events, sixteen year old twins Clement and Cristina Trudeau have found destructive ways to cope with their father’s death and mother’s illness. They have also lost their close connection.

After discovering their mother’s illness is a curse placed on her by a member of the magic counselor of which the Trudeau family had once reigned over, they must find the wielder of the curse and solve a thirty year old murder. It is up to the twins who must learn to trust each other again to alleviate the divide between magical and non magical residents of New Orleans or history may repeat itself.

Racism, family dynamics, politics, and justice are some of themes visited in this contemporary fantasy novel. Blood Debts would appeal to fans of Spellbound and Delicious Monsters. (Benton-Walker, T. J.)

  • Bonesmith
  • By Nicki Pau Preto
  • Publisher:  Margaret K. McElderberry Books
  • Release Date:  July 25, 2023
  • Reading Level:  Gr. 8-12
  • ISBN:  9781665910590

Wren is a disgraced Valkyr, a ghost fighting warrior, who has failed the trial to enter the House of Bone due to sabotage. She is sent to the far ends of the Dominions to the Border Wall which is the last stronghold against the Breach where the undead traipse freely with abandon. 

When a prince of the House of Gold is kidnapped and taken beyond the Border Wall, Wren seizes the opportunity to prove herself to her nearly absent father to rescue the prince. She cannot do it alone. She must ally herself with those who have a mutual dislike and distrust in order to delve deeper into the fight against the enemy they all face:  the undead. 
Much like in Lord of the Rings and Dungeons and Dragons, an unlikely cast of characters are thrown together for one common cause forging friendships in this Dark Fantasy. It is a novel of friendship, family dynamics, and adventure. (Pau, Preto)

via GIPHY

  • Bring Me Your Midnight
  • By Rachel Griffin
  • Publisher:  Sourcebooks Fire
  • Release Date:  August 29, 2023
  • Reading Level:  Gr. 9-12
  • ISBN:  9781728256153

Forbidden love or arranged stability. A romantic fantasy novel of choice between duty and desire from the author of bestselling novels:  The Nature of Witches and Wild is the Witch.

Tana Fairchild is an islander witch who has been promised to marry a mainlander in  an alliance of peace. She must decide to do what is right for her coven or follow her heart.

By releasing most of their magic into the ocean to prove to the mainlanders they intend no harm, they are able to keep the peace. Tana misses the full moon, midnight ritual which has the dire consequences of destroying the peace between the two groups. She is left to deal with the repercussions alone.

She meets Wolfe, a witch from a coven that practices Dark Magic. He teaches her his form of magic, empowering her in a way she has never felt before and a bond forms between them. As time goes on, the ocean becomes more violent and in need of appeasement yet Wolfe encourages Tana not to release her magic.

She must make a choice. Marry Landon, a Mainlander she was promised to since she was young or follow her heart. A choice that could lead to deadly consequences for her coven and island to face. (Griffin, R.)

via GIPHY

  • Her Radiant Curse
  • By Elizabeth Lim
  • Publisher:  Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
  • Release Date:  August 29, 2023
  • Reading Level:  Gr. 7-12
  • ISBN:  9780593300992

Channi and Vanna are sisters, one is beautiful and the other is hideous to gaze upon to all except her sister. One was sacrificed to the Demon Witch who changes her face to a serpent. Channi has had to learn to live with her wits and cunning, skills that will be needed to protect her sister from the most dangerous of her suitors in the trial of betrothal for Vanna’s hand in marriage. 

An epic fantasy novel of a deep bond of sisters, journeys across oceans and seas and choices that will break one of their hearts. It delves into the idea of beauty and its effects on the one who is seen as beautiful and the one who is seen as monstrous. 

A mix of stories such as Beauty and the Beast and Homeric Epic tales, it is a book of love triumphing over what is perceived as ugly. (Lim, E.)

via GIPHY

  • Nightbirds
  • By Kate J. Armstrong
  • Publisher:  Nancy Paulson Books
  • Release Date:  February 28, 2023
  • Reading Level:  Gr. 8-12
  • ISBN:  9780593463227

The newest young women of four Nightbirds time has come to kiss their magic to a clientele who can pay. These women are the only ones allowed to possess magic in a world where it is against the law for women to practice magic. They are protected by the Great Houses when in reality they are glorified prisoners led to believe they are treasures to be kept safe not used for monetary gain and breeding tools for the next generation of Nightbirds in Simta, a link in the cycle of social elite and political control. 

The Nightbirds are the lottery winners in Utopia. The dark secret kept from the rest of the population as to how everything is so perfect. 

It is a lesson that knowledge is power. It is with the newfound knowledge they are not the only girls with power and they have been imprisoned to give off their gift, marry lords of the Great Houses and keep the cycle going by sacrificing themselves unknowingly. (Armstrong, K.J.)

According to The Bulletin of the The Center for Children’s Books, readers of Leigh Barudgo or Maggie Takudo-Hall’s The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea would love Nightbirds. (Tucker, A.)

via GIPHY

  • Spice Road Volume 1
  • By Maiya Ibrahim
  • Publisher:  Delacorte Press
  • Release Date:  January 24, 2023
  • Reading Level:  Gr. 9-12
  • ISBN:  9780593126967

Sixteen year old Imani of Qalia is a Shield, a fighter of monsters and defender of her nation. She must go on an epic journey in search of her brother who has disappeared after stealing the precious, magical spice of Qalia. He had been thought dead, until it is rumored he is not only alive but sharing the secrets of the spice with others in far off lands. 

Imani is joined by other shields on a mission to return her brother to the Council for punishment in order to restore the family’s blemished name. 

Imani may not find her brother, but she does find more dwells in her heart and beyond her home nation in this fantastical, historical, action adventure set in the sandy deserts of the Middle East. 

Readers of City of Nightmares and Seven Faceless Saints will enjoy reading Spice Road. (Ibrahim, M.)

via GIPHY

  • Starlings
  • By Amanda Linsmeier
  • Publisher:  Delacorte Press
  • Release Date:  June 27, 2023
  • Reading Level:  Gr. 9-12
  • ISBN:  9780593572337

Starlings – Amanda Linsmeier

A dark, paranormal fantasy and the story of Kit, a young teenage girl who learns of an entire side of her family she never knew existed. Her father had always claimed he had no family, but after his death she found a grandmother and the small retro town of Rosemont. 

The town, the people, and her newly discovered family are perfect, but nothing is as it seems. The women in Kit’s family history have always been esteemed. As time moves on, things are not as they appear on the surface.

Readers of House of Hollow and Small Fires will love Starlings. (Linsmeir, A.)

via GIPHY

  • A Tall Dark Trouble
  • By Vanessa Montalban
  • Publisher:  Zando Young Readers
  • Release Date:  August 29, 2023
  • Reading Level:  Gr. 9-12
  • ISBN:  9781638930129

Present day twins Ofelia and Delfi live in modern day Miami. They are part of a family of Cuban Brujas (witches) who emigrated to the United States. The twins team up with best friend Ethan and Andres to solve a series of Miami murders using magic the girls Mami had forbidden them to use. 

Anita is in 1980s Cuba. Shedoes not want to join  the secret coven her mother belongs to. 

A fantasy novel of dual time periods, magic, and women finding their inner strength. It is a magical mystery and the lives of three women intersecting over different eras of time.

Readers of The Isles of Gods and House of Roots and Ruin will enjoy delving into the magical world of Ofelia, Delfi, and Anita. (Montalban,V.)

via GIPHY

  • Title:  The Third Daughter, Volume 1
  • By Adrienne Tooley
  • Publisher:  Christy Ottaviano Books – Little Brown and Hachette
  • Release Date:  July 18, 2023
  • Reading Level:  Gr. 8-12
  • ISBN:  9780316465694

When Brienne, the prophesied third daughter of Velle is born, her oldest sister Elodie’s life changes dramatically. She is no longer the heir to the throne. 

In her need to protect Velle from the prophecy, Elodie seeks a sleeping potion from apothecary Sabine. Instead of a sleeping potion, she leaves with a vial of tears. Brienne is so saddened she falls into a deep sleep which Elodie is unable to wake her sister. 

In this LGBTQ+ romantic fantasy, Elodie and Sabine grow closer as they work to awaken Brienne, New Maiden of Velle. A novel of love, friendship, sisterhood, and political intrigue, The Third Daughter is a must read for readers of Red Queen and Dance of Thieves. (Tooley, A)

via GIPHY

  • Threads that Bind #1
  • By Kika Hatzopoulou
  • Publisher:  Razorbill
  • Release Date:  May 30, 2023
  • Reading Level:  Gr. 9-12
  • ISBN:  9780593528716

Threads that Bind #1 – Kika Hatzopoulou

Lo, the youngest of three descendants of the Greek Fates, is a private investigator, using her Fate-born abilities to solve crimes in the city of Alante. 

Someone has been kidnapping women, twisting the threads of their fate, and turning them into murderers. Lo allies with the right hand of the Mob Queen, Edei Rhuna to embark on a journey to catch the perpetrator all the while finding a bond forming a bond stronger than she expected. 

Lo and Edei find themselves in the darkest, shadiest corners of the city in their pursuit. A must read for fans of Song of Achilles and lovers of Greek and Roman mythology. (Hatzopoulou, K.)

-Jennifir Huston

References

Armstrong, K. J. (2023). Nightbirds. United States: Penguin Young Readers Group.

Benton-Walker, T. J. (2023). Blood Debts. United States: Tor Publishing Group.

Griffin, R. (2023). Bring Me Your Midnight. (n.p.): Sourcebooks.

Hatzopoulou, K. (2023). Threads That Bind. United States: Penguin Young Readers Group.

Ibrahim, M. (2023). Spice Road. United States: Random House Children’s Books.

Lim, E. (2023). Her Radiant Curse: An Enchanting Fantasy, Set in the Same World As New York Times Bestselling Six Crimson Cranes. United Kingdom: Hodder & Stoughton.

Linsmeier, A. (2023). Starlings. United States: Random House Children’s Books.

Montalban, V. (2023). A Tall Dark Trouble. (n.p.): Zando.

Pau Preto, N. (2023). Bonesmith. United States: Margaret K. McElderry Books.

Tooley, A. (2023). The Third Daughter. United States: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Tucker, A. (2023). [Review of the book Nightbirds, by Kate J. Armstrong]. Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books76(6), 184. doi:10.1353/bcc.2023.0059.

Great Graphic Novels (#GGN2024) Featured Review: Pardalita by Joana Estrala

  • Pardalita
  • by Joana Estrela
  • Publisher: Levine Querido
  • Publication Date: April 19, 2023
  • ISBN-13: 978-1646142569

Being 16 is never easy, but it feels more complicated for Raquel than it should be. Her parents’ divorce is wreaking havoc because everyone in this small town in Portugal seems to know about her father’s new marriage, and her mother seems to only have time to find herself, not to help Raquel cope with her changing circumstances. Even though she has her best friends, Luisa and Fred, and Miquel, her boyfriend, Raquel feels like an irregular verb that doesn’t quite fit everything around her. Raquel’s growing fascination with senior Pardalita exacerbates the feeling of otherness. Their friendship grows as they work together on a local theater production, and Raquel begins to realize what her feelings really mean.

Pardalita is a stylistically complex and engaging read for fans of character-driven coming-of-age stories, employing a mix of prose, verse, and graphic panels that makes the whole book feel ethereal. The dynamic black-and-white illustrations complement and enhance the story moving from concrete to abstract, much like Raquel’s thoughts, and grow from white-space dominant to page-filling spreads reflecting Raquel and Pardalita’s developing relationship.

Recommend Pardalita to readers who enjoy queer awakening stories such as Girl from the Sea by Molly Ostertag and Heartstopper by Alice Oseman. For other authentic LGBTQIA+ relationship stories, hand readers Only on the Weekends by Dean Atta and The Ghosts We Keep by Mason Deaver.

—Patricia Jimenez

Other Nominated Titles

Release Date: November 29, 2023
Release Date: January 21, 2023
Release Date: February 7, 2023
Release Date: February 21, 2023

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.

Amazing Audiobooks (#AA2024) Featured Review: My Dear Henry: A Jekyll & Hyde Remix by Kalynn Bayron

  • My Dear Henry: A Jekyll & Hyde Remix
  • by Kalynn Bayron
  • Narrated by Clifford Samuel
  • Publisher: Macmillan | Macmillan Young Listeners
  • Publication Date: March 7, 2023
  • ISBN: 9781250877239

Part of the Remixed Classics series, this latest work from author Kalynn Bayron updates Robert Louis Stephenson’s classic gothic novel Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for a modern young adult audience. In Bayron’s version, narrator Gabriel Utterson is a young medical student rather than an attorney; however, conflict arises because he is also African American and queer and dealing with the racism and homophobia of late 19th-century London. After he and his best friend, Henry Jekyll, are expelled from the London Medical School amid rumors of their relationship, Henry begins growing increasingly distant from Gabriel about the same time as the mysterious Hyde shows up. Despite Gabriel’s jealousy of Hyde, who seems to live at Henry’s house, he begins to realize something is not quite right and becomes determined to discover what is going on with his friend.

Clifford Samuel does an extraordinary job narrating as his deep voice perfectly suits the dark mood and gothic atmosphere of this story that reveals that monsters aren’t always the ones you think they are, especially in a society where your worth is determined by the color of your skin and whom you choose to love. Fans of The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein and Self-Made Boys, as well as Bayron’s other works are likely to find appeal in this book.

-Jennifer Balke

Other Nominated Titles

Release Date: January 31, 2023
Release Date: February 28, 2023
Release Date: September 13, 2022
Release Date: February 7, 2023

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.

Great Graphic Novels (#GGN2024) Nominees Round Up, Summer Edition

Due to the large number of nominees, not all titles are shown here. See the full list below.

Each quarter, the Selected Lists teams compile the officially nominated titles to date. 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. At the end of the year, each team will choose the final list of nominations and determine the Selected List’s Top Ten from these titles. Since we skipped our March Quarterly Round-Up, this post catches you up on all titles officially nominated since the committee began its work in January 2023. For brevity, we have not included official nominations of subsequent volumes in ongoing series in this round-up, only first volumes and standalone titles. 

–Kelley Blue, GGN Coordinator

83 Days in Mariupol: A War Diary. By Don Brown. Art by the author. 2023. 128p. Clarion Books, hardcover, $22.99 (9780063311565). Gr. 10-12. 947.7086.

This journalistic nonfiction graphic novel focuses on the siege of Mariupol and the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine.

A Blanket of Butterflies: The Spirit of Denendeh, vol. 1. By Richard Van Camp. Art by Scott B. Henderson, Donovan Yaciuk and Nickolej Villiger. 2022. 56p. Highwater Press, paper, $21.95 (9781774920404). Gr. 10-12. 741.5971.

A former Yakuza’s search for lost family armor leads him to a Dene community where the armor has ended up mysteriously.

A First Time for Everything. By Dan Santat. Art by the author. 2023. 230p. First Second, paper, $14.99 (9781250851048). Gr. 4-6. B.

The summer before his first year in high school, Dan Santat spent a summer abroad, traveling Europe with his classmates and stepping outside his comfort zone.

Belle of the Ball. By Mari Costa. Art by the author. 2023. 320p. First Second, paper, $17.99 (9781250784124). Gr. 10-12. 741.5973.

Feelings get complicated between mascot Belle, cheerleader Regina, and all-star athlete Chloe in this refreshing take on the high school love triangle.

Blue Box, vol. 1. By Kouji Miura. Art by the author. 2022. 192p. VIZ Media, paper, $9.99 (9781974734627). Gr. 7-9. 741.5952.

In this light sports-romance manga, badminton player Taiki admires basketball star Chinatsu, who inspires him to become a better athlete.

Call the Name of the Night, vol. 1. By Tama Mitsuboshi. Art by the author. 2023. 194p. Yen Press, paper, $13.00 (9781975352004). General Adult. 741.5952.

Is Mira gifted or cursed? With the help of a new mentor and some shadowy spirits, Mira may learn to feel good about her strange powers.

Charisma’s Turn. By Monique Couvson. Art by Amanda Jones. 2023. 128p. The New Press, hardcover, $19.99 (9781620974018). Gr. 7-9. 741.5973.

After repeat suspensions for fighting, Charisma is given an alternative way to work out her issues at school: lead the social justice club.

DC vs. Vampires, vol. 1. By James Tynion IV and Matthew Rosenberg. Art by Otto Schmidt. 2022. 160p. DC Comics, hardcover, $24.99 (9781779516794). 741.5973.

A master vampire is turning heroes and villains alike into vampires. The Justice League is compromised. Can Batman save the day?

D&D Dungeon Club, vol. 1: Roll Call. By Molly Knox Ostertag. Art by Xanthe Bouma. 2022. 208p. HarperAlley, hardcover, $19.99 (9780063039247). Gr. 4-6. 741.5973.

Jess and Olivia have a long-running, two-person D&D campaign. When Olivia wants to bring in new players, Jess worries about their friendship.

Dinosaur Sanctuary, vol. 1. By Itaru Kinoshita and Shin-ichi Fujiwara. Art by Itaru Kinoshita. 2022. 194p. Seven Seas Entertainment, paper, $13.99 (9781685793241). Gr. 7-9. 741.5952.

A dinosaur sanctuary in Japan faces financial ruin, but the staff is determined not to close. Yes, the dinosaurs are real!

Doughnuts and Doom. By Balazs Lorinczi. Art by the author. 2022. 136p. Top Shelf Productions, paper, $14.99 (9781603095136). Gr. 7-9. 741.5941.

Magical Margot heads to a local doughnut shop after failing an exam, then accidentally wrecks the shop and curses Elena, who works there. Oops!

DPS Only! By Velinxi. Art by the author. 2022. 432p. Andrew McMeel Publishing, paper, $18.99 (9781524876494). Gr. 7-9. 741.5973.

Vicky’s brother is a big-shot esports player, and he has no idea that she’s been secretly playing (and winning) the same game behind his back.

Embrace Your Size: My Own Body Positivity. By hara. Art by the author. 2022. 160p. Yen Press, paper, $17.00 (9781975347291). General Adult. 306.4.

This nonfiction manga contains vignettes about the creator’s personal experiences with body image and how body positivity does/does not exist in society.

Family Style: Memories of an American from Vietnam. By Thien Pham. Art by the author. 2023. 240p. First Second, paper, $17.99 (9781250809728). Gr. 10-12. 302.

Distinct food memories link the milestones in Thien’s life, from fleeing Vietnam, living in a refugee camp, and coming of age after arriving in America.

Firebird. By Sunmi. Art by the author. 2023. 320p. HarperAlley, paper, $18.99 (9780062981516). Gr. 7-9. 741.5973.

Sophomore Caroline begins tutoring senior Kimberly, and the two strike up an increasingly close relationship while navigating family issues, queer identities, and potential romance.

Freestyle. By Gale Galligan. Art by the author. 2022. 240p. Graphix, paper, $12.99 (9781338045802). Gr. 4-6. 741.5973.

Cory navigates the challenges of 8th grade with members of his dance crew and newfound friend, Sunna, with plenty of moves and yo-yo tricks.

Hollow. By Shannon Watters and Branden Boyer-White. Art by Berenice Nelle. 2022. 176p. Boom Box, paper, $19.99 (9781684158522). Gr. 9-12. 741.5973.

In this standalone retelling, Izzy Crane moves to the town of Sleepy Hollow where “the legend” and the legacy are  all too real.

Hoops. By Matt Tavares. Art by the author. 2023. 215p. Candlewick Press, paper, $12.99 (9781536231953). Gr. 4-6. 741.5973.

Inspired by real players and events, Hoops tells the story of a trailblazing women’s high school basketball team at the dawn of Title IX.

Hungry Ghost. By Victoria Ying. Art by the author. 2023. 198p. First Second, paper, $17.99 (9781250767004). Gr. 10-12. 741.5973.

A significant life event forces high school senior Valerie to realize that her relationships with food, her body, and her mother are toxic and causing her harm.

In Limbo: A Graphic Memoir. By Deb JJ Lee. Art by the author. 2023. 339p. First Second, paper, $17.99 (9781250252661). Gr. 10-12. B.

This graphic memoir explores some of the author’s most poignant and painful memories of growing up as a Korean-American and perpetually feeling ‘in limbo’ with friends, family, and community.

Insomniacs After School, vol. 1. By Makoto Ojiro. Art by the author. 2023. 178p. VIZ Media, paper, $12.99 (9781974736577). General Adult. 741.5952.

Sleepless high school student Ganta Nakami begins napping in his school’s astronomy observatory with a classmate (and fellow insomniac), Isaki Magari.

It Won’t Always Be Like This: A Graphic Memoir. By Malaka Gharib. Art by the author. 2022. 224p. Ten Speed Press, paper, $19.99 (9781984860293). General Adult. B.

Malaka’s parents divorced, and she now spends summers with her dad in Egypt, where she struggles to understand where she fits within family and culture.

Kwändür. By Cole Pauls. Art by the author. 2022. 140p. Conundrum Press, paper, $25.00 (9781772620771). General Adult. 741.5973.

This collection of shorter comics and zines touches on the artist’s family, culture, and experiences living in Haines Junction, Yukon.

Match Point. By Maddie Gallegos. Art by the author. 2023. 256p. First Second, paper, $14.99 (9781250784148). Gr. 4-6. 741.5973.

Rosie Vo hates racquetball, but her dad, a former champion, wants her to play. Can a new teammate turn things around for Rosie?

Maybe an Artist: A Graphic Memoir. By Elizabeth Montague. Art by the author. 2022. 176p. Random House Studio, paper, $17.99 (9780593307823). Gr. 7-9. B.

This graphic memoir follows artist Liz Montague’s life from childhood to the start of her professional career as a Black female cartoonist.

Mermaid Scales and the Town of Sand. By Yoko Komori. Art by the author. 2023. 408p. VIZ Media, paper, $19.99 (9781974734658). General Adult. 741.5952.

Tokiko and her father move from Tokyo to a small seaside town with a strange mystery. Can Tokiko and her new friend Yoskue discover the truth?

Miss Miyazan Would Love to Get Closer to You, vol. 1. By Akitaka. Art by the author. 2022. 146p. Kodansha, paper, $12.95 (9781647291419). General Adult. 741.5952.

Transfer students Miyazen and Matsubayashi are from different worlds but are drawn to each other at their new school. Shyness makes getting closer a lengthy process.

Monkey Meat. By Juni Ba. Art by the author. 2022. 160p. Image Comics, paper, $16.99 (9781534323230). General Adult. 741.5973.

Welcome to a wacky world where the Monkey Meat corporation rules, and their products might give you supernatural powers!

Muhammad Najem, War Reporter: How One Boy Put the Spotlight on Syria. By Muhammad Najem and Nora Neus. Art by Julie Robine. 2022. 320p. Little, Brown Ink, paper, $12.99 (9780759556904). Gr. 4-6. 956.9104.

After losing nearly everything to war, teenager Muhammad gathers the stories of Syrian children and makes a global impact with his reporting.

My Life Among Humans. By Jed McGowan. Art by the author. 2023. 96p. Oni Press, hardcover, $19.99 (9781637151990). General Adult. 741.5973.

An alien is forced to collect data on an Earth family secretly, but observing humans leads him down a path of discovery and revelation.

Numb to This: Memoir of a Mass Shooting. By Kindra Neely. Art by the author. 2022. 304p. Little, Brown & Co., paper, $17.99 (9780316462099). Gr. 7-9. 362.88/B.

The author recounts a mass shooting at her college and explores what it is like to be a survivor in an age epidemic of gun violence.

Pardalita. By Joana Estrela. Art by the author. 2023. 224p. Levine Querido, paper, $16.99 (9781646142569). Gr. 7-9. 741.5946.

A coming-of-age story told in poems and panels about 16-year-old Raquel and her developing relationship with alluring drama student Pardalita.

Saving Sunshine. By Saadia Faruqi. Art by Shazleen Khan. 2023. 224p. First Second, paper, $14.99 (9781250793812). Gr. 4-6. 741.5973.

On a family trip to Key West, bickering twins Zara and Zeeshan have their phones confiscated to help them learn to get along.

Sea Serpent’s Heir, bk. 1: Pirates Daughter. By Mairghread Scott. Art by Pablo Tunica. 2022. 160p. Image Comics, paper, $14.99 (9781534321298). Gr. 7-9. 741.5973.

Aessa’s mom keeps a BIG secret from her: Aessa is the reincarnation of the demonic sea serpent Xir, destined to destroy the world.

Show-ha Shoten!, vol. 1. By Akinari Asakura. Art by Takeshi Obata. 2023. 192p. VIZ Media, paper, $9.99 (9781974736829). General Adult. 741.5952.

Introvert Azemichi Shijima and extrovert Taiyo Higashikata share a love of comedy. Can they make it as a standup duo?

Space Trash, vol. 1. By Jenn Woodall. Art by the author. 2022. 96p. Oni Press, hardcover, $21.99 (9781637150405). Gr. 10-12. 741.5973.

Sent to a reformatory high school on the moon, Stab, Yuki, and Una want nothing more than to find a way back to Earth.

Sunshine: How One Camp Taught Me About Life, Death, and Hope. By Jarrett J. Krosoczka. Art by the author. 2023. 240p. Graphix, paper, $14.99 (9781338356311). Gr. 7-9. 302.

In this graphic memoir, Krosoczka recounts his experiences as a teen counselor at Camp Sunshine, a camp for seriously ill children and their families.

Talli, Daughter of the Moon, vol. 1. By Sourya. Art by the author. 2022. 168p. Oni Press, paper, $19.99 (9781637150825). Gr. 7-9. 741.5952.

Talli discovers she is a summoner, a descendent of the moon goddess, forced to live on the run with a ragtag group of allies.

The Infinity Particle. By Wendy Xu. Art by the author. 2023. 272p. Quill Tree Books, paper, $18.99 (9780062955760). Gr. 7-9. 741.5973.
From the co-creator of Mooncakes: Young scientist Clementine Change moves to Mars and begins a blossoming romance with a humanoid AI named Kye.

The Keeper. By Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes. Art by Marco Finnegan. 176p. Abrams Comic Arts, hardcover, $24.99 (9781419751554). General Adult. 741.5973.

Aisha’s grandmother promised she would never end up in the foster system. Even when she dies, someone (or something) keeps  her promise to Aisha.

The Keeper: Soccer, Me, and the Law That Changed Women’s Lives. By Kelcey Ervick. Art by the author. 2022. 336p. Avery Publishing Group, paper, $27.00 (9780593539187). General Adult. B.

One athlete’s personal history with Title IX is interspersed with factual details about the fight for equality in women’s sports and the history of women’s soccer.

The Librarian of Auschwitz: The Graphic Novel. By Antonio Iturbe and Salva Rubio. Art by Loreto Aroca. 2023. 144p. Laura Godwin Books, paper, $14.99 (9781250842985). Gr. 10-12. 741.5946.

This graphic adaptation of the YA novel is based on the life of Dita Kraus, who was entrusted with keeping forbidden books safe in Auschwitz.

The Moth Keeper. By K. O’Neill. Art by the author. 2023. 272p. Random House Graphic, paper, $13.99 (9780593182260). Gr. 4-6. 741.5973.

Anya becomes the apprentice Moth Keeper for her nocturnal village, but the job is more difficult than she imagined.

The Tryout: A Graphic Novel. By Christina Soontornvat. Art by Joanna Cacao. 2022. 272p. Graphix, paper, $12.99 (9781338741261). Gr. 4-6. B.

In this graphic memoir, Christina recounts the experience of trying out for cheerleading as the only Asian-American in her Texas middle school.

The Witch’s Throne, vol. 1. By Cedric Caballes. Art by the author. 2022. 320p. Andrews McMeel Publishing, paper, $15.99 (9781524876500). Gr. 7-9. 741.5973.

Inspired by the heroic stories of her childhood, young alchemist Agni ventures out to become a Throne Seeker, picking up three companions haphazardly along the way.

The Witches of Silverlake, vol. 1. By Simon Curtis. Art by Stephanie Son. 2023. 200p. Legendary Comics, paper, $19.99 (9781681160849). Gr. 7-9. 741.5973.

After a tumultuous year, Elliot enrolls at a new private school where he befriends a group of misfits but soon discovers they are witches.

The World After the Fall, vol. 1. By S-Cynan. Art by Undead Gamja. 2022. 280p. Ize Press, paper, $20.00 (9798400900044). Gr. 7-9. 741.5951.

Jaewhan is the last of the Tower Walkers, an elite group of ‘chosen ones’ selected to climb the levels of dystopian towers filled with monsters.

Tower of God, vol. 1. By S.I.U. Art by the author. 2022. 288p. Webtoon Unscrolled, paper, $18.99 (9781990259906). Gr. 7-9. 741.5951.

Welcome to the Tower. Everyone’s dream is to ascend it. Hundreds will try; few, if any, will rise to its challenges.

Twelfth Grade Night: Arden High, bk. 1. By Molly Horton Booth and Stephanie Kate Strohm. Art by Jamie Green. 2022. 160p. Disney-Hyperion, paper, $14.99 (9781368064651). Gr. 7-9. 741.5973.

Twins Vi and Sebastian start a new year at different schools. Soon Vi is swept up in some Shakespearean-level romantic drama. Literally!

Unfamiliar, vol. 1. By Haley Newsome. Art by the author. 2022. 160p. Andrews McMeel Publishing, paper, $15.99 (9781524876838). Gr. 10-12. 741.5973.

A culinary witch named Planchette gathers help from new friends and familiars to exercise the many ghosts living in her new home.

Victory. Stand! Raising My Fist for Justice. By Tommie Smith and Derrick Barnes. Art by Dawud Anyabwile. 2022. 208p. Norton Young Readers, paper, $17.95 (9781324052159). Gr. 7-9. B.

Track-and-field gold medalist and civil rights icon Tommie Smith recounts his life leading up to his participation in the 1968 Summer Olympics in this riveting and relevant graphic memoir.

Villains Are Destined to Die, vol. 1. By Gwon Gyeoeul. Art by Suol. 2022. 256p. Ize Press, paper, $20.00 (9798400900006). General Adult. 741.5952.

Ever fall asleep grinding too many hours on a new RPG? Careful! You may wake up inside the game.On hard mode. As the villain.

We Survived the Holocaust: The Bluma and Felix Goldberg Story. By Frank W. Baker. Art by Tim Ogline. 156p. Imagine and Wonder, paper, $19.99 (9781637610206). Gr. 7-9. 900/B.

This graphic biography follows the lives of Bluma and Felix Goldberg from childhood, life inside German concentration camps, and their years together after the war.

Best Fiction for Young Adults (#BFYA2024) Nominees Round Up, Summer Edition

  • A Door in the Dark
  • by Scott Reintgen
  • March 28, 2023
  • Length: 361 p.
  • Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books, $19.99 
  • ISBN: 9781665918688
  • Reading Level: Gr. 10 – 12

Working class wizard Ren Monroe does her best at Balmerick University to prove her magic prowess so she can be recruited by a major house. When a portal spell malfunctions, she is transported with five other students to dangerous wilderness days from home.

  • Aces Wild: A Heist
  • by Amanda DeWitt
  • September 13, 2022
  • Length: 345 p.
  • Publisher: Peachtree Teen, $17.99
  • ISBN: 9781682634660
  • Reading Level: Gr. 9-12

When Jack Shannon’s mother, an infamous casino owner, is arrested, Jack’s four friends from an online asexual support group travel to Vegas to help him infiltrate the secret gambling den of his mother’s rival, organized crime boss Peter Carlevaro, in order to find evidence to take Carlevaro down.

  • Always the Almost
  • by Edward Underhill
  • February 14, 2023
  • Length: 307 p.
  • Publisher: Wednesday Books, $18.99
  • Reading Level: Gr.9-12
  • ISBN: 9781250835208

Miles makes a New Year’s resolution to win back his ex-boyfriend and defeat his piano rival. When he meets Eric, a kind and thoughtful new kid, and starts practicing with a new piano teacher, Miles begins to learn more about himself and what he really wants.

  • As You Walk On By
  • by Julian Winters
  • January 17, 2023
  • Length: 328 p.
  • Publisher: Viking, $18.99
  • ISBN: 9780593206508

Seventeen year-old Theo finds himself hiding in a bedroom during a party following his promposal that goes horribly wrong. As, one by one, Theo’s fellow classmates pop into that bedroom seeking refuge of their own, an unlikely group forms that changes the status quo.

  • Becoming a Queen
  • by Dan Clay
  • April 25, 2023
  • Length: 407 p.
  • Publisher: Roaring Brook Press, $19.99 
  • Reading Level: Gr. 8-12
  • ISBN: 9781250843098

Mark Davis wore a pretty dress and his boyfriend broke up with him. Now Mark is on his road to a new romance and self-acceptance when tragedy strikes, and he must figure out who he wants to be in order to move on.

  • Bianca Torre is Afraid of Everything
  • by Justine Pucella Winans
  • April 11, 2023
  • Length: 362 p.
  • Publisher: Clarion Books, $19.99 
  • Reading Level: Gr. 9-12
  • ISBN: 9780358721642 Gr. 9 – 12

Bianca Torre enjoys bird and people from their bedroom window. When they witness the murder of their neighbor, they start a bizarre journey to solve the murder, despite having a long list of fears. Through the process, they also find themselves and valuable relationships. Click here to check out our review of this title.

  • Chaos Theory
  • By Nic Stone
  • February 28, 2023
  • Length: 278 p.
  • Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers, $18.99 
  • Reading Level: Gr. 8-12
  • ISBN: 9780593307700

Genius high school senior, Shelbi, meets politician’s son, Andy, on one of his worst days, and reaches out to help. Their unlikely friendship becomes more, but they both have complicated pasts that might end up keeping them apart.

  • City of Nightmares
  • By Rebecca Schaeffer
  • January 10, 2023
  • Length: 374 p.
  • Publisher: Clarion, $18.99
  • Reading Level: Gr. 9-12
  • ISBN: 9780358647300

No one dreams in Newham, where pills and treated water keep sleeping people safe from transforming into literal Nightmares. After surviving a ferry bombing, self-described coward Ness works with the other survivor, Cy, a Nightmare, to investigate why they are still being targeted, leading them to uncover a dark conspiracy.

  • Dear Medusa
  • By Olivia Cole
  • March 14, 2023
  • Length: 377 p.
  • Publisher: Labyrinth Road, $18.99 
  • Reading Level: Gr. 9-12
  • ISBN: 9780593485736

After being sexually abused by a popular teacher at her school Alicia feels cut off from the world around her, until one day, she gets a note from another survivor. Click here to read our review of this title.

  • Enter the Body
  • By Joy McCullough
  • March 14, 2023
  • Length: 320 p.
  • Publisher: Dutton Books, $18.99 
  • Reading Level: Gr. 9-12
  • ISBN: 9780593406755

Juliet, Ophelia, Cordelia, and Lavinia–victims of violence and misogyny in Shakespeare’s tragedies–share their versions of the events in their lives and have the opportunity to rewrite their tragedies.

HighlySupciousAndUnfairlyCutebyTaliaHibbert
  • Heartbreak Boys
  • By Simon James Green
  • December 20, 2022
  • Length: 376 p.
  • Publisher: Clarion Books, $18.99 
  • Reading Level: Gr. 8-12
  • ISBN: 9780358617259

Jack and Nate used to be best friends, but have not spoken in years. When they find out on prom night that their boyfriends have secretly been seeing each other, they take off on a summer road trip to prove that they are living their best lives and start to remember along the way why they were friends and why now maybe they could be more.

  • Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute
  • By Talia Hibbert
  • January 3, 2023
  • Length: 319 p.
  • Publisher: Joy Revolution, $19.99 
  • Reading Level: Gr. 9-12
  • ISBN: 9780593482339

Celine and Brad used to be best friends, until Brad ditched Celine for the in-crowd. Now, they’re academic rivals. When they both sign up for a survival course in the woods, with a scholarship as the grand prize, their competition brings up long-buried resentments, but also the possibility of reconciliation. Click here to read our review of this title.

  • How To Succeed in Witchcraft
  • By Aislinn Brophy
  • September 27, 2022
  • Length: 406 p.
  • Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, $18.99 
  • Reading Level: Gr. 9-12
  • ISBN: 9780593354520

Shay Johnson is one of the top witches at her school To win the coveted Brockton Scholarship, ensuring her admittance to the college of her dreams, Shay must step outside her comfort zone to do the school musical with a teacher who has questionable motives. Click here to read our review of this title.

  • Promise Boys
  • By Nick Brooks
  • January 31, 2023
  • Length: 294 p.
  • Publisher: Henry Holt and Co., $19.99 
  • Reading Level: Gr. 9-12
  • ISBN: 9781250866974

J.B., Ramón, and Trey are students at the prestigious and strict Urban Promise Prep School when their principal is murdered and the three become the prime suspects. Click here to read our review of this title.

RainRisingbyCourtneComrie
  • Rain Rising
  • by Courtne Comrie
  • September 27, 2022
  • Length: 327 p.
  • Publisher: Harper Collins, $16.99
  • Reading Level: Gr. 5.12
  • ISBN: 9780063159730

Rain is struggling to find out who she is and where she fits in during her eighth grade year of school when her beloved older brother is attacked during a college visit in what appears to be a racially motivated beating. Click here to read our review.

  • Remind Me to Hate You Later
  • by Lizzy Mason
  • February 28, 2023
  • Length: 308 p.
  • Publisher: Bloomsbury YA, $18.99
  • Reading Level: G. 9-12
  • ISBN: 9781547609185

Reeling from the death of her best friend, Jules, by suicide. Natalie must learn how to move on with her life as she grapples with blaming herself and Jules’s mom, a lifestyle blogger. Told in dual narration between Jules and Natalie.  

  • Saints of the Household
  • by Ari Tison
  • March 28, 2023
  • Length: 312 p.
  • Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $19.99 
  • Reading Level: Gr. 9-12
  • ISBN: 9780374389499

Max and Jay are brothers who have relied on each for everything including protecting their mother from an abusive father. After a violent altercation with a classmate, they begin a journey of healing through an exploration of their Bribri American identity as well as looking outward to others for help.

  • Self-Made Boys
  • by Anna-Marie McLemore
  • September 6, 2022
  • Length: 304 p.
  • Publisher: Feiwel and Friends, $18.99 
  • Reading Level: Gr. 9-12
  • ISBN: 9781250774934

It’s the 1920’s, and seventeen year old Latinx Nicolás Caraveo, a transgender boy from Wisconsin, has come to New York seeking professional success, but finds himself caught up in much more when he is introduced to his cousin Daisy’s glamorous world.

  • She Is a Haunting
  • by Trang Thanh Tran
  • February 28, 2023
  • Length: 341 p.
  • Publisher: Bloomsbury, $18.99 
  • Reading Level: Gr. 9-12
  • ISBN: 9781547610815

When Jade Nguyen visits her estranged father in Vietnam, she plans to help him restore his French colonial home, in exchange for the college money he promised. Instead, she finds the house haunted by its past, hungry for visitors, and willing to keep her entire family within its walls forever.

  • Star Splitter
  • by Matthew Kirby
  • April 25, 2023
  • Length: 305 p.
  • Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers, $18.99 
  • Reading Level: Gr. 7-12
  • ISBN: 9780735231665

In 2199, space exploration and teleportation are routine and considered safe. However, when 17-year-old Jessica is made to travel via teleportation to be reunited with her parents and assist them with a science expedition, she wakes up confused and alone on a crashed lander.

  • Spell Bound
  • by F.T. Lukens
  • April 4, 2023
  • Length: 323 p.
  • Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books, $19.99 
  • Reading Level: 7-12
  • ISBN: 9781665916226

Rook is a genius who grew up around magic, but isn’t magical. He gets a job working in the office of the famous sorceress Antonia Hex who handles magical emergencies. Rook soon realizes he must break the rules in order to become who he was always meant to be. Click here to read our review.

  • Take a Bow, Noah Mitchell
  • by Tobias Madden
  • January 3, 2023
  • Length: 373 p.
  • Publisher: Page Street, $18.99 
  • ISBN: 9781645677062

Noah Mitchell never wants to leave the safe haven of his computer gaming world, until he discovers his crush is participating in a local musical theater production. Determined to develop a real relationship, Noah joins the cast and discovers he might have gotten himself in a bit too deep. 

  • The Buried and the Bound
  • by Rochelle Hassan
  • January 24, 2023
  • Length: 375 p.
  • Publisher: Roaring Brook Press, $19.99 
  • Reading Level: Gr. 9-12
  • ISBN: 9781250822208

When the barrier between her hometown and the adjacent fairyland in the woods starts thinning, Aziza must team up with a cursed high school student and a mysterious necromancer to save the city they call home. 

  • The Do-Over
  • by Lynn Painter
  • November 15, 2022
  • Length: 291 p.
  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster, $19.99 
  • Reading Level: Gr. 9-12
  • ISBN: 9781534478862

Emilie Hornby gets stuck in a time loop where she is forced to relive the most dreadful Valentine’s Day over and over again, but she soon discovers that running into her grumpy and cute Chemistry partner may not be the worst thing to ever happen.

The Secrets We Keep by Cassie Gustafson
  • The Q
  • by Amy Tintera
  • November 8, 2022
  • Length: 343 p.
  • Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers, $18.99 
  • Reading Level: Gr. 9-12
  • ISBN: 9780593486177

Lennon Pierce, son of a U.S. presidential candidate, is kidnapped and dropped into the Q, a walled off quarantine zone for those previously infected by a mysterious virus. Maisie Rojas, trusted lieutenant to the leader of the southern Q zone, must get him to safety before time runs out.

  • The Secrets We Keep
  • by Cassie Gustafson
  • November 8, 2022
  • Length: 340 p.
  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR, $19.99 
  • ISBN: 9781665906944

Fifteen-year-old Emma’s life is turned upside down when her father is accused of molesting Hannah, her best–and only–friend in this hopeful story of two sexual abuse survivors. Click here to read our review.

  • The Sharp Edge of Silence
  • by Cameron Kelly Rosenblum
  • April 11, 2023
  • Length: 473 p.
  • Publisher: Quill Tree Books, $19.99 
  • Reading Level: Gr. 9-12
  • ISBN: 9780062932105

Quinn, Max, and Charlotte must decide how far they are willing to go to end the tacitly accepted rape culture at their prestigious boarding Lycroft Phelps School.

  • This Is Not a Personal Statement
  • by Tracy Badua
  • January 17, 2023
  • Length: 341 p.
  • Publisher: Quill Tree Books, $18.99 
  • Reading Level: Gr. 10-12
  • ISBN: 9780063217751

When sixteen-year-old Filipina American Perla, reluctantly dubbed “Perfect Perlie Perez,” receives a rejection letter from Delmont University, the school her ambitious perfectionist parents want her to attend, she panics, makes a convincing fake acceptance letter, and then plans to secretly live on campus until she can apply again.

  • Warrior Girl Unearthed
  • by Angeline Boulley
  • May 2, 2023
  • Length: 396 p.
  • Publisher: Henry Holt and Company, $19.99 
  • Reading Level: Gr. 9-12
  • ISBN: 9781250766588

Perry Firekeeper-Birch finds herself embroiled in a plot to steal the remains of her tribal ancestors before they are turned over to a university museum or sold to private collectors.

  • We Are All So Good at Smiling
  • by Amber McBride
  • January 10, 2023
  • Length: 283 p.
  • Publisher: Feiwel & Friends, $19.99 
  • Reading Level: Gr. 9-12
  • ISBN: 9781250780386

Whimsy is back in the hospital to treat her ongoing clinical depression. This time proves different and life changing when she meets a boy there named Faerry. Over time she realizes they both share magic, a fear of the forest, and a dark forgotten secret.

  • We Deserve Monuments
  • by Jas Hammonds
  • November 29, 2022
  • Length: 375 p.
  • Publisher: Roaring Brook Publishers, $18.99 
  • Reading Level: Gr. 9-12
  • ISBN: 9781250816559

Avery is nursing a broken heart when her parents drag her from her Washington, D. C. home to Georgia to care for her crabby grandmother, Mama Letty. New friends, new loves, and the painful mystery of her grandfather’s death at the hands of the sheriff make for an emotional visit.

  • When the Angels Left the Old Country
  • by Sacha Lamb
  • October 18, 2022
  • Length: 400 p.
  • Publisher: Levine Querido, $19.99 
  • Reading Level: Gr. 9-12
  • ISBN: 9781646141760

A patient angel and a mischievous demon who have been studying Talmud together for centuries in their little Russian shtetl travel to America to perform a mitzvah, locating a young woman who left for the “golden land” to find her fortune but hasn’t been heard from since. 

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: https://bit.ly/BFYA24TeenFB

Amazing Audiobooks (#AA2024) Featured Review: Whiteout by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon

  • Whiteout
  • by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jacson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon
  • Narrated by Nic Stone, Danielle Shemaiah, Shayna Small, Bahnie Turpin, Alaska Jackson, Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Kevin R. Free, James Fouhey, and Korey Jackson
  • Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers, Inc./Quill Tree Books
  • Publication Date: November 8, 2022
  • ISBN: 9780063088177

It’s winter holiday time and science-minded Stevie made a mistake. A huge mistake. She must find a way to apologize to her girlfriend, romance-loving Sola, or lose her forever. An amazing group of friends pitch in and help her attempt the apology of a lifetime, while also navigating their own love stories. The only problem is, Atlanta is experiencing a once-in-a-decade snowstorm.  

The same authors who brought us 2021’s Blackout, are back at it, this time in Atlanta. Twelve young friends work together to help save a relationship at risk. Stevie enlists her friends to help, and all are on board, but when Sola issues a time-sensitive ultimatum, the rush is on. Stevie’s friends adapt, but there’s a bigger problem: Atlanta is experiencing a snowstorm. Flights are delayed or canceled, roads are dangerous, and time is running out. During the course of the book, six couples will face second-chances, friends-to-lovers, and the realization that friendship and love are the most important part of the holiday season. 

Multiple narrators expertly represent the diverse cast of characters, each narrator reading one of the stories. The pacing and intonation of each narrator lifts each couple off the page making their stories come alive. This fun, fast-paced, romance has something for everyone.


For fans of Blackout by the same group of authors. Readers who enjoyed audiobooks like Slay! by Brittney Morris, Ibi Zoboi’s Pride, narrated by Elizabeth Acevdeo, or reruns of the 80s sitcom A Different World will enjoy this story of Black love and friendship.

-Jen Haas

Other Nominated Titles

September 13, 2022
January 10, 2023
September 13, 2023
February 7, 2023

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.

Amazing Audiobooks (#AA2023) Featured Review of In the Serpent’s Wake by Rachel Hartman 

In the Serpent’s Wake by Rachel Hartman

Narrated by Katharine Lee McEwan

Listening Library

Publication Date: February 1, 2022

ISBN: 9781524779603

In this sequel to Tess of the Road, Tess Dombegh has traded travel on the road for adventure on the southern seas. After the death of the great World Serpent Anathuthia, Tess hears rumors of another great serpent living in the far south and soon finds herself convincing the leader of an expedition, Countess Margarethe, that she should come along. Tess’s best friend, the quigutl Pathka, has been acting very strangely since Anathuthia’s death. Can Tess help find and protect the serpent before a separate, dragon-led team of explorers can find and kill it? Will finding the serpent somehow help Pathka? When she discovers that her long lost Will is alive and on the very same ship, Tess is soon neck-deep in personal and political turmoil. This follow up is filled with action, adventure and emotional reckoning. 

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