Best Fiction for Young Adults (#BFYA2024) Featured Review: A Door in the Dark by Scott Reintgen

  • A Door in the Dark
  • by Scott Reintgen
  • Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
  • Release date: March 28, 2023
  • ISBN: 9781665918688

Working class wizard, Ren Monroe, does her best at Balmerick University to prove her magic prowess so she can be recruited for a career in one of the major houses. When a portal spell malfunctions, she is transported with five other students to dangerous wilderness days from home, and must survive with her unlikely companions who are telling lies and keeping secrets.

A Door in the Dark is action-packed, with a “don’t trust anyone” vibe that makes for a suspenseful, engaging read. Ren is a well-developed main character, with a unique voice and her own motivations that create new twists as the stories of her companions are slowly revealed.

This title is perfect for teen readers who want accessible fantasy where worldbuilding is peppered in while the action is already going.  Readers who enjoy thrillers like One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus will appreciate this adventure full of backstabbing and lies, with plenty of magic and monster fighting as well. A large cast of relatable, vibrant characters will appeal to fans of Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo.

-Emily Williams

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

Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers (#QP2024) Feature Review: Funeral Girl by Emma Ohland

  • Funeral Girl
  • by Emma Ohland
  • Publisher: Carolrhoda Lab
  • Imprint: Lerner Publishing Group
  • Release date: September 6, 2022
  • ISBN: 9781728458007

Georgia’s parents run a funeral home so she is surrounded by the dead. It seems only natural that she can also communicate with ghosts by simply touching a corpse.

Initially this ability seems to give Georgia purpose as she can honor one last request from the dead before they cross over. But eventually, one of Georgia’s classmates dies unexpectedly and enters the funeral home. She is torn over if she should reach out to this body and risk learning the truth. What would readers do if confronted with the same situation?

Readers who are curious about life-after-death and interested in ghosts and ghost hunting will find this title appealing. Additional recommendations include Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson, Horror Hotel by Victoria Fulton and Faith McClaren, and Invisible Ghosts by Robyn Schneider.

– Jessica Lorentz Smith

Other Nominated Titles

Release Date: November 8, 2022
Release Date: January 24, 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) Featured Review: Season of the Bruja by Aaron Durán and Sara Soler

  • Season of the Bruja, vol. 1
  • by Aaron Durán and Sara Soler
  • Publisher: Oni Press
  • Publication Date: January 24, 2023
  • ISBN-13: ‎978-1549308161

Raised by her grandmother and paranormal family friends, Althalia is one of the last brujas and is being taught to control her magic and maintain her culture. Her life drastically shifts when it turns out that the church who has persecuted her people for centuries now knows of her and her grandmother. Althalia must go through the trials of learning to control her power as her grandmother wishes, while uncovering family secrets and a vast array of emotions in the process.

Season of the Bruja, vol. 1 is a fast-paced and action-packed graphic story with a center of family, friendship, and culture. It has exorcisms, Chupacabra’s, and were-coyotes–oh my! But the magic enhances the storytelling without overwhelming it, and character emotions still shine through.

Those who are interested in the magic and paranormal combined with everyday life should read Kelly Thompson’s Sabrina The Teenage Witch comics. For those who want more of the action, look for the new comic adaptation of Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Jordie Bellaire and Dan Mora. For teens who want more Latine representation in witchcraft, pick up Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas or the Brooklyn Brujas series by Zoraida Córdova.

—Cheyenne Sons

Other Nominated Titles

Release Date: February 14, 2023
Release Date: March 14, 2023
Release Date: May 2, 2023
Release Date: June 27, 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.

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: The Moth Keeper by K. O’Neill

  • The Moth Keeper
  • by K. O’Neill
  • Publisher: Random House Graphic
  • Publication Date: March 7, 2023
  • ISBN-13: 9780593182260

In The Moth Keeper Anya becomes an apprentice to the Moth Keeper for her nocturnal village. Generations ago, the Moon-Spirit gifted her village with the Moon-Moths that pollinate the Night-Flower which grants them blessings that allow the villagers to thrive. The Moth Keeper’s duty is to watch over the Moon-Moths each night in solitude and guide and protect them. As Anya struggles with the isolation during the cold nights and fulfilling her duty, she grows curious about the sun and what daytime is like. Will Anya be able to keep her vow to protect the Moon-Moths and her village?

The Moth Keeper is a magical coming of age story that beautifully illustrates the pressure of living up to expectations and struggling to carry a burden on your own as well as learning to rely on others. The themes of finding yourself and discovering a sense of belonging within a community is something that many can relate to. The art has an ethereal quality that matches the tone of the story and world building. The color palette includes a wide variety of purples and oranges that express the contrast of the desert setting during the night and daytime beautifully.

The Moth Keeper will appeal to fans of magic and fantasy as well as heartfelt coming-of-age stories. Fans of Hayao Miyazaki’s works such as Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro will appreciate the whimsical art style and world building of The Moth Keeper. Video game players who enjoy games such as Kena: Bridge of Spirits, Ori and the Blind Forest, and Celeste will enjoy Anya’s journey of self-discovery and growth as well as the beautiful illustrations of nature. Readers who enjoy witchy stories such as Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker and Tidesong by Wendy Xu will likely enjoy The Moth Keeper as well.

—Kaleigh Oldham

Other Nominated Titles

Release Date: September 6, 2022
Release Date: October 25, 2022
Release Date: November 8, 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.

Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers (#QP2024) Feature Review: Spells for Lost Things by Jenna Evans Welch

  • Spells for Lost Things
  • by Jenna Evans Welch
  • Publisher: Simon and Schuster BFYR
  • Release Date: September 27, 2022
  • ISBN: 9781534448872

White-coded teenagers Willow and Mason meet during their first days in Salem, MA. Willow is there to help her mother tend to a relative’s death; Mason is there to join a new foster family. When Willow learns that her mother has been hiding details of her past, Mason jumps at the chance to help Willow find answers. In turn, Willow wants to help Mason find his birth mother. The two have instant chemistry, a charming first relationship, and a ton of humor. Weaving Willow and Mason’s mysteries throughout the novel leaves readers rooting for the pair. Dual narration audiobook.

This title is a good candidate for QPRR because many different readers can enjoy this novel given that it is a blend of genres (romance, cultural lore, paranormal, mystery, fairytale). Welch’s class critique that financial stability does not circumvent anyone from feeling neglected by their family is powerful. Set during the summer, the tiny seaside town adds to both the romance and intrigue of the story, and Welch names actual locations in Salem creating a travel guide of the town. Both of the protagonists and many of the secondary characters are developed sufficiently to leave readers wanting more, while the three plot lines contribute to a robust story building. 


The teen reader who would appreciate this title is someone who likes adventures and/ or cozy mysteries. This novel incorporates light fantasy elements perfect for people who enjoy Sabrina the Teenage Witch; Jackpot by Nic Stone (2019); The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout (2016)

Other Nominated Titles

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.

Best Fiction for Young Adults Featured Review: Spell Bound by F.T. Lukens

  • Spell Bound
  • by F.T. Lukens
  • Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
  • Release Date: April 4, 2023
  • 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 is introduced to a big magical world including rival apprentice Sun who he begrudgingly thinks is cute despite their moody disposition. Rook realizes he must break the rules in order to become who he was always meant to be, but might bring everyone he cares about down with him.

With some excellent world building and lots of humor, Lukens brings us a feel-good story that highlights not always believing what you have been told about yourself. In this enemies to friends modern fantasy, readers will enjoy this journey of belonging and acceptance.

Any teen who likes a robust magical world or queer romance will find something to love in this novel. This book is for anyone who enjoyed Carry On by Rainbow Rowell or How to Succeed in Witchcraft by Aislinn Brophy.

-Giovanna Forsyth

Other Nominated Titles

RainRisingbyCourtneComrie
Release Date: September 27, 2022
October 18, 2022
January 31, 2023
November 8, 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.
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

Best Fiction for Young Adults Featured Review: How to Succeed in Witchcraft by Aislinn Brophy

  • How to Succeed in Witchcraft
  • by Aislinn Brophy
  • Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
  • Release Date: September 27, 2022
  • ISBN: 9780593354520

Shay Johnson is the best or second best witch at her magical high school depending on who you ask. In order to win the coveted Brockton Scholarship ensuring her admittance to the college of her dreams and a career to help support her family, Shay must step outside of her comfort zone to do the school musical. She soon realizes that the person she thought was her nemesis might be a friend (or maybe more), and the teacher who is helping her out might be manipulating her and other young witches.

In her debut novel, Aislinn Brophy ambitiously creates a vivid magical world that feels fresh. She uses magic allegorically to mirror class differences in our own society, but in a seemingly effortless way that will make it easy for younger readers to understand and relate. The story delicately and realistically handles the internal thoughts of a teenager being groomed by a teacher. As the story progresses, you get frustrated by the choices of our protagonist, but in a testament to the writing, Brophy ensures we are always rooting for Shay to find her way.

The teen reader that will love this book will like the cross section of fantasy, feminism, and LGBTQIA+ stories. Recommend this title to readers who enjoyed Aiden Thomas’ Cemetery Boys or The Witchery by S. Isabelle.

Other Nominated Titles

HighlySupciousAndUnfairlyCutebyTaliaHibbert
Release Date: January 3, 2023
Release Date: November 8, 2022
Release Date: January 10, 2023
Release Date: October 18, 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.

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

An Interview with 2021 Morris Award finalist Isabel Ibañez, author of Woven in Moonlight

The William C. Morris Award is awarded each year to a debut YA publication. After considering the wealth of excellence each year, the committee selects 5 finalists, announced in December. From these, the winner is chosen (2021: Kyrie McCauley’s If These Wings Could Fly) though all of the finalists demonstrate unique greatness in every page.

Finalist Isabel Ibañez has lots of talents, and in her debut Woven in Moonlight, she puts them all to excellent use. From art to storytelling, Ibañez delivers a complete package full of action, emotion, and history. As she builds this rich and beautiful world, she helps readers build empathy and understanding.

author Isabel Ibañez

We are grateful to Isabel for her book, her voice, and her art! We are also grateful for the time she granted for this thoughtful and fascinating interview!


The Hub: Woven in Moonlight is a celebration of the senses: smells, colors, sounds, food! What was your motivation behind including all those sensorial experiences?

II: I don’t want to assume, but I don’t know of any other YA author who is Bolivian, so when I was drafting this book, I felt this awareness that for a lot of people this would be an introduction to Bolivia. I wanted to do Bolivia justice because I grew up going there, and my whole family is from there. My brother and I were the only ones born in the United States. It’s where my grandparents are, and I have something like 27 first cousins. I love Bolivia. I know the way it smells, how it tastes, the food, I love the art, and I can see myself walking down these streets because it’s like another home for me. 

The decision to include all those details is because I wanted people to experience it the way I experience it. Woven in Moonlight is a profoundly personal story, so deeply tied to my lived experience, my culture, what you would see on our dinner table, the politics and the history – all of it was really influential in writing this book.

Continue reading An Interview with 2021 Morris Award finalist Isabel Ibañez, author of Woven in Moonlight

Booklist: Pride Month Reading

June is Pride Month and ALA’s GLBT Book Month both of which celebrate the lives and experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual (LGBTQIA) people. You can join the Pride movement yourself with this reading list to keep you busy for the rest of June and into the summer.

cover art collage for Booklist: Pride Month Reading

  1. Under the Lights by Dahlia Adler: Vanessa Park is passionate about acting and loves being on set–even with her flirty co-star Josh Chester. Van’s happy to have her new career handler, Brianna, but unsure what to do when her friendly feelings for Bri become something else.
  2. The Scorpion Rules by Erin Bow (2016 Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers): Greta Gustafson Stuart, Duchess of Halifax and Crown Princess of the Pan Polar Confederation, is a seventh generation hostage. She knows to follow the rules even with her country on the brink of war. Elián Palnik is a new hostage who refuses to accept any of the tenets of the Children of Peace, forcing Greta to question everything she believes and all of the rules as she struggles to save Elián and herself.
  3. Alex as Well by Alyssa Brugman: Alex feels like her life is finally coming together when she stops hormone treatments and chooses to live life as a girl.
  4. Look Both Ways by Alison Cherry: Brooklyn expects to find her people and her niche at a summer apprenticeship at the Allerdale Playhouse. She and her roommate Zoe hit it off immediately. But as their friendship turns into something more, Brooklyn realizes that love isn’t nearly as simple as she thought.
  5. Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova (2017 Best Fiction for Young Adults): When Alex’s spell to get rid of her magic backfires and her family disappears from their Brooklyn home, she’ll have to travel to the world of Los Lagos to get them back with help from her best friend Rishi and a strange brujo boy with his own agenda.
  6. George by Alex Gino: Charlotte wants everyone to see her for who she really is and to play Charlotte in her class play of Charlotte’s Web. But for any of that to happen she has to come up with a plan to help everyone know the real her instead of the boy they see when they look at her.
  7. Girl Mans Up by M-E Girard (2017 Best Fiction for Young Adults, 2017 William C. Morris Debut Award): Caught between her traditional Portuguese parents and her friend Colby who wants loyalty for things Pen isn’t sure she should support will force Pen to find her own way through.
  8. None of the Above by I. W. Gregorio: Kristen had her life figured out until her decision to have sex with her boyfriend changes everything Kristen thought she knew about herself.
  9. Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg (2014 Best Fiction for Young Adults): When Rafe moves to a new all boys’ boarding school he decides to start with a clean slate where he isn’t “the gay kid.” Except keeping a secret like that isn’t easy. Especially when he might also be falling in love.
  10. Pantomime by Laura Lam: Gene runs away from nobility where being intersex could have Gene shunned forever. Hoping to escape her stifling life, Gene reinvents herself as Micah Grey–a performer quick to dazzle with his aerialist skills.
  11. Gena/Finn by Hannah Moskowitz and Kat Helgeson: Can fan fiction turn to true love for two superfans of a popular TV show?
  12. Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire (2017 Alex Award): Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children takes in used-up miracle children who have outgrown their knack for finding hidden lands. When a new girl, Nancy, arrives it becomes clear that a darkness lurks at the home and it will be up to Nancy and her schoolmates to unravel the secrets of the Home and their own pasts.
  13. When The Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore (2017 Best Fiction for Young Adults): Can best friends Miel and Sam protect Miel and the roses that grow out of her wrists from the Bonner sisters, rumored witches, who seem intent to stealing them at any cost?
  14. Cut Both Ways by Carrie Mesrobian: Will doesn’t know why he hooks up with his best friend Angus. He doesn’t think he’s gay–especially not when he’s so into Brandy, a new girl at his school. But how can he love and want them both so badly?
  15. Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy: Ramona is six feet tall. She knows she likes girls, she loves her family, and she knows her future is going to be amazing. Her growing feelings for her childhood best friend Freddie make Ramona question everything she knows and show her that life, and love, are much more fluid than she thought.
  16. The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness (2016 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults, 2016 Best Fiction for Young Adults, 2017 Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults): When it feels like every week there’s a new impending doom, sometimes the most extraordinary thing to do is live your regular not-chosen-one life. Even if your best friend is worshiped by cats.
  17. Tash Hearts Tolstoy by Kathryn Ormsbee: Tash doesn’t know what to think when her obscure web series skyrockets to fame and popularity. The sudden fame can take her online flirtation to IRL but first Tash has to figure out how to explain that she’s romantic asexual. Oh and there’s the whole delivering the best web series ever to her forty thousand new subscribers.
  18. If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo (2017 Best Fiction for Young Adults, 2017 Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers): Amanda’s plans to keep a low profile during her senior year are tested when she meets Grant and feels understood for maybe the first time. But she isn’t sure how to get closer to Grant and her new friends with her newly public transgender identity.
  19. What We Left Behind by Robin Talley: Dream couple Toni and Gretchen fully expect to stay together as they start college. Then Toni, who identifies as genderqueer, finds belong for the first time with a group of transgender classmates while Gretchen tries to remember who she is without Toni at her side. Can love keep them together as they start to grow apart?
  20. Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld (2015 Best Fiction for Young Adults): Interspersed with Darcy Patel’s story of trying to find herself and become a professional author is the story that brought her to New York in the first place: Lizzie’s adventures in Afterworlds. Darcy and Lizzie’s worlds blend together in this story about facing your fears and finding yourself.

Continue reading Booklist: Pride Month Reading