Recommendations For Teens

Three girls with entangled pasts compete for glory in their elite all-girls private school’s annual tournament, putting their survival skills and their relationships to the test, in this young adult thriller that’s “Shakespearean…stunning…dark academia at its finest” (Publishers Weekly, starred review).

Gardner isn’t like other boarding schools. They take in those who’ve been rejected everywhere else, they offer a survival skills class that has students killing and gutting animals, and then there’s the Tournament.

A competition available only to seven elite seniors, the Tournament is revered by the entire student body. They’d do almost anything—including completing a series of grueling physical challenges—to win the champion’s cup.

And this year, three seniors make the Tournament more cutthroat than ever.

Max, the ruthless scholarship student who can’t afford any distractions, not even her ex best friend Nora’s stupid confession of love at the end of last year that ruined everything between them.

Nora, who always put herself on the sidelines so Max could have everything she wanted, but might just be ready for center stage now that Max has brutally excised herself from Nora’s life.

And Teddy, the transfer who’s on her last chance and will chase any high that can pull her back from the gaping, dark void inside herself that’s always threatening to pull her in.

If one of them wants to win, then they can’t let anything—or anybody—get in their way.

A compelling, propulsive YA graphic novel mystery from acclaimed Eisner Award-winning author of Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me, Mariko Tamaki, and Eisner-nominated illustrator Nicole Goux



Multiple starred reviews! "Certain to leave readers breathlessly enthralled." (Kirkus starred review)



At Wilberton Academy, few students are more revered than the members of the elite Wilberton Theatrical Society--a.k.a. the WTS--and no one represents that exclusive club better than Elizabeth Woodward. Breathtakingly beautiful, beloved by all, and a talented thespian, it's no surprise she's starring as Juliet in the WTS's performance of Shakespeare's classic tragedy. But when she's found dead the morning after opening night, the whole school is thrown into chaos.



Transfer student Abby Kita was one of the last people to see Elizabeth alive, and when local authorities deem the it-girl's death a suicide, Abby's not convinced. She's sure there's more to Wilburton and the WTS than meets the eye. As she gets tangled in prep school intrigues, Abby quickly realizes that Elizabeth was keeping secrets. Was one of those secrets worth killing for?



Told in comics, letters, diary entries, and news articles, This Place Kills Me is a page-turning whodunnit from award-winning writer Mariko Tamaki and acclaimed illustrator Nicole Goux that will have readers on the edge of their seats and begging for an encore.

"Readers will burn through the pages as they traverse gorgeous, fully realized worlds replete with their own varied dramas. . . . Incredibly immersive and utterly unique." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) 

Set in a universe where time is key to power and privilege, this dazzlingly inventive, genre-defying fantasy romance is the first in a duology by best-selling author Caroline O’Donoghue.

Margo is a troubled schoolgirl. After the death of her father, she’s on her way to a new boarding school in a new city.

Moon is a salesman. He makes his living traveling through a series of interconnected worlds on a network of barely used train lines. 

They never should have met. But when Margo suddenly appears one day on Moon’s train, their fates become inextricably linked. If Margo wants to survive, she has to pass as a traveling salesman, too—except it’s not that easy. 

Move north on the train line and time speeds up, a day passing in mere hours. Move south and time slows down—a day can last several weeks. Slow worlds are the richest ones: you live longer, your youth lasting decades. Fast worlds are sharp, cruel, and don’t have time for pleasantries. Death is frequent. Salesmen die young of skipshock. That is, if they’re not shot down by the Southern Guard first. 

As Margo moves between worlds and her attachment to Moon intensifies, she feels her youth start to slip between her fingers. But is Moon everything he seems? Is Margo?

Told through the eyes of both naive Margo and desperate Moon, the unforgettable realm of Skipshock will shake the way you think about love, time, and the fabric of the universe. The first in a planned duology from the best-selling author of the Gifts series, this utterly original epic is a must-read.

In this contemporary romantic drama for young adults, the high-stakes gang politics of Breaking Bad meets the star-crossed romance of Romeo & Juliet.

To keep Rajan out of prison, Simran agrees to handle his former gang's books--but when a gang war erupts, they must decide how much they'll sacrifice for each other.

"A genre-defying masterpiece!"
--Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times best-selling author of These Violent Delights

As long as Simran has known Rajan, her immigrant community has warned her away. She knows what they call him, especially since he got out of juvie: an addict. A gangster. A killer.

But Simran can't believe Rajan is beyond hope. She's seen his thoughtfulness firsthand: He's the only one who's noticed the pressure she's under to be perfect--and how close she is to breaking.

So when Rajan's old gang tries to force him back in, Simran makes a desperate bargain: She'll become their bookkeeper to clear his debts and keep him out of prison.

But Rajan won't leave her side while she works, and their forbidden attraction is becoming harder to ignore. Worse, there's a gang war brewing--and neither of them is likely to get through it unscathed . . . if they get through it at all.

This high-stakes forbidden romance is perfect for fans of star-crossed love and the rich themes and singing prose of Sabaa Tahir and Angie Thomas.

"Metallo crafts interesting and realistic teens and adults, and offers a unique and nuanced view of an autistic teen experiencing high school." —Publishers Weekly (starred review) 

A hilarious and heartfelt novel about a neurodivergent theater nerd that tackles slut-shaming, what it means to be a friend, and the power of forgiving others—and yourself.

There are countless good reasons to hate seventeen-year-old Jess Lanza, Stone Bridge High’s premier autistic theater nerd and Champion of Questionable Life Choices. Unfortunately, the cyberbullies that hounded her all summer are stuck on last year’s life-ruining mistake, the one that earned Jess the title “Boyfriend Stealing Slutbag.” To relieve the bullies of their stale content, Jess vows to dazzle them with online posts about her own ridiculous fails and embarrassing character traits. But somehow, all of Jess’s posts circle back to her friendship with Chloe—the friendship her alleged sluttiness pulverized—and the gaping hole she left in Jess’s life. As Jess chases Chloe’s forgiveness, she must confront some of her darkest weaknesses—and darker still, the truth of what happened with Chloe’s boyfriend, a story neither of them wants to hear. Told through a series of blog posts and short scripts, this cleverly staged and structured debut novel crackles with spot-on dialogue, features a range of fully developed neurodiverse characters, and sharply evokes high school in all its hilarious and agonizing complexity.

A New York Times Bestseller

Grace Woodhouse was the star kicker with a D1 future, but that was before she came out as transgender and quit football. Now, as senior year begins, Grace is navigating a new life with queer friends and a fresh perspective.

But when her old teammates beg her to rejoin the Pageland High football team, Grace can't resist the call of the game. Can she be both a star football player and a trans girl? As Grace steps back onto the field, she'll face down transphobia, navigate complicated feelings for her ex-girlfriend, and learn to unite her past and present worlds. One of the Boys is a heartfelt, funny, and inspiring story about self-discovery, breaking stereotypes, and the power of solidarity, all wrapped up in an unforgettable season of high school football.

Perfect for fans of sports stories and authentic queer narratives, this book is a winning game of "feelingsball" you won't want to miss!”

P R A I S E 

"Heartfelt, hilarious, and blisteringly honest. One of the Boys is genuinely one of the best contemporary YAs I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading."
— Andrew Joseph White, NYTimes bestselling author of Compound Fracture 

★ “A standout first work, setting a high bar for the blooming subgenre of queer sports fiction.”
— Booklist (starred)

★ “One of the Boys is an amazing feel-good read for any teen (or adult!) who loves football—but for those who know nothing about the sport, Zeller does a great job making it accessible. Alongside great sports plays and banter, Zeller also prioritizes “feelingsball,” or mapping Grace’s mental and emotional journey as she works to unite the football world and the LGBTQ+ world, two spaces with long-held stereotypes and prejudices against each other. One of the Boys is a standout work of YA fiction, as inspiring and illuminating as it is funny and relatable.”
— BookPage (starred)

★ “Zeller artfully exposes the tender underbelly of locker room posturing, presenting a subversive, experience-informed interpretation of toxic masculinity... An intersectionally diverse cast—which includes Grace’s taciturn yet supportive single father—helps the protagonist forge her own path and blaze a trail for others in this necessary debut.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred)

**NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST!**

"Intimate and astonishing."--Jason Reynolds, New York Times Bestselling Author

For fans of You've Reached Sam and If I Stay, a hauntingly beautiful, ultimately hopeful novel-in-verse about a girl in between life and death, by National Book Award Finalist Amber McBride.

Gospel is the Keeper of the Leaving Room—a place all young people must phase through when they die. The young are never ready to leave; they need a moment to remember and a Keeper to help their wispy souls along.

When a random door opens and a Keeper named Melodee arrives, their souls become entangled. Gospel's seriousness melts and Melodee’s fear of connection fades, but still—are Keepers allowed to fall in love? Now they must find a way out of the Leaving Room and be unafraid of their love. In a novel that takes place over four minutes, National Book Award finalist Amber McBride explores connection, memory, and hope in ways that are unforgettable and poignant.

From acclaimed author K. Ancrum comes a queer romantic thriller in which the lives of Hollis, a boy in search of meaning, and Walt, a spirit with unfinished business, collide when Walt takes possession of Hollis's body...and maybe his heart. For fans of Adam Silvera and Aiden Thomas! Now in paperback!

A School Library Journal 2025 Stars So Far list pick!

Hollis Brown is stuck. Born to a blue-collar American Dream, Hollis lives in a rotting small town where no one can afford to leave. Hollis's only bright spots are his two best friends, cool girls Annie and Yulia, and the thrill of fighting his classmates.

As if his circumstances couldn’t get worse, a chance encounter with a mysterious stranger named Walt results in a frightening trap. After unknowingly making a deal at the crossroads, Hollis finds himself losing control of his body and mind, falling victim to possession. Walt, the ghost making a home inside him, has a deep and violent history rooted in the town Hollis grew up in and he has unfinished business to take care of.

As Walt and Hollis begin working together to put Walt’s spirit to rest, an unspeakable bond forms between them, and the boys begin falling for one another in unexpected ways. But it’s only a matter of time before Hollis’s best friends begin to notice that something about Hollis isn’t quite…right.

With the threat of a long-overdue exorcism looming before them, will Walt and Hollis be able to protect their love and undo the curse that turned their town from a garden of possibility into a place where dreams go to die?

The Corruption of Hollis Brown has already received four starred reviews!

"Ancrum’s tight writing style is perfect for this gritty thriller: simultaneously clipped and lyrical...The novel’s rich tenderness for the town, its residents, and their ghosts makes it a must-read. Queer resilience at its finest." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"A psychologically thrilling and emotionally intimate tribute to bettering one’s own circumstances—and those of one’s community—and the selflessness of love." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Walt and Hollis’s romance is as intense, stark, and heartfelt as the romances in Ancrum’s previous works...their growth as people is both genuine and rewarding to watch." —ALA Booklist (starred review) 

"A knack for creating characters who are bigger on the inside is on full display here...as Ancrum’s two-boys-one-body setup rests on a delicate balance of voice that never falters...A profoundly beautiful, strange, and introspective love story, at turns soothing and scalding." —School Library Journal (starred review)

"This is a magnificent piece of speculative fiction that will have readers waiting for more from this author." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD • A powerful, genre-bending mosaic of fiction and poetry that celebrates the humanity, grace, and resilience of teenage New Yorkers riding out the pandemic—from the award-winning author of Chlorine Sky

“A gorgeous, tender testament to the generation of young people who shouldered the pandemic.”—New York Times bestselling author Brendan Kiely

A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

We found out what true longing looked like. Longing for crushes to crush back the week after next. Longing for hugs. Longing for connection.

As New York goes into lockdown and neighborhoods begin to feel the brunt of the pandemic, the city’s teens persevere with love and hope amidst all the fear and loss: Malachi writes an Armageddon short story inspired by his new reality. Tariq helps their ailing grandmother survive quarantine. Zamira struggles with depression and loneliness after losing her parents. Mohamed tries to help keep his community spirit alive.

Mahogany L. Browne’s unforgettable, interconnected short stories and poems remind us to breathe as these New York City teens discover their will to survive, their determination to dream, and their joy.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • She has always known the rules: Never resurrect anything larger than the palm of her hand. But that was before her sister died. . . .

“Yun beautifully captures the haunting of family myths in this slow-burn horror. Eerie and poignant, And The River Drags Her Down will sweep readers into its relentless current.” —Trang Thanh Tran, New York Times bestselling author of She Is a Haunting

A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

When her older sister is found mysteriously drowned in the river that cuts through their small coastal town, Soojin Han disregards every rule and uses her ancestral magic to bring Mirae back from the dead. At first, the sisters are overjoyed, reveling in late-night escapades and the miracle of being together again, but Mirae grows tired of hiding from the world. She becomes restless and hungry . . .

Driven by an insatiable desire to finish what she started in life, to unravel the truth that crushed her family so many years ago, Mirae is out for revenge.

When their town is engulfed by increasingly destructive rain and a series of harrowing, unusual deaths, Soojin is forced to reckon with the fact that perhaps the sister she brought back isn’t the one she knew.