Junior

*2024 PURA BELPRE HONOR AWARD*

High Spirits by Camille Gomera-Tavarez

Eleven interconnected stories centered on one extended family, the Beléns, across multiple generations and told in a style both utterly real and distinctly magical. Its stories explore machismo, mental health, family, and identity.

*2024 MORRIS AWARD finalist* 

She is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran

Jade arrives in Vietnam for a visit with her estranged father in the colonial house Ba is restoring. But the house has other plans. Night after night, Jade wakes up paralyzed. She finds curious traces of her ancestors in the gardens they once tended. And at night Jade can't ignore the ghost of the beautiful bride who leaves cryptic warnings: Don't eat.

*2023 MORRIS AWARD*

Wake the Bones by Elizabeth Kilcoyne *

A dark horror fantasy about Laurel Early, a young woman who drops out of her first year of college to return to the farm she grew up on. There is something haunting  looking for Laurel, who has her own magic connection. She and her friends must contend with their own complicated relationship with their home, and whether the darkness will overtake them or not.

*2022 PRINTZ, MORRIS, REESE AWARDS WINNER

Firekeepers’ Daughter by Angeline Boulley **

A character-driven crime thriller packed with Ojibwe culture and high-stakes tension with themes of identity, trust, and resilience." ―School Library Journal

*2021 ALEX AWARD WINNER*

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones **

This horror story follows four Native American men as a decision from their past comes back to haunt them. Magical realism and realistic fiction blend as an avenging presence tracks them down.

Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles **

Eighteen-year-old Emmett Watson has just served fifteen months for involuntary manslaughter. His mother long gone, his father recently deceased, and the family farm foreclosed upon by the bank, Emmett's intention is to pick up his eight-year-old brother, Billy, and head to California where they can start their lives anew. Quickly, this plan turns in many directions.

Wildlife by Fiona Wood * MC

Classmates and new friends Sibylla and Lou spend a semester in the wilderness and see their lives changed.

Electric Kingdom by David Arnold **

In a postapocalyptic wilderness where swarms of flesh-eating flies may descend at any moment, the fates of two groups of teenage travelers, a young woman on a strange mission from her father, and a mysterious figure called "The Deliverer" collide.

*2020 PRINTZ AWARD WINNER* and CARNEGIE MEDAL

Where the World Ends by Geraldine McCaughrean **

In 1727, a group of men and boys from St. Kilda sailed to a remote sea stack on a fowling trip, only to find themselves stranded.

*2020 ALEX AWARD WINNER*

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead ***

Elwood and Turner form an unlikely friendship at Nickel Academy, a corrupt 1960s reform school, as their twisted warden doles out a series of abuses. Their intense physical and mental torture and survival comes from the actual stories of children at the former Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys.

*2020 MORRIS AWARD WINNER*

The Field Guide to the North American Teenager  by Ben Philippe ** MC

Norris Kaplan moves to Austin, Texas and tries to survive American high school life often based on clichés. However, as he gets to know the so-called jocks, cheerleaders, loner, and Manic Pixie Dream Girl better, the hilarious, cynical Norris realizes he shouldn't judge based on labels and first impressions.

*2020 ALEX AWARD WINNER*

A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World  By C. A. Fletcher **

A dystopian future presenting a world whose population may only be in the thousands. Griz lives on an isolated island and when an interesting and likable stranger arrives and steals one of the family’s beloved dogs, Griz (16) sets out on a mission to get her back.

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

Novel-in-verse about Xiomara, who struggles to come into her own power amid her restrictive upbringing. Over the course of these lyrical, expressive, and honest poems, she grows from speaking with her fists to embracing her identity as the Poet X.

The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone by Adele Griffin * MC

Sensationally popular 18-year-old artist Addison Stone has died and this faux biography recounts her story in the form of interviews, photographs, and examples of her art.

Children of Blood and Bone by Toni Adeyemi MC

Magic was lost and Diviners blessed by the gods were killed by the King, including Zelie's mother, once  a great Reaper. Now Zelie, her brother Tzain and the rogue princess Amari, must restore magic to Orisha before it is lost forever.

Dry by Neal and Jarrod Shusterman * MC

When the water in the tap runs dry, Southern California is forced into a state of emergency. Neighbors turn on one another, and suburbia is a hot zone for “water-zombies.” When Alyssa’s parents go missing, she must do whatever it takes in order to survive the Tap-Out.

American Road Trip by Patrick Flores-Scott * MC

Teodoro's family is sinking fast: his father lost his job, his brother returned from Iraq with PTSD, and his parents are struggling to cope. T’s sister spirits her siblings away on a road trip, taking them to reconnect with family, to heal and to find a way forward.

Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo  ** Middle School MC

In this detailed look at World War I, Thomas Peaceful, who lies about his age to fight alongside his brother, details his experiences on the battlefield.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green ** MC

When Will Grayson, an awkward teen who is unsure of how to connect with others without getting hurt, and Will Grayson (same name, different kid), an angry teen, both living in the suburbs of Chicago, meet by chance, their lives are forever changed…and connected.

The Carnival at Bray by Jessie Ann Foley *  MC

Prince Award Winner. In 1993, Maggie is dismayed to leave Chicago and her beloved Uncle behind when she moves to a small Irish town. Yet it is within this evocative setting that Foley unwinds Maggie’s exceptional coming-of-age tale, where Maggie discovers music and forgiveness as antidotes for grief.

Coming of Age in Mississippi by Anne Moody * MC

Born to a poor couple who were tenant farmers on a plantation in Mississippi, Anne Moody lived through some of the most dangerous days of the pre-civil rights era in the South. The week before she began high school came the news of Emmett Till’s lynching.

No Country for Old Men by Cormac Mccarthy ** MC

 Llewelyn Moss comes across a drug deal gone wrong.  After taking the money at the crime scene, little does he know that a transmitter is bringing the assassin right to him.

Twisted by Andrew Kaufman **

Dr. Christopher Kellan comes across a familiar face while he oversees a unit known as Alpha Twelve, home to the most deranged and psychotic killers imaginable.

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste NG *** (mature) MC

Lydia is the favorite child of Marilyn and James Lee, and her parents are determined that she will fulfill the dreams they were unable to pursue. But when Lydia’s body is found in the local lake, the delicate balancing act that has been keeping the Lee family together is destroyed, tumbling them into chaos.

What the Night Sings by Vesper Stamper Middle School MC

In lyrical prose and illustration, this is a haunting, first-person account of Gerta, who learns of her Jewish heritage after being sent to Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen. Torn from her father, she clings to his viola and discovers her own voice and strength after the liberation.

CLASSICS

*2023 EXCELLENCE IN NON-FICTION AWARD WINNER*

Victory. Stand! Raising My Fist for Justice, by Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes, and illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile-- illustrated graphic memoir

1968 Olympic gold medalist Tommie Smith recounts how his love of running and his passion for activism resulted in one of the most enduring images in sports history and the fight for civil rights.

*2023 FINALIST for EXCELLENCE IN NON-FICTION AWARD*

Abuela, Don't Forget Me, by Rex OgleTouching on topics including domestic abuse, homelessness, racism, homophobia, and poverty, Ogle demonstrates how the unconditional love of his Abuela saved his life. Ogle’s powerful and moving verse memoir pays tribute to a grandmother now suffering from dementia.

*2021 EXCELLENCE IN NON-FICTION AWARD FINALIST*

You Call This Democracy?: How to Fix Our Democracy and Deliver Power to the People  by Elizabeth Rusch

Gerrymandering, the electoral college, voter suppression, unequal representation-- key problems facing our country's democracy. Rusch offers a guide to civic engagement and becoming involved in political reform.

*2021 EXCELLENCE IN NON-FICTION AWARD*

The Rise & Fall of Charles Lindbergh by Candace Fleming **

Charles Lindberg is one of the most complicated icons in American history. Celebrated aviator, dogged scientist, heartbroken father, Nazi sympathizer, unapologetic eugenicist.

Go Ahead In the Rain: Notes to a Tribe Called Quest by Hanif Abdurraquib**

More than a musical biography, this is a coming of age story. Abdurraquib reflects on his own maturation and that of rap music through his relationship with A Tribe Called Quest.

Latinas: Struggles & Protests in 21st Century USA by Iris Morales

This collection of poetry and essays expresses the courage and grit that Latinas show in their everyday lives as they fight for gender equality and social justice. Contributors include poets, activists, educators, artists, and journalists.

If I Die in a Combat Zone: Box me up and Ship me Home by Tim O’Brien  **   MC

In this memoir, O’Brien recalls his days as a Vietnam War infantryman, and calls into question the definitions of “heroism” and “cowardice.”

Ghost Soldiers: The Epic Account of World War II’s Greatest Rescue Mission by Hampton Sides * MC

1945: 121 selected U.S. troops slipped behind enemy lines in the Philippines. Their mission: march thirty rugged miles to rescue 513 POWs languishing in a hellish camp, among them the last survivors of the Bataan Death March.

Boots on the Ground: America’s War in Vietnam by Elizabeth Partridge * Middle School MC

A chronological account of the Vietnam War as experienced at home and in the field, from a wide variety of perspectives.  Stories of eight young soldiers are highlighted by means of personal interviews and thoughtfully chosen photographs.

No Excuses!:  The True Story of a Congenital Amputee Who Became a Champion in Wrestling and in Life by Kyle Maynard * MC

This inspirational account details the life of a young man who defied all odds in his quest for success.

Scorpion Tongues: Gossip, Celebrity and American Politics by Gail Collins ** MC

Think today’s politics get nasty? This timely history of political gossip begins with George Washington’s administration and traces the relationship between gossip and government to the blurring of lines between politicians and celebrities.

An Invisible Thread: The True Story of an 11-Year-Old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive, and an Unlikely Meeting... by Laura Schroff ** MC

Stopping was never part of the plan . . . She was a successful ad sales rep in Manhattan. He was a homeless, eleven-year-old panhandler on the street. He asked for spare change; she kept walking. But then something stopped her in her tracks, and she went back.

War by Sebastian Junger ** MC

Junger narrates his 14 months time in 2007–2008 embedded with a platoon of the 173rd Airborne brigade in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley, one of the bloodiest corners of the conflict.

Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam by Bernard Edelman * MC

Letters written by American soldiers during the Vietnam War reveal the impact of war on the men and women who served.

Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki ** MC

The true story of Wakatsuki who was seven years old when her family was uprooted from their home and sent to live at Manzanar internment camp--with 10,000 other Japanese Americans. Along with searchlight towers and armed guards, Manzanar held within it a little known tragedy of American history.

Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War by Steve Sheinkin *** MC

Award for Best Non-Fiction. A thrilling journalistic account of a government insider who leaked the Pentagon Papers and exposed the questionable decisions that led to the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War.

Yoko Ono: Collector of Skies by Nell Beram and Boriss-Krimsky ** MC

Many people know Yoko Ono’s name, but they don’t know her story. A musician, an artist, a performer, a writer, an activist, a mother, a wife, but most importantly—a collector of skies.

Gay America: Struggle for Equality by Linas Alsenas ** MC

This work provides a chronological overview of public attitudes toward homosexuality throughout American history, as well as the experience of gay people during these prescriptive, restrictive, and even dangerous periods.

Humans of New York: Stories by Brandon Stanton *

In pictures and interviews that captivate, puzzle and reveal, photojournalist Brandon Stanton collects an immeasurable range of human emotions and perspectives. The photos and their subjects’ words leave us wondering and cheering at the variety of humanity. Some mature content.

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates ***

National Book award Winner. Coates writes to his 15-year-old son about the inborn hazards of being black in America and his own intellectual, political and emotional confrontation with the need to live fully in the face of racialist culture.

March: Book Three by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell ** MC

Powerful and captivating, this graphic novel depicts the Civil Rights movement from fall of 1963 through the signing of the Voting Rights Act in 1965. The artwork brings to life the brutality, loss, and successes.

A Brilliant solution--Inventing the American Constitution by Carol Berkin *

From an outsider's perspective, the constitutional convention in 1787 seemed easy.  This book takes a more in depth look at just how difficult it was to create this document that is still used today.

In the Shadow of Liberty: The Hidden History of Slavery, Four Presidents, and Five Black Lives by Kenneth C. Davis ** Middle School MC

Davis looks at the relationship between five enslaved persons and the former presidents who considered them property. In weaving together the story of these lives, Davis explains the contradiction between America’s founding ideals and the harsh reality of human bondage.

Ordinary Hazards: A Memoir By Nikki Grimes

Grimes’ verse memoir traces her development through a tumultuous childhood as she finds her voice as a powerful storyteller. Themes of family, belonging, and identity combine to tell a story of faith and resilience.

Just Mercy by Stevenson, Bryan ** MC

Test your perspective on capital punishment in the United States.

Wolf Boys by Dan Slater **

True story of two American teenagers who are transformed into dangerous assassins for the Mexican cartel.

The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown * MC

Nine working class Americans and their quest for gold in rowing at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

Malcolm X: A Graphic Biography (graphic novel) by Andrew Helfer ** MC

A graphic novel based on the life of Malcolm X as he grows from a young black man oppressed by Jim Crow ideology to a gifted, dynamic orator for the Civil Rights movement.

CLASSICS