The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot.

Heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which is based on the author's own experiences, coupled with poignant drawings by Ellen Forney that reflect the character's art, chronicles the contemporary adolescence of one Native American boy as he attempts to break away from the life he was destined to live.

Black Flamingo by Dean Atta

A boy comes to terms with his identity as a mixed-race gay teen - then at university he finds his wings as a drag artist, The Black Flamingo. A bold story about the power of embracing your uniqueness. Sometimes, we need to take charge, to stand up wearing pink feathers - to show ourselves to the world in bold colour.

My Grandma Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry by Frederik Backman

Elsa is seven years old and different. Her grandmother is seventy-seven years old and crazy, standing-on-the-balcony-firing-paintball-guns-at-men-who-want-to-talk-about-Jesus-crazy. She is also Elsa's best, and only, friend. At night Elsa takes refuge in her grandmother's stories, in the Land of Almost-Awake and the Kingdom of Miamas where everybody is different and nobody needs to be normal.

When Elsa's grandmother dies and leaves behind a series of letters apologizing to people she has wronged, Elsa's greatest adventure begins. Her grandmother's letters lead her to an apartment building full of drunks, monsters, attack dogs, and totally ordinary old crones, but also to the truth about fairytales and kingdoms and a grandmother like no other.

Flip by Martyn Bedford

14-year-old Alex Gray wakes up one morning to discover he's not in his own bedroom. More surprising is that he doesn't recognize his hands, or his legs. When he looks in the mirror he gets the shock of his life! How is it possible that Alex has become another boy - a boy who everyone calls Philip?

Unstoppable by Dan Freedman

Fourteen-year-old twins, Kaine and Roxy, used to be close, but now they can hardly bear to be in the same room.

Roxy hates the way her brother behaves - Kaine might be brilliant at football, but he's always in trouble and seems determined to tear the family apart.

And Kaine despises the way his supposedly perfect sister dominates their parents in her ambition to reach Wimbledon.

But the twins are both hiding dangerous secrets of their own, secrets that could destroy everything they are working towards - and both Roxy's and Kaine's survival hangs precariously in the balance.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. And he detests the color yellow.

Although gifted with a superbly logical brain, for fifteen-year-old Christopher everyday interactions and admonishments have little meaning. He lives on patterns, rules, and a diagram kept in his pocket. Then one day, a neighbor's dog, Wellington, is killed and his carefully constructive universe is threatened. Christopher sets out to solve the murder in the style of his favourite (logical) detective, Sherlock Holmes. What follows makes for a novel that is funny, poignant and fascinating in its portrayal of a person whose curse and blessing are a mind that perceives the world entirely literally.

That Asian Kid by Savita Kalhan

Despite his hard work and brains, Jeevan, is doing badly in his GCSE English literature class. His teacher, Mrs Greaves, dislikes him intensely and Jeevan is convinced that he is the victim of racial prejudice. Can he stand up for what's right? When he comes upon her in the woods outisde school in a compromising situation with another teacher, Jeevan can't help but film the scene on his phone. With this secret new ammunition at his fingertips - dare he upload it to social media?

Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay

A coming-of-age story about grief, guilt, and the risks a Filipino-American teenager takes to uncover the truth about his cousin's murder.

Jay Reguero plans to spend the last semester of his senior year playing video games before heading to the University of Michigan in the fall. But when he discovers that his Filipino cousin Jun was murdered as part of President Duterte's war on drugs, and no one in the family wants to talk about what happened, Jay travels to the Philippines to find out the real story.

Hoping to uncover more about Jun and the events that led to his death, Jay is forced to reckon with the many sides of his cousin before he can face the whole horrible truth -- and the part he played in it.

What Kind of Girl by Alyssa B. Sheinmel

The girls at North Bay Academy are taking sides. It all started when Mike Parker's girlfriend showed up with a bruise on her face. Or, more specifically, when she walked into the principal's office and said Mike hit her. But her classmates have questions. Why did she go to the principal and not the police? Why did she stay so long if Mike was hurting her? Obviously, if it's true, Mike should be expelled. But is it true?

Some girls want to rally for his expulsion—and some want to rally around Mike. The only thing that the entire student body can agree on? Someone is lying. And the truth has to come out.

From New York Times bestselling author Alyssa Sheinmel comes an unflinching and resonant tale that examines how society treats women and girls and inspires the power to claim your worth.

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4 by Sue Townsend

Adrian Mole's first love, Pandora, has left him; a neighbor, Mr. Lucas, appears to be seducing his mother (and what does that mean for his father?); the BBC refuses to publish his poetry; and his dog swallowed the tree off the Christmas cake. "Why" indeed.

The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson

Two boys. Two secrets.

David Piper has always been an outsider. His parents think he’s gay. The school bully thinks he’s a freak. Only his two best friends know the real truth – David wants to be a girl.

On the first day at his new school Leo Denton has one goal – to be invisible. Attracting the attention of the most beautiful girl in year eleven is definitely not part of that plan.

When Leo stands up for David in a fight, an unlikely friendship forms. But things are about to get messy. Because at Eden Park School secrets have a funny habit of not staying secret for long.

Because You Love to Hate Me

In this unique YA anthology, thirteen acclaimed, bestselling authors team up with thirteen influential BookTubers to reimagine fairy tales from the oft-misunderstood villains' points of view.

These fractured, unconventional spins on classics like "Medusa," Sherlock Holmes, and "Jack and the Beanstalk" provide a behind-the-curtain look at villains' acts of vengeance, defiance, and rage--and the pain, heartbreak, and sorrow that spurned them on. No fairy tale will ever seem quite the same again!

Here I Stand

Did you know that ... government spies can turn on your phone and use the microphone to listen to your conversations? ... that lesbian and gay relationships are illegal in 78 countries and can be punished by death? ... that Amnesty recently recorded the highest number of executions globally for more than 25 years?

Through short stories and poetry, twenty-five leading authors and illustrators explore the top human rights issues facing young people today.

Now is the time to take a stand and make a difference.

A Cup of Tea by Katherine Mansfield

Katherine Mansfield (1888-1923) was born in New Zealand, moving to London in 1903. She led a Bohemian lifestyle, mixing in artistic circles and travelling widely around Europe. However, she contracted tuberculosis in 1917, which put an end to this lifestyle and led to her early death. She is well known for her short stories and is said to have influenced one of the most famous English writers of the early 20th century, Virginia Woolf. ‘A Cup of Tea’, first published in 1922, is a good example of how she explores the problems faced by women of her generation.

Resigned by Meg Rosoff

Meg Rosoff (1956-) is an American writer, based in London. Best known for her young-adult novel, How I Live Now, which came out as a film in 2013, her work centres round the complex emotions and relationships present in young people’s lives. ‘Resigned’, first published in 2011, is an excellent example of how her work tries to capture the experience of being a teenager.

She is Fierce: Brave, Bold and Beautiful Poems by Women by Ana Sampson

She is Fierce: Brave, Bold and Beautiful Poems by Women is a powerful collection of 150 poems written by women – from classic, much loved poets to bold modern voices. Collected by poet Ana Sampson, this collection celebrates the centenary of women's suffrage at a time when we are still having important conversations about women's right to be treated as equals. It speaks of universal experiences and emotions.

The anthology is divided into the following sections: Roots and Growing Up; Friendship; Love; Nature; Freedom, Mindfulness and Joy; Fashion, society and body image; Protest, courage and resistance; Endings

Generation Hope: You(th) Can Make a Difference

Dynamic and visually appealing, this book inspires young people to think, not only about the planet and the impact that humanity is having upon it, but also about the ways in which we treat each other. Covering a wide range of the sort of issues that young people are likely to be most concerned about, such as climate change, pollution, animal welfare, gender equality, social justice, homelessness and hunger.

Then there are the pages which suggest ways in which the reader can get involved right now. How they can change their own behaviour and how they can impact upon their home and school. It even has ideas for potential eco-businesses.

There is also very welcome advice on maintaining your own safety and wellbeing – the “Don’t feed the trolls” page of advice for example.

Glimmer of Hope: How Tragedy Sparked a Movement by The March For Our Lives Founders

On February 14th, 2018, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida was the site of one of the worst mass shootings in American history, in which 17 students and teachers were killed and 17 more were injured. Instead of dwelling on the pain and tragedy of that fateful day, a group of inspiring students from MSD channeled their feelings of hurt, rage, and sorrow into action, and went on to create one of the largest youth-led movements in global history.

This book chronicles in first person essays the events of February 14th and the creation of the March for our Lives from the founders of the movement, including Emma González, Cameron Kasky, Jaclyn Corin, and more.

'Feeding the Body and Feeding the Mind' by Lewis Carroll

This text comes from On Corpulence, a book about dieting published in the 1860s. Most of the book is about feeding the body, but the extract you are going to read is from a short piece at the end of the book on ‘feeding the mind’ by the writer of Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll.

Feminists Don't Wear Pink (And Other Lies): Amazing Women on What the F-Word Means to Them by Scarlett Curtis

Here, personal stories from actors, writers, and activists explore the contradictions and complications at the heart of the movement. By bridging the gap between feminist hashtags and scholarly texts, these essays bring feminism into clear focus.

Published in partnership with Girl Up, the UN Foundation's adolescent girl campaign, contributors include Hollywood superstars like Saoirse Ronan, activists like Alicia Garza, a founder of Black Lives Matter, and even fictional icons such as Bridget Jones.

Every woman has a different route to their personal understanding of feminism. This empowering collection shows how a diverse group of women found their voice, and it will inspire others to do the same.

'Holding Hands in the Dark' by Barbara Demick

This is an extract from Nothing to Envy – Real lives in North Korea. The book is based on seven years of interviews with refugees who escaped from North Korea.

'Boating and Sculling' by Lady Greville

This text is from a book called The Gentlewoman’s Book of Sports, a collection of articles edited by writer Lady Greville in 1892 for the London Library. The collection included articles on trout fishing, cricked, archery, golf and fencing.

'Homelessness Can Happen to Anyone' by Daisy May Hudson

Daisy May Hudson wrote this article for Time Out magazine just as Half Way, the film she made about her family’s experiences of being homeless, was being released.

'The Sleeping Teenage Brain' by Nicola Morgan

This is an extract from Blame My Brain, a book designed to tell teenagers everything they need to know about the biology and psychology behind teenage emotions and behaviour.

Becoming by Michelle Obama

In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it—in her own words and on her own terms. Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations—and whose story inspires us to do the same.

'How I Fell in Love with Improv' by Amy Poehler

Amy Poehler is an American actor, comedian, director, producer, and writer, perhaps best known as Leslie Knope in sitcom Parks and Recreation. This is an extract from her autobiography, Yes Please!

'First Meeting' by Hannah Pool

This is an extract from My Father’s Daughter. Pool was born in Eritrea but was adopted by an English family and grew up in Manchester. In the book, she recounts what happened after she discovered that she was not an orphan, as she had always thought, but that she had living family still in Eritrea.

What is Politics? Why Should We Care? And Other Big Questions by Michael Rosen and Annemarie Young

This book is a highly topical look at how politics affects everyone in society. It looks at the whole political spectrum, in countries around the world and examines what politics means in different contexts and situations. What forms can political action take, and what difference does it make?

There are contributions from a range of writers, who, along with the authors, discuss how their ideas of what politics is and can do have been shaped by their life experiences. Readers are encouraged to think for themselves about the issues discussed and decide how or whether they would like to take part in politics at some level.

Challenge Everything: The Extinction Rebellion Youth Guide to Saving the Planet by Blue Sandford

Written by an activist and founder member of Extinction Rebellion Youth London, this is no greenwashing book – it's an important call to action. A manifesto for how young people can help to save the planet by questioning everything about modern life and acting upon their conclusions.

This book will ask you to challenge everything – challenge government (protest and take peaceful action where necessary), challenge business (decide who you want to support, decide who you want to boycott), and above all to challenge yourself – how can you change your life to make a difference.

Filled with stories, essays, slogans and inspiring illustrations, this book will cover consuming, actioning, boycotting, campaigning, striking, questioning, rewilding and reconnecting with our planet.

Have Pride by Grace Stewart

The foreword by celebrity actor Layton Williams and the Why I Have Pride vignettes interspersed throughout the book, featuring young people from across the whole spectrum of the LBGTQ+ community, will ensure a high level of interest from young people and provide empowering messages for them to read.Starting from the evidence of acceptance in ancient history through the growth of persecution as Christianity flourishes in Europe, the brutality of the Inquisition, the recurrence of the death penalty for homosexuality around the world and the disaster of the Aids epidemic, this book does not hide the darker side of the history of the LGBTQ+ movement, but the emphasis is very much on the brave people who took on the fight against discrimination, prejudice and injustice. So, although agonising setbacks occurred, the overall progress has been upwards and the overall impact of the book is to inspire and celebrate. Helped, no doubt, by the rainbow coloured cover and vibrant illustrations. The timeline of milestones, comprehensive index and glossary and guide to sources of further information add value as a reference tool, but this is very much a book that will be read with pleasure and I hope with pride!

The Crucible by Arthur Miller

Written in 1953, The Crucible is a mirror Miller uses to reflect the anti-communist hysteria inspired by Senator Joseph McCarthy's "witch-hunts" in the United States. Within the text itself, Miller contemplates the parallels, writing, "Political opposition... is given an inhumane overlay, which then justifies the abrogation of all normally applied customs of civilized behavior. A political policy is equated with moral right, and opposition to it with diabolical malevolence."