Young Adult

Code name Verity book cover

Code name Verity

Wein, Elizabeth.

YOUNG ADULT FICTION Wein, Elizabeth
Historical Fiction, Young Adult

In 1943, a British fighter plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France and the survivor tells a tale of friendship, war, espionage, and great courage as she relates what she must to survive while keeping secret all that she can.

Madison C's picture

(For those who miss "Agent Carter") The espionage, sharp wit, and trailblazing heroine that made "Agent Carter" great can be found in Elizabeth Wein's novel, "Code Name Verity." Though technically a young adult novel, this gripping WWII story is rich with emotion, bravery, and clever twists. It's a powerful tribute to the intelligence and courage of women -- qualities that made "Agent Carter" so compelling. -Madison C

None shall sleep book cover

None shall sleep

Marney, Ellie, author.

YOUNG ADULT FICTION Marney Ellie
Horror, Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult

Eighteen-year-olds Emma Lewis and Travis Bell, recruited by the FBI to interview juvenile serial killers, must turn to a notorious teenage sociopath to help track down a new murderer.

Madison C's picture

(For those who miss "Hannibal") You probably thought I was going to suggest "Red Dragon" (the inspiration for the show), but instead I'm going to step outside the box. Ellie Marney's novel is basically the young adult version of "The Silence of the Lambs," but with a fresh take that still delivers on murder with a side of sophistication. If you loved "Hannibal's" blend of criminal profiling, characters with depth, and a sense of foreboding, this one absolutely deserves a spot on your TBR! -Madison C

The bone spindle book cover

The bone spindle

Leslie Vedder

YOUNG ADULT FICTION Vedder Leslie
Young Adult

Fi is a bookish treasure hunter with a knack for ruins and riddles, who definitely doesn't believe in true love. Shane is a tough-as-dirt girl warrior from the north who likes cracking skulls, pretty girls, and doing things her own way. Briar Rose is a prince under a sleeping curse, who's been waiting a hundred years for the kiss that will wake him. Cursed princes are nothing but ancient history to Fi--until she pricks her finger on a bone spindle while exploring a long-lost ruin. Now she's stuck with the spirit of Briar Rose until she and Shane can break the century-old curse on his kingdom. Dark magic, Witch Hunters, and bad exes all stand in her way--not to mention a mysterious witch who might wind up stealing Shane's heart, along with whatever else she's after. But nothing scares Fi more than the possibility of falling in love with Briar Rose.

Jessica's picture

Added by Jessica

Gilded book cover

Gilded

Marissa Meyer

YOUNG ADULT FICTION Meyer Marissa
Fantasy, Young Adult

When one of Serilda's outlandish tales draws the attention of the sinister Erlking and his undead hunters, she finds herself swept away into a grim world where ghouls and phantoms prowl the earth and hollow-eyed ravens track her every move. The king orders Serilda to complete the impossible task of spinning straw into gold, or be killed for telling falsehoods. In her desperation, Serilda unwittingly summons a mysterious boy to her aid. He agrees to help her for a price. Love isn't meant to be part of the bargain. Soon Serilda realizes that there is more than one secret hidden in the castle walls, including an ancient curse that must be broken if she hopes to end the tyranny of the king and his wild hunt forever.

Charlotte's picture

Marissa Meyer's sweeping retelling takes the tale of Rumpelstiltskin and turns it on its head, creating a story full of lush worldbuilding, lovable characters, and well-researched elements of German folklore and language. -Charlotte

Los juegos del hambre book cover

Los juegos del hambre

Collins, Suzanne, author.

SPANISH Collins
Young Adult

Cuando Katniss Everdeen, una joven de dieciséis años se presenta voluntaria para ocupar el lugar de su hermana en los juegos, lo entiende como una condena a muerte. Sin embargo, Katniss ya ha visto la muerte de cerca y la supervivencia forma parte de su naturaleza.

Charlotte's picture

Suzanne Collins’s classic young adult dystopian didn’t just mark the beginning of a bestselling series when it was published nearly 20 years ago—it redefined a genre. Revisit the powerful story of family, fire, and the fight against corrupt government as Collins’s words continue to make an impact on readers into the present day. -Charlotte

Guía para lesbianas en un colegio católico book cover

Guía para lesbianas en un colegio católico

Reyes, Sonora, author.

SPANISH Reyes
Young Adult

"Sixteen-year-old Yamilet Flores prefers to be known for her killer eyeliner, not for being one of the only Mexican kids at her new, mostly white, very rich Catholic school. But at least here no one knows she's gay, and Yami intends to keep it that way. After being outed by her crush and ex-best friend before transferring to Slayton Catholic, Yami has new priorities: keep her brother out of trouble, make her mom proud, and, most importantly, don't fall in love. Granted, she's never been great at any of those things, but that's a problem for Future Yami. The thing is, it's hard to fake being straight when Bo, the only openly queer girl at school, is so annoyingly perfect. And smart. And talented. And cute. So cute. Either way, Yami isn't going to make the same mistake again. If word got back to her mom, she could face a lot worse than rejection. So she'll have to start asking, WWSGD: What would a straight girl do?" --

Charlotte's picture

This own-voices young adult book depicts the struggles and joys of daring to be who you are even when everyone is telling you to be someone else. Sonora Reyes’s work shares plenty of love, friendship, and family with readers that are sure to be engrossed throughout. -Charlotte

The hate u give book cover

The hate u give

Angie Thomas

YOUNG ADULT FICTION Thomas Angie
Black Lives Matter, Fiction, Young Adult

After witnessing her friend's death at the hands of a police officer, Starr Carter's life is complicated when the police and a local drug lord try to intimidate her in an effort to learn what happened the night Kahlil died.

Violette's picture

The Hate U Give is an incredibly powerful book that got me back into reading after finishing my graduate degree. It was during the Black Lives Matter movement and I found that this book really connected my love of reading with my passion for social justice. I believe that everyone should read The Hate U Give -- it's one of numerous titles in the ICPL's collection that has the power to change you. -Violette

Heartstopper book cover

Heartstopper

Alice Oseman

GRAPHIC NOVEL Oseman Heartstopper
Diverse Characters, LGBTQ+, Romance, Graphic Novels, Young Adult

Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. A sweet and charming coming-of-age story that explores friendship, love, and coming out. This edition features beautiful two-color artwork. Absolutely delightful. Sweet, romantic, kind. Beautifully paced. I loved this book. -- Rainbow Rowell, author of Carry On Shy and softhearted Charlie Spring sits next to rugby player Nick Nelson in class one morning. A warm and intimate friendship follows, and that soon develops into something more for Charlie, who doesn't think he has a chance. But Nick is struggling with feelings of his own, and as the two grow closer and take on the ups and downs of high school, they come to understand the surprising and delightful ways in which love works.

Violette's picture

Alice Oseman writes my favorite graphic novel series -- Heartstopper! Nick and Charlie's love story is guaranteed to melt hearts. If you, too, can't get enough of this series, be sure to check out the TV show, which Alice Oseman also helped produce. -Violette

Old enough : a novel book cover

Old enough : a novel

Haley Jakobson

FICTION Jakobson Haley
Diverse Characters, Fiction, LGBTQ+, Romance, Young Adult

"Savannah 'Sav' Henry is almost the person she wants to be, or at least she's getting closer. It's the second semester of her sophomore year. She's finally come out as bisexual, is making friends with the other queers in her dorm, and has just about recovered from her disastrous first queer 'situationship.' She is cautiously optimistic that her life is about the begin. But when she learns that Izzie, her best friend from childhood, has gotten engaged, Sav faces a crisis of confidence. Things with Izzie haven't been the same since what happened between Sav and Izzie's brother when Sav was sixteen. Now, with the wedding around the corner, Sav is forced to reckon with trauma she thought she could put behind her. On top of it all, Sav can't stop thinking about Wes from her Gender Studies class--sweet, funny Wes, with their long eyelashes and green backpack. There's something different here--with Wes and her new friends; it feels, terrifyingly, like they might truly see her. With a singulary funny, heartfelt voice, Old Enough explores queer love, community, and what it means to be a survivor in a post #MeToo world. Haley Jakobson has written a love letter to friendship and an honest depiction of what it means to find your people"--

Violette's picture

I love this book because it illustrates what it's like to be a young queer woman navigating the world through self discovery. I would recommend Old Enough to anyone who is questioning their identity, as Haley Jakobson shows the power of finding your community and loving yourself just as you are. -Violette

Gender queer book cover

Gender queer

Maia Kobabe

306.768 /Kobabe
Diverse Characters, LGBTQ+, Graphic Novels, Memoir, Young Adult

"In 2014, Maia Kobabe, who uses e/em/eir pronouns, thought that a comic of reading statistics would be the last autobiographical comic e would ever write. At the time, it was the only thing e felt comfortable with strangers knowing about em. Now, Gender Queer is here. Maia's intensely cathartic autobiography charts eir journey of self-identity, which includes the mortification and confusion of adolescent crushes, grappling with how to come out to family and society, bonding with friends over erotic gay fanfiction, and facing the trauma and fundamental violation of pap smears. Started as a way to explain to eir family what it means to be nonbinary and asexual, Gender Queer is more than a personal story: it is a useful and touching guide on gender identity--what it means and how to think about it--for advocates, friends, and humans everywhere."--Amazon.

Violette's picture

Gender Queer is one of my favorite graphic novels of all time. In this memoir, we follow Maia's journey of self discovery in finding eir gender identity, coming out to eir friends and family, and making eir place in this world. A truly essential text for LGBTQ+ young adults, advocates, and anyone wishing to make the world a kinder, more compassionate place for everyone to exist in. -Violette