Young Adult

This is one of my favorite books of the year. Reminiscent of modern classics by Diana Wynne Jones, Robin McKinley, Patricia C. Wrede, and Garth Nix, it defies age designations. Elisabeth is an entirely lovable protagonist whose fondness for books, willingness to reexamine her biases, and penchant for getting into scrapes both warmed my heart and made me laugh. I also fell in love with wry sorcerer Nathaniel and his dry wit. Though the stakes were high and danger abounded, I was in stitches for much of the book; chances are you will be too. - Stephanie

Historic injustices are often treated as lacking any contemporary impact, but this book disabuses anyone suffering under that delusion. In modern-day Silicon Valley, the internment of their Japanese-American ancestors affects protagonist CJ Katsumaya and her family, though they (believably) don’t see eye to eye about it. This historical interconnectedness coupled with CJ’s evolution from an apathetic antihero (wave goodbye to the “model minority” myth) into a woke person of action, makes this book a compelling and thought-provoking read. - Stephanie

“Pretty as a picture and brimming with spite” describes Grishna Zoya, my new personal icon. This newest addition to the Grishaverse fits right in with the world we already know, yet is accessible to newcomers. Both Nina and Zoya were my favorite characters with complex personalities and zero time for foolishness. - Karena

These 17 stories, written by contemporary black authors, demonstrate how diverse the teenage black experience can be: a Trinidadian immigrant's guardian angels (her cousins) save her from falling for the wrong guy; a humorous Jason Reynolds story follows four Brooklyn boys walking home after a swim, fantasizing about sandwiches from their neighborhood bodega; a high schooler keeping her application to a historic black college hidden from her father. Both black and non-black readers will benefit from the insights these well-crafted stories provide. - Noreen

Bri wants nothing more than to be a rapper, but finds herself in the spotlight after a violent confrontation with her school’s security guards. In the aftermath, she finds herself and her actions misinterpreted at every turn. But Bri must figure out who she actually is before she can finally get her “come up.” I found this amazing follow-up to The Hate U Give endlessly compelling. - Ivy

This "queer King Arthur in space" doesn’t disappoint. For the first time in 41 cycles of Arthurs, Merlin finds his Arthur is a girl, Ari. An evil corporation called Amazon—sorry, Mercer—walled off her homeworld and Ari alone escaped. A decade later, she accidentally crashes on Earth and discovers a mysterious sword stuck in a tree, kickstarting the biggest Arthur quest yet. I loved this fresh, engaging update to the Arthur legend and its beautiful blend of science fiction and fantasy. - Ivy

In this follow-up to Acevedo’s National Book Award and Printz Medal winning debut, Emoni (like Xiomara in The Poet X) is first-gen American (she’s Afro-Boricua). Emoni is also a teen mom (which Acevedo chooses not to portray as a burden, while also being honest about the challenges it presents) and a gifted chef. Her struggles honing her culinary gift and learning to define life on her own terms make this is a flavorful and compelling read. - Stephanie

Reading this book is like standing near the sea at night, a familiar place somehow full of mystery and possibility. Stiefvater writes beautifully to create a modern fairy tale world, with human problems for which there are no magic answers. Sean and Puck each race against time, poverty and heartbreak to find their fortunes. I hungrily devoured this. - Jocelyn

This hard-hitting, brief, impactful novel is perfect for teens who want something raw and (secretly) full of heart. Will has been adrift since he lost his dad, and he doesn’t know it until he comes up against the fresh pain of one of his classmates at Mountain High School. Unable to turn away, he finds out he still cares deeply about other people, and in the process realizes he’s not a lost cause. A beautiful, subtly uplifting book for teens who want real talk. Ages 13 and up. - Tera

A little bit spooky, this dark fairy tale merges with contemporary life in a provocative, original take on fairyland. From Brooklyn to the Hinterland, Alice races to stay one step ahead of the malevolent, seductive, otherworldly forces that know her name a little too well. You think you’ve read enough fairy-tale remixes, but this one is worth staying home and curling up under the covers for. Ages 13 and up. - Tera