Gr. 9-12  Evan Hansen, a teen crippled by anxiety, starts each day by writing a letter of encouragement to himself. When loner Connor Murphy finds one of the letters at school and dies by suicide days later, his parents deliver the “Dear Evan Hansen” to Evan, who lies about being Connor’s best friend. As the Murphys embrace Evan, his lie goes viral, giving comfort to the grieving family and making him a social media darling. But as the lies build […]

Categories: Appeared in Booklist/ALA, Book Reviews, Young Adult Readers

Gr. 9-12  In this prequel to Yu’s debut novel—Four Weeks, Five People (2017)—Stella, a junior who suffers from depression, seems over the meltdown she experienced the year before. Happier than she’d been, she’s content to hang out with best friends Katie (who’s into athletes) and Lin (who’s consumed by her need to get into Brown next year). Enter Kevin, a philosophy student who becomes Stella’s first boyfriend. Their relationship takes Stella on an emotional roller-coaster, and though their fights become […]

Categories: Appeared in Booklist/ALA, Book Reviews, Young Adult Readers

Gr. 9-12  As a freshman, Ashley was raped by one of her brother’s teammates during a traditional, but unconventional, “scavenger hunt.” “Sex with a virgin” was the top point-getter on Victor’s card, so he targeted Derek’s little sister. Now, two years after a trial in which Derek lobbied the court to give Victor a light sentence because it was just a game—and “justice” acquiesced—​Ashley continues to experience myriad debilitating triggers. Away at college, Derek struggles with his role in the […]

Categories: Appeared in Booklist/ALA, Book Reviews, Young Adult Readers

Gr. 8-12  Despite living in near poverty, Teodoro “T” Avila’s dream is to change his life during his junior year of high school. Fueled by a blossoming romance with Wendy Martinez and abstinence from video games, T’s goals are to better his grades, get into college, be with Wendy, and make something of himself. He partners with his best friend, Caleb, and things start to look up. But when T’s older, near-legendary brother, Manny, comes home from Iraq with extreme […]

Categories: Appeared in Booklist/ALA, Book Reviews, Young Adult Readers

Gr. 9-12  Cason Martin’s life is dance. As a talented corps member of the Atlanta Ballet Conservatory, she is no stranger to pain, but when her leg gives out during an audition, the diagnosis reveals an aggressive form of bone cancer. During chemo treatments, she meets Davis Channing, a schoolmate and cancer survivor who is doing community service at the hospital—part of his sentencing for drug possession and commitment to staying clean. [Read More]

Categories: Appeared in Booklist/ALA, Book Reviews, Young Adult Readers

Gr. 9-12  Ever since her best friend Kelly died, Ava hasn’t been herself. She’s been making bad choices and feels angry at everyone and everything. When gawky, introspective Gideon starts working with her at the Magic Kebab, they begin a friendship based on honesty, enhanced by letter writing because of Gideon’s self-imposed hiatus from electronic and digital communication. As Gideon opens up about his therapy and poetry slams, Ava feels compelled to reciprocate … [Read More]

Categories: Appeared in Booklist/ALA, Book Reviews, Young Adult Readers

Gr. 10-12  Based on the popular graphic-novel series Giant Days, Pratt retells a part of the story through the original three protagonists. Susan, Esther, and Daisy are first-year college students who make a most unlikely trio. Susan, the premed major and self-proclaimed sleuth, has a sharp wit and overly critical eye. Esther, the English major, worships all things goth. Daisy, the sweet homeschooled girl, struggles to find her feet in such an unfamiliar place. Yet, the three click. [Read More]

Categories: Appeared in Booklist/ALA, Book Reviews, Young Adult Readers

Gr. 9-12 *** Starred Review *** For Rumi Seto, creating music with her younger sister, Lea, was everything. But when Lea dies in a car accident, Rumi’s life is over, too. Beset by survivor’s guilt, she is plagued by the knowledge that Lea was the outgoing, perfect daughter who was closest to their mamo (mother). When Mamo sends Rumi to live with Aunt Ani in Hawaii, Rumi plunges into bottomless grief, constantly reminding herself that Mamo abandoned her because she […]

Categories: Appeared in Booklist/ALA, Book Reviews, Young Adult Readers