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Teen High Reads September 2019
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| The Silence Between Us by Alison GervaisWhat it’s about: After unwillingly transferring from a Deaf school to a hearing school, 17-year-old Maya has to deal with lip-reading, working with an interpreter, and stereotyped assumptions of her classmates -- including Beau, the popular guy who seems interested in her.
Why you might like it: whether Maya’s experiences feel familiar to you or offer new insights, her coming-of-age story (inspired by the author’s own) is both honest and absorbing. |
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| The Downstairs Girl by Stacey LeeWhat it’s about: Witty, opinionated advice columnist “Miss Sweetie” has 1890 Atlanta buzzing, and nobody suspects that she’s really 17-year-old Jo Kuan, a sharp-minded, Chinese American lady’s maid who’s begun to wonder if it’s time to leave her anonymity behind.
Why you might like it: Jo is a compelling character with a lot to say about race and gender in the post-Civil War South, as well as a lot of questions about her hidden family history. |
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| The Merciful Crow by Margaret OwenWhat it’s about: When a routine job takes an unexpected turn, Fie -- future chief of the Crows, Sabor’s lowly caste of undertakers and mercy-killers -- has to decide if the promise of protection for the Crows is worth the risk of a dangerous quest.
Read it for: diverse characters, pulse-pounding adventure, and an intriguing system of magic.
Series alert: This debut fantasy is the 1st in a duology. |
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| Wilder Girls by Rory PowerWhat it’s about: Ever since the Tox infected the Raxter School for Girls, killing some and leaving others distorted, the survivors have been under strict quarantine -- but that doesn’t stop student Hetty from venturing into the Tox-ravaged woods in search of a missing friend.
Is it for you? The gruesome mutations and brutal violence of the Tox might be too much for some readers, but those who like things dark and disturbing will be hooked by this dystopian/horror hybrid. |
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| Shatter the Sky by Rebecca Kim WellsWhat it’s about: Maren ben Gao never wanted any trouble, but after her girlfriend Kaia is kidnapped and forced to become one of the Emperor’s prophets, Maren hatches a reckless plan to steal one of Emperor’s dragons and rescue Kaia.
For fans of: the dragon lore, politics, and diverse characters in Rachel Hartman’s Seraphina books.
Series alert: This gripping fantasy will leave you longing for the planned sequel. |
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| The Closest I've Come by Fred AcevesWhat it's about: Stuck living in a poor neighborhood with his mom and her abusive boyfriend, it's hard for 15-year-old Marcos Rivas to see any way out. He's got solid friends and a surprising new crush, but when an unexpected opportunity arises, Marcos is afraid to let himself hope.
Author alert: Get in on the ground floor with this authentic, gritty debut from author Fred Aceves.
For fans of: Jason Reynolds and Matt de la Peña. |
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Shadowshaper
by Daniel José Older
What it's about: When a local mural mysteriously begins to weep, Brooklyn teen Sierra Santiago is unsettled, but it's not until she's attacked by a walking corpse that she really gets scared -- and curious. Though her abuelo Lázaro seems to have some answers, a stroke has left him unable to communicate anything except cryptic messages about "shadowshapers." Stalked by a merciless enemy, Sierra will have to uncover the truth -- and tap into the spirit powers of her Caribbean ancestors -- in order to protect everyone she loves.
For fans of: Shadowshaper is a must-read for fantasy fans.
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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
What it's about: In the summer of 1987, Aristotle meets Dante. Both are 15 years old and Mexican-American, but otherwise they're nothing alike: artistic Dante is an only child of intellectual parents who don't believe in secrets, while brooding Ari's family never talks about his brother in prison or his father's traumatic experiences in the Vietnam War. Nevertheless, the boys become close friends, and Dante's open attitudes start to crack Ari's carefully constructed shell.
Author Alert: Benjamin Alire Sáenz's "lyric prose and pitch-perfect dialog" (Library Journal) honestly portrays the inner life of a frustrated teen guy figuring out who he is and who he wants to be.
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Gabi, a Girl in Pieces
by Isabel Quintero
What it's about: During her tumultuous senior year, Gabi Hernandez's journal becomes her lifeline. In it, she can experiment with her blossoming poetry skills, as well as spill the details of her complicated home (where her mom nags her about her weight and her dad can't kick meth), her best friends Cindy and Sebastian (who are each dealing with their own challenges), and her confusion about love and dating.
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| The Education of Margot Sanchez by Lilliam RiveraWhat it’s about: After getting caught with her Papi’s credit card, “Princesa” Margot Sanchez has to give up partying with her prep school friends in order to work at her family’s Bronx grocery store, which leads to a new understanding of herself, her family, and her Puerto Rican heritage.
Who it’s for: readers who enjoy characters who aren’t always likable, but are just as flawed, messy, and fascinating as real people. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books for ages 14 and up!
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Forsyth County Public Library 585 Dahlonega Street Cumming, Georgia 30040 770-781-9840www.forsythpl.org |
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