2027 High School Nutmeg Nominees

Updated April 28, 2026
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1

Ariel crashes a train
Cole, Olivia A.
Paper Book
LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD . A COSMOPOLITAN BEST YA BOOK OF THE YEAR . A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, BOOKLIST AND KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR Exploring the harsh reality of OCD and violent intrusive thoughts in stunning,...

2

The color of a lie
Johnson, Kim
Paper Book
In 1955, a Black family passes for white and moves to a "Whites Only" town in the suburbs. Caught between two worlds, a teen boy puts his family at risk as he uncovers racist secrets about his suburb. A new social justice thriller from the acclaimed author of This Is My America!

3

Dungeons and drama /
Boyce, Kristy.
Paper Book
INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER * When it comes to romance, sometimes it doesn't hurt to play games. A fun YA romcom full of fake dating hijinks! A COSMOPOLITAN BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK OF THE YEAR No one loves musicals more than Riley Morris--her dream is to be a...

4

Looking for smoke
Cobell, K. A.
Paper Book
A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK In her powerful debut novel, Looking for Smoke, author K. A. Cobell (Blackfeet) weaves loss, betrayal, and complex characters into a thriller that will illuminate, surprise, and engage readers until the final word. A must-pick for readers who enjoy books by...

5

Rez ball
Graves, Byron
Paper Book
This compelling debut novel by new talent Byron Graves tells the relatable, high-stakes story of a young athlete determined to play like the hero his Ojibwe community needs him to be. These days, Tre Brun is happiest when he is playing basketball on the Red Lake Reservation high school...

6

Sky's end
Gregson, Marc J.
Ebook
An instant New York Times bestseller with three starred reviews--now under development as a feature film franchise! Plummet into a kill-or-be-killed competition where a scrappy underdog hell-bent on revenge must battle colossal monstrosities and claw his way to the top in this...

7

Under this red rock /
McGinnis, Mindy.
Paper Book
A Chicago Public Library Best Teen Book of 2024 A 2025 YALSA Top Ten Best Fiction Selection From award-winning author Mindy McGinnis comes a mesmerizing YA psychological mystery following a teen girl who is grappling with the death of her brother as she starts a new job in the...

8

Youth group /
Morris, Jordan.
Paper Book
Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina in this darkly funny YA graphic novel. When cynical, gothy Kay lets her mom talk her into joining the youth group at their church, she's prepared for the dorky sing-alongs and the cheesy slogans...

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