Summer 2023 Recommended Reading: Grades 8-10

Updated May 14, 2024
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1984 : the graphic novel
Nesti, Fido,
Paper Book
One of the most influential books of the twentieth century gets the graphic treatment in this first-ever adaptation of George Orwell's 1984. War is Peace * Freedom is Slavery * Ignorance is Strength In 1984, London is a grim city in the totalitarian state of Oceania where Big...

Science Fiction

Alienated
Landers, Melissa,
Paper Book
Handpicked to look after the first-ever L'eihr exchange student, Cara isn't sure what to think when she meets Aelyx. Humans and L'eihrs have nearly identical DNA, but cold, infuriatingly brilliant Aelyx couldn't seem more alien. But when Cara's classmates get swept up by anti-L'eihr paranoia,...

Science Fiction

As you walk on by
Winters, Julian,
Paper Book
The Breakfast Club meets Can't Hardly Wait with an unforgettable ensemble cast in another swoony YA contemporary from award-winning author Julian Winters! Seventeen-year-old Theo Wright has it all figured out. His plan (well, more like his dad's plan) is a foolproof...
Realistic Fiction
Attack of the black rectangles
King, A. S.
Paper Book
Award-winning author Amy Sarig King takes on censorship and intolerance in a novel she was born to write. When Mac first opens his classroom copy of Jane Yolen's The Devil's Arithmetic and finds some words blacked out, he thinks it must be a mistake. But then when he and his friends...

Relationships

Belittled women : a story of three bickering sisters, two cute boys, and one average Jo
Sellet, Amanda,
Paper Book
Sharp and subversive, this delightfully messy YA rom-com offers a sly wink to the classic Little Women, as teenage Jo Porter rebels against living in the shadow of her literary namesake. Lit's about to hit the fan. Jo Porter has had enough Little Women to last a lifetime...

Relationships

Bitter
Emezi, Akwaeke
Paper Book
From the critically acclaimed author of Pet and The Death of Vivek Oji, Bitter, a companion novel to Pet, takes a timely and provocative look at the power of youth, protest and art.

Realistic Fiction

Black birds in the sky : the story and legacy of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre
Colbert, Brandy,
Paper Book
A searing new work of nonfiction from award-winning author Brandy Colbert about the history and legacy of one of the most deadly and destructive acts of racial violence in American history: the Tulsa Race Massacre. Winner, Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. In the early morning of June 1, 1921,...

Historical Nonfiction

Bravely
Stiefvater, Maggie,
Paper Book
An instant New York Times Bestseller! What if you had one year to save everything you loved? ONE PRINCESS. Merida of DunBroch needs a change. She loves her family--jovial King Fergus, proper Queen Elinor, the mischievous triplets-- and her...

Re-tellings

By the time you read this I'll be gone : an original novel
Kuehn, Stephanie
Paper Book
Small town murders. Big time thrills. A suspenseful, modern update of the classic mystery TV series that's perfect for fans of One of Us Is Lying, Sadie, and Gossip Girl. "Killers walk among...

Mystery

Dark room etiquette
Roe, Robin,
Paper Book
We Were Liars meets Room in this masterfully plotted psychological thriller from the critically acclaimed author of A List of Cages, Robin Roe. SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD SAYERS WAYTE HAS EVERYTHING. Popularity, good looks, perfect grades--there's nothing Sayers'...
Adrenaline
Darkroom
Alexander, K. R.,
Paper Book
In the latest chiller from million-copy-seller K.R. Alexander, author of THE COLLECTOR and THE FEAR ZONE, an app that allows you to see ghosts can only lead you to horrifying sights... Do you think an app that allows you to see ghosts would be cool? Well, prepare to be haunted... even when your...

Horror

Dear Ally, how do you write a book?
Carter, Ally
Paper Book
From bestselling author Ally Carter, the definitive guide to writing a novel for the NaNoWriMo generation, including helpful tips from other YA stars. Have you always wanted to write a book, but don't know where to start? Or maybe you're really great at writing the first few chapters . . ....

Historical Nonfiction

Eight nights of flirting
Reynolds, Hannah,
Paper Book
A Sydney Taylor Honor Book A sixteen-year-old girl is on a mission to find the perfect boyfriend this Hanukkah, but love might not go according to plan, in this charming winter romcom from the author of The Summer of Lost Letters. Shira Barbanel has a plan-...

Realistic Fiction

Elatsoe
Little Badger, Darcie,
Paper Book
Locus Award Winner--Best First Novel A National Indie Bestseller Nebula Award Finalist Lodestar Award Finalist Ignyte Award Finalist TIME's Best 100 Fantasy Books of All Time NPR Best of the Year Booklist's...

Mystery

Fast girls : a novel of the 1936 Women's Olympic team
Hooper, Elise,
Paper Book
ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF THE SUMMER BY POPSUGAR, FROLIC, PARADE, TRAVEL & LEISURE, SHE KNOWS, and SHE READS!  NAMED A REAL SIMPLE BEST BOOK OF 2020 (SO FAR). "Fast Girls is a compelling, thrilling look at what it takes to be a female Olympian in pre...

Victory. Stand!

A first time for everything : a true story
Santat, Dan
Paper Book
*Winner of the National Book Award for Young People's Literature* A middle grade graphic memoir based on bestselling author and Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat's awkward middle school years and the trip to Europe that changed his life. Dan's always been a...
Historical Nonfiction
Forbidden city
Ponti, James,
Paper Book
In this third "thrilling" (Kirkus Reviews) installment in the New York Times bestselling series from Edgar Award winner James Ponti, the young group of spies help a fellow agent in another international adventure perfect for fans of Spy School and Mrs. Smith's Spy School...

Historical Fiction

Gideon Green in Black and White
Henry, Katie.
Paper Book
Truly Devious meets Turtles All the Way Down in critically acclaimed author Katie Henry's YA contemporary comedic mystery, a hilarious send-up of the hardboiled detective genre that spotlights family, friendship, and love. Gideon's short-lived run as a locally famous boy...

Mystery

Heartbreak boys
Green, Simon James
Paper Book
  Faking the best summer ever is a lot harder than it looks... At the start of summer, Jack and Nate find themselves dumpedas their respective exes, Dylan and Tariq, start up a new relationship together. Not only that, their exes start posting pics on social media, showing...

Romance

The Honeys
La Sala, Ryan,
Paper Book
From Ryan La Sala, the wildly popular author of Reverie, comes a twisted and tantalizing horror novel set amidst the bucolic splendor of a secluded summer retreat. Mars has always been the lesser twin, the shadow to his sister Caroline's radiance. But when Caroline dies under horrific...

Horror

In every generation
Blake, Kendare,
Paper Book
A brand-new reimagining of the Buffy universe, this YA series by New York Times bestselling author Kendare Blake (Three Dark Crowns) features the next generation of Scoobies and Slayers who must defeat a powerful new evil. Return to Sunnydale in a brand-new...

Fantasy

In the key of us
Lockington, Mariama,
Paper Book
STONEWALL HONOR BOOK ● From the author of the critically acclaimed novel For Black Girls Like Me and the Schneider Family Book Award Winner Forever Is Now, comes a coming-of-age story surrounding the losses that threaten to break us and the friendships that make us...

Relationships

Internment
Ahmed, Samira (Fiction writer)
Paper Book
'Samira has created a chilling, powerful, all-too-real near future that's a must-read for everyone's TBR' Karen M. McManus, author of One Of Us Is Lying 'A must-read . . . A heart-rending and all-too credible tale of sacrifice, the ugly face of authority...

Realistic Fiction

Jumper
Crowder, Melanie,
Paper Book
In a ripped-from-the-headlines story, nineteen-year-old Blair's passion for fighting fires lands her a spot with the Forest Service and sets her on a wilderness adventure that quickly turns catastrophic. How far would you go to save yourself? Blair Scott is in...

Adrenaline

The Kaiju Preservation Society
Scalzi, John
Paper Book

Science Fiction

Kings of B'more
Thomas, R. Eric,
Paper Book
"Infused with all the joy of the best teen movies, Kings of B'more is sure to be a big hit." -BuzzFeed Two Black queer best friends face their last day together with an epic journey through Baltimore in this magnetic YA debut by bestselling author of Here for It, R....

Relationships

A lady's guide to fortune-hunting
Irwin, Sophie
Paper Book
Kitty Talbot needs a fortune. Or rather, she needs a husband who has a fortune. Left with her father's massive debts, she has only twelve weeks to save her family from ruin.
Romance
The last laugh
McGinnis, Mindy
Paper Book
In the dark and stunning sequel to The Initial Insult, award-winning author Mindy McGinnis concludes this suspenseful YA duology as long-held family secrets finally come to light . . . changing Amontillado forevermore. Perfect for fans of Truly Devious and Sadie! Tress Montor...

Adrenaline

Legendborn
Deonn, Tracy
Paper Book
SOME LEGACIES ARE MEANT TO BE BROKEN. "I love the feeling of a magical world existing just beneath the surface of our own and this story gave me everything I wanted: incredible characters, ancient lore and secret societies - all grounded in our very real, very flawed world...
Fantasy
Lost in the Never Woods
Thomas, Aiden
Paper Book
Something sinister waits within the trees . . . It's been five years since Wendy and her two brothers went missing in the woods, but when the town's children start to disappear, the questions surrounding her brothers' mysterious circumstances are brought back into the light. Attempting to flee her...

Re-tellings

Man made monsters
Rogers, Andrea L.,
Paper Book
Uncover the Terrifying Intersection of History and Horror Imagine a chilling horror collection that weaves classic monsters like werewolves and vampires with the true horrors of colonialism, domestic violence, and displacement. Man Made Monsters, by...

Horror

The Mary Shelley Club
Moldavsky, Goldy,
Paper Book
New York Times-bestselling author Goldy Moldavsky delivers a deliciously twisty YA thriller that's Scream meets Karen McManus about a mysterious club with an obsession for horror. When it comes to horror movies, the rules are clear: x Avoid...

Adrenaline

My eyes are up here
Zimmermann, Laura,
Paper Book
My Eyes Are Up Here is a razor-sharp debut about a girl struggling to rediscover her sense of self in the year after her body decided to change all the rules. If Greer Walsh could only live inside her head, life would be easier. She'd be able to focus on excelling at math...

Realistic Fiction

My fine fellow
Cohen, Jennieke
Paper Book
A 2023 Sydney Taylor Honor Book! * A Bustle Best YA Books Out in 2022 title! Culinary delights abound, romance lingers in the air, and plans go terribly, wonderfully astray in this gender-bent take on My Fair Lady from Jennieke Cohen, author of Dangerous Alliance-...

Romance

Play the game
Allen, Charlene,
Paper Book
From debut author Charlene Allen comes a captivating YA contemporary mystery and coming-of-age story, celebrating the power of friendship, first love, and exploring the criminal justice system from the lens of restorative justice. Perfect for fans of Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone,...
Promposal
Garrett, RaeChell,
Paper Book
High school senior Autumn Reeves has been waitlisted at her dream school. Determined to move to the top of the list, she must find a way to stand out. When a promposal she planned for a friend has half the senior class asking for her help, a brilliant business idea that will look great on her...

Romance

Rapunzella, or, Don't touch my hair
McLeod, Ella,
Paper Book
  "a stunningly lyrical exploration of a teenager coming into her power as a young woman." - United By Pop A genre-bending YA that weaves together inner-city life and a wildly dangerous fairytale universe. Rapunzella is imprisoned in an enchanted forest made of her own...
Re-tellings
Ravenloft.
Gilly, Casey,
Paper Book
DISCOVER the Demiplane of Dread! In her castle laboratory, D&D's own mad scientist, Dr. Viktra Mordenheim, performs experiments testing the bounds of science and magic! THRILL to a Castle of Horrors! Following a terrible accident, Miranda awakens in Schloss Mordenheim under the...
Horror
Reader, I murdered him
Cornwell, Betsy,
Paper Book
In this daring tale of female agency and revenge from a New York Times bestselling author, a girl becomes a teenage vigilante who roams Victorian England using her privilege and power to punish her friends' abusive suitors and keep other young women safe. Adele grew up in the...
Historical Fiction
The red palace
Hur, June,
Paper Book
June Hur, critically acclaimed author of The Silence of Bones and The Forest of Stolen Girls, returns with The Red Palace--a third evocative, atmospheric historical mystery perfect for fans of Courtney Summers and Kerri Maniscalco. To enter the palace...

Mystery

The silent unseen
McCrina, Amanda,
Paper Book
A mesmerizing historical novel of suspense and intrigue about a teenage girl who risks everything to save her missing brother. Poland, July 1944. Sixteen-year-old Maria is making her way home after years of forced labor in Nazi Germany, only to find her village...

Historical Fiction

Stateless
Wein, Elizabeth
Paper Book
A group of young pilots face intrigue and sabotage in a race around Europe in this thrilling murder mystery, from the bestselling author of Code Name Verity. Ideal for readers aged 12+ _______________ It is 1937 and tensions are high. A spectacular air race...

Historical Fiction

Strike the zither
He, Joan
Paper Book
The year is 414 of the Xin Dynasty and chaos abounds. A puppet empress is on the throne. The realm has fractured and three warlordesses each hope to claim the continent for herself. But Zephyr knows it's no contest. Orphaned at a young age, Zephyr took control of her fate...

Fantasy

The talk : conversations about race, love & truth
Hudson, Wade,
Paper Book
Thirty diverse, award-winning authors and illustrators invite you intotheir homes to witnesstheconversationsthey have withtheir children about race in America today in this powerful call-to-action that invites all families to be anti-racists and advocates for change. "Project s love...

Historical Nonfiction

Tell Me What Really Happened
Sedoti, Chelsea.
Paper Book
A riveting, fast-paced YA mystery told entirely through first person police interviews of four teens over the course of a few hours. It was all her idea. They would get away from their parents and spend the weekend camping. Down by Salvation Creek, the five of them would make smores,...

Mystery

This rebel heart
Locke, Katherine,
Paper Book
A tumultuous tale of the student-led 1956 Hungarian revolution--and an all too timely look at the impact of Communism and the USSR in Eastern Europe--set in a fabulist, colorless post-WWII Budapest from Sydney Taylor Honor winner Katherine Locke.   "A haunting, beautiful...

Historical Fiction

A thousand heartbeats
Cass, Kiera
Paper Book
#1 New York Times bestselling author of The Selection series Kiera Cass is back with her most epic novel yet - a sweeping enemies-to-lovers standalone romance. 'Love has a sound. It sounds like a thousand heartbeats happening at the same time.' Annika has lived a life of comfort and...

Fantasy

Victory. Stand! : raising my fist for justice
Smith, Tommie
Paper Book
On October 16, 1968, during the medal ceremony at the Mexico City Olympics, Tommie Smith, the gold medal winner in the 200-meter sprint, and John Carlos, the bronze medal winner, stood on the podium in black socks and raised their black-gloved fists to protest racial injustice inflicted upon...

Victory. Stand!

War girls
Onyebuchi, Tochi
Paper Book
Two sisters are torn apart by war and must fight their way back to each other in a futuristic, Black Panther-inspired Nigeria. The year is 2172. Climate change and nuclear disasters have rendered much of earth unlivable. Only the lucky ones have escaped to space colonies in the...

Science Fiction

Well, that was unexpected
Sutanto, Jesse Q.
Paper Book
"A DELIGHTFUL, HILARIOUS, CAPTIVATING LOVE LETTER TO INDONESIA, AND COMING OF AGE IN A LARGE MEDDLESOME FAMILY, AND THE THRILL OF FINDING YOUR PERSON WHERE YOU LEAST EXPECT IT!" - ALI HAZELWOOD, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS Crazy Rich Asians meets To All the...

Romance

What souls are made of : a Wuthering Heights remix
Suri, Tasha,
Paper Book
In the Remixed Classics series, authors from marginalized backgrounds reinterpret classic works through their own cultural lens to subvert the overwhelming cishet, white, and male canon. Two British Indian teens cut off from their heritage find solace in each other in this gothic Wuthering...

Historical Fiction


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