Realistic Fiction M-Z

Updated May 29, 2024
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Dear Martin
Stone, Nic,
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * WILLIAM C. MORRIS AWARD FINALIST * ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE'S 100 BEST YA BOOKS OF ALL TIME   After a traffic stop turns violent at the hands of the police, a young Black teen grapples with racism--and what it means for his future....
Monster /
Myers, Walter Dean,
Paper Book
This New York Times bestselling novel from acclaimed author Walter Dean Myers tells the story of Steve Harmon, a teenage boy in juvenile detention and on trial. Presented as a screenplay of Steve's own imagination, and peppered with journal entries, the book shows how one single decision can...

Grades 8-10

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...

Grades 8-10

My good man
Gansworth, Eric,
Paper Book
BEST OF THE YEAR Kirkus * Boston Globe A literary tour-de-force sure to turn the coming-of-age genre on its head from Printz honoree Eric Gansworth Brian, a 20-something reporter on the Niagara Cascade's City...

Grades 10+

The other side of perfect
Turk, Mariko,
Paper Book
For fans of Sarah Dessen and Mary H.K. Choi, this lyrical and emotionally driven novel follows Alina, a young aspiring dancer who suffers a devastating injury and must face a world without ballet--as well as the darker side of her former dream. Alina Keeler was destined to dance, but...
Grade 8-10
Out of my mind
Draper, Sharon M.
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller for three years and counting! "A gutsy, candid, and compelling story. It speaks volumes." --School Library Journal (starred review) "Unflinching and realistic." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Grades 6-8

A place at the table
Faruqi, Saadia,
Paper Book
A timely, accessible, and beautifully written story exploring themes of food, friendship, family and what it means to belong, featuring sixth graders Sara, a Pakistani American, and Elizabeth, a white, Jewish girl taking a South Asian cooking class taught by Sara's mom. Sixth graders Sara...
Grades 6-8
The poet X
Acevedo, Elizabeth,
Paper Book
Winner of the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, the Michael L. Printz Award, and the Pura Belpré Award! Fans of Jacqueline Woodson, Meg Medina, and Jason Reynolds will fall hard for this astonishing New York Times-bestselling novel-in-verse by an award...

Grades 8-10

Required reading for the disenfranchised freshman
Lee, Kristen R.,
Paper Book
A striking debut novel about a college freshman grappling with the challenges of attending an elite university with a disturbing racist history, which may not be as distant as it seems. "A searing debut." -Entertainment Weekly Savannah Howard thought...

Grades 10+

Simon sort of says
Bow, Erin,
Paper Book
Simon O'Keeffe's biggest claim to fame should be the time his dad accidentally gave a squirrel a holy sacrament. Or maybe the alpaca disaster that went viral on YouTube. But the story the whole world wants to tell about Simon is the one he'd do anything to forget: the story in which he's the only...

Grades 6-7

Speak
Anderson, Laurie Halse,
Paper Book
The groundbreaking National Book Award Finalist and Michael L. Printz Honor Book with more than 3.5 million copies sold, Speak is a bestselling modern classic about consent, healing, and finding your voice. "Speak up for yourself--we want to know what you have to say."...
Vanilla
Merrell, Billy,
Paper Book
A bold, groundbreaking novel about coming out, coming into your own, and coming apart.Vanilla and Hunter have been dating since seventh grade. They came out together, navigated middle school together, and became that couple in high school that everyone always sees as a couple. There are...
Grade 10+
Violets are blue
Dee, Barbara,
Paper Book
From the author of the acclaimed My Life in the Fish Tank and Maybe He Just Likes You comes a moving and relatable middle grade novel about secrets, family, and the power of forgiveness. Twelve-year-old Wren loves makeup--special effect makeup, to be...
Grades 6-8
The walls around us
Suma, Nova Ren,
Paper Book
An NPR Best Book of 2015 A Boston Globe Best Book of 2015 A Chicago Public Library Best Teen Fiction of 2015 A BookRiot Best Book of 2015 A 2016 YALSA Best Book for Young Adults ...
Grade 8-10
Warrior girl unearthed
Boulley, Angeline,
Paper Book
An Instant New York Times bestseller! A #1 Indies Bestseller!A Publisher's Lunch Best YA of 2023! An Amazon Best Book of the Year!Winner of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award!A Horn Book Fanfare Title! A BookPage Best...

Grades 10+

The words in my hands
Asphyxia
Paper Book
"Anyone who is dDeaf . . . will immediately feel a connection and a sense of belonging while reading Asphyxia's book." --Stacy Abrams, founder of the #WhyISign campaign * Winner of the Schneider Family Book Award for Teens 2021 * A Kirkus Best Book of 2021 Part coming of age, part call to...
Grades 8-10
Zoe Rosenthal is not Lawful Good
Werlin, Nancy,
Paper Book
A buttoned-up overachiever works overtime to keep her inner nerd at bay--failing spectacularly--in Nancy Werlin's hilarious and heartfelt return to contemporary realistic fiction. Planning is Zoe Rosenthal's superpower. She has faith in a properly organized to-do list and avoids...
Grades 8-10

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