On her first day at South Iris High, twelve-year-old Nina Allbright was an awkward auburn-haired girl with braces and two left feet. However, she has her two left feet to thank for an encounter that was about to shape the rest of her high school...

Goon by Glenn Erick Miller is the story of a foster boy’s penance in an experimental detention center. Troubled and super-sized, Goon is in serious trouble. The theft of a car and joyriding led to his brother being injured, and we see Goon sent to...

Strength Hidden by Sara McQuarrie tells the story of twelve-year-old Andromeda Smith (Andy) as she tries to understand her life in foster care after her parents abandon her. Andy has moved through many homes and never felt truly cared for, leaving her wary of others....

There Will Be Other Summers by Tegan Anderson is a hauntingly beautiful LGBTQ novel about courage and accepting oneself despite what others say. When Asher and Ryn meet in group therapy, they both feel a shift within themselves. Ryn can’t see her, but he can...

Your Story Told by Another by Stanley Livingstone is a thought-provoking read. The author recounts the story of Jacob, a boy who meets a mysterious old man whom only he can see. This old man, possibly his inner self, seeks to mentor him and guide...

Sleep of Fools by Lori R. Lopez is a must-read, thought-provoking literary work. Chrono has been conditioned from childhood to conform to society’s rules. This society expects uniformity. Everyone should be an obedient and diligent worker who never questions the rules. They are encouraged to...

The Thin Door by Rho Weber Mack is a coming-of-age story as Ramie discovers herself. Ramie is a 15-year-old high school sophomore living in poverty and just hoping to survive. She has an absent mother and a younger brother who is involved in street...

And Then He Pressed Play: Track One by Robert Halliwell is the story of Arlo “A.J.” Walker, a shy yet musically gifted Canadian exchange student at Glenbridge Secondary in Ireland. The cultural differences are overwhelming for him, and in addition to his unique accent, he...

The Metamorphosis of Marna Love by Tom McEachin is a coming-of-age story about a sixteen-year-old high school sophomore. Raised by her single mother, Marna Love never quite felt like a typical teenager. She would rather read Kafka than worry about boys. She finds existential writers...

Tristan Martin’s The Elements follows four young women in New York as they meet through Hip-Hop and its different forms: rapping, breakdancing, DJing, and graffiti. Natasha is a shy teenager who keeps her rhymes private and works up the nerve to perform on stage. Christina...