Colin Powell once said, “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.” That quote is the very essence of Tryouts by Peter J. Stavros. It’s the story of a ninth-grade boy living in a small town who wishes to...

Freddy Lond's The Man from the Fridge follows Marek, a seventeen-year-old growing up in a small Pennsylvania town with a father who is more trouble than support. After his dad, Sven, gets kicked out of his apartment, they move in with Marek’s grandparents, creating constant...

Weirdos Welcome by Cynthia Baseman is a contemporary young adult novel that captures the interior lives of teenagers navigating school, identity, and belonging. Set at Pacific Crest High School, the story alternates between the perspectives of Braden, an anxious overachiever and basketball player, and Rae,...

Becoming Calvin: The Wake of Expectations, Volume 1, by Javier De Lucia, is a compelling story that takes readers on an emotional journey through the life of its protagonist, Calvin McShane. The story explores personal growth, change, and the search for identity. Combining introspection with...

Good Kids, Bad Choices by Shanti Hershenson sees Lena Hackett being disciplined for attempting to present a history project on gender-based pay inequality at Littlewood Charter School. Her treatment leads her to discover a pattern where other kids who also complained about harassment and discrimination...

We Be Dragons by Michael Weitz follows John Brewer through a summer in a small Idaho town after he loses his job at a local gas station. John needs money for college, so he takes work on Jim Henley’s farm, where long hours, strict oversight,...

Dancing in the Daylight by Ben Hafer is a perfectly delightful YA coming-of-age story. Noah Harper wants to stay in the shadows, away from the spotlight. He loves 80s pop culture and prefers to spend his time giving his imagination free rein. Riley is his...

It's in the Contract by Jessica Flory follows Callie Carter, a high-school senior still reeling from a painful breakup and with zero intention of running for Homecoming Queen. But when her long-time rival, Brielle, gets Callie’s best friend unfairly disqualified, Callie snaps. Determined to win...

Slax by Robert E. Kearns is set in a secondary school in north Dublin during the mid-1980s. The story unfolds among a group of students who find their Wednesday half-days filled with both spirited minor rebelling and companionship, especially after starting an informal film club....

How can one explain the butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling when your crush starts to show an interest in you? Conversely, how does one describe the disappointment and uncertainty that overwhelm you when you face rejection? Kissing Henry by E. Hughes vividly explores these emotions in Penny, a...