Teens

Our Collection

We hope that our large offering of teen fiction, graphic novels, manga, and single-issue comics provides a story for everyone to appreciate. Each of our branches has a teen non-fiction collection for your curiosities and schoolwork, but you may also find something interesting or helpful in our children and adult non-fiction sections, too. Browse our catalog to find what you are looking for!

We have books on CD and Playaways, in case you’d rather listen to a book. We also subscribe to many services that you can use to read eBooks, listen to online audiobooks, or watch films and TV. Check out our Digital Collection page.

Get your Bookmarks here!

Need a suggestion for your next great teen read? Check out our curated lists in handy bookmark form!

Visit our Teen Bookmark page and download one of our bookmarks!

Teen Reader’s Advisory

Try our online service for personalized reading suggestions! Just go to the web address listed below, fill out the form, and we’ll provide a list of book suggestions and place some books on hold for you.

Whether you want teen fantasy or mystery; LGBTQ+ romance, Jewish fiction, or Afrofuturism, you’re sure to receive some great matches. And if you’re an adult who loves teen books, you can request suggestions too! We want to match everyone with great books!

Check out Match Me Up!

Teen Focused Resources

Check out these online resources!

Covid-19 Challenges

In this challenging time, we have had to adapt our services and programs, but please know that Heights Libraries are still here for you and your information needs. We have compiled a list of engaging teen-focused digital resources for recreation and study. You can find these resources and their descriptions here! And to see an expanded list of children’s resources visit the Digital Resources for Kids and Families page.

Teen Blog Recent Posts

How to Survive Your Murder

What’s your favorite scary movie? If you are Alice Lawrence, you may have a problem answering that one. Not because Alice hates scary movies. No, because Alice loves scary movies and she wouldn’t be able to pick just one. Alice Lawrence loves all things horror but especially loves slasher flicks with a good Final Girl. Alice just never thought that she would wind up as one. In the novel How to Survive Your Murder by Danielle Valentine, Alice Lawrence is the main girl, our Final Girl, and she knows a thing or two about horror movies and will gladly tell anyonewho will listen. She has a relatively normal life until one Halloween (it’s always Halloween), her sister is murdered in a cornfield (it’s always a cornfield) and Alice is the sole witness. After that night, her life changes drastically: her parents divorce and she distances herself from her friends. As the book opens, it’s been a year and Alice would do anything to go back and save her sister from her fate. It’s the day of the trial and Alice has to testify against the man she knows for a fact murdered her sister. The only issue is she gets knocked out by a Sidney Prescott lookalike in the courthouse bathroom and wakes up the day her sister is murdered! The Sidney Prescott lookalike gives Alice a few rules she has to follow, because there are always rules, and sets her off on the impossible task. Save her sister, find the true killer before he kills again, and stay alive until midnight. How to Survive Your Murder is a quick and fun read with twists and turns that will leave the reader guessing who’s behind the mask until the last chapter.
If You Could See The Sun by Ann Liang

If you had the chance to turn invisible whenever you wished, what would you do? If you said, “Create an app that has you complete secret tasks given to you by your super rich classmates in order to earn money to stay in school,” then congrats! You’re just like the protagonist of If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang Alice Sun is a teenage girl that lives in Beijing, China, where she attends Arlington, a prestigious international boarding school amongst the ranks of China’s most influential (and rich) teenagers. Alice has always felt invisible among her peers. As one of the few students there on a scholarship, she has an intense need to prove herself by having the best grades and beating her competition, Henry Li, for any academic goal that comes their way. But that all changes one day, when Alice finds out from her parents that her partial scholarship is on the line because they can no longer afford her tuition. Alice is devastated and unsure of what she’s going to do, but then something incredible happens. Alice turns invisible, literally, to the world around her. She sees this as a chance to not only earn money to keep her place at the school for the rest of the year, but start saving up for college as well. Alice is willing to do anything to stay at Airlington. Even if that means teaming up with Henry Li or following around a classmate’s parents to see if they are cheating, or maybe even committing a petty crime or two. This is a story about Alice Sun, an invisible girl that has to decide if she wants to remain invisible or step out into the sun. If you want to find out what she decides give the book a try!
Spooky Reading for the Spooky Season

October is in full swing and with it, the season for spooky reading! At the top of my October to-be-read list is the final book in Katherine Arden’s Small Spaces Quartet. This is by far my favorite horror for middle grade readers and among my overall favorites. In this series, Arden creates a scary story that is appropriate for younger readers and still chilling for an adult who has seen it all in the horror genre. The series follows a group of middle school friends in rural Vermont as they face a mysterious, shape-shifting villain who exists beyond the mist. Two things are certain about the figure they call the smiling man: he loves games, and his power to conjure what you most desire comes at great cost to you. Each encounter with the smiling man and his world beyond the mist brings new horrors. Scarecrows chase you when you’re not looking. Ghosts desperately search for their bones. Sea monsters lurk in the shadows. Arden adds atmospheric tension and very real concerns to fit the seasonal setting of each book. For example, in the wintry second book, the kids are trapped in a ski lodge during a snowstorm (classic!) and must face the smiling man through an unbearably long, dark, and cold night. Their socks are damp, their hands are numb, and they’re outmaneuvering a powerful supernatural entity! While developing the unique, eerie realm beyond the mist, Arden balances it with warm, whimsical life in the real world, grounded in deep emotion and love. The kids’ realistic knowledge, skills, and teamwork allow them to outsmart the villain each time. Home-baked treats sustain them. They receive help from one character’s deceased mother via an inherited wristwatch. Through it all, their safe homes, caring community, and strong friendship hearten the group and keep the books fun and cozy. The opening scenes of the fourth and final book, set in a summer carnival, promise a terrifying adventure ahead. The stakes are higher than ever, but the friends are more determined than ever to defeat the smiling man once and for all. I am thrilled to see what Arden has in store for this match. Horror fans young and old alike are sure to get a chill up their spine as they travel beyond the mist and experience this delightfully spooky series for themselves. Small Spaces Dead Voices Dark Waters Empty Smiles What are you reading for the spooky season?
YA Historical Fiction for Pride Month

Travel through history with pride this month with these YA novels that write queer people back into history, exactly where they belong. Begin in 1893 Chicago with The City Beautiful, a Jewish thriller set against the backdrop of the World’s Columbian Exhibition. Alter Rosen lives a quiet life these days. He performs his prayers, works at a Yiddish newspaper, saves money to bring his family from Romania, volunteers at the Chevra Kadisha preparing bodies for burial, and tries to avoid his guilt over his father’s death and feelings for his secret crush, Yakov. When Yakov becomes the latest in a growing list of missing boys from his tenement, however, Alter begins investigating, with the help of his communist friend Raizel, and his former partner-in-crime and current love interest, Frankie. The teens’ investigation becomes more urgent as Alter realizes he is possessed by Yakov’s dybbuk. Now, they must discover who Yakov was trying to kill on the night he died before Alter is completely overtaken. To find their target, they venture into the grimy darkness that lies just beneath the glamor and booming industry of the Gilded Age, finding abuse of workers and immigrants, white supremacy, and antisemitism at every turn. Author Aden Polydoros immerses readers both in the world of Jewish life—effectively communicating the quiet beauty of Jewish rituals and the unsettling danger of antisemitism—as well as its 1893 setting, through subtle details and discourses of the time and place. Though so thoroughly set in the 19th Century, The City Beautiful’s themes of love and justice continue to resonate into the present day. Next, travel to 1932 Berlin, where a vibrant queer culture thrived, until the Nazis put a violent end to it. Kip Wilson’s latest novel-in-verse, The Most Dazzling Girl in Berlin, brings readers into this pivotal moment in history through the narrative of Hilde, who is newly eighteen and on her own after eight years in an orphanage. With millions out of work across the Weimar Republic, Hilde struggles to find work of her own. That is, until she stumbles into Café Lila, a queer night club. There, she finds not just a job working as a waitress and singer, but also the first true community she has ever known. Rosa, one of the singers at the club, quickly becomes the first home Hilde has known since the death of her mother. This sense of belonging is always under threat, however, as Nazi paramilitaries constantly roam the streets, raging against Jewish and queer people. With upcoming elections and instability in the government, everyone at Café Lila becomes increasingly concerned for their safety and their futures. Wilson’s verse brings readers into the intense emotions of this time when Hitler’s rise was not yet a foregone conclusion, revealing that it was never really foregone. Readers of The Most Dazzling Girl in Berlin are immersed in a dynamic world of people fighting back, for themselves and their communities—and falling in love, too. Finally, travel to 1954 San Francisco, with Last Night at the Telegraph Club. Under constant suspicions of Communist sympathies, threat of deportation, and general anti-Chinese discrimination, Lily Hu’s family and friends lead mostly pleasant lives punctuated by the pressure to assimilate. Now 17 and increasingly aware of what makes her stand out from even her tight-knit community in Chinatown, Lily finds herself on a path that will bring equal parts joy and love, fear and shame. Having finally gathered up the courage, and having found someone to go with, she begins making regular visits to the Telegraph Club, a lesbian bar. There, she and her new friend Cath get a crash course in the world of butches, femmes, and relationships outside of straight conventions. Bonded by their mutual interests in aeronautics and their clandestine late-night activities, Lily and Cath’s relationship quickly blossoms into a sweet romance. Their tenuous joy is thrown into chaos, though, when a raid on the Telegraph Club upends their lives. Inspired by pulp fiction novels, her family’s experiences, and the tiny mentions in history books of Chinese American rocket scientists and lesbians, Malinda Lo immerses readers in a more accurate vision of 1950s San Francisco, re-imagining the narrative of this time and place to include those formerly relegated to the shadows of history.
Read Woke! Teen Winter Reading Program

What is Read Woke? Read Woke is a movement. It is a feeling. It is a style. It is a form of education. It is a call to action; it is our right as lifelong learners. It means arming yourself with knowledge in order to better protect your rights. Knowledge is power and no one can take it away. It means learning about others so that you can treat people with the respect and dignity that they deserve no matter their religion, race, creed, or color. Participating is easy! Simply read two books that fit Read Woke categories like African American Voices, LGBTQ+ Voices, and Social Injustice – and log them after signing up @ heightslibrary.beanstack.com. When you have logged both books, contact your local library to arrange for curbside pickup of your prize pack. Completing the program also enters you into a drawing for the Grand Prize – a Samsung Galaxy A tablet. The winner will be notified by email or phone after the completion of the program. For grades 6 – 12
Social Media and Children

If your teen or tween child were to say to you that they were on TikTok or Kik or Tinder, would you know what they were talking about? Would you as a parent know whether what they were doing was safe? I’m lucky in that when my children started getting an online presence, there wasn’t much social media for them to get into. They had to use the family PC, which was in the family room so that my wife and I could watch their every move. With today’s tablets and smart phones, it’s my grandchildren that I worry about. Your child can be on many different social media sites without your knowledge and certainly not when you are watching. In this blog post, we will give you resources to know what is out there and what you need to know to help you guide your children through the social media minefield of criminals, child predators, cyberbullies, and more. Let’s start with learning what apps are out there and are popular with today’s teens. Here a few links to some good websites that can give you some guidance to your child’s online activity. A Complete Guide to Potentially Dangerous Apps All Parents Should Be Aware Of 18 Social Media Apps and Sites Kids Are Using Right Now The Most Popular Apps for Teenagers: What’s Hot, What’s Not Now that we know what is out there and what is popular right now (which may not be the case next week, month or year), what can you do as a parent to help avoid the pitfalls that these social media sites present to you children? Most experts agree that communication is the key, and knowledge is power. Get to know the social media sites that your kids are using. Set up an account, cruise around the site, and educate yourself on what each offers and how kids are using it. Be familiar with sites’ age restrictions and know that kids can easily get around them. If you have a child under the age of 13, check the browser history and all apps on their device. If you see something like Facebook listed, assume your child has created an account. Talk to them about why the age requirement exists and how it might be a good idea for them to hold off on joining. Talk to your children and try to keep an open line of communication. Let them know it is okay for them to talk to you about whatever is going on. Since many of the social media apps allow users to post anonymously, child predators and cyberbullies flourish in those environments. It may be hard for you as a parent to have these types of conversation (no parent wants to have adult-type conversations with their children even if your children are adults!), but if your child is armed with the knowledge that a trusted caregiver has their back, and they can trust you to help and not lecture them about a problem, that is something very powerful. The most important thing is to be proactive in your child’s online activities, not reactive. This site not only list seven apps that are bad for children, but also gives some great advice on how to be involved. 7 Bad Apps for Kids That You Don’t Want on Their Phones Can I monitor what my child is doing online? How about an app for me to watch them? Yes, there are also apps available to you as a parent to help you monitor your child’s devices. 10 Apps for Parents to Monitor Kids’ Mobile Use Best Apps & Devices To Monitor Your Kids Online Activity 5 Effective Safety Apps for Parents of Tweens/Teens Surely there must be some apps out there that my child can be on without fearing the worst for them, right? Yes, there is, and here are a few websites that tell you about the good apps out there. Best Social Media Apps for Kids Social Networks Made for Children Yes, social media can be scary, but hopefully you, with the information we’ve put forward here, are better equipped to help guide your children successfully through the social media minefield and keep them safe.
National Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month, and there are many ways to enjoy it while we’re staying at home. Spring can be a lovely time to add some poetry to your life, especially if you’re spending time outdoors and paying attention to the changes. The short form of poetry can also be comforting in uncertain times like these, when we may have difficulty focusing on something for longer periods of time. While brief, there is often a lot to mull over in a poem. It’s good to read a poem at least twice for comprehension and to appreciate the beauty or cleverness of it. The poem also wants you to read it out loud! As we live with more quiet and solitude, engaging with poetry might provide something we find that we want or need. Here are some ways to begin. To Read: In the digital collections offered by the library, there is a wonderful selection of poetry books you can read or listen to. On Hoopla, there are plenty of poetry Ebooks and audiobooks to choose from, and there is also a more selective list of audiobooks for Poetry Month. On each list, you can filter for children’s titles on the left-hand side, but there are not very many. You can borrow items from Hoopla immediately and check out up to 10 things each month. However, there is a lot for young people to read on Overdrive/Libby, where you can now create an account without a library card number. You just need to sign up with your mobile phone number here or in the Libby app after downloading it onto your phone or tablet. There are amazing picture books, varied poetry collections, and novels-in-verse on the list for children, and the titles for teens include a variety of novels-in-verse for different readers and fabulous collections, too. Here’s a favorite of mine from each list: One Last Word: Wisdom from the Harlem Renaissance by Nikki Grimes Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough For little ones, there are many picture books that include rhyme, imagination, or linguistic creativity. Oftentimes, books expose young children to sophisticated words in ways that stick. A good way to help promote early literacy is to name and describe the world around us, which is also a very poetic thing to do! If you are missing storytime like I am, this video of author Micha Archer performing an interactive reading of her picture book Daniel Finds A Poem will be a nice treat. She discusses the creation of the book at the end of the video, too. To Explore: The Academy of American Poets is an organization that offers so much to readers, poets, and educators. Much of it is available on their website, poets.org. On this page, you can also also sign up for one of their great email newsletters; the poem-a-day program sends a poem to your email inbox each day. In their materials for teachers, there are curated lists of poems that children or teens might enjoy. On the Poems for Kids page, there are poem lists for seasons, holidays, topics, and themes. The themed lists on the page for teens illustrates the breadth of serious things poets explore; Poems for Teens has lists for love, loss, breakups, mental health, heritage, politics, and the self. There is also great advice for young poets, recommended reading, and essays on writing here. Finally, there are ideas for celebrating National Poetry Month while practicing social distancing and communicating virtually here. I recommend creating an account so you can save poems you like online! Book Riot also has many insightful, entertaining, and informational articles about all things related to poetry. You can find the current list here. These are two excellent places to start: Where To Find Free Poetry Online Where to Find Free Poetry Resources for Kids Online To Write: Please write if you find yourself inspired to do so. There are so many funny or strange ways to say how you view an infinite number of subjects in a poem, and you might surprise yourself by what you realize. Inspired by National Novel Writing Month in November, NaPoWriMo encourages people to write a poem every day in April. Every day of the month, there is a poetry-writing prompt, a featured submitted poem from the day before, and a unique poetry resource. Every post since 2013 is available on the website. For younger writers, the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, Jason Reynolds, has started a video series project to share writing prompts with young people each week. It’s called Write. Right. Rite. Although it’s not exclusively about poetry, Reynolds has written phenomenal poetry for young people and writes and speaks in a natural, rhythmic, and cool way. It’s how I imagine a lot of teenagers I know would write poetry. I hope that there is something for you here and wish you safety and health until we can see each other at the library again.
Stonewall Book Awards 2020

The Stonewall Book Awards were first established in 1971 to celebrate and honor GLBTQIA+ literature and in 2010 the award expanded to include a category for children’s and young adult literature. The Stonewall Book Award-Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award goes annually to “English-language children’s and young adult books of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience.” Recognizing stories that celebrate all people is so important. Not only do these stories inform but they also celebrate and affirm. In an interview with Shelf Awareness, winning author Kyle Lukoff shares that he wrote his story in part to show that, “the world is a better place for having you in it. That you are not someone to accept, or to tolerate, or to deal with, but someone to celebrate and welcome with joy and gratitude.” Stonewall Book Award – Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s Literature Award When Aidan Became a Brother by Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by Kaylani Juanita When Aidan was born, everyone thought he was a girl. His parents gave him a pretty name, his room looked like a girl’s room, and he wore clothes that other girls liked wearing. After he realized he was a trans boy, Aidan and his parents fixed the parts of life that didn’t fit anymore, and he settled happily into his new life. Then Mom and Dad announce that they’re going to have another baby, and Aidan wants to do everything he can to make things right for his new sibling from the beginning–from choosing the perfect name to creating a beautiful room to picking out the cutest onesie. But what does “making things right” actually mean? And what happens if he messes up? For more picture books that highlight GLBTQ identities and experiences check out the parenting section at your nearest Heights Libraries branch. We’ve added a “gender expression” category with picture books that can help start a conversation around gender identity with your child. Having access to books that showcase different human experiences is so valuable. Books help readers to see their own reflection and learn about other perspectives. In that same interview, award winning illustrator Kaylani Juanita says, “There aren’t enough picture books being published that are illustrated and/or written by POCs. Which means there are even less being published about and by queer and trans people of color. We need to make space and support stories for underrepresented people. Inclusive and diverse picture books can help shape a better future for all of us.” Stonewall Book Award – Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Young Adult Literature Award The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta Michael is a mixed-race gay teen growing up in London. All his life, he’s navigated what it means to be Greek-Cypriot and Jamaican–but never quite feeling Greek or Black enough. As he gets older, Michael’s coming out is only the start of learning who he is and where he fits in. When he discovers the Drag Society, he finally finds where he belongs–and the Black Flamingo is born. Told with raw honesty, insight, and lyricism, this debut explores the layers of identity that make us who we are–and allow us to shine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UdejBoQ1v8 Stonewall Book Award-Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Children’s and Young Adult Literature Honors Pet by Akwaeke Emezi There are no monsters anymore, or so the children in the city of Lucille are taught. Jam and her best friend, Redemption, have grown up with this lesson all their lives. But when Jam meets Pet, a creature made of horns and colors and claws, who emerges from one of her mother’s paintings and a drop of Jam’s blood, she must reconsider what she’s been told. Pet has come to hunt a monster, and the shadow of something grim lurks in Redemption’s house. Jam must fight not only to protect her best friend, but also to uncover the truth and the answer to the question –How do you save the world from monsters if no one will admit they exist? Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian It’s 1989 in New York City, and for three teens, the world is changing. Reza is an Iranian boy who has just moved to the city with his mother to live with his stepfather and stepbrother. He’s terrified that someone will guess the truth he can barely acknowledge about himself. Reza knows he’s gay, but all he knows of gay life are the media’s images of men dying of AIDS. Judy is an aspiring fashion designer who worships her uncle Stephen, a gay man with AIDS who devotes his time to activism as a member of ACT UP. Judy has never imagined finding romance…until she falls for Reza and they start dating. Art is Judy’s best friend, their school’s only out and proud teen. He’ll never be who his conservative parents want him to be, so he rebels by documenting the AIDS crisis through his photographs. As Reza and Art grow closer, Reza struggles to find a way out of his deception that won’t break Judy’s heart–and destroy the most meaningful friendship he’s ever known. The Best at It by Maulik Pancholy Rahul Kapoor is heading into seventh grade in a small town in Indiana. The start of middle school is making him feel increasingly anxious, so his favorite person in the whole world, his grandfather, Bhai, gives him some well-meaning advice: Find one thing you’re really good at and become the BEST at it. Those four little words sear themselves into Rahul’s brain. While he’s not quite sure what that special thing is, he is convinced that once he finds it, bullies like Brent Mason will stop torturing him at school. And he won’t be worried about staring too long at his classmate Justin Emery. With his best friend, Chelsea, by his side, Rahul is ready to crush this challenge…. But what if he discovers he isn’t the best at anything? (all summaries from the Clevnet catalog) For …
Coretta Scott King Awards 2020

Another award given out this month was the Coretta Scott King awards. This group of awards recognizes African-American authors and illustrators of outstanding books for children and young adults. You may recognize some of the winners – we have some repeats! New Kid by Jerry Craft and The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Kadir Nelson both won the top awards. All of the Coretta Scott King award winners are listed below and you can check them out at your nearest Heights Libraries branch! Coretta Scott King Author Award New Kid by Jerry Craft Author Honors The Stars and the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petrus Told in two distinct and irresistible voices, Junauda Petrus’s bold and lyrical debut is the story of two black girls from very different backgrounds finding love and happiness in a world that seems determined to deny them both. Trinidad. Sixteen-year-old Audre is despondent, having just found out she’s going to be sent to live in America with her father because her strictly religious mother caught her with her secret girlfriend, the pastor’s daughter. Minneapolis. Sixteen-year-old Mabel is lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling and trying to figure out why she feels the way she feels–about her ex Terrell, about her girl Jada and that moment they had in the woods, and about the vague feeling of illness that’s plagued her all summer. Mabel’s reverie is cut short when her father announces that his best friend and his just-arrived-from-Trinidad daughter are coming for dinner. (Summary from Clevnet catalog). Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia Tristan Strong feels anything but strong ever since he failed to save his best friend Eddie when they were in a bus accident together. But on his first night at his grandparents’ farm, a sticky creature shows up in his bedroom and steals Eddie’s notebook. When Tristan chases after, he finds himself in the middle of a battle that has left black American folk heroes John Henry and Brer Rabbit exhausted. In order to get back home, Tristan and these new allies will need to entice the god Anansi to come out of hiding. Can Tristan save this world before he loses more of the things he loves? Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks by Jason Reynolds This story was going to begin like all the best stories. With a school bus falling from the sky. But no one saw it happen. They were all too busy– Talking about boogers. Stealing pocket change. Skateboarding. Wiping out. Braving up. Executing complicated handshakes. Planning an escape. Making jokes. Lotioning up. Finding comfort. But mostly, too busy walking home. Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award The Undefeated illustrated by Kadir Nelson, written by Kwame Alexander Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honors The Bell Rang by James E. Ransome Every single morning, the overseer of the plantation rings the bell. Daddy gathers wood. Mama cooks. Ben and the other slaves go out to work. Each day is the same. Full of grueling work and sweltering heat. Every day, except one, when the bell rings and Ben is nowhere to be found. Because Ben ran. Yet, despite their fear and sadness, his family remains hopeful that maybe, just maybe, he made it North. That he is free. An ode to hope and a powerful tribute to the courage of those who ran for freedom, The Bell Rang is a stunning reminder that our past can never be forgotten. Infinite Hope: A Black Artist’s Journey from World War II to Peace by Ashley Bryan From celebrated author and illustrator Ashley Bryan comes a deeply moving picture book memoir about serving in the segregated army during World War II, and how love and the pursuit of art sustained him. Filled with never-before-seen artwork and handwritten letters and diary entries, this illuminating and moving memoir by Newbery Honor-winning illustrator Ashley Bryan is both a lesson in history and a testament to hope. Sulwe illustrated by Vashti Harrison, written by Lupita Nyong’o Sulwe has skin the color of midnight. She is darker than everyone in her family. She is darker than anyone in her school. Sulwe just wants to be beautiful and bright, like her mother and sister. Then a magical journey in the night sky opens her eyes and changes everything. (all summaries from the Clevnet catalog). A full list of all the ALA youth media awards can be found here. Newbery Awards Caldecott Awards Pura Belpré Awards
Newbery Awards 2020

The John Newbery Medal is the big one. It is given out to the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature each year. The medal winner can be a picture book, poetry, a chapter book, a first reader, and about any experience or story, by an American. Anything can go with this award and this year history was made. For the first time ever, the committee selected a graphic novel as the Medal winner. And not just any graphic novel – a graphic novel written by an African American about a young black boy’s experience as the new kid at a fancy, private school. Even though graphic novels are hugely popular, I can’t think of any others that center a contemporary, young black protagonist. Although, I can’t really place any, the internet is a wonderful resource, here’s a great list of more graphic novel options with African American characters. Still this is an important pick that reflects the experiences of so many people and is perfectly written for its audience. Kudos to New Kid and Jerry Craft and the rest of the winners! Newbery Medal New Kid by Jerry Craft Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade. As he makes the daily trip from his Washington Heights apartment to the upscale Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan soon finds himself torn between two worlds–and not really fitting into either one. Can Jordan learn to navigate his new school culture while keeping his neighborhood friends and staying true to himself? (Summary from Clevnet catalog). “There are very important books that talk about slavery and civil rights or police brutality or gang life, but I really wanted to add to their narrative by adding a boy who has a mom and a dad, a family who loves him, a support system, neighbors,” he said. “You don’t have to worry about anything bad happening, anyone meeting an unexpected demise. [It’s] something a kid can just read and relax and be like, ‘Wow I actually feel good reading this. I actually laughed.’ That’s not something I ever had growing up.” – Jerry Craft Breaks Barriers with Historic 2020 Newbery Win – interview with Jerry Craft from School Library Journal Newbery Honors The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Kadir Nelson (again!) Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams For a list of all the awards winners click here. Caldecott Winners 2020

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