Best Teen Books 2019Like this list

25 items

• This Was Our Pact

  Andrews, Ryan,

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  Five friends make a pact to follow their town's floating lanterns along the river, but only Nathaniel and outcast Ben follow through. The loose, ethereal art captures the mysterious quality of their nighttime adventures in this magical graphic novel.

• With the Fire on High

  Acevedo, Elizabeth,

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  Emoni, a high school senior with a two-year-old daughter, dreams of becoming a chef but tells herself it's unattainable. But when she enrolls in a culinary class at school, her obvious talent and passion for cooking make her rethink the impossible.

• Internment

  Ahmed, Samira (Fiction writer),

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  In a dystopian futuristic version of the United States, Muslim Americans have been forced into internment camps, and seventeen-year-old Layla decides to fight back, forming a revolution to battle complicit silence.

• Shout

  a Poetry Memoir

  Anderson, Laurie Halse,

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  Both a memoir and a call-to-action, Shout is a follow-up to Anderson's 1999 novel, Speak. Written in free verse, Anderson's personal stories reveal the strength of true vulnerability and speaking (or shouting) one's truth in the #MeToo era.

• Let's Go Swimming on Doomsday

  Anderson, Natalie C.,

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  Abdi's brother was recruited by an Islamist terrorist group in Somalia; the US recruited Abdi to join the group as a spy. Flashbacks reveal his harrowing life. In the present, a US-born aid worker tries to find him a foster home. Grim and gripping.

• Lovely War

  Berry, Julie, 1974-

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  The Greek goddess Aphrodite weaves a story of love and war with input from Olympians. The sweeping and romantic novel follows four young people who meet during WWI. Berry's lush, evocative writing makes setting and characters unforgettable.

• The Gilded Wolves

  Chokshi, Roshani,

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  Part heist caper, part historical fantasy. Chokshi's unique and unputdownable fantasy is set in a magical Paris in 1899, where a hotelier and thief leads a diverse cast of characters on a hunt for a magical artifact that may change all their fates.

• I Wish You All the Best

  Deaver, Mason,

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  Ben's parents kick them out of the house after they come out as nonbinary. Ben switches schools, moves in with their older sister, and tries to heal— a move that's complicated and sweetened when a new friend is interested in more than friendship.

• A Story About Cancer (with a Happy Ending)

  Desjardins, India, 1976-

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  This graphic novel opens as the 15-year-old narrator is about to hear her chances of surviving her leukemia. In flashbacks, she reflects on her years of treatment, including a friend's death, her steadfast boyfriend, and the cancer clichés she hates.

• Pet

  Emezi, Akwaeke,

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  Jam's town is supposed to be a utopia, free of violence, bigotry, and monsters, so Jam is shocked when the creature in one of her mother's paintings comes to life and emerges to hunt one remaining monster. Timely, nuanced, and compelling.

• Dig.

  King, A. S. (Amy Sarig), 1970-

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  In her signature style, King follows five teens as they grapple with issues like domestic violence, patriarchy, white privilege, and more. The offbeat but realistic characters anchor the sometimes surreal and often difficult story.

• Two Can Keep a Secret

  McManus, Karen M.,

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  Twins Ellery and Ezra arrive in their new hometown to find a body lying in the road— and things only go downhill from there in this twisty thriller. Ellery is a true-crime fanatic determined to uncover the truth, but it may cost her.

• Queen of the Sea

  Meconis, Dylan,

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  Loosely based on sixteenth-century British history, this beautifully detailed graphic novel follows Margaret as she grows up in an island convent. Rich world-building, vibrant characters, and charming illustrations make for an engrossing read.

• Bloom

  Panetta, Kevin,

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  Despite plans to leave his hometown after graduation, Ari finds himself spending more time at his family’s bakery after Hector starts working there in this sweet coming-of-age graphic novel.

• Look Both Ways

  a Tale Told in Ten Blocks

  Reynolds, Jason,

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  10 interconnected stories follow students from one urban middle school as they walk home after class. Reynolds, beloved for his relatable characters and vivid language, is back with a wonderful, compassionate collection that showcases his talents.

• Patron Saints of Nothing

  Ribay, Randy,

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  When his cousin is killed in violent President Duterte's war on drugs, Jay returns to his native Philippines to learn more. Ribay combines mystery and commentary on current events in this moving and eye-opening story.

• Pumpkinheads

  a Graphic Novel

  Rowell, Rainbow,

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  High school seniors Deja and Josiah prepare to work their last shift together at the pumpkin patch where they've worked for years. Since both are college-bound and won't see each other again, Deja decides that their last night should be an adventure!

• Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All

  Ruby, Laura,

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  This historical ghost story follows two young women. Frankie has been abandoned by her father in a strict Catholic orphanage; ghost Pearl died when she was barely older than Frankie. Ruby pairs evocative historical detail with dreamlike prose.

• Tell Me How You Really Feel

  Safi, Aminah Mae,

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  Seniors Rachel and Sana have hated each other since a prank gone awry their freshman year. Forced to work together on one final project, they discover that underneath misunderstandings, there's a spark of something else. Nuanced and romantic.

• Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me

  Tamaki, Mariko,

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  After being broken up with (again and again) by Laura Dean, Freddy takes stock of her relationship with Laura, exploring themes of toxic relationships vs. healthy ones, self-worth, and the painful wisdom of growing up.