We Are Not Free

Traci Chee

Told through multiple perspectives, this moving historical narrative details the injustices faced by Japanese Americans during World War II. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the US government forced over 100,000 people of Japanese ancestry into internment camps. We Are Not Free follows fourteen teenagers whose lives are irrevocably changed during this time. Uprooted from their San Francisco neighborhood, they are incarcerated simply because they are Nisei, or second-generation Japanese American citizens. Despite their differences, the teens must band together and protect each other from the hostilities of the world within and beyond the camp’s barbed wire fence.

Concrete Rose

Angie Thomas

A prequel to The Hate U Give, this powerful novel explores the story of Maverick Carter, the father of the former book’s protagonist, Starr. With his dad in prison, seventeen-year-old Maverick takes care of his family the only way he knows how: dealing for the King Lords. Things seem under control until Mav learns he’s a father. With a son to raise, Mav resolves to finish school and set his life straight, but between his new responsibilities and old loyalties to his gang, Mav must make tough choices if he is to become the man he wants to be.

Angel of Greenwood

Randi Pink

Known as “Black Wall Street,” the Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa, Oklahoma, is home to two very different teenagers. A follower of W. E. B. Du Bois, Isaiah, the town troublemaker, believes Black people should stand up and claim their place as equals. Angel, the goody-goody church girl, supports Booker T. Washington’s views, believing Black people should rise without conflict. Strangers at first, the two grow closer while working the same after-school job. But on May 31, 1921, everything changes when a vicious white mob destroys Greenwood, killing hundreds and displacing thousands. Told in alternating perspectives, Angel of Greenwood sheds new light on a nearly forgotten piece of American history.

Be Not Far from Me

Mindy McGinnis

What was supposed to be a night of partying in the Smoky Mountains turns into one of terror after Ashley Hawkins catches her boyfriend with another girl. In a panic, she runs into the dark woods and falls down a ravine. As morning comes, Ashley realizes she’s completely alone, lost in the forest with only the clothes on her back. To escape the mountains, Ashley must rely on her survival skills, knowing that giving up almost certainly means death. Violent scenes and sexual content make this book better suited for mature students.

The Barren Grounds

David A. Robertson

After being taken away from their families and communities, Morgan and Eli, two Indigenous children, are sent to the same foster home in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Struggling to adapt to this new life, the two find solace in the attic, away from their foster parents. One day, a magical portal opens on the attic wall, transporting Morgan and Eli to a world called Askí. In this frozen landscape, they meet Ochek, an animal-like hunter trying to save his starving community, Misewa. In the quest for food, Morgan, Eli, and Ochek embark on a dangerous mission, racing against the icy grip of winter. Inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia and Indigenous legends of the sky and stars, The Barren Grounds deserves a place on any middle-grade fantasy shelf.

We Are Not from Here

Jenny Torres Sanchez

After witnessing an act of unspeakable violence, Pulga, Chico, and Pequeña make the difficult choice to abandon their Guatemalan hometown and head for refuge in the United States. To reach their destination, the three teens must cross through Mexico following the route of La Bestia, an infamous system of trains fraught with threats of murder, kidnapping, hunger, and other dangers. Inspired by real events, We Are Not from Here tackles themes of survival, freedom, and humanitarianism. Scenes of graphic violence and sexual assault make this book better suited for older readers.

Patron Saints of Nothing

Randy Ribay

Jay Reguero planned on coasting by his last semester of high school before heading to college in the fall. But after learning that his Filipino cousin Jun was mysteriously murdered as part of President Duterte's war on drugs, Jay goes against his family’s wishes and journeys to the Philippines to uncover the truth—no matter the consequences. Tackling themes of grief and guilt, this coming-of-age tale masterfully explores the complexities of cultural identity and the importance of familial bonds.

They Both Die at the End

Adam Silvera

One night in September, Rufus Emeterio and Mateo Torrez each receive a phone call from Death-Cast, a company that is able to predict one’s death, informing them that they have 24 hours left to live. Rufus and Mateo are total strangers, but after connecting on an app called Last Friend, they meet up to do the impossible: to live a lifetime in a single day. Though the title reveals the story’s conclusion, readers will undoubtedly follow Rufus and Mateo to the end. Named one of Book Riot’s Best Queer Books of 2017, They Both Die at the End tackles heavy subjects like loss, love, acceptance, and the meaning of life.

The Downstairs Girl

Stacey Lee

In 1890s Atlanta, Chinese American Jo Kuan spends her days working as a maid for one of the city’s wealthiest families. By night, she adopts the pseudonym “Miss Sweetie,” writing an advice column in the local newspaper. After her column gains popularity, Jo uses her platform to challenge conventional ideas about race and gender. But backlash soon follows, and those opposed to Jo’s declarations seek to reveal Miss Sweetie’s real identity. Written by the founder of We Need Diverse Books, this powerful novel explores themes relating to society and identity.

With the Fire on High

Elizabeth Acevedo

From the award-winning author of The Poet X comes another inspiring story of empowerment and identity. High school senior Emoni Santiago aspires to be a professional chef, but responsibilities must come first. Between caring for her daughter and supporting her abuela, Emoni barely has time for her school’s new culinary arts class, let alone participate in the class’s trip to Spain. Even so, she can’t help but feel free in the kitchen. With a little self-confidence, a dash of courage, and a lot of hard work, Emoni realizes the future of her dreams isn’t so far out of reach.

The Astonishing Color of After

Emily X. R. Pan

On the day she kissed her longtime crush, Leigh Chen Sanders learned her mother died by suicide. In the aftermath, Leigh begins seeing a red bird that she believes is her mother reincarnated. Driven by the bird’s appearance, Leigh travels to Taiwan to meet her estranged maternal grandparents for the first time. As she searches for the truth behind her mother’s pain, Leigh must learn to accept her own feelings of grief and guilt. Winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, this novel weaves magical realism with lyrical prose to create a coming-of-age story your students will remember.

The Field Guide to the North American Teenager

Ben Philippe

When Norris, a Black French Canadian, moves to Texas, he finds his world turned upside down. At his American high school, the cynical teenager keeps to himself, passing the time by journaling about the students he meets: the Cheerleaders, the Jocks, the Loners, and so on. But against all odds, those labels soon become actual people to Norris. As he learns the harm of making snap judgments of others, Norris realizes it might be time to stop hiding behind his snarky opinions and welcome others into his life.

Dry

Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

A cautionary tale, Dry offers a harrowing look into a future marred by climate change. In California, extreme drought has changed the rules of water usage: no watering the lawn, no long showers, no filling up pools. Alyssa has gotten used to the situation—until the taps run dry. Suddenly, Alyssa’s quiet suburban street spirals into chaos as neighbors turn against each other on the hunt for water. When her parents go missing and her brother’s life is threatened, Alyssa must make impossible choices if they’re going to survive.

Two Can Keep a Secret

Karen M. McManus

Family issues send twins Ellery and Ezra to live with their grandmother in Echo Ridge, a quaint town in Vermont. But something sinister is lurking under Echo Ridge’s flawless veneer. Decades before Ellery and Ezra’s arrival, their aunt disappeared at age seventeen, and just five years ago, someone murdered the town’s homecoming queen. Now, another girl has gone missing, and true crime aficionado Ellery is determined to solve the mystery—and uncover Echo Ridge’s darkest secrets. This thrilling novel is sure to hold your high school students’ attention until the end.

The Fountains of Silence

Ruta Sepetys

Written by bestselling author Ruta Sepetys, The Fountains of Silence tells a story of love and secrets in Spain during the fascist dictatorship of Francisco Franco. In 1957, Daniel, the son of an American oil tycoon, arrives in Madrid with his parents hoping to connect with the country through photography. He soon meets Ana, a hotel maid whose family lives in fear under Franco’s rule. As the pair explore Madrid, they uncover a dark secret hidden underneath its picturesque surface.