Great Valley High School

Title & Author

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The Bear & The Nightingale by Katherine Arden

Fairy Tale Re-Telling, Magical Realism

This mesmerizing fantasy takes place in medieval Russia, at a time when women had but two choices in life: serve their appointed husband by bearing his children and taking care of his household, or serve God in a convent. Vasilisa Petrovna refuses to do either. She embarks on her own, sacred mission to protect the magic and spirits of her homeland.

5

Bone Gap by Laura Ruby

Magical Realism with Mystery/Suspense

In a mysterious small town, where odd happenings are common, one young woman's disappearance is largely ignored. Except by Finn, who knows she was kidnapped. What follows is a stunningly captivating story full of secrets, loss, and love.

3-4

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire

Magical Mystery/suspense. Novella (mini-novel)

If you liked Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children, you'll love this mysterious fantasy from Seanan McGuire. This is a dark, creepy fairy tale about the children who slipped through the cracks (a wardrobe, a rabbit hole, or a doorway leading to magical lands). This is the story of what happens when the children come back to the real world. Their experiences.....have changed them, but not always for the better.

2

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

High Fantasy Adventure, Classic

The classic tale about one small hobbit's grand adventure. Trolls, Dwarves, Wizards, and Dragons. Unexpected bravery, sneaky villains, and a dragon's horde of gold & jewels. What more could you ask for?

4-5

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

Myths & Legends

Fantasy powerhouse author Neil Gaiman compiles ancient Norse mythology into a novel-like tale, beginning with the genesis of the legendary nine worlds and delving in to the adventures of gods, dwarfs, and giants. From Odin to Thor, and of course Loki, these gods & heroes will capture your interest from the first page to the last.

2-3

Rocks Fall Everyone Dies by Lindsay Ribar

Modern Day Paranormal/Magical

Its about a boy who can reach inside people and steal their innermost things—fears, memories, scars, even love—and his family’s secret ritual that for centuries has kept the cliff above their small town from collapsing. With a smart, arrogant protagonist, a sinister family tradition, and an ending you won’t see coming, this is a fast-paced, twisty story about power, addiction, and deciding what kind of person you want to be, in a family that has the ability to control everything you are

2-3

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle

Fantasy Adventure, Classic

It was a dark and stormy night….. Join these misfit characters on their epic adventure as they search through time & space for their missing father. In doing so they must travel behind the shadow of an evil power that is darkening the cosmos, one planet at a time.

1

Lion, Witch, & Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Fantasy Adventure, Classic

Journeys to the ends of the world, fantastic creatures, betrayals, heroic deeds and friendships won and lost -- all come together in an unforgettable world of magic. So join the battle to end all battles in Narnia.

1

Enders Game by Orson Scott Card

Action, Adventure, Space Battles

Once again, Earth is under attack. An alien species is poised for a final assault. The survival of humanity depends on a military genius who can defeat the aliens. But who?

Ender Wiggin. Brilliant. Ruthless. Cunning. A tactical and strategic master. And a child.

3

Bunker 10 by Jan-Andrew Henderson

Action paced, fast paced, adventure & survival

At eight o'clock in the evening, 24 December 2007, Pinewood Military Installation exploded. The blast ripped apart acres of forest and devastated the remote highland valley where the base was located. No official cause was given for the incident. Inside Pinewood were 185 male and female personnel--a mixture of scientists and soldiers. There were also seven teenagers. This is the story of their last day . . .

2

Miles Morales: Spiderman by Jason Reynolds

Action, Adventure, Superheroes

Jason Reynolds gives us the newest, coolest spiderman ever. Join Miles Morales on this thrilling joyride through the streets of Brooklyn as he contends with all the normal teen stuff: Parents, friends, video games, crushes, school…. Oh yeah, and he’s Spider-Man.

1-2

The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness

Superheroes, action, Satire/Humor

What if you aren't the Chosen One? The one who's supposed to fight the zombies, or the soul-eating ghosts, or whatever the heck this new thing is, with the blue lights and the death? What if you're like Mikey? Who just wants to graduate and go to prom and maybe finally work up the courage to ask Henna out before someone goes and blows up the school. Again. Because sometimes there are problems bigger than this week's end of the world, and sometimes you just have to find the extraordinary in your ordinary life. Even if your best friend IS worshipped by mountain lions

3

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

Action, Adventure, Dystopian, cli-fi

A gritty, award winning, high-stakes adventure of a teenage boy faced with conflicting loyalties, set in a dark future America devastated by the forces of climate change. A story about loyalty, survival, and hope.

2

Dry by Neal Shusterman

(Miss Bogan highly recommends!)

Survival, adventure, dystopian, cli-fi

What would you do if your state ran out of water… today? How long would it take before all the stores were sold out of every liquid imaginable? How quickly would your quiet, suburban street turn into a war zone, as neighbor fights neighbor for every remaining resource? Dry is the story about what happened the day the California drought escalated to catastrophic proportions.

2

American War by Omar El Akkad

Dystopian, War, Survival, Cli-Fi

An audacious and powerful debut novel: a second American Civil War, a devastating plague, and one family caught deep in the middle—a story that asks what might happen if America were to turn its most devastating policies and deadly weapons upon itself.

4-5

Warcross by Marie Lu

Video Game adventure, action, suspense

In this action packed futuristic tale, millions of people log into WarCross every day, for them it’s not just a game but a way of life.  This obsession allows you to escape reality and even make quick cash. When bounty hunter Emika Chen accidentally glitches herself into the Warcross International Tournaments, she sees her chance at fortune and a future. If only she can stay alive long enough to collect.

2-3

Denton Little’s Death Date by Lance Rubin

Humor, Mystery, Suspense

Get ready to die laughing: this is an outrageously funny ride through the last hours of a teenager’s life as he searches for love, meaning, answers, and (just maybe) a way to live on. Mystery Humor Death.

2

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Afterward by Jennifer Mathieu

Kidnapping, Mystery, Psychological

A tragic kidnapping leads to an unlikely friendship in this novel about finding light in the midst of darkness.

3

How to Lead a life of Crime by Kirsten Miller

Mystery, Thriller, Crime

A meth dealer. A prostitute. A serial killer.

Anywhere else, they’d be vermin. At the Mandel Academy, they’re called prodigies. The most exclusive school in New York City has been training young criminals for over a century. Only the most ruthless students are allowed to graduate. The rest disappear.

2

Period .8 by Chris Crutcher

Mystery, Sports, Missing Person

The ultimate bully and the ultimate good guy tangle during Period 8.

2

Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen McManus

Mystery, Thriller, Missing Persons

Echo Ridge is small-town America. Ellery's never been there, but she's heard all about it. Her aunt went missing there at age seventeen. And only five years ago, a homecoming queen put the town on the map when she was killed. Now Ellery has to move there to live with a grandmother she barely knows.

The town is picture-perfect, but it's hiding secrets. And before school even begins for Ellery, someone has declared open season on homecoming, promising to make it as dangerous as it was five years ago. Then, almost as if to prove it, another girl goes missing.

3

The Girl with all the Gifts by M.R. Carey

Horror, Zombies, Dystopia

Melanie is a very special girl. Dr Caldwell calls her "our little genius."

Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don't like her. She jokes that she won't bite, but they don't laugh

2-3

A Study in Charlotte by  Brittany Cavallaro

Mystery, Thriller, Detectives, Crime

The first book in a witty, suspenseful new series about a brilliant new crime-solving duo: the teen descendants of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. Jamie Watson has always been intrigued by Charlotte Holmes; after all, their great-great-great-grandfathers are one of the most infamous pairs in history. But the Holmes family has always been odd, and Charlotte is no exception. She’s inherited Sherlock’s volatility and some of his vices—and when Jamie and Charlotte end up at the same Connecticut boarding school, Charlotte makes it clear she’s not looking for friends.

But when a student they both have a history with dies under suspicious circumstances, ripped straight from the most terrifying of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Jamie can no longer afford to keep his distance. Danger is mounting and nowhere is safe—and the only people they can trust are each other.

2

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

Mystery, Murder, Detective

Stevie Bell is a true-crime buff. And what better place to deepen her understanding than at Ellingham Academy? Partly because the custom courses of study are tailored to students' passion, but also because the school was the scene of a notorious crime not long after it opened: The founder’s wife and daughter were kidnapped, ostensibly for ransom, and a student was killed. His wife's body was found eventually, but his daughter, Alice, never was. Stevie plans to solve the case. But when a classmate is killed, everything changes.

3

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

Horror, Mystery, Suspense, Historical

Against her stern father's wishes and society's expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle's laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.

The story's shocking twists and turns, augmented with real, sinister period photos, will make this un-put-down-able.

2-3

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

Mystery, Suspense, Historical, Based on True Story

Based on one of America’s most notorious real-life scandals—in which Georgia Tann, director of a Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country—Lisa Wingate’s riveting, wrenching, and ultimately uplifting tale reminds us how, even though the paths we take can lead to many places, the heart never forgets where we belong.

5

People Like Us

Mystery, Thriller, suspense

For Fans of Mean Girls, Riverdale, and Pretty Little Liars, and Gossip Girl.

Kay Donovan may have skeletons in her closet, but the past is past, and she's reinvented herself entirely. Now she's a star soccer player whose group of gorgeous friends run their private school with effortless popularity and acerbic wit. But when a girl's body is found in the lake, Kay's carefully constructed life begins to topple. 

1-2

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Violent Ends by Shaun David Hutchinson, et al

Short Stories, Suspense, School Shooting

Witness one school shooting from 17 different student’s perspectives. 17 popular YA authors come together to share the viewpoints of a group of students affected by a school shooting.

It took only twenty-two minutes for Kirby Matheson to exit his car, march onto the school grounds, enter the gymnasium, and open fire, killing six and injuring five others. 

But this isn’t a story about the shooting itself. This isn’t about recounting that one unforgettable day. 

This is about one boy—who had friends, enjoyed reading, playing saxophone in the band, and had never been in trouble before—became a monster capable of entering his school with a loaded gun and firing bullets at his classmates.

2-3

Code of Honor by Alan Gratz

Action, Adventure, War

A heart-racing action-adventure about the War on Terror -- and the bond between brothers.

Kamran Smith has it all. He's the star of the football team, dates the most popular girl in school, and can't wait to enlist in the Army like his big brother, Darius. Although Kamran's family hails from Iran, Kamran has always felt 100% American. Accepted. But then Darius is accused of being a terrorist. And then everything implodes.

1-2

Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling

Adventure, Survival, Classic

The Jungle Book key characters are Mowgli, a boy raised by wolves and Sher Khan, biggest tiger in India. As Baloo the sleepy brown bear, Bagheera the cunning black panther, Kaa the python, and his other animal friends teach their beloved “man-cub” the ways of the jungle, Mowgli gains the strength and wisdom he needs for his frightful fight with Shere Khan, the tiger who robbed him of his human family

1

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Adventure, Survival

See how Piscine Molitor “Pi” Patel, a Tamil boy from Pondicherry survives 227 days after a shipwreck while stranded on a boat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal Tiger named Richard Parker.

4-5

Next by Kevin Waltman

Sports

In Indiana, basketball is the next thing to religion. Especially for inner-city black kids like Derrick Bowen. He's a 6'3" freshman, lightning quick, and he can slam the rock. He wants to start at point guard for Marion High, but senior Nick Starks has that nailed down. Besides, the coach is old school. He thinks D-Bow needs to work on his game, his shot, and his attitude. That means bench time. And that's when Hamilton Academy, the elite school in the suburbs, comes sniffing around. They want D-Bow for the next three years. His mom wants no part of that. But his father needs a job, and Uncle Kid, who is a bitter ex-star at Marion High, has his own plans. Yeah, there's a pretty girl and a best friend in the mix. Plus plenty of basketball action and suspense just like high school boys like to read.

2-3

Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin

Action, Adventure, Alternative History

What if Hitler and the Axis powers had won World War II? Part alternative history, part spy novel, and part coming-of-age tale, this work is most of all the story of Ya-el, a young woman who escaped the horrors of a concentration camp but could not escape being changed forever by Nazi experimentation. As a resistance fighter, Ya-el is given a critical mission: win the Axis Tour motorcycle race competition, and assassinate Hitler.

3

Crossover or Rebound by Kwame Alexander

Action, Sports, Novel in verse

Crossover: Josh and Jordan must come to grips with growing up on and off the court to realize breaking the rules comes at a terrible price, as their story's heart-stopping climax proves a game-changer for the entire family.

Rebound: Before Josh and Jordan Bell were streaking up and down the court, their father was learning his own moves. In this prequel to Newbery Medal winner The Crossover, Chuck Bell takes center stage, as readers get a glimpse of his childhood and how he became the jazz music worshipping, basketball star his sons look up to.   

Assassins Guide to Love & Treason by Virginia Boecker

Action, Adventure, Historical, Love

An Assassin's Guide to Love and Treason is a thrilling, immersive romp through Shakespeare's London, and all the intrigue, alliances, and politics that shaped it

3

Don’t Get Caught by Kurt Dinan

Action, Mystery, Humor

This hilarious heist story is full of pop culture, short chapters, and laugh-out-loud moments makes for a fast and loveable read. Max Cobb flies under the radar—until a prank sets him and several classmates up to take the fall for the high school's legendary Chaos Club. In a quest to prove he's more than ordinary, Max, with his crew, decides to take down the club and the school's horrible administrator.

2

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Every Exquisite Thing by Matthew Quick (author of Silver Linings Playbook)

Fans of Perks of Being a Wallflower and John Green will enjoy this.

Coming of Age, love, mental health, anti-conformity

Nanette O'Hare has played the quintessential privileged star athlete and straight-A student for as long as she can remember. But when a beloved teacher gives her his worn copy of The Bubblegum Reaper--a mysterious, out-of-print cult classic--the rebel within Nanette awakens. 

As the new and outspoken Nanette attempts to insert her true self into the world with wild abandon, she learns that rebellion can sometimes come at a high price...and with devastating consequences

4

No One Can Pronounce My Name by Rakesh Satyal

Family, Culture, Immigration

A HUMOROUS AND TENDER MULTIGENERATIONAL NOVEL ABOUT IMMIGRANTS AND OUTSIDERS―THOSE TRYING TO FIND THEIR PLACE IN AMERICAN SOCIETY AND WITHIN THEIR OWN FAMILIES

4

Dumplin or Puddin by Julie Murphy

Body Positivity, Coming of Age, Family, Love

Dumplin: Willowdeen, self-proclaimed “fat girl” and daughter of a former beauty queen begins to doubt herself. To take back her confidence she does the most horrifying thing she can imagine: enters the Miss clover City beauty pageant.

Puddin: Millie Michalchuk has gone to fat camp every year since she was a girl. Not this year. This year she has new plans to chase her secret dream—and to kiss her crush. Callie Reyes is the pretty girl who is next in line for dance team captain and has the popular boyfriend. But when it comes to other girls, she’s more frenemy than friend. When circumstances bring the girls together over the course of a semester, they will surprise everyone (especially themselves) by realizing they might have more in common than they ever imagined

3

Made You Up by Francesca Zappia

Mental Health, love

Alex fights a daily battle to figure out what is real and what is not. Armed with a take-no-prisoners attitude, her camera, a Magic 8 Ball, and her only ally (her little sister), Alex wages a war against her schizophrenia, determined to stay sane long enough to get into college.

3

Saints & Misfits by S.K. Ali

Coming of Age, trust, family, sexual assault

The story of a girl's evolution from terrified victim to someone who knows she's worthy of support and is brave enough to get it.

3

Tell me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum

Suspense, love,

What if the person you need the most is someone you’ve never met?

Everything about Jessie is wrong. At least, that’s what it feels like during her first week as a junior at her new ultra-intimidating prep school in Los Angeles. It’s been barely two years since her mother’s death, and because her father eloped with a woman he met online, Jessie has been forced to move across the country to live with her stepmonster and her pretentious teenage son.

Just when she’s thinking about hightailing it back to Chicago, she gets an email from a person calling themselves Somebody/Nobody (SN for short), offering to help her navigate the wilds of Wood Valley High School. Is it an elaborate hoax? Or can she rely on SN for some much-needed help?

1-2

None of the Above by I.W. Gegorio

Coming of Age, Identity

What if everything you knew about yourself changed in an instant?

When Kristin Lattimer is voted homecoming queen, it seems like another piece of her ideal life has fallen into place. She's a champion hurdler with a full scholarship to college and she's madly in love with her boyfriend. In fact, she's decided that she's ready to take things to the next level with him.

But Kristin's first time isn't the perfect moment she's planned—something is very wrong. A visit to the doctor reveals the truth: Kristin is intersex, which means that though she outwardly looks like a girl, she has male chromosomes, not to mention boy "parts."

Dealing with her body is difficult enough, but when her diagnosis is leaked to the whole school, Kristin's entire identity is thrown into question. As her world unravels, can she come to terms with her new self?

3

I am not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika Sanchez

Coming of Age, Identity, Family

Perfect Mexican daughters do not go away to college. And they do not move out of their parents’ house after high school graduation. Perfect Mexican daughters never abandon their family.

But Julia is not your perfect Mexican daughter. 

3

On the Come Up by Angie Thomas

(Author of The Hate U Give)

Coming of Age, Identity, Music

Sixteen-year-old Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. Or at least make it out of her neighborhood one day. As the daughter of an underground rap legend who died before he hit big, Bri’s got big shoes to fill. But now that her mom has unexpectedly lost her job, food banks and shutoff notices are as much a part of Bri’s life as beats and rhymes. With bills piling up and homelessness staring her family down, Bri no longer just wants to make it—she has to make it.

3-4

Sparrow by Sarah Moon

Coming of Age, Mental Health

Sparrow has a secret: her closest friends are birds. When she feels anxious, she goes to the roof and flies. One day, this practice lands her in the hospital, facing questions from the adults in her life. Slowly, she recovers, finds her voice, and makes new friends along the way

1-2

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Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner

Grief, Healing

Carver's three best friends are killed in a car accident soon after he sends the driver a text message, and grief and guilt take their toll. When the grandmother of one of his deceased friends asks for a “goodbye day,” Carver agrees, hoping for closure.

3

X: a novel by Ilyasah Shabazz

Historical, Activism

Cowritten by Malcolm X’s daughter, this riveting and revealing novel follows the formative years of the man whose words and actions shook the world.

3

Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

Mystery, suspense

Although gifted with a superbly logical brain, for fifteen-year-old Christopher everyday interactions and admonishments have little meaning. He lives on patterns, rules, and a diagram kept in his pocket. Then one day, a neighbor's dog, Wellington, is killed and his carefully constructive universe is threatened. Christopher sets out to solve the murder in the style of his favourite (logical) detective, Sherlock Holmes. What follows makes for a novel that is funny, poignant and fascinating in its portrayal of a person whose curse and blessing are a mind that perceives the world entirely literally. 

2

That was Then, This is Now by S.E. Hinton

Coming of Age, classic, Sequesl to The Outsiders

Since childhood, Bryon and Mark have been as close as brothers. Now things are changing. Bryon's growing up, spending a lot of time with girls, and thinking seriously about who he wants to be. Mark still just lives for the thrill of the moment. The two are growing apart - until Bryon makes a shocking discovery about Mark. Then Bryon faces a terrible decision - one that will change both of their lives forever

2

Exit, pursued by bear by E.K. Johnston

Overcoming trauma, finding your strength, sexual assault

This is the story of one cheerleader who rises up after a traumatic attack, and, leaning on supportive friends and family, finds her strength and voice again.

2

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Mental Health, Anorexia, Body Image

“Dead girl walking,” the boys say in the halls.
“Tell us your secret,” the girls whisper, one toilet to another.
I am that girl.
I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.
I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.

Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies, competitors in a deadly contest to see who can be the skinniest. But what comes after size zero and size double-zero? When Cassie succumbs to the demons within, Lia feels she is being haunted by her friend’s restless spirit

3

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The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood

Mythology, Retold/Twisted Myths

You’ve heard the story from Odysseus’ point of view, now hear what Penelope, the “ever faithful wife” has to say. This book tells the story of Penelope, Odysseus’s wife, from her childhood in Sparta, through the Trojan War and the events of the Odyssey.

5

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand

Historical Retellings, love, humor

Edward (long live the king) is the King of England. He’s also dying, which is inconvenient, as he’s only sixteen and he’d much rather be planning for his first kiss than considering who will inherit his crown…

Jane (reads too many books) is Edward’s cousin, and far more interested in books than romance. Unfortunately for Jane, Edward has arranged to marry her off to secure the line of succession. And there’s something a little odd about her intended…

Gifford (call him G) is a horse. That is, he’s an Eðian (eth-y-un, for the uninitiated). Every day at dawn he becomes a noble chestnut steed—but then he wakes at dusk with a mouthful of hay. It’s all very undignified.

The plot thickens as Edward, Jane, and G are drawn into a dangerous conspiracy. With the fate of the kingdom at stake, our heroes will have to engage in some conspiring of their own. But can they pull off their plan before it’s off with their heads?

3

Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse

Historical, WWII, Mystery

Amsterdam, 1943. Hanneke spends her days procuring and delivering sought-after black market goods to paying customers, her nights hiding the true nature of her work from her concerned parents, and every waking moment mourning her boyfriend, who was killed on the Dutch front lines when the Germans invaded. She likes to think of her illegal work as a small act of rebellion.

On a routine delivery, a client asks Hanneke for help. Expecting to hear that Mrs. Janssen wants meat or kerosene, Hanneke is shocked by the older woman's frantic plea to find a person--a Jewish teenager Mrs. Janssen had been hiding, who has vanished without a trace from a secret room. Hanneke initially wants nothing to do with such dangerous work, but is ultimately drawn into a web of mysteries and stunning revelations that lead her into the heart of the resistance, open her eyes to the horrors of the Nazi war machine, and compel her to take desperate action

3

Soldier Boy by Keely Hutton

War, History, child Soldiers

It was just a nightmare.

All Ricky needed to do was wake up. Just open his eyes. And Kony’s red-eyed beasts with their long claws dripping blood and their fiery breath would have disappeared. His brother would be beside him. His parents and sisters would be safe and asleep in their beds.

Just like before.

Here is the true story of Ricky Richard Anywar, abducted in 1989 at age fourteen by Joseph Kony’s rebel army in the Ugandan civil war (one of Africa’s longest-running conflicts). Ricky is trained, armed, and sent to battle government troops alongside his brutal kidnappers, but over his two and a half years of enslavement, he never stops dreaming of escape.

3

Lifeboat 12 by Susan Hood (novel in verse)

or

Historical, Survival

Lifeboat: poignant novel in verse based on true events tells the story of a boy’s harrowing experience on a lifeboat after surviving a torpedo attack during World War II.

Refugee: Three different kids. One mission in common: ESCAPE. All three young people will go on harrowing journeys in search of refuge. All will face unimaginable dangers–from drownings to bombings to betrayals. But for each of them, there is always the hope of tomorrow. And although Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud are separated by continents and decades, surprising connections will tie their stories together in the end

1-2

Passion of Dolssa by Julie Berry

Historical fiction, Religious Persecution

Dolssa is a young gentlewoman with uncanny gifts, on the run from an obsessed friar determined to burn her as a heretic for the passion she refuses to tame.

4

Ringside, 1925 by Jen Bryant

Historical Fiction, Trials, Verse

The year is 1925, and the students of Dayton, Tennessee, are ready for a summer of fishing, swimming, some working, and drinking root beer floats at Robinson’s Drugstore. But when their science teacher, J. T. Scopes, is arrested for having taught Darwin’s theory of evolution in class, it seems it won’t be just any ordinary summer in Dayton.

1-2

A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

History, Romance, Murder Mystery

Sixteen-year-old Mattie Gokey has big dreams but little hope of seeing them come true. Desperate for money, she takes a job at the Glenmore, where hotel guest Grace Brown entrusts her with the task of burning a secret bundle of letters. But when Grace's drowned body is fished from the lake, Mattie discovers that the letters could reveal the grim truth behind a murder.

4

Beneath a scarlet sky by Mark T. Sullivan

Historical, War

Based on the true story of a forgotten hero, Beneath a Scarlet Skyis the triumphant, epic tale of one young man’s incredible courage and resilience during one of history’s darkest hours.

5

Paper hearts by Meg Wiviott

Novel in Verse, History, War, holocaust

A novel in verse, Paper Hearts is the story of survival, defiance, and friendship. Based on historical events about a group of girls who were slave laborers at the munitions factory in Auschwitz

3

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Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

Humor

Trevor Noah, host of The Daily Show, uses his characteristic humor and wit to tell his story about growing up half-black and half-white in South Africa, during the twilight of Apartheid (a time of extreme segregation between races.)

3

Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek by Maya Van Wagenen

Humor, fashion

A touchingly honest, candidly hysterical memoir from breakout teen author Maya Van Wagenen 

Stuck at the bottom of the social ladder at pretty much the lowest level of people at school who aren’t paid to be here,” Maya Van Wagenen decided to begin a unique social experiment: spend the school year following a 1950s popularity guide, written by former teen model Betty Cornell. Can curlers, girdles, Vaseline, and a strand of pearls help Maya on her quest to be popular? 

2-3

How Dare the Sun Rise by Sandra Uwiringiyimana

Survival, Trauma, activism

This profoundly moving memoir is the remarkable and inspiring true story of Sandra Uwiringyimana, a girl from the Democratic Republic of the Congo who tells the tale of how she survived a massacre, immigrated to America, and overcame her trauma through art and activism.

4-5

Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah

Survival, War

The devastating story of war through the eyes of a child soldier. Beah tells how, at the age of twelve, he fled attacking rebels and wandered a land rendered unrecognizable by violence. By thirteen, he’d been picked up by the government army, and became a soldier.

2-3

Some Assembly Required: The Not-So-Secret Life of a Transgender Teen by Arin Andrews

Growing up, gender identity

Seventeen-year-old Arin Andrews shares all the hilarious, painful, and poignant details of undergoing gender reassignment as a high school student in this winning memoir. 

3

Educated by Tara Westover

Family, education

Tara Westover’s incredible story about growing up in a household of survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, where preparing for the end of the world by stockpiling canned peaches was more important than attending school. Tara tells about her journey to leave the life she knew and seek out the education she yearned for.

4

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Loveing Vs. Virginia by Patricia Hruby Powell

Trials, Historical Nonfiction, Verse/Poetry

From acclaimed author Patricia Hruby Powell comes the story of a landmark civil rights case, told in spare and gorgeous verse. In 1955, in Caroline County, Virginia, amidst segregation and prejudice, injustice and cruelty, two teenagers fell in love. Their life together broke the law, but their determination would change it. Richard and Mildred Loving were at the heart of a Supreme Court case that legalized marriage between races, and a story of the devoted couple who faced discrimination, fought it, and won.

3

I am Alfonso Jones by Tony Medina

Police Brutality,

Alfonso Jones can't wait to play the role of Hamlet in his school's hip-hop rendition of the classic Shakespearean play. He also wants to let his best friend, Danetta, know how he really feels about her. But as he is buying his first suit, an off-duty police officer mistakes a clothes hanger for a gun, and he shoots Alfonso.

When Alfonso wakes up in the afterlife, he's on a ghost train guided by well-known victims of police shootings, who teach him what he needs to know about this subterranean spiritual world. Meanwhile, Alfonso's family and friends struggle with their grief and seek justice for Alfonso in the streets. As they confront their new realities, both Alfonso and those he loves realize the work that lies ahead in the fight for justice.

3

Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina & new Orleans by Don Brown

Historical Nonfiction

Don Brown’s kinetic art and as-it-happens narrative capture both the tragedy and triumph of one of the worst natural disasters in American history

3

Sally Heathcote: Suffragette by Mary M. Talbot

Historical Nonfiction, Women’s Right to Vote

Sally Heathcote: Suffragette is a gripping inside story of the campaign for votes for women. A tale of loyalty, love and courage, set against a vividly realised backdrop of Edwardian Britain, it follows the fortunes of a maid-of-all-work swept up in the feminist militancy of the era.

4

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

Identity, lgbtqia+

Paris, at the dawn of the modern age:

Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride―or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia―the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion!

Sebastian’s secret weapon (and best friend) is the brilliant dressmaker Frances―one of only two people who know the truth: sometimes this boy wears dresses. But Frances dreams of greatness, and being someone’s secret weapon means being a secret. Forever. How long can Frances defer her dreams to protect a friend? Jen Wang weaves an exuberantly romantic tale of identity, young love, art, and family. A fairy tale for any age, The Prince and the Dressmaker will steal your hear

3

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Girl Rising: Changing the World One Girl at a Time by Tanya Lee Stone 

Worldwide, over 62 million girls are not in school. 
But one girl with courage is a revolution. 
 
Girl Rising, a global campaign for girls’ education, created a film that chronicled the stories of nine girls in the developing world, allowing viewers the opportunity to witness how education can break the cycle of poverty. 
 
Now, award-winning author Tanya Lee Stone uses new research to illuminate the dramatic facts behind the film, focusing both on the girls captured on camera and many others. She examines barriers to education in depth—early child marriage and childbearing, slavery, sexual trafficking, gender discrimination, and poverty—and shows how removing these barriers means not only a better life for girls, but safer, healthier, and more prosperous communities. 

2 

The Boys Who Challenged Hitler by Phillip Hoose 

Historical 

At the outset of World War II, Denmark did not resist German occupation. Deeply ashamed of his nation's leaders, fifteen-year-old Knud Pedersen resolved with his brother and a handful of schoolmates to take action against the Nazis if the adults would not. Naming their secret club after the fiery British leader, the young patriots in the Churchill Club committed countless acts of sabotage, infuriating the Germans, who eventually had the boys tracked down and arrested. But their efforts were not in vain: the boys' exploits and eventual imprisonment helped spark a full-blown Danish resistance.  

2 

Under Your Nose: Great Philadelphia Sports Stories You’ve Never Heard 

Sports 

You know all about the Eagles, Phillies, Sixers and Flyers - not to mention Big 5 men's basketball. But the Philadelphia area is chock full of other great sports stories and careers that have gone virtually unnoticed. Until now. Under Your Nose; shines the spotlight on incredible tales that will help remind you why you became a sports fan in the first place. From football to fencing, it's all in here. These stories will leave you wondering how you never heard them before . . especially considering they have been: Under Your Nose; the whole time! 

2 

Bomb: The race to build – and steal – the world’s most dangerous weapon by Steve Steinkin 

History 

In December of 1938, a chemist in a German laboratory made a shocking discovery: When placed next to radioactive material, a Uranium atom split in two. That simple discovery launched a scientific race that spanned 3 continents. In Great Britain and the United States, Soviet spies worked their way into the scientific community; in Norway, a commando force slipped behind enemy lines to attack German heavy-water manufacturing; and deep in the desert, one brilliant group of scientists was hidden away at a remote site at Los Alamos. This is the story of the plotting, the risk-taking, the deceit, and genius that created the world's most formidable weapon. This is the story of the atomic bomb 

2-3 

The Boys in the Boat: The True Story of an American Team’s Epic Journey to Win Gold at the 1936 Winter Olympics by Daniel James Brown 

Sports & Historical 

out of the depths of the Great Depression comes the astonishing tale of nine working-class boys from the American West who at the 1936 Olympics showed the world what true grit really meant. With rowers who were the sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the University of Washington’s eight-oar crew was never expected to defeat the elite East Coast teams, yet they did, going on to shock the world by challenging the German boat rowing for Adolf Hitler. 

2-3 

Grit by Angela Duckworth 

Why do some people succeed and others fail? Sharing new insights from her landmark research on grit, Angela Duckworth explains why talent is hardly a guarantor of success. Rather, other factors can be even more crucial such as identifying our passions and following through on our commitments 

4-5 

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell 

In this stunning new book, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of "outliers"--the best and the brightest, the most famous and the most successful. He asks the question: what makes high-achievers different? 

4-5 

(Don’t) Call Me Crazy by Kelly Jensen 

Who’s Crazy? 
 
What does it mean to be crazy? Is using the word crazy offensive? What happens when such a label gets attached to your everyday experiences? 

3 

Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven Levitt 

Which is more dangerous, a gun or a swimming pool? What do schoolteachers and sumo wrestlers have in common? Why do drug dealers still live with their moms? How much do parents really matter? What kind of impact did Roe v. Wade have on violent crime? Freakonomics will literally redefine the way we view the modern world. 

4-5