The Ultimate Young Adult, Book Wish List

63 Young Adult books to add to your Book Wish List. Get ready to start reading and sharing these amazing books with your friends and your students. 

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In this blog post, I’m going to share the Ultimate Young Adult book wish list for this fall. Some of these books are from last year… but we all know how last year went. If you’re like me, you were distance learning for the whole school year, so I didn’t add a whole lot of books to my classroom library. This year, I plan to make up for it.

Check out my young adult book wish list below!

I’m not going to lie… the last few years for my classroom library have been… lackluster. I haven’t felt like buying, or reading, anything to add to my library. My book young adult wish lists have been nonexistent. Here and there, when I’d happen upon a bookstore, I picked up one or two. Usually, I have to limit myself when it comes to buying books for my classroom library.

Then, as we all know, the pandemic and distance learning happened. So although books were a haven for me, it wasn’t a priority to physically stock my library with new books–the students couldn’t borrow them anyways.

I’ve finally decided I’m going to buy only the books I really want to read, and keep, and then the rest I will try to fund or request through DonorsChoose or something of the sort. 

To make this work, though, requires a leeettle bit of time and some prep work. As a fellow book lover and classroom library cultivator, I love it when someone makes my job easier. Thus, I’ve tried to make it easier for my fellow classroom librarians-book lovers-teachers-angels of the book lending variety by coming up with the ultimately young adult book wish list.

Because I organize my classroom library into genres, I’ve organized the list that way too. These are almost all books from 2021, so students will be getting the freshest (is that still ok to say?) book choices! 

In case you’re wondering, I have NOT read them. My recommendation is coming off of what AR readers on the interwebs have said, the description, my knowledge of the authors (if I have knowledge) and… in a superficial way, the covers. YA books have awesome covers… so while I don’t anticipate any of these books to be duds… if they are, at least they’re art!  

These books are all YA, and if you’re worried about a book, of course read it yourself first. You know your students, their parents, and your school best, choose the books that reflect your students and their needs and wants. With that said, I suggest diversifying what you already have. Do you have a lot of fantasy, like me? Then, choose more of other genres. Do you have a lot of [insert adjective here] protagonists? Choose books featuring other central characters! Let your students see the beauty of others through books. Provide them with mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors.

Without further words from me, let’s just get into this ultimate young adult book wish list.

Fantasy

1. We Free the Stars

This is the second book in Hafsah Faizal’s Sands of Arawiya duology. The first, We Hunt the Flame, was amazing. I love that this is the final book, the first definitely destroys you… in a good way. So, knowing this will be the end, and things will hopefully be wrapped up? Pretty essential. 

This book continues to follow Zafira as she works with her friends to restore the hearts of the Sisters of Old in an effort to finally bring magic to all of Arawiya. Of course, external conflicts are not the only battles the characters face. Zafira and Nasir both fight darknesses within themselves. 

And… romance. I think this (romance) is important to note. I have a handful of students who get so mad (it’s entertaining, but true) when a book turns out to be a romance. They just want the epic adventure and not the mushy feelings. So, when adding this to your list, or recommending to students, make sure they’re up for the feels. 

If you’d like to check out some reviews, look here. 

2. The Gilded Ones

This is the first book in the Deathless series by Namina Forna. And. it. seems. epic. The book follows 16 year old Deka for whom the blood ceremony looms–a ceremony which decides if she will become a member of her village. Red blood, she can stay; gold blood, she faces worse than death.

In a few ways, this reminds me slightly of Red Queen, with the colors of blood, but that’s where the similarities appear to end. 

Deka receives a choice from a mysterious woman: stay and accept her awful fate? Or fight in an army of girls just like her. With unnatural intuition, Deka heeds her call to adventure.

Check out GoodReads for reviews here.

3. Red Tigress

According to GoodReads and Amazon, fans of Children of Blood and Bone will love this book… so it’s on my list. This is the second book in the Blood Heir trilogy by Amélie Wen Zhao and it is an epic fantasy series featuring a princess with a dark secret. 

As the only surviving member of the royal family, she faces the world alone and finds her way back to the throne in order to save her people. 

Read info and reviews here.

4. The Theft of Sunlight

This is another second book in a series, Dauntless Path by Intisar Khanai. Rae sets out to find her friend’s sister who is one of many children to disappear. Let the mystery and epic fantasy ensue!

Learn more about the book here.

5. Illusionary

Wowza! 2021 is the year of second books! This is the second in the Hollow Crown series by Zoraida Córdova. 

Renata is a girl on the run, from dangers and betrayal. She joins forces with her own option, Prince Castian. Romance, enemies-to-lovers style, brews while they work together to search for the fabled Knife of Memory. 

Check out reviews here. 

6. Blood Like Magic

Finally, a first in a series! This is the first in the same titled Blood Like Magic series by Liselle Sambury. 

This is a dark, urban fantasy (yay!) which follows a teen witch, Voya Thomas. Voya fails the Calling, a trial she must face to gain her powers, and is offered a second chance. She must kill her first love. The only issue? She’s never been in love. 

She sets off on a journey to save her family’s magic, fall in love, and… kill her love. 

Can’t wait to see what happens! 

Check out GoodReads reviews here. 

7. Wings of Shadow

This is the third book in the series, Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau Preto, and it is the finale. 

Veronyka must face her enemy: her sister. Alone and unmasked, Veronyka will do whatever it takes to get her friend–held captive–back, even if it means telling the world who she really is. 

Check out more details here. 

8. A Dark and Hollow Star

This is the first book in Ashley Shuttleworth’s A Dark and Hollow Star series, and it is a thrilling urban fantasy a la City of Bones and The Cruel Prince… so yeah, sign me up. 

This follow four queer teens who each hold a truth behind the murders that shake the city of Toronto. They must work together to piece together their truths, or they face the destruction of the faerie and human worlds. 

Read more about it here. 

9. The Mirror Season

While I would put this on my list for the cover alone… the book itself sounds AMAZING! It also sounds like a difficult read, as it is a story of trauma and healing. 

In Anna-Marie McLemore’s book, two teens are sexually assaulted at the same party, and Graciela, known as Ciela, loses the ability to make enchanted pan dulce. Ciela decides to help Lock, who has no memory of the night, before his life is destroyed. 

Learn more about this book here.

10. Lost in the Never Woods

Ahh! I love a good fable-esque story! A retelling of Peter Pan, Aiden Thomas’ Lost in the Never Woods presents a story of mystery and magic. Five years after Wendy’s two brothers go missing in the woods, the town’s children begin to disappear, and Peter, a boy Wendy thought only existed in her stories, seeks her help to save the children from her brothers’ fate. 

Want to learn more? Look here.

11. Lobizona 

This book has been on my persona list since it first entered the universe. I just love the cover, and I know, in my bones, it will be epic. 

Lobizona is the first in Romina Garber’s Wolves of No World series. Fantastical and yet wholly real, this is the story of Manuela Azul, an undocumented immigrant on the run from her father’s crime-family. On her journey, Manu discovers herself and traces of her real heritage. This is not a case of illegal citizenship, this is an illegal existence. 

Learn more here. 

12. The Magic Fish

A graphic novel! Trung Le Nguyen presents a beautiful graphic novel that deals with family and stories. This follows Tiến as he navigates life, coming of age, and finding himself, all while staying connected to his family, who don’t speak English. Unsure of how to communicate who he is and what he’s experiencing in Vietnamese with his parents, he uses stories and fairytales to connect. 

Learn more here. 

13. What Big Teeth

Another beautiful cover, another fairytale modification. YES! Rose Szabo gifts readers with a gothic fantasy all about owning your family and your innermost self. Eleanor Zarrin returns home to her estranged family after an incident at boarding school, only to find herself still an outsider. She must learn to accept her family and herself in order to keep them all together.

Curious? Learn more here.

14. Infinity Reaper

If you haven’t heard of or read Adam Silvera, make this book (and its predecessor) a priority. Infinity Reaper is the second in the Infinity Cycle series. Emil and Brighton Rey defeated the Blood Casters, but now Brighton’s dying. Emily must race to find an antidote that will save his brother.  Separately, Ness finds himself a pawn in a game and to protect Emil, he knows he must keep his distance. 

Who will win in this game? Who is the true enemy? 

Read more here.

Science Fiction

15. The Infinity Courts

The first in its series, Akemi Dawn Bowman’s book follows 18 year old Nami Miyamoto, after she dies. She wakes up in a place called Infinity. Her consciousness arrives here when her physical body dies, and she quickly discovers the virtual assistant (think Alexa… but called Ophelia) from her alive-life has taken over the afterlife. Nami teams up with others to take down Ophelia, in a true take-down-the-AI sci-fi. 

Learn more here. 

16. Yesterday is History

Kosoko Jackson presents the tory of Andre Cobb, who just received a liver transplant. He is ready to live life! Until one night, he passes out and wakes up in 1969. In this time-traveling story, thanks to his new liver and its gift, Andre shifts between 1969 and Michael and the present and Blake.

Read more here.

17. The Electric Kingdom

A deadly fly flu sweeps the world and leaves a shell of existence behind in The Electric Kingdom by David Arnold. Nico, 18, and her dog are on a journey to find a mythical portal with Kit and Deliverer. In a post-apocalyptic New England, these survivors band together to survive. 

Check out more here.

18. The Cost of Knowing

In Brittney Morris’ The Cost of Knowing, 16 year old Alex Rufus tries his best, but it’s hard. Whenever he touches an object or person, Alex sees into the future. When he sees a vision of his brother’s imminent death, he is now in a race against time to save his brother. 

Learn more here.

19. The Darkness Outside Us

A mind-bending sci-fi mystery and an enemies-to-lovers romance feature two boys alone on a spaceship… well, yes, that sounds amazing! Ambrose wakes up on the spaceship with no memory of a launch, and he must work through the mystery and mismatched facts as well as the barriers of Kodiak in order to save his sister. But, there’s more going on here. Soon, they must work together to uncover the secrets of the ship, or they may not survive. 

Read more about it here on GoodReads. 

20. Rainbow in the Dark

In Sean McGinty’s novel, high school senior Rainbow, along with three other teens, is trapped in a game-like world. Real or not, they must work together to complete quests in order to gain their forgotten memories and find a way home.

Learn even more here.

21. Girls with Rebel Souls

This is the third and final book in Suzanne Young’s Girls with Sharp Sticks series. After escaping their unethical school and fighting against the system that protected the predators who harassed the girls, the girls still aren’t done. Mena and her friend must unravel the truth of their lives and destiny in order to save themselves. 

Want to learn more? Look here.

Historical Fiction

22. Concrete Rose

Anything by Angie Thomas will go on my book wish list. Concrete Rose is a precursor to The Hate U Give  tells the tale of 17 year old Maverick Carter. The son of a former gang legend, Mav takes care of his family, as a man should, the only way he knows: dealing for King Lords. 

When Mav finds out he is a father, everything changes. Offered a chance to go straight, he takes it.. And things get messy. 

Check out the reviews here.

23. Angel of Greenwood

Randi Pink’s historical novel takes place during the Greenwood Massacre of 1921 and tells the story of 17 year old Isaiah Wilsom who, despite his rep as a troublemaker, loves to read and write poetry, and 16 year old Angel Hill, a loner and goody-goody. As followers of WEB Du Bois and Booker T. Washington, respectively, Isaiah and Angel both take a job on their English teacher’s mobile library.

Learn more about it here.

24. Everything that Burns

Also a fantasy, this book follows Camille Durbonne who risks everything to keep herself and her sister safe, but as riots and starvation overtake Paris, that might not be a possibility… especially when Camille believes in the rebellion. Set in the time of Louis XVI with a little magic thrown in, Camille must find what she believes in and what she stands for. 

Read more about it. 

25. Last Night at the Telegraph Club

A story set in 1954 America, which follows 17 year old Lily Hu as she must decide to stay safe and honor her father’s hard-fought citizenship or to follow her heart and love Kathleen Miller. Amidst the terror of the Red-Scare, anything different is suspect. 

Look for more information about it here. 

26. The Forest of Stolen Girls

June Hur tells a haunting tale of Hwani, who returns home after her father disappears while investigating the disappearance of 13 young women. The case mirrors Hwani and her sister’s own disappearance years earlier. When her father goes missing, Hwani returns home to solve the case that disrupted their family. 

Learn more about it.

27. The Silent Unseen

This historical novel takes place in Poland, in the summer of 1944. Maria, 16, makes her way home after years of forced labor in Nazi Germany and instead of finding her village and family alive, she finds them both destroyed. Her older brother, who she thought was dead, heads the local Resistance. Loyalty, lies, and love thread through this novel of suspense. 

Read even more about this novel by Amanda McCrina here. 

28. Bones of Saint

Grant Farley’s book is set in California in the late 1970s, and follows 15 year old RJ Armante as he tries to protect his younger brother and the kids in his crew from the Blackjacks, a gang who has, until now, left RJ alone. 

Learn more about this coming-of-age story here.

29. A Sitting in St. James

Rita Williams-Garcia tells the stories of one white family and the enslaved people who worked for them. Consider an “essential read” for teens and adults “grappling with our country’s history of racism.” This book is one I plan to read myself, and then talk all about it with my students. 

Find out more here.

Romance

Currently, I don’t have a romance section, I tend to place these books into the other genres they embody… but I think I might create one for this upcoming school year.

I love romance novels… and whether you do, you likely know the stigma of romance novels. They’re shameful, dirty. You pretend you don’t read them. I don’t want my students to feel this way, and I want to show them romance, love, is a huge part of life, and if reading about it makes you happy–read about it.

30. You Have a Match

Emma Lord presents a “historical and heartfelt novel of romance, sisterhood, and friendship.” The only other mention I’ll give it here: a Reese’s Book Club YA pick… yeah, you need this book, and so do your students. 🙂 

Read more here.

31. May the Best Man Win

A trans boy and his ex enter into a battle to win Homecoming King. Lukas Rivers, football star and head of the Homecoming Committee, and Jeremy Harkiss, cheer captain and student body president, both overachievers who add one more thing to their plates: winning Homecoming King. When they take their battle too far, they’ll have to face the truth. This isn’t about a crown. 

Learn more here.  

32. A Pho Love Story

Okay, so this book, about romance and food. YES! That’s all I need to know. A little bit of Romeo and Juliet in Loan Le’s book; Bao Nguyen and Linh Mai are the children of competing families of pho restaurants. After years of avoiding each other, they have a chance encounter and… the rest is for you to find out when you read this book!

Find out more here. 

33. Meet Cute Diary

I swear, YA romance novels have the best covers. 

In Emery Lee’s novel, Noah Ramirez, a transgender teen, thinks he knows it all about love and romance. He is, after all, a purveyor of trans happily ever after stories on his popular blog, Meet Cute Diary. But… they’re just stories. When the truth of these stories’ fictional nature comes out, Noah tries to save his blog and his reputation. And in comes Drew. 

Put this on your book wish list to find out what happens, releasing April 7, 2021! 

34. Tokyo Ever After

A story from Emiko Jean about not quite fitting in and not knowing who she is. For Izumi Tanaka, or Izzy, it’s always been her and her mom. But when Izzy uncovers the truth of her father’s identity, she learns she is a princess–really. Caught between two cultures and identities, Izzy must bear the weight of her newfound crown and claim herself. 

Learn more about this book here; coming out May 25, 2021. 

35. Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet

A story of family, expectations, first love, and the power of food, Laekan Zea Kemp’s novel follows Penelope Prado and Xander Amaro as they discover where they belong and what they want.

Learn more about this book here. Entering the world April 6, 2021. 

36. The Henna Wars

Muslim girls aren’t lesbians, so when Nishat comes out to her parents, she is told she must hide who she is. Enter Flávia, and Nishat falls immediately. When their school puts on a competition, and the two find themselves pitted against each other, they learn more about each other and themselves. 

Find out more here, out now!

37. As Far As You’ll Take Me

A heartfelt coming-of-age story that follows Marty, who arrives in London with nothing but a bit of savings and his oboe. In a new place, free to explore his sexuality without the weight of his parents’ disapproval, Marty makes new friends, has a boyfriend, but… he still feels anxious and homesick. This new life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. 

Read more about Phil Stamper’s book here, out now!

38. The Summer of Lost Letters 

Also a historical fiction, this romance follows 17 year old Abby Schoenberg who isn’t looking forward to summer break. After breaking up with her first boyfriend, and after saying goodbye to her friends who are all off on exciting adventures, Abby doesn’t know what she’ll do for the next three months. And then, the letters start. Love letters to her grandmother from Edward. Abby needs to know more, and her adventure begins. 

Read more about Hannah Reynold’s book here. Releasing June 15, 2021. 

39. Where the Rhythm Takes You

Reyna’s paradise, her family’s gorgeous seaside resort in Tobago, starts to feel like any but paradise. Just two years after her mother’s death and two years after her first love Aiden left to follow his dreams, she must come to grips with her unhappiness. Aiden returns to the resort as a VIP guest, and Reyna grapples with her feelings and her future. 

Read more about this book here. Coming out April 14, 2021. 

40. Made in Korea

Valerie Kwon and her cousin Charlie run V&C K-Beauty, and they are a success. Until Wes Jung enters the picture. When Wes sees an opportunity to make some cash to fuel his dream of music, he starts to sell the K-pop branded beauty products, given to him by his mom to win over his new classmates. Obviously Wes’ easy, money-making scheme causes problems for Valerie, and the sparks of competition, and something else, fly. 

Learn more about Sarah Suk’s book here. Releasing May 18, 2021. 

41. Counting Down With You

When her parents go to Bangladesh for four weeks, Karena plans to enjoy some peace and quiet and follow her plan: follow her parents’ rules and get through high school without drama. But, things don’t go as planned, and a simple lie ruins everything. Ace Clyde, the school’s resident bad-boy, needs a fake girlfriend, and who better than his tutor, Karina? It’s just for a month… but, it turns out breaking her parents’ rules isn’t so bad. 

Learn more about Tashie Bhuiyian’s book here, coming out May 3, 2021.

Mystery & Thrillers

42. The Girls I’ve Been

Nora O’Malley is the daughter of a con-artist… but her mother targets criminal men. And, after years of following in her mother’s footsteps, Nora developed some serious skills. But after leaving her mother behind and playing “normal” for five years, Nora finds herself in a situation, a bank robbery, where she must use all her skills to make it out alive. 

Read more about Tess Sharpe’s book here, out now!

43. Ace of Spades

In Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé’s novel, everything at Niveus Private Academy is perfect. Until an anonymous source brings dark secrets to the surface. When Devon’s and Chiamaka’s futures are threatened by this anonymous texter, they must figure out who is out to stop them. 

Learn more about this book here, releasing June 10, 2021. 

44. The Dead and the Dark

With teenagers disappearing and some resurfacing dead, with abnormal weather and with the return of TV’s most popular ghost hunters, something isn’t right in Snakebite Oregon. Ashley Barton, whose boyfriend was the first to go missing but whose spirit haunts her, must put her trust into this famed ghost hunter to help her reveal the truth. 

Intrigued? Check out more details here. Releasing August 3, 2021. 

45. The Ones We’re Meant to Find

Three years after waking up on an abandoned island, Cee has survived with little more than a shack, an old phone, and one memory: her sister. Cee will do whatever it takes to find her. Kasey, on the other hand, wants to escape, and she must decide if she’s willing to help the world with her STEM gifts. 

Learn more here about Joan He’s book. Releasing May 4, 2021. 

46. How We Fall Apart

The first in the series, Katie Zhao’s novel follows the students of an elite prep school as they face their secrets and their ex-best friend’s death. Nancy, Krystal, Akil, and Alexander are the prime suspects, and they must work together to uncover the real killer before they are incriminated and their secrets are revealed. 

Read more about it here. Releasing August 3, 2021. 

47. White Smoke

Coming September 14, 2021 from Tiffany D. Jackson. There aren’t a whole lot of details about this book yet. But, it’s Tiffany D. Jackson… so it better be on your list. 🙂

GoodReads information here. 

48. The Taking of Jake Livingston

Ryan Douglass tells the story of 16 year old Jake Livingston, who sees dead people. Seriously. Jake is a medium and though most ghosts are harmless, there are a few who… aren’t. One of those is Sawyer Doon, a teen who shot and killed six kids at a local high school before taking his own life. Jake soon finds himself dealing with much more than seeing ghosts and dealing with racist teachers. It is a game of survival. 

Learn more here. Coming July 13, 2021. 

49. Bad Witch Burning

According to GoodReads, if you loved The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, this is one for you, and your students. Katrell talks to the dead, and summons them. Katrell uses her gifts to make money, talking to deceased loved ones for clients, but it isn’t enough to supper her mom and her mom’s latest boyfriend. An accident leads to a new discovery, she can raise the dead. And this is worth a lot of money. But it costs something too. 

Read more about Jessica Lewis’s book here. Coming August 24, 2021.

Realistic Fiction

50. She’s Too Pretty to Burn

Inspired by The Picture of Dorian Gray, this thriller follows Veronica and her passionate summer with Mick. But it all comes to an end with a fire, two murder, three drownings… Can they survive the summer?

Learn more about Wendy Heard’s book here. Coming March 30, 2021. 

51. Indivisible

Daniel Aleman tells the story of a teen’s struggles to keep his family together despite his parents facing deportation. No longer a fear on the horizon, deportation comes knocking on their door in the form of ICE agents, who take away Mateo’s parents. With an uncertain future, Mateo must learn what he can do to keep his family together, and he must find out what it means to be an American teen in a country that doesn’t want him. 

Check out more details here, coming May 4, 2021. 

52. Home is Not a Country

A story of family and identity, Safia Elhillo’s book tells the story of Nima, who doesn’t fit. But when the world shifts, Nima must grapple with questions of who she is, what she wants, and what she’s willing to fight for. 

Learn more here. Releasing March 2, 2021.  

53. Love is a Revolution

Nala Robertson finds herself falling in love with Tye Brown… but Tye is an activist, and Nala would rather watch movies and try the latest ice cream. To impress and connect with Tye, Nala tells a few fibs. As they spend more time together, the lies become harder to keep up. Loving someone else is hard, and so is loving yourself. Nala learns both of these truths. 

Read more about René Watson’s book here, out now! This book clearly has a central romance in the plot, but I categorized it here, as the focus also seems to be on self-love and acceptance.

54. Your Corner Dark

With a chance to escape Jamaica with a scholarship, Frankie Green can’t wait. And then, his crush asks him out. And then, his father is shot. Frankie joins his uncle’s gang to pay his father’s medical bills, and after that.. That’s it, right? But Frankie must confront family and the future in this story. 

Look here for more information about Desmond Hall’s book, out now! 

55. One of the Good Ones

In addition to a beautiful cover, Maika Moulite and Maritza Moutlie’s novel asks the hard question: is being human enough? Kezi Smith, teen activist, is killed–under uncertain circumstances after a social justice rally. And her sister, Happi, and her family are left with questions and grief. With death comes idealized immortality for Kezi, but Happi begins to dive into her sister’s life and question this “angelic” memory. 

Learn more about this book here, out now. 

56. Fat Chance, Charlie Vega

Charlie Vega, funny, smart, ambitious… and fat. Charlie tries to love herself and her body, but when even her mom has a problem with her weight, she struggles. But, her best friend, Amelia, popular, slim, athletic, is awesome. When Brian asks Charlie out, she’s beyond thrilled. Until she realizes he asked Amelia out first. Does Brian even like her? 

Things get complicated for Charlie Vega. Read more about Crystal Maldonado’s book here, out now! While this book does have romantic elements, I decided to categorize it here, as the focus seems to be on self-love and acceptance. 🙂

57. Game Changer

Neal Shusterman’s latest book, Game Changer, tells the story of Ash, who somehow travels through different dimensions. Wait, what? Yep. Although the shifts are small at first, soon Ash finds himself in other universes. Better universes. But, what about his own world? Shusterman never disappoints, and this part historical fiction and part sci-fi seems like it will live up to the hype.

Read more about this book here, out now!

Biography

58. The Awakening of Malcolm X

Tiffany D. Jackson and Ilyasah Shabazz, Malcolm X’s daughter, write the narrative of Malcolm Little’s adolescent years in jail. 

How did Malcolm Little transform himself, in prison, into Malcolm X? Read this book to find out. 

Learn more here, out now.

59. Redbone: The True Story of a Native American Rock Band

You know that song from Guardians of the Galaxy? “Come and Get Your Love”? Well, do you know the band behind the revived hit? In this book, you’ll learn the band’s story in this journalistic biography. It’s a story of Native American musicians who fought to maintain their culture in the music industry. 

Read more about the book here, out now. 

60. The Beautiful Struggle (Adapted for Young Adults)

Adapted for young readers, Ta-Nehisi Coates’s memoir explores the relationship between fathers and sons and the idea of what it means to be a man. 

Learn more about this book here. Available now. 

61. Permanent Record (Young Readers Edition): How One Man Exposed the Truth about Government Spying and Digital Security

In this young reader’s adaptation of Edward Snowden’s memoir, readers learn about the truths he uncovered about the mass surveillance system the US government built. Snowden shares his own role in the development of this privacy-invading system and tells how young people can protect themselves in the digital era. 

Learn more about this book here, out now. 

62. Notes From a Young Black Chef (Adapted for Young Adults)

Kwame Onwuachi defied the odds of his tough childhood and became a T”op Chef star and Forbes and Zagat’s 30 Under 30 phenom.” If you have students who love to cook, who connect through food, who live in difficult circumstances, or who just want to be inspired, this book needs to be in your library. 

Check more details here, coming April 13, 2021. 

63. The Impossible Clime: Alex Honnold, El Capitan, and a Climber’s Life

If you’ve watched Free Solo, and loved the palm-sweat-inducing anxiety, then add this to your book wish list. This book tells the story of Alex Honnold who is a rock star of the free solo community. This book dives into the free solo culture and Honnold’s drive to push the limits of the human body. 

Learn more about this book here, and check out the middle school adaptation (new release) here. 

64. Race Against Time: The Untold Story of Scipio Jones and the Battle to Save Twelve Innocent Men

Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace reveal a hidden and unsung hero of American history. Scipio Africanus Jones, who was a self-taught attorney, led a groundbreaking series of court cases to save the lives of 12 black men who were “unjustly sentenced to death” in 1919. 

Learn more about this book here, available now. 

65. Can’t Stop Won’t Stop (Young Adult Edition): A Hip-Hop History

This award-winning book is now adapted for young adults. Hip hop is influential in America, and as one of the vehicles with the most impact on the younger generation, it’s pretty important. Dive into this book which provides a look behind the curtain of the hip hop world. 

Find out more about it here, available March 16, 2021.