The School & Library team talks about some of our top Spring 2020 Young Adult reads here.
I KISSED ALICE
I KISSED ALICE by Anna Birch, with illustrations by Victoria Ying
On Sale July 28, 2020
“Hate is a strong word, but Iliana definitely hates Rhodes and the feeling is mutual. As two of the most talented students at their Alabama arts school, they are each other’s top competition for the coveted Capstone scholarship. But these IRL enemies are unknowingly collaborating on an Alice in Wonderland fan-fic under anonymous usernames. As their online personas grow closer, they’re each getting curiouser and curiouser… who is their co-author? What if their online relationship could become something more? And what will happen when they discover each other’s true identities? An enemies-to-lovers queer rom-com for anyone who loved You’ve Got Mail or Fangirl, this book is an addictive read! With illustrations from the fan-fic woven throughout the book, hand this to prose and graphic novel readers.”–Kristen Luby
SIX ANGRY GIRLS by Adrienne Kisner
On Sale August 18, 2020
“Senior year is definitely not going the way that both Millie and Raina had expected. Millie basically gets voted out of the all-male Mock Trial team she helped build, while Raina’s longtime boyfriend breaks up with her. But when Millie and Raina have a chance encounter one day and decide to step out of their comfort zones, amazing things start to happen — including the creation of a new all-girl Mock Trial team, finding support at a politically-active local yarn store, and unexpected friendships and life choices. This new team of six strong and determined girls shows that it’s what you do to confront life’s challenges that defines you and makes you stronger. It’s a great read for anyone interested in feminism, high school stories, LGBTQ characters, and of course, knitting!”—Lucy Del Priore
HUNTED BY THE SKY by Tanaz Bhathena
On Sale June 23, 2020
“Inspired by ancient India, critically acclaimed author Tanaz Bhathena breaks out of the realistic fiction genre with the first in a two book fantasy series that explores themes of race, identity, and class. Told from alternating points of view HUNTED BY THE SKY follows Gul, a girl with a star-shaped birthmark who is prophesied to be the downfall of a tyrant king and Cavas, the boy she falls in love with who owes his loyalty to the crown. This is a gripping fantasy adventure that will leave readers on the edge of their seats and hungry for book two.”–Katie Halata
A MAP TO THE SUN by Sloane Leong
On Sale August 4, 2020
“On a hot summer day, Ren meets Luna at a basketball court, and an instant connection blooms between them. But just as suddenly, that connection is cut when Luna abruptly moves back to Oahu without a word to Ren. When Luna reappears years later, she expects them to be how they were that magical summer, but Ren is still hurt by her disappearance and struggles to forgive her. Amidst this tension, a new teacher petitions the school to let her start a girl’s basketball team, one that both Ren and Luna are on, along with three other girls who have their own struggles. Together, the girls learn to become a team, both on and off the court, as they must endure family hardships, relationship drama, and their own inter-team conflict. Both heartbreaking and endearing, the gorgeous, dreamy artwork and realistic portrayal of the intimacies of female friendship come together in a stunning package that is not to be missed.”–Melissa Croce
DISPLACEMENT by Kiku Hughes
On Sale August 18, 2020
“Kiku Hughes’ graphic novel debut is a thoughtful meditation on family and collective memory, and the history of racism and xenophobia against Asian Americans in the United States. Fictional Kiku doesn’t know much about her family’s history. When she goes on a trip to San Francisco with her mother, that all changes when Kiku finds herself displaced to another time– the 1940s. Xenophobia against Japanese-Americans has reached a fever pitch and the United States government has begun sending people of Japanese descent to live in internment camps. When Kiku finds herself in a camp, she begins to understand the full context of her family’s story. Deeply relevant and inspired by Octavia Butler’s Kindred, DISPLACEMENT will inspire young people to consider this country’s history, their place in it.”–Cierra Bland
