Young Adult

Too many books for teens are negative and depressing, so I love encouraging students to read books that lift them up with positive messages. The daily devotionals found in this book will build up your teens rather than tear them down.

Mia Winchell has synesthesia, the mingling of perceptions whereby a person can see sounds, smell colors, or taste shapes. Forced to reveal her condition, she must look to herself to develop an understanding and appreciation of her gift in this coming-of-age novel for tweens.

Subtitled “The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination,” this little-know Scottish author offers words of wisdom to students – based on her 2008 Harvard commencement address.

Captivating memoir from the popular PBS host, this book chronicles a young man's budding scientific curiosity that began some thirty years ago on the roof of his Bronx apartment building and eventually led him to become the director of the Hayden Planetarium. A unique account of a young man who at one time was both nerd and jock, Tyson's memoir could well inspire other similarly curious youngsters to pursue their dreams. Great inspiration for classroom discussions.

A hit with all Marvel fans. For those who get mixed up with the different Thor movies confused by which Avengers villain is which, fear not! This book takes fans into this pop-culture colossus, and answers the questions most casual observers are dying to ask.

Wolverine, Deadpool, Doctor Doom, Thanos…there's one hero that's beaten them all-and now she's got her own ongoing series (Not that she's bragging.)! It's Squirrel Girl! Fun and goofy.

Charlotte is one of the “Forgotten,” a kind of angel on earth who feels the Need – a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger. Page-turning supernatural romance that even a few of my high school boys appreciated.

There are sixty-five days of summer. Thirteen-year-old Nina Ross hatches a plan. Every day, she'll anonymously do one small but remarkable good thing for someone in her neighborhood, and find out: does doing good actually make a difference? Along the way, she discovers that her neighborhood, and her family, are full of surprises and secrets.

Born with a rare genetic condition, Lizzie Velasquez always knew she was different, but it wasn't until she was older that she understood what that meant to herself and others. In this daring, inspirational book, Lizzie reveals the hidden forces that give rise to self-doubt and empowers us to unlock empathy and kindness for ourselves and others. Through her own battles with anxiety and depression she demonstrates how we can overcome obstacles and move forward with greater positivity and hope.

A fun and short read on the natural magic of herbs, flowers, essential oils and more.

Volume 1 of the Night Terrors series, Scare Street delves into the darkness to bring you a new collection of spine-tingling terror. This diabolical tome is bursting with thirteen sinister stories of supernatural horror, featuring ghastly ghosts, cold-blooded killers and fiendish visions torn from your worst fears. Perfect series for Halloween discussion groups.

Sixteen-year-old Nyssa can enter into people’s dreams. Although the authorities of the medieval town of Lindenwolde would put her to death if they realized she was a witch, she feels compelled to practice her unique brand of witchcraft to answer the biggest question of her life: who broke into her father’s woodworking shop and killed her parents? Six years after the murder, Nyssa finally gets her chance to enter the dreams of the man she suspects is responsible. Suddenly she finds herself on a reckless, relentless journey that leads her through a maze of adventures—both in the real world and in the world of the unconscious. Nyssa risks death as she finally identifies the murderer in a shocking and unexpected climax.

Two kids break out of a juvenile detention center and become fugitives in order to clear their convicted parents' names in this heart-stopping On the Run series from must-read young adult author Gordon Korman.

Too many books written for young adults seem to deal in hopelessness, and so it is very refreshing to read a gripping and uplifting adventure about 12-year-old Kayden Barrett’s resilience in the face of adversity. Poidevant’s debut is sure to make him a must-read in middle schools everywhere.

Grab your baseball mitt and a box of tissue. Perfect for your students who are excited about the upcoming October Classic (I am, after all, an avid L.A. Dodger fan). This book was the inspiration for one of the most heart-wrenching films of all time, Field of Dreams.