Perfectly Parvin by Olivia Abtahi

 

Parvin is going into ninth grade and a boyfriend situation has developed over the summer. She is looking forward to entering high school with an improved social status, but everything changes when she is dumped before school even starts. Parvin decides she needs to find a new homecoming date, mostly to prove her worth to her ex. She sets her sights on Matty Fumero, who is probably out of her league, but she has a plan. She will act like a rom com heroine, not like her usual loud, frizzy-haired, band-nerd self. This coming of age story follows Parvin through her freshman year, including Farsi classes with other Iranian Americans and conversations with her relatives in Iran who are affected by the U.S. muslim ban. This gem is genuinely funny and a great #youngteenlit romance. Recommended for grades 7-10.  

Best of All Worlds by Kenneth Oppel

I was thrilled to receive an advance copy of Best of All Worlds in January, 2025. I am always in search of books for young teens (ages 12-15) and this sounded promising. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this books for middle school readers due to sexual content, and below is the letter that I wrote to the publisher expressing my frustration with what is currently being written and marketed for young adults. This is not to say that it isn't a good story and a well-written book, it just missed its chance to be a huge hit with 7th and 8th grade readers.  Learn more about Young Teen Lit here. 

Dear Scholastic Editors,

One of the popular areas of my middle school library right now is adventure and survival, and kids are always drawn to sci fi/dystopia, so I was over the moon to hear Kenneth Oppel talk about his new book, Best of All Worlds. I could see that it checked many of the boxes for Young Teen Lit–it deals with complex topics, it’s a survival story, the main character goes from 13-16 years old, it has diverse characters, the cover is dynamite, and it’s got a great page count (not too long!). I was ready to declare this the new poster child for Young Teen Lit, but after reading it and mulling it over, I feel compelled to write to you about this book and how, regretfully, I am not going to be able to purchase or recommend it to the 7th and 8th graders for whom I think should be it’s target audience.  To be completely blunt, the very small plot issue of the main characters’ sexual encounter (described by the main character as a “hand job”) makes this a book a non-starter in middle school libraries and book fairs. If I thought this were an upper YA book I would not give it another thought–I would just accept that it’s not for my students. However, this book has all the hallmarks of a great book for young teens, and I don’t think it is quite right for older YA readers, so I’m afraid this book isn’t going to find its audience due to a couple of paragraphs. 

Although I’m a Georgia librarian, I work in a progressive school district that has not been targeted by recent book bans. I purchase books that reflect all my students, including LGBTQ+ books and books about race and identity. My collection includes Heartstopper, Dear Martin, They Both Die at the End and many other books that can be controversial in middle schools.  All that to say that I think I am more courageous in my purchasing than many middle school librarians so my feedback isn’t rooted in fear of censorship. 

I know it’s probably too late to give this book the small edit it would need to be considered Young Teen Lit, but I was hoping you could pass this feedback onto others at Scholastic who might be interested in publishing more Young Teen Lit books in the future. Middle librarians and students are clamoring for books like Best of All Worlds–just dialed down one notch.
 

Go with the Flow by Lily Williams & Karen Schneemann

This is a friendship story about girls who see a problem and take action. When Sasha gets her period at school the girls can't find any pads or tampons in their school bathrooms. Led by Abby, their artistic friend who tenaciously leads the fight, the girls go to the administration and write letters, but gentle tactics aren't working in a school that values football above the needs of female students. I love the diversity of the four friends and the storylines about their everyday struggles and relationships. I was afraid this would be an issue book, but was pleasantly surprised to enjoy it as an all-around entertaining story as well as an honest and positive normalization of menstruation and the corresponding troubles it can cause. My own 6th grade daughter recoiled from this book due to the topic, but I am sure that middle school readers will be checking this book out and recommending it to their friends. In spite of the main characters being high school sophomores, this book is totally appropriate for tweens and middle schoolers. Highly recommended for middle school libraries.

Again Again by E. Lockhart

This is the story of Adelaide, a high school girl whose boyfriend broke up with her unexpectedly, leaving her alone for the summer walking dogs in the town where she attends boarding school. She has a brother that she misses greatly, who is dealing with drug addiction and living with their mom in Baltimore, Adelaide is needy and seems lost without a boyfriend, Those are the facts of the story--but there is no typical linear plot line here. The story unfolds in one way, then the reader is given alternate ways the story might have played out. She meets a new boy, they start a relationship. Or she meets a new boy, but he's not interested in her. They walk dogs together. Or maybe a dog attacks her. The author plays with alternate universes where any scenario is possible, and perhaps all of these alternate events happen in a parallel world. In the last portion of the book everything is turned upside down and we get a longer alternate story for Adelaide. The strong point of this book is Adelaide's relationship with her brother and the pain of addiction. For me all the parallel universes were interesting, but had the effect of making me not invested in the characters as much as I wanted to be. I know there are teens who will love the mind-bending storytelling and who will relate to Adelaide and her insecurities and her search for connection. I would recommend this book for high school students who like to be surprised.

Watch Us Rise by Renée Watson and Ellen Hagen

Powerful, well-written, and inspiring, this story about New York teens at a social justice high school deserves a wide audience. A couple of high school girls start a Women's Rights Club and find that it's too much for even their progressive high school to handle. This book is brimming with poetry and activism, and also deals with racial microaggressions and interracial friendships. This book includes a poem about body image, with every word taken straight from a teen fashion magazine, that I will never forget. Highly recommended for grades 8-up.

Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson

They say she murdered a baby when she was nine years old. Mary was sent to prison and is now in a group home. The justice and rehabilitation systems have never supported her and she has been left to raise herself in the absence of caring adults. To say her life is bleak is an understatement. One bright spot in her life is her boyfriend Ted, and when Mary finds herself pregnant she has a reason to try to change her situation. Through court documents and Mary's memories we learn more about the murder of the baby and Mary's role in it. I'm sure many teenagers will relate to this book and will be drawn in by the mystery, the glimpse of a girl with a tragic life, and the big revelations that unfold. This book has had a lot of positive reviews. I have to admit that I had trouble liking it, partly because I felt like it pushed all the boundaries of edgy teen fiction (language, sexuality, violence, it's all here), and partly because I just couldn't find a redeeming quality in Mary and I like to like my protagonists. I do think there are many readers who will love this book (probably for the same reasons that I struggled with it)--but I advise middle school teachers and librarians to read it before recommending it to middle school students. Recommended for readers 9th-up. 

Odd One Out by Nic Stone

Nic Stone's second book takes a deep dive into the lives of three teenagers who share deep bonds with each other and who are exploring and questioning their sexual identities. This is a relationship book--a deep dive into Coop and Jupiter--teens who have been best friends their whole lives and how things change when a new friend, Rae, enters the scene. Suffice it to say that boy crushes on lesbian best friend, while new female friend has feelings for both boy and girl. Stone is a strong writer and she kept me interested and involved in these teens' stories. There is a whole new world of books that celebrate diversity and I many teens will find inspiration and companionship with these characters. As a middle school librarian, I will not be putting this in my library due to the sexual content, but I wholeheartedly recommend it to teens and young adults.

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

There are many YA novels about unlikely couples that make you fall in love with them and then break your heart (and by you, I mean you the reader). This is one of them, but you will love Violet and Finch so much that you will happily go along for the ride. They meet on top of the school bell tower, both contemplating suicide. Finch, the misfit kid, actually talks Violet off the ledge (literally), but later lets Violet take the credit for saving his life. Violet, a previously popular girl, has been traumatized by a car accident that took her sister's life and spared her own. Finch is sarcastic, intelligent, and perceptive, but suffers from bipolar disorder. His family either doesn't see the problem or refuses to acknowledge it, and in spite of many cries for help, he never gets the support he needs. Finch immediately is drawn to Violet, but has to convince her that he is worth her time (as he is the target of harassment at school he isn't immediately seen as boyfriend material). As they wander around Indiana for a school project, it's clear that they are going to fall in love and that it's not going to be easy. It seemed formulaic at first, but with characters so well fleshed out, who cares? If you like The Fault in Our Stars and Eleanor and Park (both compelling teen relationship books), you will definitely want to read All the Bright Places. Recommended for high school students-up.

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

The Outsiders is a story that is almost universally loved by generations of young teenagers. I hadn't read it since my own childhood--probably when I was in middle school in the 1980s. so I decided to read it again for a middle school book club. It is the story of three brothers who live in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the 1960s. Their parents have died and the oldest brother, who is only about 20 years old, is the guardian of his younger brothers. The main character is Pony Boy, only 14 and a quiet, sensitive boy who misses his parents and adores his brother, Soda Pop. In this town there are rich kids called "socs" who drive fancy cars and there are "greasers" who wear leather jackets and smoke cigarettes and get in fights with the socs. Because this story is told from the point of view of a member of the greasers, readers empathize with the greasers, who by and large aren't bad kids, just kids who happen to have less money and less access to power in their community. They get their power from their gang and from fighting with the socs, who like to come to their side of town and torment greasers. Pony Boy is almost strangled in a fight, and his friend Johnny stabs a soc in the process of saving Pony Boy's life. They know that their story won't be believed so they go into hiding in a deserted rural church. S.E. Hinton gives us fully fleshed out characters in Pony Boy, Johnny, and the other greasers. They all have their life stories, their disadvantages, and the traits that make them unique and worthwhile. They become real people to the readers, and for 50 years kids have empathized with their situation and how they are treated by the socs. When tragedy strikes the greasers (in several forms), kids feel their pain and recognize the injustice they face. They say that reading fiction can enhance emotional intelligence, and I believe this book has stood the test of time because of its ability to draw kids into an emotional connection with complicated characters.

Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith

Imagine winning 140 million dollars in the lottery! That's what happens to Teddy, who happens to be Alice's best friend and secret crush. Teddy has just turned 18 and Alice buys him the lottery ticket for a birthday gift. Alice doesn't want any part of the money--she just wants Teddy to fall in love with her. But when Teddy starts spending money like crazy and skipping school, it seems less and less likely that he will remain the same old Teddy that she has always known. Alice is the type to volunteer at a homeless shelter and apply to Stanford University, and this book follows the end of their senior year of high school and the choices that they make as they move toward adulthood. Jennifer E. Smith is a great choice for readers who like romance and intriguing stories. Recommended for grades 6-up.

Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon

If you want a romance book that you can't put down, pick this book up. I flew threw it in a very short time, and it was completely charming and engrossing. Madeline is allergic to everything, and therefore lives her whole life in her sterile house with her mother and a full-time nurse. (Think the bubble boy from Seinfeld, but not as angry.) She's bright and well-read and as well-adjusted as she can be, but at the age of 18 it's hard to imagine how she will live the rest of her restricted life. Enter the new boy next door, who finds a way to communicate with her and, not surprisingly, they fall for each other. What is surprising is the direction their relationship takes and the risks Madeline takes to live life on her own terms. As I said, it's a wholly engrossing story and I recommend it for romance fans (ages high school-up).

Dream Things True by Marie Marquardt

This year I had the privilege of taking students to visit the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia, where undocumented immigrants are detained in prison-like conditions. It is staggering to think of the almost 2,000 people held in the detention center which is run by a for-profit company, and it was disheartening to be denied a visit with a detainee for no good reason. Just after this experience I read this young adult novel about Georgia teenagers facing immigration issues. Alma came to the U.S. as a child and has lived most of her life in North Georgia. She is bright and hard-working and hoping to attend college on a scholarship. She meets Evan, the privileged son of a senator, and they fall in love. However, Evan has no idea how complicated life is for Alma and her family, and when her father and brother are taken by immigration officials, he learns that there are no easy solutions for Alma's family. This is an important book that gives a real human face to immigration issues. There is a real lack of YA fiction about the immigrant experience and this book deserves a wide readership. It is most definitely a YA romance, though, and will be enjoyed by teen and adult romance fans. Recommended for 9th grade-adults.

Are You Experienced by Jordan Sonnenblick

Everyone has heard about Woodstock, the most famous concert of the 1960s. Can you imagine being transported back in time and experiencing it for yourself? That's what happens to 15-year-old Rich. And the craziest part of all is that he is attending the concert with his then 15-year-old Dad and his then 17-year-old uncle whom he knows is going to soon die an early death. I love Jordan Sonnenblick and this book is not only a great story with his typical mix of humor and sentiment, but I also learned a lot about the experience of being at Woodstock. Of course, you couldn't describe Woodstock without including some rather mature content, so this book is recommended for 8th grade on up. If you lost music, you will especially love this book with it's appearances by Jimi Hendrix and other legendary musicians.

The Scar Boys by Len Vlahos

This is one of the best YA books I have read this year. I was hooked from the beginning and enjoyed it all the way through. It is the much-longer-than-250-word college essay of a boy named Harry, who in his own words is "ugly and shy and my face, head, and neck are covered with hideous scars." Harry's disfigurement (due to a childhood lightning strike) causes him a lot of social difficulties, but once he starts high school he makes a friend and they start a band. This is the story of the Scar Boys and how they navigate the difficult journey toward adulthood. It's also the story of how four teenagers try to stay friends even as they start to go separate ways. The unequal nature of Harry and John's friendship was the part that really seemed real to me and made this rise above the level of a book about guys in a band. I loved the writing and the characters and even the descriptions of a band on a road trip. Recommended for high school readers (lots of "adult" language).

Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski

Imagine all the things you would learn if you could hear the thoughts of everyone around you. Would you want to know what your friends think of you or what your parents are really up to? That's what happens to a group of New York City high school students after their homeroom gets flu shots. Due to a tainted batch of vaccine, everyone in the class who got the shot develops ESP, and they must decide what to do. Should they call the CDC and get medical intervention, or should they see what it's like to hear everyone's thoughts around them? This book is unique in that it is narrated by the whole group, because "when you're a group that can hear each other's thoughts, the line between I and We gets kind of blurry." Some enjoy the ESP and take advantage of doing better on tests and finding out who is interested in whom. Others hear things they don't want to hear and it changes their lives completely. At times it was a little tough to keep track of so many characters, but overall this was a fun book and recommended for 8th-up.

Me, Him, Them and It by Caela Carter

Evelyn has some serious problems. In her efforts to annoy her distant and difficult parents, she starts to party and be a "bad girl." When she gets involved with a guy she doesn't care about and becomes pregnant she doesn't know where to turn. All she knows is that she can't possibly terminate her pregnancy. But who can she trust? Where can she go? The father of the baby has checked out. Her best friend is angry at her. Her parents idea of supporting her is to send her to live with an aunt in Chicago. Evelyn is mixed up and self-centered and smart, and her journey through adult decisions is both frustrating and fascinating. I kept wanting to read just to find out what (and when) she would finally decide to do. This is definitely a book for high school and up, and is recommended for readers of realistic fiction who like stories about emotional growth.

Nantucket Blue by Leila Howland

From the cover this looks like a breezy summer romance book, which it is in a way, but I didn’t find it quite as satisfying as I thought I might. The main character, named Cricket, spends much of her time with her best friend, Jules, and her family, partially to avoid her own divorced parents. When Jules’ mother dies unexpectedly, Cricket finds herself rejected by her best friend, uninvited to stay at their Nantucket home for the summer, and on her own to find a summer job on the island. It’s not the romantic summer she was expecting, but it has its surprises and an unlikely romance (and Cricket’s first sexual encounter). I was moderately interested in this story but I found that I didn’t really like Cricket or Jules, and there was too much going on for me to get very attached to their story (a dead senator, an adopted stepbrother from Russia, a long-lost tell-all diary of Cricket’s mom). This one was just so-so. For a truly breezy romance I recommend This is What Happy Looks Like byJennifer E. Smith. 

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

There's a quote on the back of this book from John Green (author of The Fault in Our Stars and other great YA books) that sums it up. "Eleanor & Park reminded me not just what it's like to be young and in love with a girl, but also what it's like to be young and in love with a book." I read a lot of books for kids and teens, and I often find myself mildly interested (or sometimes not interested at all). That was not the case with Eleanor & Park. From the very beginning I was drawn into their interesting, intelligent, and unlikely romance. I cared about both of these misfit characters and I loved how their relationship slowly built up bus ride by bus ride. This book is all about the characters and those small details that are so important when you are young and in love. I also liked the time period of this book (the 1980s) and that these characters weren't the popular kids. If you want to curl up with a romance this is the book to read. Definitely for high school, though!

Every Day by David Levithan

Imagine being a person with no body of your own. The main character in this story, who calls himself A, finds himself in a new body each and every day. He takes over the person't life for one day, then at midnight (usually when A is asleep) he enters a new person's body for the next 24 hours. He is always careful not to mess up the lives of the people he inhabits. He goes to school and sports practices and family dinners so that no one is the wiser. A really has no gender—some days he is male and some days female. He has been blind and a drug addict and a victim of abuse. He can wake up as a person of any race or ethnicity, but he always returns somewhere within a few hundred miles of his previous body. One day A wakes up in the body of a tough guy with a girlfriend named Rhiannon. She is special and she and A spend a magical day together skipping school and going to the beach. Of course, Rhiannon just thinks her boyfriend has suddenly become a nice guy, but the truth is she is connecting with A. From that day on, A starts breaking the rules and trying to connect with Rhiannon. But how can love survive with a person who has no physical body? It's a great premise that's well executed. The author sticks to the rules he has set up for A's life and it's fun to read about each new day in A's life. Recommended for high school readers.

A Certain October by Angela Johnson

A Certain October is a small and unassuming book. It paints an intricate picture of Scotty and her friends and family as she navigates through a difficult month in her life. Scotty's younger brother with autism steals cookies and runs naked through the neighborhood. Her best friend Misha is preparing for the homecoming dance where she is a rebellious homecoming queen candidate. Scotty's other best friend, Falcone, has broken up with his boyfriend and trying to find a way to visit his estranged older sister. Everyone is going about their normal lives when Scotty and her brother are in a train wreck. The book is about how she deals with the resulting injuries, death, and guilt. It's not a sad book, though. It shows how ordinary people can go on living in spite of difficult circumstances Angela Johnson's writing style is spare and deceptively simple, at times poignant and often humorous. It's a beautiful and rewarding book that will most certainly win some literary awards this year. Recommended for grades 9-up.