We asked middle and high school librarians what new titles they’re excited to share with students as they return to school. Here’s what they said. 

Lisa Fipps, the author of Starfish (2021, Penguin), has done it again. In And Then, Boom! (2024, Penguin), she’s taken a tough topic and brought it to life for tweenagers. Joe’s life has never looked the same as everyone else’s, but he always had one thing he could count on…his grandmum. Between there never being enough of anything and his mom taking off whenever she develops an “itch,” there are those “and then, boom!” moments when Joe is never sure what life is going to hand him. Suddenly, the sixth grader is confronted with the biggest boom yet and is left to fend for himself. Can he finally learn to ask for help?

With an air of relatability and accessibility, this book will be passed from student to student. They'll see things that Joe cannot, such as the people in his life who are willing to help if he just says the word. Add a dog rescue, and well, it wouldn’t hurt to have a few extra copies of this book on hand.—Heather Lassley, Frisco, TX
 

My high school students are simultaneously incredible and incredibly overscheduled, so I tend to promote books that I can pitch to them in two quick sentences. Want something that will most definitely be a Netflix show in a year? SJ Rozan and John Shen Yen Nee‘s The Murder of Mr. Ma (PRH/Soho Crime, 2024): a Chinese detective and his unlikely partner in 1920s post-War London solving murders. Bladestay (CamCat, 2023) by Jackie Johnson: gunslinging, murder, revenge, and blood. The movie tagline would be “When faced with the lesser of two evils, choose yourself.” Fat Leonard: How One Man Bribed, Bilked, and Seduced the U.S. Navy (S. & S., 2024) by Craig Whitlock: as one student put it, “Some people will apparently commit treason for good food, wine, and women.” The Adventure Zone: The Suffering Game (Macmillan/First Second, Jul. 2024) by the McElroys (Griffin, Clint, Justin, and Travis): three brothers and their dad play D&D on a podcast so good that they make one another cry, and then turn it into a super enjoyable graphic novel series to boot. Tom King’s Wonder Woman, Vol 1: Outlaw (DC Comics, 2023): Wonder Woman fights hatred, disinformation, and the U.S. government. Perfect for those new to comics or the character. Cheap Land Colorado: Off Gridders at America’s Edge (Knopf, 2022) by Ted Conover: a deep dive into what it’s like living off the grid in the new American West.—Clair Quaintance, Regis High School, New York, NY
 

Fantasy is popular with the kids at my library, so I’ll definitely be recommending Nedda Lewers’s Daughters of the Lamp (Penguin/Putnam, Feb. 2024). This book has all the elements of an engaging middle grade story: a relatable main character, a magic pendant, mouth-watering food, a family secret—and a heroic dog. When Sahara travels to Cairo for her uncle’s wedding, she doesn’t expect that the bride will turn out to be a witch. Or that the legend of Ali Baba and the secret treasure is real. But that’s exactly what happens, and it’s up to Sahara, her cousin Naima, and her dog Kitmeer to prove to everyone that the bride is up to no good. When students return to the library looking for another exciting adventure, I’ll have the book’s sequel, Children of the Wind (Penguin/Putnam, Jun. 2024), ready to hand to them.

In the verse memoir Bless the Blood (Penguin/Kokila, Feb. 2024), Walela Nehanda writes about their experience navigating the Los Angeles medical care system after being diagnosed with blood cancer at age 23. As Nehanda notes, living with leukemia is already dangerous; trying to get adequate public health care as a Black and non-binary person is another thing altogether. Each poem or prose piece in the book is titled, making it easy for readers to revisit parts of the book, which they are bound to do. Particularly moving are the poems in which Nehanda illustrated the connection with their ancestors while going through treatment. Bless the Blood is visceral in its pain, and scathing in its critique of the racism, classism, and transphobia ingrained in public health care systems. As teens learn more about identity and social issues, it is important for them to have access to books in which an author’s various identities and experiences intersect. Bless the Blood is one such important book. Trigger warning: cancer, fatphobia, transphobia, racism, suicidal ideation, sexual assault.—Sabrina Ponce, L.A. County Library
 

Insights into the highs, lows, and stress of competitive chess; tested friendships old and new; and sexism in a male-dominated game; will have readers hooked on Kyla Zhao’s debut novel, May the Best Player Win (Penguin/Putnam, Sept. 2024). May Li is a member of her middle school chess team, and after shining bright at the state chess championship as a top female player, she earns a ticket to Nationals. However, the sudden spotlight she finds herself in isn’t all that she thought it would be. Not only does it cause problems with a close friend and teammate, it makes May question her love of the game. Press this heartfelt book into the hands of Kelly Yang and Erin Entrada Kelly fans. No prior knowledge of chess required!—Melissa Thom, teacher librarian, Bristow Middle School, West Hartford, CT
 

The historical fiction fans in my library are always looking for great books set outside of World War ll, so I’m excited to share  June Hur's latest mystery: A Crane Among Wolves (Macmillian/Feiwel & Friends, May 2024) with them. It’s 1506 during the Joseon dynasty in Korea, and Iseul and Prince Daehyun’s hatred-at-first-sight must be set aside in order to rescue Iseul’s sister and the kingdom of Joseon from a tyrannical king. Hur’s writing plays across the page as if you’re watching a movie, with beautiful descriptions that evoke a time period rarely seen in YA literature. The book is a satisfying standalone featuring chilling court politics, a dangerous coup, a murderer on the loose, and a slow-burn romance wrapped up in one.

For romantasy readers, Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier (HarperCollins/Clarion, Apr. 2024) is sure to please. Packed with Pacific Island mythos and a childhood-friends-to-lovers romance, the story features 18-year-old Hanalei, who returns from exile to Tamarind to try and right a wrong her father committed on her behalf. The seadragons of the Nominomi Sea have many useful properties, but it’s their eggs that are sought after, each of which can grant a wish. Years earlier, when Hanalei was poisoned, her father stole a seadragon egg meant for the dying princess, and Hanalei learned that seadragon wishes can come at a terrible cost. As she tracks a pregnant seadragon and seizes her chance at redemption, the teen must confront the price she’s willing to pay to go home. Lucier has crafted a cast of characters with deep relationships that transcend the page, leading to heartwarming reunions that I still think about. The magical companions and exquisite worldbuilding add a fresh layer to this romantic adventure.—Emmy Neal, Lake Forest (IL) Library

Shaped with tender complexity, Katherine Applegate’s The One and Only Family (HarperCollins, May 2024), is the fourth and final book of “The One and Only Ivan” quartet. The author invites readers to listen once more to Ivan, the protective silverback gorilla prone to ruminating, as he weighs old memories with his new role as a parent, with his mate, Kinyani, to newborn twins Raji and Tuma. Surrounded by friends at the wildlife sanctuary, Ivan realizes new fears and joys as his family grows within a human-controlled world. Many of my students already enjoy the easy flow of Applegate’s writing and appreciate how Ivan opens up about his dreams and connections with others. They will want to sit with the silverback one last time as he quietly reveals the truths about his days and his sense of purpose as a leader, friend, and father. Readers will find it wholly satisfying to see how Ivan’s family and friends positively elevate his self-worth. Share this with students who appreciate stories of compassionate friendships.

For my upper elementary students who revel in the chance to become lost in spy thrillers while diving into history—especially those who gravitate to the fast-paced “I Survived” chapter books or graphic novels—I can’t wait to introduce Adam Gidwitz’s exciting Max in the House of Spies: A Tale of World War II (Penguin/Dutton, Feb. 2024). That two small, mythical creatures firmly are attached to the eponymous hero’s shoulders is a storyline twist that settles the book in the realm of magical realism. Readers will enjoy the companionable dialogue between the crafty creatures as Max races on his mission to find his way home in dangerous wartime Europe.—Rachel Mulligan, Delran (NJ) Intermediate School

When students come back after summer break, reading isn’t necessarily high on their priority list, so I’m always looking to make a connection with something they’re interested in already—books on topics they’re going to grab as soon as I finish my pitch.

That often means nonfiction. With so many students fascinated with World War ll history (and the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings still in the rear-view mirror), it has go-to appeal for a lot of my students.

Making a connection through the real-life story of a threatened teen can offer a personal look into the experience of the Nazi horrors. In his book Impossible Escape (Roaring Brook, 2023), Steve Sheinkin tells the story of Rudi Vrba, a 17-year-old Jewish Slovakian who tried to escape the Nazis, was caught, and was ultimately sent to Auschwitz. After two harrowing years of hard labor, Vrba managed to escape and contributed to a report on Nazi atrocities credited with saving hundreds of thousands of lives. Sheinkin does not stint on details, so there’s much material to pepper a booktalk without giving too much away.

On the historical fiction side, Alan Gratz’s Heroes: A Novel of Pearl Harbor (Scholastic, Feb. 2024), takes a look at the Pacific through the imagined experiences of two young teens living in a naval air station on Oahu at the time of the Pearl Harbor attacks. Gratz’s work (Refugee, Ground Zero; 2017 and 2021; both Scholastic) is already familiar to many of our students when they join us in middle school, and the author’s name alone is enough to create interest. But there are other angles to booktalking Heroes as well: the boys’ love of superhero comics; the growing anti-Japanese prejudice experienced by one of the teens, a biracial Asian American character; and an enduring friendship amid the chaos that tears through the community the morning of the surprise attacks.—Bob Hassett, Luther Jackson Middle School, Falls Church, VA

Have tissues on hand for students borrowing Gennifer Choldenko’s heart-wrenching The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman (Penguin/Knopf, Jun. 2024). Hank and his little sister Boo are left to fend for themselves when their mother, who is an alcoholic, does not return home one day. Ever resourceful, Hank finds a family friend to help them, but must deal with a temporary housing situation and things at school while trying to find his mom and grapple with typical middle school issues. Although Hank’s home situation isn’t one that many readers face, his vulnerability and struggles will resonate. I can’t wait for this to be the first read in our school book club.

For middle grade students desperate to hang on to summer, Julie Murphy and Crystal Maldonado’s Camp Sylvania: Moon Madness (HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray, May 2024), and Violet Chan Karim’s Summer Vamp (Random House Graphic, May 2024), will make them long for camp. While Camp Sylvania is under new management, readers can still expect all the humor, spookiness, and coming-of-age drama of the first book in the series. Will Nora and Maggie solve the mystery of camp owner Luna’s “moon water,” purported to straighten teeth and zap zits, and the other strange, paranormal happenings at the camp? Tweens will be anxious to find out.

In Karim’s graphic novel Summer Vamp, Maya finds out that her father’s girlfriend will be moving in with them and that Maya is being sent off to a cooking summer camp. She is excited for the distraction, and everything is fine—until she gets on the wrong bus and ends up at a camp for vampires. At first frightened, she quickly discovers that vampires and humans are not so different, and a fun-filled vacation is something that’s still possible. Expressive cartoon illustrations and lighthearted humor makes this a perfect choice for graphic novel fans. I’m expecting a waitlist for both of these quirky middle grade stories.—Ashley Leffel, Frisco, TX

Daryl Grabarek is a former SLJ editor and an occasional contributor.