Upper School Fiction
Ashes to Asheville by Sarah Dooley
Two sisters set off without adults on an impromptu road trip to scatter their mother's ashes in this moving, sensitive novel.
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
The first book in a stunning new series about a mortal girl who finds herself caught in a web of royal faerie intrigue.
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
During his senior year of high school, an encounter with the Atlanta police forces Justyce, 17, to reconsider the beliefs of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Devils Within by S. F. Henson
This debut novel sheds a light on white supremacy and other cloaked forms of racism, drawing from true events to highlight what happens in white-supremacist circles, what happens to the people they target, and how white silence is also complicity. (2018 Morris Award Finalist)
The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by F.C. Lee
Can Genie, a 16-year-old Chinese American, be the reincarnation of a mythological weapon? Is Quentin really the immortal Monkey King? A rollicking, actionpacked adventure.
The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora by Pablo Cartaya
Arturo struggles to keep the family business, a Cuban restaurant, alive in the face of the gentrification of his Florida neighborhood in a fresh, often very funny novel. (Belpré Author Honor Book)
A Face Like Glass by Frances Hardinge
Restless, impulsive Neverfell, with no memory of her past, finds herself in the underground city of Caverna, where faces are expressionless and her life is in incredible danger.
Forever, or a Long, Long Time by Caela Carter
In a heartbreaking and lovely novel, foster-child Flora and her brother invent a past and struggle to trust their new family.
Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Twelve-year-old Jerome is shot by a police officer who mistakes his toy gun for a real threat. As a ghost, he observes the devastation that's been unleashed on his family and community. Soon Jerome meets another ghost: Emmett Till, a boy from a very different time but similar circumstances. Emmett helps Jerome process what has happened, on a journey towards recognizing how historical racism may have led to the events that ended his life.
The Hazel Wood: A Novel by Melissa Albert
Alice must go to her deceased grandmother's estate to rescue her mother.
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez
After her sister’s death, Julia learns that Olga was not the model daughter her immigrant parents thought, and discovers some hard truths about herself and her parents.
Landscape With Invisible Hand by M.T. Anderson
After an invasion of Earth by aliens obsessed with 1950s American culture, Adam, a 15-year-old artist, tries to adapt in this funny and wise tale.
Leah On the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli
In this sequel to Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, we follow Simon's BFF Leah as she grapples with changing friendships, first love, and senior year angst.
The List by Patricia Forde
In this compelling and terrifying science fiction novel, Letta, the wordsmith of the city of Ark, learns of a horrific plan to control and censor the language of her people.
Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch
Addie, her brother Ian and his friend Rowan take a tour of Ireland based on a guidebook she found.
Midnight without a Moon by Linda Williams Jackson
In the summer of 1955, Rose Lee Carter dreams of life beyond her Mississippi cotton fields. Emmett Till’s murder places her on a new trajectory.
Moxie: A Novel written and illustrated by Jennifer Mathieu
A shy, quiet teenage girl, angered by the treatment of girls by the boys and administration of her school, starts a revolution.
Noteworthy by Riley Redgate, illustrated by Ben Wiseman
When Jordan Sun isn’t cast in her boarding school’s musical because of her deep voice, she goes incognito to join an all-boys a cappella group.
Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson
Shouldering her mother’s expectations, Jade enters a mentor program with an inconsistent mentor. The unfulfillment she feels galvanizes her to follow her own artistic path. (Newbery Honor Book)
Playing Atari With Saddam Hussein: Based on a True Story by Jennifer Roy
Inspired by the true story of Ali Fadhil, a boy living in Basra, Iraq during the first Gulf War in 1991. Ali and his family survived bombings, food shortages, and constant fear. Ali and his brothers played soccer on the abandoned streets of their Basra neighborhood, wondering when or if their medic father would return from the war front. Cinematic, accessible, and timely, this is the story of one ordinary kid’s view of life during war.
Rebound (The Crossover Series) by Kwame Alexander
Before Josh and Jordan Bell were streaking up and down the court, their father was learning his own moves. In this prequel to The Crossover, Chuck Bell takes center stage, as readers get a glimpse of his childhood and how he became the jazz music worshiping, basketball star his sons look up to.
Renegades by Marissa Meyer
The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies―humans with extraordinary abilities―who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone...except the villains they once overthrew.
Saints and Misfits by S.K. Ali
Saints and Misfits is an unforgettable debut novel that feels like a modern day My So-Called Life...starring a Muslim teen. (2018 Morris Award Finalist)
Solo by Kwame Alexander
Blade, son of a rock star with addiction issues, finds out he is adopted and seeks his birth mother, a volunteer in Ghana. Told in verse.
The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore
Lolly deals with the grief of losing his older brother by escaping into the world of LEGOs in this thought-provoking coming-of-age story set in Harlem.
Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
Orphaned librarian Lazlo Strange pursues his dream of finding the city of Weep, where godspawn and ghosts still reside after near-eradication by humans centuries before.
Tash Hearts Tolstoy by Kathryn Ormsbee
When the web series Tash and her best friend produce goes viral, Tash must learn to handle the notoriety and other changes in her life.
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
Struggling with lifelong depression and OCD, 16 year-old Aza nurtures rich friendships and relies on the invaluable support of her mother and a therapist.
Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles
When Marvin Johnson's twin brother Tyler is found dead, a video leaked online tells a chilling story: Tyler has been shot and killed by a police officer. Terrified as his mother unravels and mourning a brother who is now a hashtag, Marvin must learn what justice and freedom really mean.
Warcross by Marie Lu
Hacker and virtual bounty hunter Emika Chen goes to work for the creator of a highly popular online video game to expose its security flaws.
We Are Okay by Nina LaCour
Alone during winter break in her eastern college, Marin struggles to reconcile the tragedies of family loss with the promise of a future with loving friends. (Printz Medal Winner)
You Bring the Distant Near by Mitali Perkins
India, London, Queens, New Jersey. Three generations of five very different Bengali women find their way in America.
You’re Welcome, Universe by Whitney Gardner
Being the only deaf person at school is tough, but the real challenge for Julia, a passionate graffiti artist, is discovering who is painting over her pieces.
Ashes to Asheville by Sarah Dooley
Two sisters set off without adults on an impromptu road trip to scatter their mother's ashes in this moving, sensitive novel.
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
The first book in a stunning new series about a mortal girl who finds herself caught in a web of royal faerie intrigue.
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
During his senior year of high school, an encounter with the Atlanta police forces Justyce, 17, to reconsider the beliefs of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Devils Within by S. F. Henson
This debut novel sheds a light on white supremacy and other cloaked forms of racism, drawing from true events to highlight what happens in white-supremacist circles, what happens to the people they target, and how white silence is also complicity. (2018 Morris Award Finalist)
The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by F.C. Lee
Can Genie, a 16-year-old Chinese American, be the reincarnation of a mythological weapon? Is Quentin really the immortal Monkey King? A rollicking, actionpacked adventure.
The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora by Pablo Cartaya
Arturo struggles to keep the family business, a Cuban restaurant, alive in the face of the gentrification of his Florida neighborhood in a fresh, often very funny novel. (Belpré Author Honor Book)
A Face Like Glass by Frances Hardinge
Restless, impulsive Neverfell, with no memory of her past, finds herself in the underground city of Caverna, where faces are expressionless and her life is in incredible danger.
Forever, or a Long, Long Time by Caela Carter
In a heartbreaking and lovely novel, foster-child Flora and her brother invent a past and struggle to trust their new family.
Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Twelve-year-old Jerome is shot by a police officer who mistakes his toy gun for a real threat. As a ghost, he observes the devastation that's been unleashed on his family and community. Soon Jerome meets another ghost: Emmett Till, a boy from a very different time but similar circumstances. Emmett helps Jerome process what has happened, on a journey towards recognizing how historical racism may have led to the events that ended his life.
The Hazel Wood: A Novel by Melissa Albert
Alice must go to her deceased grandmother's estate to rescue her mother.
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez
After her sister’s death, Julia learns that Olga was not the model daughter her immigrant parents thought, and discovers some hard truths about herself and her parents.
Landscape With Invisible Hand by M.T. Anderson
After an invasion of Earth by aliens obsessed with 1950s American culture, Adam, a 15-year-old artist, tries to adapt in this funny and wise tale.
Leah On the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli
In this sequel to Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, we follow Simon's BFF Leah as she grapples with changing friendships, first love, and senior year angst.
The List by Patricia Forde
In this compelling and terrifying science fiction novel, Letta, the wordsmith of the city of Ark, learns of a horrific plan to control and censor the language of her people.
Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch
Addie, her brother Ian and his friend Rowan take a tour of Ireland based on a guidebook she found.
Midnight without a Moon by Linda Williams Jackson
In the summer of 1955, Rose Lee Carter dreams of life beyond her Mississippi cotton fields. Emmett Till’s murder places her on a new trajectory.
Moxie: A Novel written and illustrated by Jennifer Mathieu
A shy, quiet teenage girl, angered by the treatment of girls by the boys and administration of her school, starts a revolution.
Noteworthy by Riley Redgate, illustrated by Ben Wiseman
When Jordan Sun isn’t cast in her boarding school’s musical because of her deep voice, she goes incognito to join an all-boys a cappella group.
Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson
Shouldering her mother’s expectations, Jade enters a mentor program with an inconsistent mentor. The unfulfillment she feels galvanizes her to follow her own artistic path. (Newbery Honor Book)
Playing Atari With Saddam Hussein: Based on a True Story by Jennifer Roy
Inspired by the true story of Ali Fadhil, a boy living in Basra, Iraq during the first Gulf War in 1991. Ali and his family survived bombings, food shortages, and constant fear. Ali and his brothers played soccer on the abandoned streets of their Basra neighborhood, wondering when or if their medic father would return from the war front. Cinematic, accessible, and timely, this is the story of one ordinary kid’s view of life during war.
Rebound (The Crossover Series) by Kwame Alexander
Before Josh and Jordan Bell were streaking up and down the court, their father was learning his own moves. In this prequel to The Crossover, Chuck Bell takes center stage, as readers get a glimpse of his childhood and how he became the jazz music worshiping, basketball star his sons look up to.
Renegades by Marissa Meyer
The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies―humans with extraordinary abilities―who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone...except the villains they once overthrew.
Saints and Misfits by S.K. Ali
Saints and Misfits is an unforgettable debut novel that feels like a modern day My So-Called Life...starring a Muslim teen. (2018 Morris Award Finalist)
Solo by Kwame Alexander
Blade, son of a rock star with addiction issues, finds out he is adopted and seeks his birth mother, a volunteer in Ghana. Told in verse.
The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore
Lolly deals with the grief of losing his older brother by escaping into the world of LEGOs in this thought-provoking coming-of-age story set in Harlem.
Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
Orphaned librarian Lazlo Strange pursues his dream of finding the city of Weep, where godspawn and ghosts still reside after near-eradication by humans centuries before.
Tash Hearts Tolstoy by Kathryn Ormsbee
When the web series Tash and her best friend produce goes viral, Tash must learn to handle the notoriety and other changes in her life.
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
Struggling with lifelong depression and OCD, 16 year-old Aza nurtures rich friendships and relies on the invaluable support of her mother and a therapist.
Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles
When Marvin Johnson's twin brother Tyler is found dead, a video leaked online tells a chilling story: Tyler has been shot and killed by a police officer. Terrified as his mother unravels and mourning a brother who is now a hashtag, Marvin must learn what justice and freedom really mean.
Warcross by Marie Lu
Hacker and virtual bounty hunter Emika Chen goes to work for the creator of a highly popular online video game to expose its security flaws.
We Are Okay by Nina LaCour
Alone during winter break in her eastern college, Marin struggles to reconcile the tragedies of family loss with the promise of a future with loving friends. (Printz Medal Winner)
You Bring the Distant Near by Mitali Perkins
India, London, Queens, New Jersey. Three generations of five very different Bengali women find their way in America.
You’re Welcome, Universe by Whitney Gardner
Being the only deaf person at school is tough, but the real challenge for Julia, a passionate graffiti artist, is discovering who is painting over her pieces.