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Harper Evans wants to help. She’s always been passionate about the planet, but also desires to help people who live on it. So when her father suggests she spend the summer with Homes from the Heart, she jumps at the chance to help build a new house for a family in a Tennessee community devastated by a tornado. She feels a little guilty though because it’s not just an opportunity for her to help; it’s her chance to run away from her dad’s divorce, stepsister’s hostility and her boyfriend situation.

Lucy was raised by foster parents after her own mother became mentally ill, foster parents who may know more about her past than they’ve shared. Lucy must solve a puzzle, found in the song Scarborough Fair, to break a curse and save her own sanity. Werlin, known mysteries and thrillers, gives this story a unique touch of fantasy.

Black seventeen-year-old Evie Thomas has given up on love. But after finding Instructions for Dancing in a Little Free Library, she gains the ability to see the romantic fates of others and is led by the book to a romance of her own. 

Juliet Milagros Palante is a self-proclaimed closeted Puerto Rican baby dyke from the Bronx. Only, she’s not so closeted anymore. Not after coming out to her family the night before flying to Portland, Oregon, to intern with her favorite feminist writer — what’s sure to be a life-changing experience. And when Juliet’s coming out crashes and burns, she’s not sure her mom will ever speak to her again. But Juliet has a plan — sort of. Her internship with legendary author Harlowe Brisbane, the ultimate authority on feminism, women’s bodies, and other gay-sounding stuff, is sure to help her figure out this whole “Puerto Rican lesbian” thing. Except Harlowe’s white. And not from the Bronx. And she definitely doesn’t have all the answers.

In a summer bursting with queer brown dance parties, a sexy fling with a motorcycling librarian, and intense explorations of race and identity, Juliet learns what it means to come out — to the world, to her family, to herself. Over the Rainbow Project Booklist.

This book is also available as a graphic novel and in a Spanish edition.

Annabel is a beautiful teen model, but she’s over it. Her sister has become anorexic, and the family isn’t dealing with it very well. When she forms a special connection with iPod-wearing Owen, Annabel learns some new ways to deal with her issues and learns a lot about herself at the same time.

Mads is pretty happy with her life. She goes to church with her family, and minor league baseball games with her dad. She goofs off with her best friend Cat, and has thus far managed to avoid getting kissed by Adam, the boy next door. It’s everything she hoped high school would be…until all of a sudden, it’s not. Her dad is hiding something big — so big it could tear her family apart. And that’s just the beginning of her problems: Mads is starting to figure out that she doesn’t want to kiss Adam… because the only person she wants to kiss is Cat.  Kiss Number 8, a graphic novel from writer Colleen AF Venable and illustrator Ellen T. Crenshaw, is a layered, funny, sharp-edged story of teen sexuality and family secrets. A 2019 New York Public Library Best Books for Kids and Longlist, National Book Awards 2019 for Young People’s Literature.

In 1954, seventeen-year-old Chinese-American Lily Hu, is secretly excited and intrigued by an ad for a show at the Telegraph Club featuring a male impersonator. Her White friend, Kathleen takes her to the San Francisco lesbian bar, where they begin to explore their sexuality and their relationship.

Educator’s guide available from Malinda Lo’s website.

Laura Dean, the most popular girl in high school, was Frederica Riley’s dream girl: charming, confident, and SO cute. There’s just one problem: Laura Dean is maybe not the greatest girlfriend. As their relationship spirals further out of her control, Freddy has to wonder if it’s really Laura Dean that’s the problem. Maybe it’s Freddy, who is rapidly losing her friends, including Doodle, who needs her now more than ever. Fortunately for Freddy, there are new friends, and the insight of advice columnists like Anna Vice to help her through being a teenager in love. This sweet and spirited graphic novel asks us to consider what happens when we ditch the toxic relationships we crave to embrace the healthy ones we need. Accolades include Booklist 2019 Editor’s Choice.

John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle weave each of their stories together in this collection of winter romances. John Green’s, “A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle,” focuses on three friends who leave their cozy James Bond marathon to trek through a winter storm to check out some stranded cheerleaders at the local Waffle House.

It's 1989 in New York City, and for three teens, the world is changing. Reza is an Iranian boy who has just moved to the city with his mother to live with his stepfather and stepbrother. He's terrified that someone will guess the truth he can barely acknowledge about himself. Reza knows he's gay, but all he knows of gay life are the media's images of men dying of AIDS. Judy is an aspiring fashion designer who worships her uncle Stephen, a gay man with AIDS who devotes his time to activism as a member of ACT UP. Judy has never imagined finding romance...until she falls for Reza and they start dating. Art is Judy's best friend, their school's only out and proud teen. He'll never be who his conservative parents want him to be, so he rebels by documenting the AIDS crisis through his photographs. As Reza and Art grow closer, Reza struggles to find a way out of his deception that won't break Judy's heart — and destroy the most meaningful friendship he's ever known.

Miles “Pudge” Halter is done with his safe life at home. His whole life has been one big non-event until heads off to the sometimes crazy and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young. She is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart. Then… Nothing is ever the same.

When Nala Robertson reluctantly agrees to attend an open mic night for her cousin-sister-friend Imani’s birthday, she finds herself falling in instant love with Tye Brown, the MC. He’s perfect, except…Tye is an activist and is spending the summer putting on events for the community when Nala would rather watch movies and try out the new seasonal flavors at the local creamery. In order to impress Tye, Nala tells a few tiny lies to have enough in common with him. As they spend more time together, sharing more of themselves, some of those lies get harder to keep up. In Love Is a Revolution, plus size girls are beautiful, the popular girl clique has strong convictions and substance, and the ultimate love story is not only about romance but about how to show radical love to the people in your life, including to yourself.

It’s not surprising that this novel has been made into a movie — author Larry Doyle has been a comedy screenwriter for some time, and this book reads like a screenplay. Taking place over one graduation day and night, it tells the story of nerdy Denis, who while making his graduation speech, blurts out “I Love You, Beth Cooper.” Beth is popular, beautiful, and, as it soon turns out, more than Denis even imagined.

Afro-Latinx teen Eury comes to the Bronx haunted by losing everything in Hurricane Maria—and by an evil spirit, Ato. Pheus, a golden-voiced, bachata-singing charmer, wants is to put a smile on Eury’s face and fight off her demons. But some dangers are too powerful for even the strongest love.

One night, in a noisy punk rock club, Nick asks Norah to be his girlfriend, so that he can avoid his old girlfriend. Thus begins a night-long adventure that’s part New York mini-road trip, part foul-mouthed romance. Though the movie adaptation was PG-13, the original novel is closer to R-rated for its frank language.

Perfect Mexican daughters do not go away to college. And they do not move out of their parents’ house after high school graduation. Perfect Mexican daughters never abandon their family. But Julia is not your perfect Mexican daughter. That was Olga’s role. Then a tragic accident on the busiest street in Chicago leaves Olga dead and Julia left behind to reassemble the shattered pieces of her family. But it’s not long before Julia discovers that Olga might not have been as perfect as everyone thought. With the help of her best friend, Lorena, and her first love (first everything), Connor, Julia is determined to find out. Was Olga really what she seemed? Or was there more to her sister’s story? And either way, how can Julia even attempt to live up to a seemingly impossible ideal? National Book Award Finalist and winner of the Tomás Rivera Mexican America Children’s Book Award. Also available in Spanish.

Sixteen-year-old November has just lost her boyfriend Josh in an unfortunate accident. She also found out that she is pregnant with his baby. While she deals with the drama in her own life, Josh’s cousin and best friend, Jericho, is also reeling from the unexpected death. Will Jericho be able to support November through the worst time in both of their lives?

Five students enter detention, but only four come out. One is dead, and one is lying…but who?

This novel is about the coming-of-age of the protagonist, Quentin “Q” Jacobsen and his search for Margo Roth Spiegelman, his neighbor and childhood sweetheart.

Zuri Benitez has pride. Brooklyn pride, family pride, and pride in her Afro-Latino roots. But pride might not be enough to save her rapidly gentrifying neighborhood from becoming unrecognizable. When the wealthy Darcy family moves in across the street, Zuri wants nothing to do with their two teenage sons, even as her older sister, Janae, starts to fall for the charming Ainsley. She especially can’t stand the judgmental and arrogant Darius. Yet as Zuri and Darius are forced to find common ground, their initial dislike shifts into an unexpected understanding. But with four wild sisters pulling her in different directions, cute boy Warren vying for her attention, and college applications hovering on the horizon, Zuri fights to find her place in Bushwick’s changing landscape, or lose it all.

In a timely update of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, National Book Award finalist Ibi Zoboi skillfully balances cultural identity, class, and gentrification against the heady magic of first love in her vibrant re-imagining of this beloved classic.

Sparks will fly in this hip-hop-hot teen novel that mixes social protest and star-crossed romance, from Newbery Medal winner Kwame Alexander (The Crossing). Two high school seniors are thrown together when they unexpectedly end up leading the biggest social protest this side of the Mississippi — with a lot of help from social media.

Being a transracial adoptee doesn’t bother sixteen-year-old Alex Kirtridge — at least, not in a way she can explain to her white family. It doesn’t matter that she’s biracial when she’s the star of the baseball team. But when Alex is off the field, she’s teased for acting too white and judged for looking black. Things only get more complicated when she finds hidden letters from her birth father. Alex can’t stop asking questions. Meanwhile, her body is changing, and Alex isn’t sure she can keep up with her teammates. If she’s going to find answers, Alex must come to terms with her adoption, her race, and the dreams she thought would always guide her. Author Shannon Gibney draws from her own experiences as a transracial adoptee to deliver this honest coming-of-age novel about a girl who doesn’t know where she wants to fit in. Paperback edition includes a reading guide at the back. Winner of the Minnesota Book Award.

Betrayed by Raj, who she thought she was fated to marry, Princeton, New Jersey, high school senior Winnie Mehta teams with fellow film fan Dev Khanna to get her life back on track and find her true soul mate.

Cammie attends the private Gallagher Academy, a boarding school for spies in training. The only problem is that it’s an all-girls school. So when she meets a boy from town, she has to put her best skills to use to see him without letting him find out her true story, or letting her Mom find out she’s sneaking around. A great chick-lit meets spy story.