Staff Picks - Teen

Created on April 23, 2021, 12:19 pm

Last Updated June 9, 2023, 11:53 am

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This delightful book has been on my list for a long time. It perfectly captures the angst of adolescence while vividly portraying the hardships of life on an Indian reservation. This funny and poignant book will steal your heart. - Patricia W
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17-year-old Jack’s mother has been arrested for crimes related to the Las Vegas casino she runs. He turns to his four best friends—asexual teens he only knows from online—to help him investigate his mom’s rival. Pick this up if you are looking for a fast-paced heist! - Michelle M
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Akata series volume 1
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Fans of magical realism will enjoy the world created in this first installment of "The Nsibidi Scripts." Sunny, a 12 year old albino girl living in Nigeria, discovers she not only has magical abilities but is a key member to protect the world from a new threat. - Lisa N
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Told from the perspective of a Black teen getting beaten by a white cop and a white teen witness to the beating, the perspectives of Rashad and Quinn will keep readers riveted and will open the eyes of teens living a privileged life. - Ruth C
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An amazing and beautiful coming-of-age story about surviving high school in a new country, with a new language and a new step-family. It's also a poignant reminder how our parents' actions appear more human and heroic the older we get and more we understand them. - Charlotte M
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What would you do if a building collapsed around you? The five teens in this story barely escape with their lives, but their ordeal is just beginning. Is it true that their parents are trying to kill them all? And how can they work together to save themselves? - Kate O
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With no one to confide in, Astrid tells her secrets to the passengers of passing planes. The problem with her confidants not knowing she's there is that there's no one to advise Astrid about navigating her increasingly complex relationships, including a secret romance. - Megan B
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A college freshman in 1983, Kim Hyun Sook learns all art is political, even her traditional dance group and Shakespeare! After joining a book club that reads books banned by the repressive South Korean government, she starts to fight back. A gripping true story! - Jennifer R
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Three teenagers dealing with heartbreaking losses try to put their lives back together with the help of friends, therapy, and the local indie music scene. Messy, sad, and ultimately life affirming, this book requires a great accompanying soundtrack. - Nico P.
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10) believarexic
This entry no longer exists in the catalog
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A harrowing and riveting look at what happened when San Francisco got the plague, and politics and science collided. - Jennie R
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Something's going to explode in this thriller: It is 1977 & summer should be nights at the disco with friends. Instead Nora's under curfew as a murderer in NYC is targeting girls who look like her--while at home, her controlling brother has a shorter & shorter fuse. - Nico P
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When Naval Aviator Jerry Denton was shot down over North Vietnam, he had no idea that he would spend the next 7 years as a POW. In an age of Marvel superheroes, this story of true heroes will keep young readers completely captivated. - Anne W
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14) Croak
Series
Croak trilogy volume 1
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16-year-old Lex's family is fed up with her and send her to live with her Uncle Mort for the summer. What Lex doesn’t expect is Mort teaching her the family business and turning her into the Grim Reaper. - Megan B
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Ambrose trained to go to space all his life, but nothing prepared him to wake up mid-flight with no memory of takeoff. Or to be flying with a (very attractive) rival. Can Ambrose survive to carry out his mission? Sci-fi, adventure, mystery, romance - this book has it all! - Keren J
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In October of 1918, the Spanish Influenza spread rapidly across the Pacific Northwest. Left unexpectedly alone when her family gets stranded in San Francisco, 17 year old Cleo volunteers with the Red Cross and witnesses the devastation of the pandemic first hand. - Alex Z
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At the heart of this terrifying haunted house novel are two mysteries, featuring generational trauma and how it affects relationships between African American mothers and daughters. It begs the question: Can a house be evil, or is it made that way from its inhabitants? - Holley M
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Heard of the Trojan Horse? Gideon’s torches and trumpets? Navajo codebreakers? Deception in warfare is as old as the hills. Whether via camouflage observation posts or trick tank maneuvers Paul Janeckzko uncovers military secrets that have helped win wars for centuries. - Anne W.
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They said the deadly Thread would never return to Pern. They said fire lizards didn’t exist. They said a mere girl couldn’t be a Harper. But Thread fell and dragons flew. And Menolly ran toward a future she was told could never exist. - Rachel H
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20) Elatsoe
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Ellie lives in a world with things like magic, ghosts, and vampires. When her cousin dies, he comes to her in a dream to tell her he was murdered. She vows to find his killer and get revenge. Ellie is an engaging Indigenous protagonist and the mystery is very compelling. - Michelle M
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