Author: Kelly Jensen

I’d be remiss if there wasn’t at least an edition of “What’s up in YA?” dedicated to black stories this month. In honor of black history month, it feels right to not only honor the contributions of black writers to YA lit, but to also look forward to some of the black writers who will be adding even more to the category this year.

Without further ado, 6 YA books by black authors to get on your TBR. These are all hitting shelves in the next few months. Descriptions are from Goodreads since I, like many of you, am still on the “anticipating” vs. the “have read” side. Lots of good reading is come.

 

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (March 6, first in a series)

Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zelie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were targeted and killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now, Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers—and her growing feelings for the enemy.

 

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland (April 3, first in a series)

Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg and Chancellorsville—derailing the War Between the States and changing America forever. In this new nation, safety for all depends on the work of a few, and laws like the Native and Negro Reeducation Act require certain children attend combat schools to learn to put down the dead. But there are also opportunities—and Jane is studying to become an Attendant, trained in both weaponry and etiquette to protect the well-to-do. It’s a chance for a better life for Negro girls like Jane. After all, not even being the daughter of a wealthy white Southern woman could save her from society’s expectations.

But that’s not a life Jane wants. Almost finished with her education at Miss Preston’s School of Combat in Baltimore, Jane is set on returning to her Kentucky home and doesn’t pay much mind to the politics of the eastern cities, with their talk of returning America to the glory of its days before the dead rose. But when families around Baltimore County begin to go missing, Jane is caught in the middle of a conspiracy, one that finds her in a desperate fight for her life against some powerful enemies. And the restless dead, it would seem, are the least of her problems.

 

Finding Yvonne by Brandy Colbert (August 7)

Since she was seven years old, Yvonne has had her trusted violin to keep her company, especially in those lonely days after her mother walked out on their family. But with graduation just around the corner, she is forced to face the hard truth that she just might not be good enough to attend a conservatory after high school.

Full of doubt about her future, and increasingly frustrated by her strained relationship with her successful but emotionally closed-off father, Yvonne meets a street musician and fellow violinist who understands her struggle. He’s mysterious, charming, and different from Warren, the familiar and reliable boy who has her heart. But when Yvonne becomes unexpectedly pregnant, she has to make the most difficult decision yet about her future.

 

Learning to Breathe by Janice Lynn Mather (June 26)

Indira Ferguson has done her best to live by her Grammy’s rules—to study hard in school, be respectful, and to never let a boy take advantage of her. But it hasn’t always been easy, especially while living in her mother’s shadow.

When Indy is sent to live with distant relatives in Nassau, trouble follows her. Now she must hide an unwanted pregnancy from her aunt, who would rather throw Indy out onto the street than see the truth.

Completely broke with only a hand-me-down pregnancy book as a resource, Indy desperately looks for a safe space to call home. After stumbling upon a yoga retreat, she wonders if perhaps she’s found the place. But Indy is about to discover that home is much bigger than just four walls and a roof—it’s about the people she chooses to share it with.

 

Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson (June 5)

Monday Charles is missing, and only Claudia seems to notice. Claudia and Monday have always been inseparable—more sisters than friends. So when Monday doesn’t turn up for the first day of school, Claudia’s worried. When she doesn’t show for the second day, or second week, Claudia knows that something is wrong. Monday wouldn’t just leave her to endure tests and bullies alone. Not after last year’s rumors and not with her grades on the line. Now Claudia needs her best—and only—friend more than ever. But Monday’s mother refuses to give Claudia a straight answer, and Monday’s sister April is even less help.

As Claudia digs deeper into her friend’s disappearance, she discovers that no one seems to remember the last time they saw Monday. How can a teenage girl just vanish without anyone noticing that she’s gone?

 

On The Come Up by Angie Thomas (June 5)

Sixteen-year-old Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. Or at least get some streams on her mixtape. As the daughter of an underground rap legend who died right before he hit big, Bri’s got massive shoes to fill. But when her mom unexpectedly loses her job, food banks and shut-off notices become as much a part of her life as beats and rhymes. With bills piling up and homelessness staring her family down, Bri no longer just wants to make it—she has to make it.

 

And just for funsies, a bonus title. This is a debut middle grade read coming out from a YA author this year that looks too good not to share.

 

So Done by Paula Chase (August 12)

When best friends Tai and Mila are reunited after a summer apart, their friendship threatens to combust from the pressure of secrets, middle school, and the looming dance auditions for a new talented-and-gifted program. A memorably raw story about a complex friendship between two very different African American girls. For fans of Jason Reynolds’s Ghost and Rebecca Stead’s Goodbye Stranger.

Jamila Phillips and Tai Johnson have been inseparable since they were toddlers. In Pirate’s Cove—a low-income housing project in Texas—Mila’s single father does everything he can to support his kids and his community. Tai lives across the street with her grandmother, who is the only family she needs. As summer comes to a close, Tai can’t wait for Mila to return from spending a month with her aunt in the suburbs. But both girls are grappling with secrets, and Mila is different when she returns, seeming to put all her energy toward the upcoming dance auditions for the new talented-and-gifted program.

 

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Thanks for hanging out this week, and we’ll be back in your inbox next Monday.

–Kelly Jensen, @veronikellymars on Twitter/Instagram.

Hey YA Fans!

Time to grab your TBR.

“What’s Up in YA?” is sponsored by The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton from Disney Publishing Worldwide.

In a world where Beauty is a commodity only a few control, one Belle will learn the dark secrets behind her powers, and rise up to change the world.

 

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Let’s catch up with the latest in YA book talk over on Book Riot from the last few weeks. You’ll want to make sure you have your Goodreads, your wallet, and/or your to-read lists ready because surely, you’ll be wanting some of these books.

Oh, and if you love a good giveaway, you won’t want to miss the chance to enter for $500 of Penguin Clothbound classics over on Instagram.

• YA true crime fiction for fans of My Favorite Murder.
• 100 must-read short YA books (falling at about 250 pages or fewer!).
• Great books to read if you love Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give. 
• A round-up of your favorite YA science fiction reads.
• With Pantone calling 2018 the year of the color Ultraviolet, we wondered: how does that play out in this year’s YA book covers?
• Some upcoming (and recently released!) young adult graphic novels to know about.
• YA books about parallel worlds, especially for fans of Star Trek: Discovery.
• Mixed race YA fantasy heroines.
• And speaking of YA fantasy, a look at some of the most anticipated titles for this year.
• Latin American YA books, with even more suggestions in the comments.
• Two interviews with YA authors: first, Tanuja Desai Hidier on the 15th anniversary of Born Confused and second, Tanaz Bhathena on her book A Girl Like That. 

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Quick Pick…

I blew through Winifred Conkling’s latest nonfiction YA title this week. Votes for Women! is, as the title suggests, a look at the suffrage movement in the US. But unlike some of the other YA accounts of this historical era, Conkling’s book does not shy away from highlighting the racist attitudes that some of the movement’s most prominent figures espoused in their pursuit of securing women’s rights to vote. Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Staton, and others were not able to see intersections of oppression like we talk about today, and Conkling is able to balance talking about the positive contributions they made during their time with those massive shortfalls.

This is an absorbing read for feminists, as well as readers who love learning about the history of women. I found it particularly fascinating how many other movements were happening at the same time as the suffrage movement — and certainly, it’s hard not to see those social movements as still relevant today. Tons of endnotes in this book, as well as many photos, add a lot. With Women’s History Month just around the corner, Conkling’s book would do well paired with so many of the excellent feminist YA novels we’ve seen populating shelves over the last few years. My only wish would be to have seen more of the women of color who were involved in the suffrage movement (& those working toward other movements at the time, including the abolitionists).

Available now!

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Cheap Reads…

Grab ’em while they’re at low prices.

Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson will keep you on the edge of your seat, and it comes in at $2.

Take a dive into the National Book Award winning Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr for $3 (then watch the adaptation on Lifetime).

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta, the Printz-winning book by the legendary Australian YA author, is $2.

Love Robin McKinley and/or looking for a fantasy read? You can pick up the Newbery award winning The Blue Sword for $2.

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Thanks for hanging out this week, and we’ll see you again next.

–Kelly Jensen, @veronikellymars

Hey YA Readers!

Let’s take a trip down memory lane this week.

“What’s Up in YA?” is sponsored by The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert.

Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get…

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I don’t know about you, but I always love a good look through the big, popular books from years past. They tell us a lot about reading culture, the ups and downs in trends, and simply how much a particular area of reading has grown.

Here’s a look at three big titles from the last 10, 20, 30, and 40 years. I know I’ve said it before, but it is worth repeating: you’re going to be feeling old at the first titles. And that’s okay.

Descriptions are pulled from Amazon, simply because I haven’t read all (or most!) of these titles. Titles were compiled from a range of sources, from my own memory (2008 wasn’t that long ago), the Best Books lists from YALSA, Goodreads, and more. I’ve stuck with books which were first in a series, so there are certainly some big titles not included below.

As might also be noted, some of these titles could easily be categorized as middle grade more than young adult, but because of the crossover appeal, I’ve included them. Likewise, this list is quite white. It is with no doubt, though, that in 10 years when readers look back at what 2018 held in YA books, top titles will be far more inclusive.

Popular YA in 2008

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, “The Hunger Games,” a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed.

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

Todd Hewitt is the only boy in a town of men. Ever since the settlers were infected with the Noise germ, Todd can hear everything the men think, and they hear everything he thinks. Todd is just a month away from becoming a man, but in the midst of the cacophony, he knows that the town is hiding something from him — something so awful Todd is forced to flee with only his dog, whose simple, loyal voice he hears too. With hostile men from the town in pursuit, the two stumble upon a strange and eerily silent creature: a girl. Who is she? Why wasn’t she killed by the germ like all the females on New World? Propelled by Todd’s gritty narration, readers are in for a white-knuckle journey in which a boy on the cusp of manhood must unlearn everything he knows in order to figure out who he truly is.

Paper Towns by John Green

When Margo Roth Spiegelman beckons Quentin Jacobsen in the middle of the night—dressed like a ninja and plotting an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows her. Margo’s always planned extravagantly, and, until now, she’s always planned solo. After a lifetime of loving Margo from afar, things are finally looking up for Q . . . until day breaks and she has vanished. Always an enigma, Margo has now become a mystery. But there are clues. And they’re for Q.

 

Popular YA in 1998

 

If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson

Both Elisha (Ellie) and Jeremiah (Miah) attend Percy Academy, a private school where neither quite fits in. Ellie is wrestling with family demons, and Miah is one of the few African American students. The two of them find each other, and fall in love — but they are hesitant to share their newfound happiness with their friends and families, who will not understand. At the end, life makes the brutal choice for them.

Singing The Dogstar Blues by by Alison Goodman

Seventeen-year-old Joss is a rebel, and a student of time travel at the prestigious Centre for Neo-Historical Studies. This year, for the first time, the Centre has an alien student: Mavkel, from the planet Choria. And Mavkel has chosen Joss, of all people, as his roommate and study partner. Then Mavkel gets sick. Joss quickly realizes that his will to live is draining away. The only way she can help Mavkel is by breaking the Centre’s strictest rules – and that means going back in time to change history.

The Skin I’m In by Sharon G. Flake

Miss Saunders, whose skin is blotched with a rare skin condition, serves as a mirror to Maleeka Madison’s struggle against the burden of low self-esteem that many black girls face when they’re darker skinned. Miss Saunders is tough and through this, Maleeka learns to stand up to tough-talking Charlese.

Popular YA in 1988

 

The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen

Hannah is tired of holiday gatherings−all her family ever talks about is the past. In fact, it seems to her that’s what they do every Jewish holiday. But this year’s Passover Seder will be different−Hannah will be mysteriously transported into the past . . . and only she knows the unspeakable horrors that await.

On The Devil’s Court by Peter Deuker

What would you give to be your school’s superstar? After reading Dr. Faustus, Joe considers the merits of selling his soul to the devil. Suddenly, he finds himself changing from a lousy basketball player and a C student to the star athlete he always dreamed he could be. Even though he isn’t sure if he actually made a deal with the devil, he can’t help but enjoy the benefits that come with his newfound abilities. But is achieving his dreams worth what he may have given up?

Spellbound by Christopher Pike

In the wake of Karen Holly’s tragic death, many people believe that her boyfriend, Jason, is responsible, and when Jason takes a new girlfriend, newcomer Cindy, she and her friends must return to the scene of Karen’s murder.

 
 

Popular YA in 1978

Beauty by Robin McKinley

A strange imprisonment Beauty has never liked her nickname. She is thin and awkward; it is her two sisters who are the beautiful ones. But what she lacks in looks, she can perhaps make up for in courage. When her father comes home with the tale of an enchanted castle in the forest and the terrible promise he had to make to the Beast who lives there, Beauty knows she must go to the castle, a prisoner of her own free will. Her father protests that he will not let her go, but she answers, “Cannot a Beast be tamed?” Robin McKinley’s beloved telling illuminates the unusual love story of a most unlikely couple: Beauty and the Beast.

Happy Endings Are All Alike by Sandra Scoppettone

It’s their last summer before college, and Jaret and Peggy have fallen deeply in love. They exchange love letters, have pet names, and spend hours alone in their special clearing in the woods. For once, life is perfect. But Jaret and Peggy live in Gardener’s Point, a small town a hundred miles from New York City, and a place where girls only date boys. In Gardener’s Point, being different isn’t easy—but nothing could prepare them for the danger that lies ahead.

Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan

Mr. Griffin is the strictest teacher at Del Norte High, with a penchant for endless projects and humiliating his students. Even straight-A student Susan can’t believe how mean he is to the charismatic Mark Kinney. So when her crush asks Susan to help a group of students teach a lesson of their own, she goes along. After all, it’s a harmless prank, right?

But things don’t go according to plan. When one “accident” leads to another, people begin to die. Susan and her friends must face the awful truth: one of them is a killer.

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Thanks for hanging out and we’ll see you around here next week for even more YA talk and fun

–Kelly Jensen, @veronikellymars

Hey YA Readers!

Let’s start a new week in a new month with a round-up of YA news…and a couple of book recommendations.

“What’s Up in YA?” is sponsored by Down and Across by Arvin Ahmadi from Penguin Teen.

Scott Ferdowsi has a track record of quitting. His best friends know exactly what they want to do with the rest of their lives, but Scott can hardly commit to a breakfast cereal, let alone a passion.

He never expects an adventure to unfold. But that’s what Scott gets when he meets Fiora Buchanan, a ballsy college student whose life ambition is to write crossword puzzles. When the bicycle she lends him gets Scott into a high-speed chase, he knows he’s in for the ride of his life.

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As has been the trend recently, there’s a lot of adaptation news, a late-night interview with a beloved YA author, and more.

• Curious about the forthcoming Gayle Forman YA novel? Here’s an excerpt to whet your appetite.
• A really lovely piece about Samira Ahmed, author of the recently-released and New York Times bestselling Love, Hate, and Other Filters.
• Check this out: Kwame Alexander is getting his own imprint and he’ll be publishing some great books for children and YA readers.
• Peep some photos from the set of The Hate U Give‘s adaptation. 
• Add these most-anticipated spring 2018 YA books to your to-read list.
• The YA comic I Kill Giants is being adapted for the big screen, and you can watch the trailer here.
• Kathy Burnett’s project to build a children’s bookstore in northern Indiana is up on IndieGoGo. Consider dropping a few bucks or sharing her project? This would be a tremendous boon to the area, with easier access to diverse reads for children and teens.
• Jason Reynolds on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. We don’t see enough YA authors hit the late night circuit, and this is a real treat.
• Heard of the “Ferryman” trilogy by Claire McFall? You will likely soon, as film and graphic novels rights have been snapped up, with the goal of creating a franchise.
• Here’s one to get super stoked about: Stephanie Oakes’s The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly has been ordered for a 10-episode drama series. Small screen, ahoy — this is one that would be so good done this way.
• Erika L. Sanchez’s I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter has had film rights optioned.
• A nice read about the influence of A Wrinkle in Time. Whether you see it as middle grade or very young YA, you can’t escape that it’s having a cultural moment, in addition to being a classic book for young readers.
• The “Enola Holmes” series is being made into a series of movies, and Millie Bobby Brown will be starring.
• Even though Ready Player One is not a YA novel, the rest of this list of forthcoming YA adaptations this year is one of better/more accurate ones.

Quick Picks…

Two YA nonfiction reads worth picking up that I plowed through recently:

#NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale

This book being one of the shortlisted titles for this year’s Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults, it’s likely already on many radars. But here’s why you should pick it up to read ASAP: this gorgeous collection, rendered like a scrapbook, offers a multitude of Native women’s voices throughout the USA and Canada. There’s spectacular art and photography, poetry, interviews, and more, all of which center around the variety of stories, experiences, and perspectives Native women have. It’s a short book and — perhaps the downside — looks a little bit more like a picture book than a YA read. Upside? Full color art really stands out.

Americanized: Rebel Without a Green Card by Sara Saedi (out tomorrow, February 6)

Saedi’s hilarious memoir is reminiscent of reading Funny in Farsi and Mindy Kaling in terms of voice and perspective. The book focuses on Saedi’s experience as an illegal immigrant, how her family came to the US from Iran and lived without documentation, and the sort of hoops they needed to jump through to become citizens. In a world where immigration continues to be a topic of discourse — and more, an experience so many young people are living — Saedi’s book is a necessary read. Bonus points to this one for sharing great family stories, providing insight into Iranian traditions, and for a really appealing format.

 

Read ’em Cheap…

There are so many great YA deals this month. I’m going to have to be careful not to drop too many at once.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, the classic YA read about sexual assault, is $3.

The queer romance which had a ton of really positive buzz, Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit by Jaye Robin Brown is $2.

Adventure air-ship fantasy Airborn by Kenneth Oppel is $2.

 

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Thanks for hanging out this week, and we’ll see you again next Monday.

–Kelly Jensen, @veronikellymars

Hey YA Readers!

This week, it’s all about the plans you’ll want to be making for your bookish travel in the first part of ’18.

“What’s Up in YA?” is sponsored by This Is Not A Love Letter by Kim Purcell from Disney Publishing Worldwide.

This contemporary YA tearjerker about an interracial relationship paints a poignant portrait of first love and loss and opens up important conversations about prejudice and mental health.

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You’re here because you love YA books. And chances are if you love YA books, you’d love a good YA book festival (even the introverts among us don’t mind a bookish event where we can be around so many others like us!). To get the wheels spinning, I thought it’d be worthwhile to round-up the YA/Teen literature focused conferences and festivals happening around the US in the first part of 2018.

This list is far from comprehensive. There are events that are missing, particularly smaller events that happen at public libraries. Since not all conferences have announced dates, locations, or speakers yet for this year, some of the information you’ll find below is bare bones.

But the beauty of this is it’s a resource for you to keep returning to and planning around. Because even if you can’t actually attend one of these events, who doesn’t enjoy dreaming up a fantasy bookish trip?

I’ve stuck with specific to teen/YA lit events, except in cases which events were focused entirely on children’s literature more broadly and showed a wealth of YA events with it. If you know of other events fitting these parameters happening before June, drop a line and let me know so I can include it on my master list (for sharing in the future!). Know of great international YA lit-focused fests? Drop me a line about those, too!

We’ll revisit this list in May some time, with information about fall festivals you can plan your trips — real or imagined — around.

 

The African American Children’s Book Fair: February 3, Philadelphia, PA

 

Teen Book Fest By The Bay: February 17, Corpus Christie, TX

 

National Latino Children’s Literature Conference: February 22-24, San Antonio, TX

 

Ontario Teen Book Fest: March 3, Ontario, California

 

Southeastern Young Adult Book Festival: March 8-10, Murfreesboro, TN

 

NoVA Teen Book Festival: March 10, Arlington, VA

 

Children’s Literature Festival: March 18-20, Warrensburg, MO (at the University of Central Missouri)

 

New York City Teen Author Festival: March 18-25, New York City, NY (Site will be updated reflecting this year’s information soon)

 

Teen Book Con: March 24, League City, TX

 

Chicago Young Adult Book Festival: April 14, Chicago, IL

 

Colorado Teen Literature Conference: April 14, Denver, CO

 

North Texas Teen Book Festival: April 20-21, Irving, TX

 

Southern Kentucky Book Fest: April 21, Bowling Green, KY (They hold a teen and children’s day)

 

YA Fest PA: April 21, Easton, PA

 

Hudson Children’s Book Festival: May 5, Hudson, NY

 

Yall West: May 5, Santa Monica, CA

 

Lit Up Teen Book Festival: May 12, Kansas City, MO

 

Twin Cities Teen Lit Con: Date Yet Unannounced, but usually occurs mid-May, Twin Cities area, MN

 

Romantic Times Teen Day: Unannounced, but happens during the RT Convention in mid-May, this year in Reno, NV.

 

Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival: May 19, Rochester, NY

 

Queens Book Festival Youth Day: June 9, Queens, NY

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Love what you read here and work in/want to work in/love libraries? You’ll want to sign up for the new Check Your Shelf newsletter for librarians. It’s a biweekly roundup of everything librarians would want to know about how to best serve their readers. I’m co-writing the newsletter with Katie McLain, and if you sign up before February 5, you can be entered to win a (wait for it~) library cart in the color of your choice. Do the thing!

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Sweet Cheap Reads…

Begin a new science fiction series with Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff for $2.

Pick up the book you keep meaning to read for $2, Meg Cabot’s The Princess Diaries.

Or go deep into mermaidlandia with The Mermaid’s Sister by Carrie Anne Noble.

 

Thanks for hanging out, and we’ll see you again next week. Until then, grab a good book or ten to keep you company.

— Kelly Jensen, currently reading Americanized: Rebel Without a Green Card by Sara Saedi

 

Hey YA Readers!

Let’s cozy on up to the latest YA book talk.

“What’s Up in YA?” is sponsored by ZENITH, new from #1 New York Times bestselling authors Sasha Alsberg & Lindsay Cummings.

Known as the Bloody Baroness, Captain Androma Racella and her motley crew roam the Mirabel galaxy on the starship Marauder taking whatever mercenary work they can find.

But when a routine job goes awry, the Marauder’s all-girl crew find themselves at the mercy of a dangerous bounty hunter from Andi’s past. Coerced into a life-threatening mission, and straight into the path of a shadowy ruler bent on revenge, Andi and her crew will either restore order to the ship—or start a war that will devour worlds.

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Grab your TBR since it’s likely to be growing with this look back at the last month or so of YA book talk on Book Riot.

• Add these YA anthologies hitting shelves in 2018 to your wish list.
• Though written on the solstice (aka: the shortest day of the year), these short YA books are great to read any time.
• Why school libraries matter and the power of the book talk to teen readers.
• Is there a gender bias when it comes to trade reviews for young adult books? A deep dive into the statistics and the good news.
• A round-up of over 35 of Book Riot reader favorite YA books from 2017.
• Take this quiz about your favorite books, and we’ll tell you your Hogwarts House. Literally, the only quiz where I haven’t been sorted very definitively into my appropriate House.
• A look at the YA book awards you should know. Especially helpful as award season begins.
• Young Adult books written in letters or with letters making up a big portion of the book.
• Children’s and YA books to help you find your strength. Because sometimes, we all need it.
• Book Fetish for YA fans. Some sweet scores here.
• 31 YA books that hit paperback this winter — perfect for those on a budget and/or those who just prefer their books without hard covers.
• Swoon over some YA romance reads this winter.
• Honoring and remembering Katherine Kellgren, audiobook narrator extraordinaire.
• British YA you’ll want to smuggle across the pond this year (or if you’re in Britain, pick up at your local book shop).
• YA books with teens who love fashion.
• On being a YA lover in corporate America (perhaps this is #relatable to many of you).
• 10 books, including YA titles, about women writers.
• 25 YA books to add to your TBR right now.
• And just in case this list of book lists and book talk hasn’t satisfied your needs, enjoy over 150 YA books hitting shelves between now and the end of March.

 

Cheap Reads

Score a few YA reads on the cheap this week in digital form…

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black is a mere $3 and would be a great intro to her work OR a great place to continue your enjoyment of her writing.

If you’re itching for something dystopian, you’ll want to check out Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi at $2.

Or maybe dive into a love story with Kasie West’s Lucky in Love for $3.

 

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Thanks for hanging out this week, and we’ll be back in your inbox next Monday. Don’t forget to pick up a great book or two in the mean time.

–Kelly Jensen, @veronikellymars

Hey YA fans:

It’s time to talk books with an author who you’re going to be glad you got to know!

 

“What’s Up In YA?” is sponsored by Disney Publishing Worldwide.

Indiana Jones meets Lara Croft in space! An epic sci-fi adventure, the first in a duology, from the New York Times best-selling authors of the Starbound trilogy. When Earth intercepts a message from a long-extinct alien race, it seems like the solution humanity has been waiting for. The Undying’s advanced technology has the potential to undo environmental damage and turn lives around, and their message leads to the planet Gaia, a treasure trove waiting to be explored.

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I’m really excited to share this interview with debut novelist Samira Ahmed. Her book, Love, Hate, & Other Filters hits shelves tomorrow, January 16. It’s likely you’ve seen the book’s catchy cover and read the description and needed it on your TBR ASAP.

This interview will make you want it even more…and it’s going to substantially add other books to your to-read, too.

Without further ado, a chat with Samira!

 

Give us the pitch for your book:

Love, Hate & Other Filters is a story about a girl who is Indian and Muslim, a child of immigrants and also a girl like all the other girls—she has hopes and dreams and crushes. She has to confront bullying and Islamophobia and faces a world trying to tell her who she should be and what she should do. She’s an American girl who is trying to figure things out and forge a path of her own choosing.

 

Tell us a bit about when you began writing and your journey from aspiring author to published author:

I’ve been writing in some form or another since I was in about 3rd or 4th grade. I kept journals and wrote poetry. Really, really bad poetry. But hey! I didn’t let that stop me from writing for myself because I really loved it.

It wasn’t until much, much later–after I’d already been a high school teacher and worked in education non-profits–that I began to even start thinking about writing a book and, maybe, even trying to get it published.

I know there is a lot of pressure on young writers to be published by 25 or 30, but that wasn’t me. It wasn’t something I even dreamed about at that time. But I really think it is so important to know there is no expiration date on having dreams.

 

LH&OF is your debut novel, and while you’ve yet to experience a year as a debut, your book has been hitting radars for a few months pre-pub now. Tell us a bit about what it’s like being a first-time author and hearing from eager and excited readers:

Probably one of the most amazing experiences I had was when I walked into BEA and saw my ARC and held it for the very first time. A young woman next to me asked if she could look at it and remarked that it was the first time she’d ever seen herself in a cover. That floored me. Other readers shared similar sentiments.I’m so deeply grateful to hear readers say that, to see messages and tweets from kids who say they are excited to catch a small glimpse of themselves on the page.

I’ve also met folks who don’t look like my main character, who don’t share her experiences but still connect with my book. One teacher emailed me to say he had never considered what it must feel like for a Muslim teen to live in today’s world—one fraught with Islamophobia and assumptions about who they are and what they believe. His honesty and willingness to open his mind to new ideas was a reminder for me about the importance of books being both mirrors and windows.

The last few months have been absolutely surreal. It’s so humbling and I know how incredibly lucky I am.

 

Maya, your main character, is an Indian American Muslim girl who struggles between being the “good Indian daughter” and forging her own story. She’s got dreams and goals she wants to pursue, but it’s not only her own personal heritage that challenge her — it’s also the experience of being an Indian American Muslim girl in a world where she’s discriminated against for this very thing. Can you talk a bit about what drew you to writing this character and how you were able to craft multiple intersections along Maya’s journey?

It would be hard for me to write a character without multiple intersections, namely because that is my own experience. Code-switching is an inextricable part of my life; it’s in my DNA and necessarily so.

I grew up, like Maya, in a very White town—the first South Asian, Muslim family to move there. Think about that. It’s wild, right? So basically, I had to adapt very quickly to being “different.” I had to learn to hear the microaggressions but not internalize them. I had to learn to hear the awful things people would say but not fall apart, at least on the outside. But I’m not unique in that, not at all. Any child of color or from a religious minority or who is LGBQTIA or disabled or from any other marginalized group understands, deeply, my experiences. In fact, even with my various intersections, I still have and recognize my privileges. Others have to contend with much worse.

I wanted to give voice to that life—one where you have a foot in each of your different worlds, where you struggle to put all those pieces together to make a whole, where you are “othered” merely for being who you are. I wanted to show a young woman who faces obstacles but who is resilient. Who makes choices for herself, sometimes very difficult ones, because when the world around her is saying NO, she’s saying YES, to herself.

 

You and I talked together on a panel at a recent teacher conference, along with Jennifer Mathieu (author of Moxie) on the topic of feminism. Can you talk a bit to what feminism in young adult literature looks like and how it is we — as readers, as writers, as teachers, as librarians — can encourage dialog about feminism through what it is we’re reading?

I had such fun on that panel with you guys! And it was so inspiring to hear what both you and Jennifer had to say—especially about the need for introspection and uncomfortable conversations and inclusivity. Feminism needs to be intersectional to be truly effective in building a world where demography is not destiny.

One thing I absolutely love about some of what I’m seeing in young adult literature is young women who are unapologetic about who they are and what they want. That doesn’t mean that they’re not flawed, as are we all. It doesn’t mean they’re not searching. It doesn’t mean they’re not facing obstacles and challenges. It means that they are beginning to understand the importance of their own agency in their lives and their value in the world as individuals and know their full potential. It means they are forming their politics and speaking their truths.

I also think we are seeing that boys in YA can be feminists, too. That they are stumbling and learning and figuring out their role in the patriarchy. The idea that women’s right are human rights and that we should be treated equally is not and should not be a radical notion.

It is absolutely necessary for all of us who talk to and engage with young readers—any readers really—to open a conversation about feminism, even beginning with defining the word and talking about why the word itself isn’t pejorative, but empowering and universal and necessary. We are living in a time where we’ve heard the President speak of women in terribly demeaning terms, even bragging about sexual assault. We’ve seen brave women come forward and speak about the sexual harassment and abuse they’ve suffered, about the code of silence and wall of protection that allows men to face little to no consequences for their actions. I’ve seen lots of men shocked that such things could happen in the workplace, but I haven’t met a woman yet who is surprised because we seen it; we’ve experienced it. We live in a world of inherent inequities and the only way we can begin to dismantle the power structure that allows them, is to have some uncomfortable conversations. Lean into the discomfort and open those necessary dialogues about sexism and misogyny and racism and how those intersect and about how feminism isn’t merely a word to be discussed, but a way to live your life.

 

Who are your favorite authors in your own reading life? Who do you think is doing some of the most interesting, provocative, and creative work in the YA world?

I am consistently stumped by this question. It’s so hard for me to choose!

Recently, I’ve absolutely been loving the writing of Mohsin Hamid. It’s so subtle, almost quiet, then it completely wallops you and he is such a fine craftsmen. He wrote the most moving 2nd person book I’ve ever read..

Young Adult literature is absolutely in a golden age right now.

As far as creative, provocative work goes, the first name that comes to mind is Jason Reynolds who is brilliant and yet somehow ups his game with every subsequent effort. I love that he challenges himself even while he’s challenging us, the readers.

For both lyrical writing, brilliant detail and the kind of historical research my nerdy heart loves, I recommend Heidi Heilig. I will read anything she writes.

THE BELLES by Dhonielle Clayton comes out in February and I was blown away at how she creates this lush, brilliant world and then addresses hard truths about the socio-political costs of beauty and the expectations and unfair double standard women contend with every day.

What I love about Adam Silvera’s writing is the textural emotionality of his words. You can almost feel them. He centers gay men of color and brings them to life with wonderful emotional depth and they totally gut you.

When speaking of lyrical writing with incredible emotional complexity Anna-Marie McLemore’s name always comes to mind. She’s introducing magical realism to a brand new audience. And she’s awesome.

I’m also going to give a shout out to two Muslim-American writers—Aisha Saeed and Sheba Kareem—who wrote some of the first YA books with Muslim rep that I read. I can’t wait for their next books, AMAL UNBOUND and MARIAM SHARMA HITS THE ROAD. Muslims in America are not a monolith and Saeed and Kareem show the wonderful diversity of our community, steering readers away from that myopic single narrative with characters whose unique experiences and depth is rich and wonderful and sometimes heartbreaking.

 

If there’s one book that you could go back and hand your 12-year-old self, what would it be and why?

THE NAMESAKE by Jhumpa Lahiri. It’s not YA and some of the ideas might have gone over my 12-year-old self’s head, but at that age I was really loving family dramas and there was no family story that I could really see myself in. THE NAMESAKE was probably the first book that I read where I could really feel the struggles the characters felt—trying to find balance in an imbalanced world. Gogol’s struggle to find himself, especially in his younger years would have felt both familiar and validating to me. And also, this might seem like a small detail, but I experienced the same challenges with my name that Gogol did—it would’ve been amazing to have known I wasn’t the only one.

 

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Thanks for hanging out — and a big thank you to Samira — and we’ll see you back here again next week.

–Kelly Jensen, @veronikellymars

 

Hey YA Readers!

Let’s get caught up with the latest news around the young adult literature world.

“What’s Up in YA?” is sponsored by Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp.

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of This Is Where It Ends

Best friends Corey and Kyra were inseparable in their snow-covered town of Lost Creek, Alaska. When Corey moves away, she makes Kyra promise to stay strong during the long, dark winter, and wait for her return. Just days before Corey is to return home to visit, Kyra dies. Corey is devastated—and confused. The entire Lost community speaks in hushed tones about the town’s lost daughter. Corey knows something is wrong. Lost is keeping secrets—chilling secrets. But piecing together the truth about what happened may prove as difficult as lighting the sky in an Alaskan winter.

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• Jacqueline Woodson is the new US National Ambassador for Children’s Literature.
• There’s a trailer for David Levithan’s Every Day. And here’s the movie poster if that’s a thing you like seeing. I didn’t know this was being made into a film and I sure hope they fixed the way that the fat body is treated.
• Want some more Canadian YA in your life? Here’s an excellent round-up of English and French YA & children’s book awards from Canada.
• What do you think about the titles BuzzFeed picked as the best 2017 YA?
• Eric Smith and I talked about this piece on the latest episode of Hey YA, but it’s worth a share here, too: a look at why teens love dystopian YA novels.
• Katherine Langford will be in the adaptation of Spontaneous.
• Speaking of adaptations, here’s a round-up of what you can look forward to this year. A few YA titles are sprinkled in.
• I’m stupid excited to see Long Way Down potentially see the big screen. It may be my favorite Jason Reynolds YA title.
• This isn’t related to YA literature but it’s related to teen culture and so fascinating that I have to include it. A look inside “niche memes,” the secret clip art diaries teens as posting on Instagram.
• John Green sold the movie rights to Turtles All The Way Down. I really thought the book nailed OCD and anxiety and am curious how it’ll play out on the big screen.
• Mackenzi Lee, author of A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, is penning a Marvel series.
• The upcoming new release Devils Unto Dust has been optioned for a potential film. This is one of the books I hadn’t heard anything about but when it showed up in my mailbox, I kept it because it looks really interesting.
• And because there’s never enough adaptation news in these round-ups, MT Anderson’s Landscape with Invisible Hand has been optioned for the big screen.

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Cheap YA Reads…

If you’re itching to fill up your ereader with some good reads on the cheap, here are some ideas.

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale is a fairy tale fantasy and is current $2.

Kody Keplinger’s The DUFF is $3 and so worth more money than that. Read it, then watch the adaptation.

The Girl With The Red Balloon by Katherine Locke is a historical fiction read with a bit of fantasy and mystery to it and the first in a new series. $4.

 

Thanks for hanging out this week, and we’ll see you back here again in seven days. There’s an exciting interview coming with a brand new debut author about the book you’ll be itching to read and talk about (~get excited~).

 

–Kelly Jensen, @veronikellymars

Welcome to a brand new year, YA lovers!

“What’s Up in YA?” is sponsored by The Cruel Prince by Holly Black.

Jude was seven years old when she and her sisters were stolen away to the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, she wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigue, discovering her capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie, Jude will risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

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To kick off 2018, I’ve invited a variety of young adult authors to share what books they’re most looking forward to reading this year and hope that you’ll find worth plopping onto your TBR. I’ll highlight the titles, why it is they’ve been selected, and then sign the short blurbs from the authors who’ve recommended them. If you’re itching for more descriptions of each title, click the link (though I can say these blurbs have sold me on a pile of these titles!). Bonus: a number of the authors who’ve shared their favorite books are themselves debut authors for this year, meaning you can also learn a bit more about their titles.

American Panda by Gloria Chao (February 6)

American Panda promises the experience of straddling two identities as a second generation American. The story features Mei Lu, a 17-year-old freshman at MIT, struggling to figure out her path in life all while facing family expectations. American Panda is one of my most anticipated reads for 2018 for several reasons: ownvoices, a timeless story about self discovery, and love.  — Brenda Rufener, author of Where I Live

 

The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton (February 6)

A fantasy with a female Black main character that deals with beauty as a commodity? YES, PLEASE. — Sandhya Menon, author of When Dimple Met Rishi and From Twinkle, With Love

 

Blood and Sand by C.V. Wyk (January 16)

Um, Spartacus is a teenage girl? Yes, please! Fantastic Roman setting, beautifully complicated characters, and a princess who can kick ass in any arena. — Dot Hutchison, author of A Wounded Name

 

Dear Rachel Maddow by Adrienne Kisner (June 5)

I love the conceit of a queer teen writing letters to Rachel Maddow in order to process and understand her own life. I can’t wait to check this one out. — Britta Lundin, author of Ship It.

I literally pre-ordered it the moment I saw the title. I adore Rachel Maddow and I can’t wait for more queer girl YA in 2018. — Amy Spalding, author of Kissing Ted Callahan and The Summer of Jordi Perez

Down And Across by Arvin Ahmadi (February 8)

Arvin Ahmadi’s voice is so needed in YA. At the heart of this fast-paced and charming contemporary debut is a Muslim Iranian teen boy on the path to self-discovery. It’s very special and I hope you love it! — Adam Silvera, New York Times bestselling author of They Both Die At The End

The Fall Of Innocence by Jenny Torres Sanchez (June 12)

I know it’s going to destroy me in the best possible way, just as Jenny Torres Sanchez’s previous book, Because of the Sun, did. Her writing is dreary and beautiful and, with such a serious topic, I know she’s going to handle it well.  — Lauren Gibaldi, author of The Night We Said Yes, Autofocus, and This Tiny Perfect World

 

Finding Yvonne by Brandy Colbert (August 7, no link yet but check Goodreads)

Brandy Colbert’s first book, POINTE, and her second, LITTLE AND LION, are both beautiful and smart but totally different. I’m excited to see where she goes with FINDING YVONNE. — Elana K Arnold; recently, WHAT GIRLS ARE MADE OF and INFANDOUS

 

The Freedom Trials by Meredith Tate (No date yet, some information via Goodreads)

I think fans of the Hunger Games series will be clamoring for this one because it involves a 17-year-old inmate named Evelyn who’s been put in a futuristic prison where her memories of the crime she committed have been erased. While grappling with trying to figure out what crime she’s committed, she has to compete in 7 trials to win her freedom. But if she loses, it means getting executed. It sounds like it’ll be full of heart-stopping action and even a little romance!   — Annie Sullivan, author of A Touch of Gold

 

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert (January 30)

It’s so up my alley: reclusive author, literature brought to life, and that literature being dark fairy tales–I grew up with my grandmother reading the original Grimm’s Fairy Tales to me as bedtime stories (for real)–count me way in! — Eric Devine, author of Press Play and Dare Me

 

Love Songs and Other Lies by Jessica Pennington (April 24)

This books is fun, full of heart and has a hero who stole my heart! — Katie McGarry, author of the Pushing the Limits series, the Thunder Road series and Say You’ll Remember Me

 

Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany Jackson (June 5)

I’m super excited about this book because it tells the story of missing black girls and this narrative is often overlooked in the publishing sphere. It’s also a wonderful mystery and I can’t wait to be wrecked.  — Dhonielle Clayton, co-author the Tiny Pretty Things series, and the author of The Belles

 

My So-Called Bollywood Life by Nisha Sharma (May 15)

An own voices romantic comedy infused with the spirit of Bollywood? What’s not to be excited about?! This book looks like THE most fun and the author has such a fresh and vivid voice. — Maxine Kaplan, author of The Accidental Bad Girl

 

Not The Girls You’re Looking For by Aminah Mae Safi (June 19)

Striking cover, Muslim protagonist, and voicey summary that promises a story about a complicated, messy girl finding her place in the world. I’m a sucker for those kinds of books.  — Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone

 

The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo (May 8)

I loved Goo’s first two books, and she’s quickly established herself as a compelling writer of romantic comedies. I got an early read of The Way You Make Me Feel, and it is so poignant, sweet, and thoughtful. It also features effortless character diversity and scenes beautifully depicting my beloved Los Angeles. I can’t wait for everyone to read this book. — Brandy Colbert, author of Pointe and Little & Lion

 

Winner Take All by Laurie Devore (January 30)

Laurie Devore is one of the freshest and most exciting voices in YA. Her writing is in the vein of Courtney Summers and I can’t wait to read the follow up to her debut HOW TO BREAK A BOY. — Kara Thomas, author of The Darkest Corners, Little Monsters, and The Cheerleaders

 

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I hope you found some gems to put onto your TBR for the new year. We’ll see you again next week with a round-up of some must-read YA news and pieces from around the web.

–Kelly Jensen, @veornikellymars

PS: Don’t forget, we’re giving away a stack of our 20 favorite books of the year! Click here to enter.