Todd Strasser is an American writer of more than 140 young-adult and middle grade novels and many short stories and works of non-fiction, some written under the pen names Morton Rhue and T.S. Rue.
Thirteen Reasons Why is a young adult novel written by Jay Asher in 2007, which follows the story of Hannah Baker, a high school freshman, and the thirteen reasons why she has died by suicide. Following her death, Hannah leaves behind a series of seven double-sided cassette tapes detailing the thirteen specific people and events that she blames for her demise. Two weeks after her death, these cassette tapes are mailed out with directions to pass the tapes on to the next person on the tape. Hannah's life story is conveyed through these tapes, which are narrated by Hannah herself, and through the point of view of Clay, her classmate and the ninth person to receive the tapes. The inspiration behind the main character, Hannah Baker, comes from author Jay Asher's close relative who attempted suicide.
One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies (2004) is a novel in verse by Sonya Sones. It is a young adult novel that tells the story of Ruby Milliken who is forced to go live with her famous movie star father, Whip Logan, in Los Angeles when her mother dies. Ruby is taken away from her friends and family, all of which she loves, and is forced to cope in the fake and artificial world of Hollywood. The novel is told mostly in blank verse with periodic interruptions of emails and letters Ruby exchanges with her friends. She soon finds herself torn between her old life and her new life.
Amy Sarig King is an American writer of short fiction and young adult fiction. She is the recipient of the 2022 Margaret Edwards Award for her "significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature". She is also the only two-time recipient of the Michael L. Printz Award for Young Adult Literature for Dig (2019) and as editor and contributor to The Collectors: Stories (2023).
This Is Not a Test is a novel written by Canadian author Courtney Summers. It was first published on June 19, 2012 by St. Martin's Press. The novel takes place in a fictional Canadian town called Cortege, during the beginning of a zombie apocalypse. This Is Not a Test follows Sloane Price, a suicidal and abused teen girl as she faces the mental torments of her abusive father and being abandoned by her elder sister all the while reluctantly surviving alongside five other damaged teenagers. In 2013, it made the Inky Awards Shortlist and was a nominee for Silver Inky. In 2014, it was an Ontario Library Association Forest of Reading White Pine Honour Book.
Isabel Quintero is an American writer of young adult literature, poetry and fiction.
Long Way Down is a young adult novel in verse by Jason Reynolds, published October 24, 2017, by Atheneum Books. The book was longlisted for the National Book Award and was named a Printz Honor Book, Coretta Scott King Honor Book, and Newbery Medal Honor Book, alongside other awards and positive reviews.
Hey, Kiddo: How I Lost My Mother, Found My Father, and Dealt with Family Addiction is a graphic memoir by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, published October 9, 2018 by Graphix. The book tells the story of Krosoczka's childhood living with his grandparents while his mother lived with a substance use disorder.
With the Fire on High is a young adult novel by Elizabeth Acevedo, published May 7, 2019 by Quill Tree Books, an imprint of HarperCollins.
Allan Wolf is an American poet and young adult author. His books are primarily multi-perspective historical fiction in verse, but he has also published several poetry books for children. He is also an accomplished slam poet.
Mindy McGinnis is an American writer of young adult fiction. Her most notable works include Be Not Far from Me (2020), Heroine (2019), The Female of the Species (2016), and A Madness So Discreet (2015).
Symptoms of Being Human is a 2016 young adult novel by Jeff Garvin. The book tells the story of young Riley Cavanaugh, a gender fluid adolescent who writes a blog about their experiences and identity. The story revolves around Riley's life and their eventual decision to come out as gender fluid to the world.
The Good Braider is a young adult novel in verse by Terry Farish, published May 1, 2012 by Marshall Cavendish.
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers is a book list created annually by the Young Adult Library Services Association. The list identifies fiction, nonfiction, and graphic novels that may encourage teenagers who dislike reading to read.
The Inheritance Games is a young adult novel series by author Jennifer Lynn Barnes, published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. The series focuses on a girl named Avery Kylie Grambs, and the Hawthorne family. It currently consists of four books: The Inheritance Games (2020), The Hawthorne Legacy (2021), The Final Gambit (2022), and a standalone book that follows the events of the series, The Brothers Hawthorne (2023). The series has garnered widespread acclaim for its intricate plot and engaging characters, making it a favorite among young adult readers.
Jennifer Lynn Barnes is an American writer of young adult novels.
Lu is a young adult novel by Jason Reynolds, published October 23, 2018, by Atheneum. It is the fourth book in Reynold's Track series, preceded by Ghost (2016), Patina (2017), and Sunny (2018).
Sunny is a young adult novel by Jason Reynolds, published April 10, 2018, by Atheneum. It is the third book in Reynold's Track series, preceded by Ghost (2016), Patina (2017), and followed by Lu (2018).
When Stars Are Scattered is a nonfiction young adult graphic novel written by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed, illustrated by Victoria Jamieson and Iman Geddy, and published April 14, 2020, by Dial Books.
Kiss Number 8 is a 2019 graphic novel written by Colleen A. F. Venable, illustrated by Ellen T. Crenshaw, and published by First Second Books. In 2019, the novel was longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature. The following year, it was a finalist for an Eisner Award and Prism Award.
