Young adults are the people who propel change. They shift the culture into a brighter direction, and these characters are a great reflection of that. Try these books and get inspired to stand up for what's right. Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed. Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr. But what Starr does - or does not - say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life. Justyce McAllister is a good kid, an honor student, and always there to help a friend—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. Despite leaving his rough neighborhood behind, he can't escape the scorn of his former peers or the ridicule of his new classmates. Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out. Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up--way up, sparking the fury of a white off-duty cop beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired. Justyce and Manny are caught in the crosshairs. In the media fallout, it's Justyce who is under attack. Vivian Carter is fed up. Fed up with an administration at her high school that thinks the football team can do no wrong. Fed up with sexist dress codes, hallway harassment, and gross comments from guys during class. But most of all, Viv Carter is fed up with always following the rules. Viv's mom was a tough-as-nails, punk rock Riot Grrrl in the '90s, and now Viv takes a page from her mother's past and creates a feminist zine that she distributes anonymously to her classmates. She's just blowing off steam, but other girls respond. As Viv forges friendships with other young women across the divides of cliques and popularity rankings, she realizes that what she has started is nothing short of a girl revolution. Moxie is a book about high school life that will make you wanna riot!
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12/31/2021 0 Comments Stories About Teen pregnancyPregnancy can be hard for anybody, but experiencing it as a teenager can have its own set of unique challenges. The characters in these novels each handle pregnancy in their own way, leaning on the support of family, friends, and sometimes strangers, along the way. High school senior Emoni Santiago had to grow up early after becoming a mother her freshman year. Caring for her daughter Emma, who she affectionately calls Babygirl, while juggling school and helping her abuela with the bills has her plate full. Where she finds solace is in the kitchen cooking with her “magic hands.” Her cooking talents not only brings her joy, but also has a strong effect on all who indulge in her food. But with her financial struggles and responsibilities, she doubts whether she could pursue a culinary career. That is, until she takes the new culinary class at school. Through this class she gains an understanding about combining technique with talent and a culinary experience in Spain. In the midst of it all, she begins to develop a love interest in the new student Malachi, the first since her relationship with Babygirl’s father. With recipes separating parts, With the Fire on High is beautifully written in prose through Emoni’s voice and continues to show the talents of bestselling author Elizabeth Acevedo. Seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter has everything under control. As the son of a former gang legend, Mav is able to maintain money through the King Lords. He helps his mom, who works two jobs while his dad’s in prison, hangs out with his girlfriend and cousin, and still dabbles with his schoolwork. Everything is ok. Until, that is, Maverick finds out he’s a father. He now has a son, Seven, who depends on him. Quickly, his life is completely turned upside down as he tries to sling dope, finish school, and raise a child. Eventually he’s offered the chance to go straight, and that is an offer he just can’t refuse. For his son, and himself, he becomes determined to prove he’s much more than what the world tells him. Unfortunately, it’s not easy when King Lord blood runs through your veins, and the circumstances of his past threaten to tear Mav apart, especially after the brutal murder of a loved one. This book, from bestselling author Angie Thomas, extends on the world from The Hate U Give and allows us into the world of Mav and be witness to his growth. Seventeen-year-old Veronica Clarke is college-bound, with a bright future staring her in the face. But what she finds also staring at her is a piece of plastic with two solid pink lines. She’s pregnant. Now Veronica is considering a decision she never imagined she’d have to make: an abortion. And the closest place to get one is over nine hundred miles away. With not-so-progressive parents, a sometimey boyfriend, and no car, Veronica turns to the only person who won’t judge her: her ex-best friend Bailey Butler, a legendary misfit at Jefferson High. Seems simple enough. That is until three days of stolen cars, crazed ex-boyfriends, aliens, ferret napping, and the betrayal of a broken friendship that can’t be outrun. As they take this trip to help Veronica make this choice, they also discover their choices in choosing friendship. Dealing with mental health struggles can be overwhelming. These books explore those obstacles and show how important it is to have a strong support system. Below are also some great resources to give you help if you find yourself struggling with your own mental health. Darius Kellner speaks better Klingon than Farsi, and he knows more about Hobbit social cues than Persian ones. He’s a Fractional Persian - half, his mom’s side - and his first-ever trip to Iran is about to change his life. Darius has never really fit in at home, and he’s sure things are going to be the same in Iran. His clinical depression doesn’t exactly help matters, and trying to explain his medication to his grandparents only makes things harder. Then Darius meets Sohrab, the boy next door, and everything changes. Soon, they’re spending their days together, playing soccer, eating faludeh, and talking for hours on a secret rooftop overlooking the city’s skyline. Sohrab calls him Darioush - the original Persian version of his name - and Darius has never felt more like himself than he does now that he’s Darioush to Sohrab. Adib Khorram’s brilliant debut is for anyone who’s ever felt not good enough - then met a friend who makes them feel so much better than okay. Charlotte Davis is in pieces. At seventeen she’s already lost more than most people do in a lifetime. But she’s learned how to forget. The broken glass washes away the sorrow until there is nothing but calm. You don’t have to think about your father and the river. Your best friend, who is gone forever. Or your mother, who has nothing left to give you. Every new scar hardens Charlie’s heart just a little more, yet it still hurts so much. It hurts enough to not care anymore, which is sometimes what has to happen before you can find your way back from the edge. A deeply moving portrait of a girl in a world that owes her nothing, and has taken so much, and the journey she undergoes to put herself back together. Kathleen Glasgow's debut is heartbreakingly real and unflinchingly honest. It’s a story you won’t be able to look away from. Biz knows how to float, right there on the surface--normal okay regular fine. She has her friends, her mom, the twins. She has Grace. And she has her dad, who shouldn't be here but is. So Biz doesn't tell anyone anything--not about her dark, runaway thoughts, not about kissing Grace or noticing Jasper, the new boy. And not about seeing her dad. Because her dad died when she was seven. But after what happens on the beach, the tethers that hold Biz steady come undone. Her dad disappears and, with him, all comfort. It might be easier, better, sweeter to float all the way away? Or maybe stay a little longer, find her father, bring him back to her. Or maybe--maybe maybe maybe--there's a third way Biz just can't see yet. Debut author Helena Fox tells a story about love, grief, and inter-generational mental illness, exploring the hard and beautiful places loss can take us, and honoring those who hold us tightly when the current wants to tug us out to sea. 12/15/2021 0 Comments Stories about overcoming addictionWhether dealing with it personally, with a friend, or family member, addiction is hard. Each of these characters carry addiction in their lives differently, but each discover that great healing is the way to truly recover. Blade never asked for a life of the rich and famous. In fact, he’d give anything not to be the son of Rutherford Morrison, a washed-up rock star and drug addict with delusions of a comeback. Or to no longer be part of a family known most for lost potential, failure, and tragedy. The one true light is his girlfriend, Chapel, but her parents have forbidden their relationship, assuming—like many—that Blade will become just like his father. In reality, the only thing Blade has in common with Rutherford is the music that lives inside them. But not even the songs that flow through Blade’s soul are enough when he’s faced with two unimaginable realities: the threat of losing Chapel forever, and the revelation of a long-held family secret, one that leaves him questioning everything he thought was true. All that remains is a letter and a ticket to Ghana—both of which could bring Blade the freedom and love he’s been searching for, or leave him feeling even more adrift. Kristina Snow is the perfect daughter: gifted high school junior, quiet, never any trouble. Then, Kristina meets the monster: crank. And what begins as a wild, ecstatic ride turns into a struggle through hell for her mind, her soul—her life. In Crank, Ellen Hopkins chronicles the turbulent and often disturbing relationship between Kristina, a character based on her own daughter, and the "monster," the highly addictive drug crystal meth, or "crank." Kristina is introduced to the drug while visiting her largely absent and ne'er-do-well father. While under the influence of the monster, Kristina discovers her sexy alter-ego, Bree: "there is no perfect daughter, / no gifted high school junior, / no Kristina Georgia Snow. / There is only Bree." Bree will do all the things good girl Kristina won't, including attracting the attention of dangerous boys who can provide her with a steady flow of crank. Madeline has a drinking problem and anger issues, so she's sent away to Spring Meadows, a rehab center in a row of rehab centers known as Recovery Road. On a weekly movie night in town she meets Stewart, who's dealing with demons of his own. It's an intense time, and the two of them come together intensely.When Madeline gets out of rehab, she tries to get back on her feet, and waits for Stewart to join her. When he does, though, it's not the ideal reunion that Madeline has dreamed of. Both of them still have serious problems. And love seems more like a question than an answer.True and insightful, Recovery Road is a story about finding the right person at the worst possible time. And loving that person anyway. No matter what. 11/30/2021 0 Comments Books to uplift lgbtq+ teensEmbracing your identity and sexuality is takes courage in a world that would prefer you not to. These stories highlight courageous characters that express themselves in different ways, but all stay true to themselves. Below are also some resources if you are a teen of the LGBTQ+ community in search of some assistance. What are the chances of having the last name Love, but not actually be able to experience it. Well, Felix Love knows all too well. He desperately wants to know what it’s like and why it seems so easy for everyone but him to find someone. And although he is proud of who he is, being Black, queer, and transgender can make a person feel like they’ll never find true love. On the other hand, Felix starts receiving hateful and transphobic messages from an anonymous student, and begins to plot revenge. What he didn’t count on: his catfish scenario landing him in a quasi–love triangle....But as he navigates his complicated feelings, Felix begins a journey of questioning and self-discovery that helps redefine his most important relationship: how he feels about himself. Felix Ever After is such a great story about identity and learning how to deeply fall in love with yourself before anyone else. Through a series of personal essays, prominent journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George M. Johnson explores their childhood, adolescence, and college years in New Jersey and Virginia. From the memories of getting their teeth kicked out by bullies at age five, to flea marketing with their loving grandmother, to their first sexual relationships, this young-adult memoir weaves together the trials and triumphs faced by Black queer youth. Both a primer for teens eager to be allies as well as a reassuring testimony for young queer folks of color, All Boys Aren't Blue covers topics such as gender identity, toxic masculinity, brotherhood, family, structural marginalization, consent, and Black joy. Johnson's blunt and honest writing is relatable and is a great chance for other young adults to see themselves. For Liz Lighty, high school has not held the best memories. She has always felt she’s too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed Midwestern town. But she’s created a solid plan; attend the uber-elite Pennington College, play in their world-famous orchestra, and become a doctor. But when the financial aid she was counting on unexpectedly falls through, Liz’s plans come crashing down. That is, until she’s reminded of her school’s scholarship for prom king and queen. Although the last thing Liz wants to do is endure social media trolls, catty competitors, humiliating public events, and face her fear of the spotlight, this might be her last chance to get to Pennington. The only thing that makes it halfway bearable is the new girl in school, Mack. She’s smart, funny, and just as much of an outsider as Liz. But Mack is also in the running for queen. Will falling for the competition keep Liz from her dreams...or make them come true? In a world that holds impossible beauty standards, it's important to remember how beautiful every body is. These books remind people to embrace every bit of them, even in the face of rejection. Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked . . . until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back. Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all. High school finally behind her, Winnie is all set to attend college in the fall. But first she's spending her summer days working at her granny’s diner and begins spending her midnights with Dallas—the boy she loves to hate and hates that she likes. Winnie lives in Misty Haven, a small town where secrets are impossible to keep—like when Winnie allegedly snaps on Dr. Skinner, which results in everyone feeling compelled to give her weight loss advice for her own good. Because they care that’s she’s “too fat.” Winnie dreams of someday inheriting the diner—but it'll go away if they can't make money, and fast. Winnie has a solution—win a televised cooking competition and make bank. But Granny doesn't want her to enter—so Winnie has to find a way around her formidable grandmother. Can she come out on top? An intersectional, feminist young adult anthology from some of today's most exciting voices across a span of genres, all celebrating body diversity and fat acceptance through short stories.Fat girls and boys and nonbinary teens are: friends who lift each other up, heroes who rescue themselves, big bodies in space, intellects taking up space and bodies looking and feeling beautiful. They express themselves through fashion, sports and other physical pursuits, through food, and music, and art. They are flirting and falling in love. They are loving to themselves and one another. With stories that feature fat main characters starring in a multitude of settings and written by authors who live these lives too, this is truly a unique collection that shows fat young people the representation they deserve. RESOURCES
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January 2022
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