Tweens & Teens May 2023 Reading List

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The Lost Galumpus, by Joseph Helgerson & Udayana Lugo (Grades 3-6) (Fantasy/Adventure)
When a furry, four-legged beast from the distant past appears in their park, the local animals are
concerned about unwanted attention from humans. Gilly the Possum, assistant to raccoon Mayor Crawdaddy, is tasked with figuring out where the lost galumpus came from and how to get him home again before a huge blizzard hits.

Lost Legends of Nothing, by Fanny Rodriguez & Alejandra Green (Grades 3-6) (Graphic Novel) Reunited rebels Nathan, Haven, Sina and Bardou continue their journey to the Edge during which they discover that lost legends of the past may prevent two realms from tearing Nothing apart.

Trashed! by Martha Freeman (Grades 3-7) (Mystery)
When he finds a chipped teacup in his family’s junk store that is the key to solving the perfect crime, Arthur
Popper, with the help of his friends, family and a sad-faced police officer, takes on the hard work of detecting.

Cookie Monsters, by Erika Kendrick (Grades 4-6) (Realistic)
Determined to become Santa Monica’s District Cookie Queen, 12-year-old Brooklyn Ace finds her dream
going up in smoke when rich and spoiled Piper Parker arrives, until Brooklyn’s family and friends rally behind her so she can end up a winner after all.

They Set the Fire, by Daniel Kraus (Grades 4-6) (Horror/Fantasy)
When their creator, the founder of Furrington Industries, is on trial for an unknown crime, the teddies brave
their way deep into the hostile crowd at the courthouse to discover the true, incendiary reason they were thrown away.

Harmony and Heartbreak, by Claire Kann (Grades 4-6) (Fantasy/Romance)
Living in the penthouse suite of San Francisco’s Hotel Coeur, cousins and matchmakers-in-training Rose and
Cora learn how to use magic to bring about love connections and must perfect their charms and enchantments to pass a test that will determine their future.

The Lost Year, by Katherine Marsh (Grades 4-7) (Historical)
When his great-grandmother comes to stay with them during the pandemic, 13-year-old Matthew
discovers a photo in her belongings that reveals a life-shattering family secret, in this brilliant survival story set in alternating timelines that connects the present day to 1930s Soviet Ukraine.

Where the Lost Ones Go, by Akemi Dawn Bowman (Grades 4-7) (Fantasy)
Eliot is grieving Babung, her paternal grandmother who just passed away, and she feels like she’s the only
one. She is searching for a sign, any sign, that ghosts are real. Because if ghosts are real, it means she can find a way back to Babung. When Eliot chases the promise of paranormal activity to the presumably haunted Honeyfield Hall, she finds her proof of spirits. But these ghosts are losing their memory, stuck between this world and the next, waiting to cross over.

Hands, by Torrey Maldonado (Grades 5-8) (Realistic)
Taking boxing lessons to handle his abusive stepdad, which everyone thinks is a bad idea,
talented artist Trev, who needs his hands to help him build a better future, must decide whether to use them to build or to knock down.

Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston, by Esme Symes-Smith (Grades 5-12) (Fantasy)
A 12-year-old nonbinary knight trapped in Helston’s rigid hierarchy where girls learn magic and boys train
as knights, Callie meets others like them and together they must first defeat the bigotry within the kingdom to win an ancient war.

Blood Circus, by Camila Victoire (Grades 6-11) (Science Fiction)
Captured by the Klujns, a barbaric, humanoid species with strange abilities, 16-year-old Ava is forced to
participate in the Blood Race, a macabre tradition where young human hostages compete to the death for Klujn amusement, until she makes a startling discovery

The Black Queen, by Jumata Emill (Grades 7-9) (Mystery)
When her best friend, the first Black homecoming queen at Lovett High, is murdered, Duchess Simmons
becomes convinced that beautiful, wealthy, and white Tinsley McArthur is responsible, and though Duchess is determined to prove Tinsley’s guilt, Tinsley has an agenda of her own

Dream to Me, by Megan Paasch (Grades 7-9) (Fantasy)
Moving to the middle of nowhere, grief-stricken Eva Sylvan begins having sinister dreams that have
devastating effects on the waking world and must unearth the magic tied to her family’s history to save those around her.

Riven, by Mindee Arnett (Grades 7-12) (Fantasy)
Mars Darksvane, a young mercenary magic user with a deadly secret, must perform one final task for crime
boss Una to guarantee his freedom, which forces him to pick a side in a fight he’s avoided his entire life.

The Mysteries of Thorn Manor, by Margaret Rogerson (Grades 7-12) (Fantasy)
In this sequel novella to
Sorcery of Thorns, Elisabeth, Nathaniel and Silas must unravel the magical trap keeping them inside Thorn Manor in time for their Midwinter Ball.

Anne of Greenville, by Mariko Tamaki (Grades 8-10) (Romance)
In this contemporary retelling of Anne of Green Gables, Anne Shirley, a queer, half-Japanese disco
superfan, moves to a town that seems too small for her big personality and where she becomes embroiled in a series of dramatic and unfortunate events.

The Edge of Being, by James Brandon (Grades 9-12) (Realistic/Romance)
While on a road trip with his boyfriend to find the father he’s never met, Isaac Griffin meets an unusual girl
named Max, and together they retrace his father’s steps during a major event in history leading up to the Stonewall Riots

They’re Watching You, by Chelsea Ichaso (Grades 9-12) (Thriller/Suspense)
To find her best friend Polly who went missing, Maren Montgomery enters into a high-stakes world she
never knew existed within her boarding academy, where she is forced to play increasingly dangerous games to win Polly’s survival.

Sun Keep Rising, by Kristen R. Lee (Grades 10-12) (Realistic)
At risk of losing her home, teen mom B’onca forges a risky plan to help pay the bills that, if she makes one
wrong move, could cost her and her family everything

Earn community service for reading and reviewing the books on this list by joining our Tweens and Teens Best Books 2023 Committee! To submit an application and find out more information, click here.