Self-discovery, making friends, exploring new worlds, finding your passion: these are just a few of the themes you’ll find on this year’s Staff Picks list of teen titles.
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Be sure to also visit our Staff Picks lists for Kids and Adults to find suggested titles for the other readers in your life.
- A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft – recommended by Alexis F. at Libbie Mill
- A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson – recommended by Courtney M. at North Park
- Brownstone by Samuel Teer – recommended by Nideria B. at Varina
- Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White – recommended by Trisha K. at Fairfield
- A tale of Appalachian activism starring an autistic trans lead portrayed lovingly and realistically. I could not put this one down until I was done.
- Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram – recommended by Barbra S. at North Park
- Though it starts out deceptively simple, Darius the Great is Not Okay slowly builds in story and character until you're left with a story that movingly and masterfully explores themes of family, love and mental health.
- Death at Morning House by Maureen Johnson – recommended by Amanda S. at Library Administration
- Delicious in Dungeon series by Ryoko Kui – recommended by Kristina C. at Library Administration
- This series is such a fun read! The artwork is great, and the story is incredibly funny and clever. I recommend it to anyone looking for a humorous twist on classic fantasy themes.
- Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross – recommended by Jillian O. at Libbie Mill, Gina F. at Gayton, and Logan F. at Gayton
- Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier – recommended by Marie R. at Gayton
- Freshman Year by Sarah Mai – recommended by Beth C. at Fairfield
- College can be a time to reinvent yourself, but sometimes new independence can be a rollercoaster of a ride.
- Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson – recommended by Cammy K. at Varina
- Heir by Sabaa Tahir – recommended by Lauren M. at Libbie Mill
- Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones — recommended by Ben O. at Gayton
- This is one of my all-time favorite books. I will never get tired of reading it because when I do, I get to return to a place I love filled with people I love.
- I'm the Villainess, So I'm Taming the Final Boss by Anko Yuzu – recommended by Hannah T. at Fairfield
- Aileen is a proactive character who won't accept she is doomed even though she knows how her story is scripted to end. As she works to forge a new path for herself, her behavior confounds the other characters, who have no idea they're in a game.
- Jupiter Rising by Gary D. Schmidt – recommended by Mary S. at Tuckahoe
- Kill Her Twice by Stacey Lee – recommended by Kelsey C. at Varina
- Locked in Time by Lois Duncan – recommended by Erica T. at Glen Allen
- The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen – recommended by Jason T. at Fairfield
- This is one of my favorite Cinderella retellings of all time.
- The Maid and the Crocodile by Jordan Ifueko – recommended by Kendall H. at Library Administration
- Nothing Like the Movies by Lynn Painter – recommended by Alicia A. at Library Administration
- This is the sequel to Better Than the Movies but can be read as a standalone. Wes and Liz’s relationship didn’t survive the move to college but now that they are both in a better place, can Wes channel a Rom-Com Hero and win Liz back?
- Out of Body by N.E. Davenport – recommended by Naila P. at Tuckahoe
- This thriller follows two Black teens in a battle for bodily autonomy with a unique, thought-provoking plot straight out of a blockbuster movie. Topics of 'body swapping,' human connection, and depersonalization all fuse into a captivating story by a talented author.
- Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price – recommended by Lisa K. at Glen Allen
- In this fun twist on Pride and Prejudice, Lizzie Bennett assists at her father’s law office and takes on a case involving Charles Bingley.
- The Princess & the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz – recommended by Ray K. at Fairfield & Genevieve H. at Gayton
- It's a very light, cute, and fun read. – Ray
- The Ravens by Kass Morgan – recommended by Kathryn K. at Tuckahoe
- Ruin Road by Lamar Giles – recommended by Tracey B. at Fairfield
- Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow – recommended by Aimee H. at Glen Allen
- Skip and Loafer by Misaki Takamatsu – recommended by Drew C. at Gayton
- This slice-of-life manga series stars a girl named Mitsumi who moves from rural Japan to Tokyo to attend high school. She is smart, earnest, and often completely awkward, and this combination gives her a unique charm that soon attracts a very diverse group of friends. This story is a great way to learn about daily life in Japan while in the company of fun characters.
- Sunrise Nights by Jeff Zentner – recommended by Amy C. at Tuckahoe
- A story about the friendship between a boy and girl that spans over three summers at sleepaway arts camp.
- This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi – recommended by Kareemah H. at Varina
- Tilly in Technicolor by Mazey Eddings – recommended by Rachel S. at Fairfield
- We Shall Be Monsters by Tara Sim – recommended by Ashby C. at Gayton