Denver Public Schools Top 100: Middle School

Graphic Novels

Yes, Mom (Audrey) wanted to spend time with Misha. And yes, she's never around and they don't even live together, so this is a rare opportunity. But Audrey still thinks of Misha as her daughter, despite Misha being non-binary and trying to talk to her openly about it. Misha even tries to write how they feel in a letter, but that isn't going well either. Then a wrong turn down a forest road leads the mother-child duo straight into the Realm of Spirits! Suddenly in peril and without a clue how to return to their world, Misha and Audrey will have to work together to find their way back home. But can they find a way back to each other?

Ignacio "Iggy" Garcia is an Ohio-born Colombian American teen living his best life. After bumping into Marisol (and her coffee) at school, Iggy's world is spun around. But Marisol has too much going on to be bothered with the likes of Iggy. She has school, work, family, and the uphill battle of getting her legal papers. As Iggy stresses over how to get Marisol to like him, his grandfather comes to the rescue. The thing is, not only is his abuelito dead, but he also gives terrible love advice. The worst. And so, with his ghost abuelito's meddling, Iggy's life begins to unravel as he sets off on a journey of self-discovery. Call me Iggy tells the story of Iggy searching for his place in his family, his school, his community, and ultimately--as the political climate in America changes during the 2016 election--his country. Focusing on familial ties and budding love, Call me Iggy challenges our assumptions about Latino-American identity while reaffirming our belief in the hope that all young people represent.

Hassan faces a hectic month of homework, soccer and gaming while fasting every day for the holy month of Ramadan, in a story about balancing family traditions and secular middle school life.

NYC kid Santiago heads upstate to stay with his grandmother for the summer.

Fashionable and upbeat high schooler Aya loves listening to rock, but no one else seems to share her interest ... until she meets a cool, stylish employee at a CD shop. Dressed in black from head to toe, he has this air of mystery about him, and his taste in music is impeccable. Aya falls hard for him--not knowing her crush is actually her female classmate Mitsuki! For her part, Mitsuki generally keeps to herself and avoids standing out at school. But given that she sits right next to Aya, Mitsuki's all too aware of the other girl's feelings, and she's afraid to reveal the truth. So why does she find herself talking with Aya more and more ...?

En la época en que los semidioses mayas vivían entre nosotros, dos hermanos despreocupados, Uno Junajpú y Siete Junajpú, son atraídos a Xibalbá, la Tierra de los Muertos. Incapaces de regresar al mundo rodeado de mar, los hijos primogénitos de Uno Junajpú deben ser criados por su abuela. En Xibalbá, Uno Junajpú conoce a la rebelde Princesa Sangre, y su amor conduce a otro par de hijos gemelos, destinados a salvar a su padre y a su tío y restaurar el equilibrio del cosmos. ¡Pero no será fácil! Los gemelos necesitan algo de magia engañosa para sobrevivir la crueldad de sus medio hermanos. Adaptada de los recuentos y traducciones del autor David Bowles de textos precolombino esenciales como el Popol Vuh, la serie Leyendas de la serpiente emplumada da vida a las historias indígenas mesoamericanas para los lectores jóvenes.

Oliver sets out to raise money for a new computer by writing a book about animals and the origins of life, learning from a retired paleontologist who lives down the street, but things get complicated when his friends want to help with the book.

This debut teen graphic novel from social media influencer Jyoti Chand and rising star illustrator Tara Anand follows one girl's journey navigating high school and her mental health within a traditional South Asian family. All Nitasha's parents want is for her to be the perfect Indian daughter--something she is decidedly not. Everything she does seems to disappoint them, especially her mom. They just don't get that she'll never be like her doctor older brother. To make matters worse, she's never quite felt like she belongs at school either, and lately, her best friend, Ava, and her crush, Henry, seem to be more interested in the rich new girl than in her. Alcohol takes the edge off, but when that doesn't work, Nitasha turns to cutting. She can't stop asking herself: Will she ever be enough for her friends or her family? Or even for herself? This authentic and powerful teen graphic novel shines a light on how harmful the stigma of mental illness is and how lifesaving a community that is honest about mental health can be.

Huda Fahmy is ready for junior year. She's got a plan to join all the clubs, volunteer everywhere, ace the ACTs, write the most awe-inspiring essay for her scholarship applications. Easy. But then Mama and Baba announce the most unthinkable news: they're getting a divorce. Huda is devastated. She worries about what this will mean for her family, their place in the Muslim community, and her future. Her grades start tanking, she has a big fight with her best friend, and everything feels out of control. Will her life ever feel normal again? Huda F wants to know.

A companion to Miss Quinces, Kat Fajardo's bestselling, award-winning middle-grade graphic novel! Sue is heading to Camp Willow this summer! She's looking forward to hiking, archery, and making comics in the fresh air. She's especially excited about LARPing (live-action role-playing) and can't wait for the freedom of being away from home. But she won't be far from family because her big sister, Carmen, is a camp counselor and her little sister, Ester, is a fellow camper and won't give her any space! All Sue wants is to make memories with her friends, but they're assigned to only a few of the same activities. To make matters even worse, her best friend, Sam, has a best camp friend named Marisol? And Sue's good friend Izzy has a crush on Sue?! This summer isn't at all going as planned!

Kirby Tan is in free fall. Once dubbed the Queen of Balance as her school's top rock climber, Kirby suffers an injury that sidelines her for the rest of the season. Now she's forced to join the newspaper club for some desperately needed extra credit. Worse, she's recruited by crystal-wearing, tarot-reading Bex Santos for her astrology-based love advice column. As Kirby reluctantly agrees to orchestrate matches made in heaven with Bex, she begins to wonder if their own stars could be aligned. But loving who she wants isn't so easy when her other relationships are on the line.

A teenage girl walks home in a burgeoning blizzard, happy to have an unexpected snow day. Ignoring an Elder's warning about the terror the blizzard holds, she finds herself alone in her home with an unseen presence stalking and tormenting her. What does it want? And will she survive?

All big sister Abby wants is to spend more time with her friends, far away from the sticky fingers and snooping eyes of her annoying brothers and sisters. But when a case of the chickenpox leaves the Lai kids covered in scratchy red spots and stuck at home together for two weeks of nonstop mayhem, Abby thinks this might be the end...of her sanity. Yet she feels responsible for the situation since her best friend was Patient Zero and brought chickenpox into their home. Will the itch to escape her siblings overwhelm Abby or will she realize being a big sister isn't all bad?

When Tia Valor takes a test on a whim for an exclusive NASA program for middle schoolers, she never thought she'd pass. After all, she never really fit in at school. In fact, she's been skipping school most days to work at her brother's auto shop instead. But Leland Melvin, a famed astronaut, sees potential in Tia, and before she knows it, she's part of a team of other talented kids training to launch to an advanced space station orbiting the earth. But the perils of space are unpredictable and Tia finds herself with only half her crew and no adults around to help. Now she must rely on her instincts and the quick thinking of her fellow kid astronauts to save the space station and their lives.

When Tabitha Laurie was growing up, a visit to Sommerland saved her belief in true love, even as her parents' marriage was falling apart. Now she's landed her dream job at the theme park's prestigious summer program, where she can make magical memories for other kids, guests, and superfans just like her. All she has to do is audition for one of the coveted princess roles, and soon her dreams will come true. There's just one problem. The heroes and heroines at Sommerland are all, well... thin. And no matter how much Tabi lives for the magic, she simply doesn't fit the park's idea of a princess. Given a not-so-regal position at a nacho food stand instead, Tabi is going to need the support of new friends, a new crush, and a whole lot of magic if she's going to devise her own happily ever after... without getting herself fired in the process.

It's the first day of senior year and seventeen-year-old Essie Rosen is already over it. Her best friend went off to college and barely responds to her texts, her brother's on the other side of the country in rehab, every conversation with her mom becomes a fight, and her long-term boyfriend, Bruno, feels weirdly distant. Essie's counting down the days until she can escape her Long Island hometown and join her bff at NYU, where she's SURE she'll get into the acting program she's dreamed about for years. But when Essie gets dumped AND botches her college audition, her entire trajectory changes. Instead of doing community theater, she ends up slumming it in the school play, where she's cast opposite the unexpectedly charming Christopher Sun...the younger brother of the drug dealer who got Essie's brother hooked. Is he the perfect rebound--or the worst decision Essie could make?

It's senior year and Sara Lin just turned eighteen. She's got great friends, a cool dad (or so he thinks), and a whole lot ahead of her. The last thing she needs is to worry about having her first kiss. But that's all about to change because her good pal Patrick just challenged her to a bet that will either lead to love, heartbreak, or embarrassment...or maybe all three. Sara Lin understands that her first kiss is a rite of passage, one that she takes very seriously, even if everyone around her doesn't. She wants it to be special-true love's kiss-and wants to fall for someone she really cares about, not just get it over with. Along the way, as Sarah explores her relationship options with three different boys...she discovers that life isn't a fairytale and romance is inherently complex. It's messy and complicated, but boy, it sure can be fun.

A graphic memoir chronicling Amar's real-life experiences as a fourteen-year-old sports journalist covering the golden era of the NBA, when he befriended Shaq and hung out with Michael Jordan and the Bulls--all while surviving the high school caste system, dealing with crushes, and friendships being tainted by jealousy.

Mika does not fit in at the prestigious Ateneum Academy in Manila, but when a moth speaks to her in her grandmother's voice Mika begins manifesting powers and casting spells that get her into trouble, and she soon learns to trust new friends and try to make sense of what her budding powers mean for her and for the world.

Being in love with your childhood best friend can be complicated, especially when, right before high school, she transitions to living as a girl. Hime has secretly been in love with her childhood best friend Akira for as long as she can remember. She was the first person who knew that Akira identified as a girl, and she made it her mission to be her Akira's protector against the world. Hime is thrilled that Akira has finally decided to live as her true self now that they are starting high school. However, as Akira starts to attract all types of attention, Hime takes it upon herself to aggressively stick up for Akira whenever necessary. Not wanting her to be singled out or bullied, Hime decides that her only option is to put herself in Akira's shoes. Hime dresses like a boy in support of the friend she loves, too bad her plan only backfires on them both.

At Wilberton Academy, few students are more revered than the members of the elite Wilberton Theatrical Society--a.k.a. the WTS--and no one represents that exclusive club better than Elizabeth Woodward. Breathtakingly beautiful, beloved by all, and a talented thespian, it's no surprise she's starring as Juliet in the WTS's performance of Shakespeare's classic tragedy. But when she's found dead the morning after opening night, the whole school is thrown into chaos. Transfer student Abby Kita was one of the last people to see Elizabeth alive, and when local authorities deem the it-girl's death a suicide, Abby's not convinced--she's sure there's more to Wilberton and the WTS than meets the eye. As she gets tangled in prep school intrigue, Abby quickly realizes that Elizabeth was keeping secrets. Was one of those secrets worth killing for?

After seven months on their own as undocumented immigrants, the Lin siblings have settled into their new lives in California. Jia-Xi (Jesse) has a new job, Ke-Gang (Jason) has a new crush, and Feng-Li (Ann) is excited to celebrate her eleventh birthday with her new friends. Their parents still await visa approval in Taiwan, so the trio is trying to take better care of one another and stay under the radar of immigration authorities. But when their stuck-up cousin Josephine--a violin prodigy--arrives with her privilege and demands, suddenly their world is in turnaround. Will they have to give up the life they worked so hard to achieve? A hilarious, big-hearted companion to the award-winning bestseller Parachute Kids!! the Lin Siblings' adventures will continue in book #3!

Hawthorne Vandercast has big plans: join the infamous Brigade of Shade, move into a glamorous castle, and leave their mundane life as a potion barista behind. But when they finally get the chance to join the Brigade, Hawthorne finds themselves overshadowed by Maple, a bubbly, bright, flowery girl who could not look further from evil. After an accident ends in death, Hawthorne is suddenly tasked with leading the Brigade. They soon begin to realize that maybe villainy isn't actually all it's cracked up to be. Evil-ish spins the classic tropes of good and evil on their heads in a hilarious and tender story about a teenager who feels bigger than their job, their town, and their circumstances . . . and finds out that what they thought they wanted might not be what they actually need.

Welcome to the club! Makayla is bursting with ideas but doesn't know how to make them into a story. Howard loves to draw, but he struggles to come up with ideas and his dad thinks comics are a waste of time. Lynda constantly draws in her sketchbook but keeps focusing on what she feels are mistakes, and Art simply loves being creative and is excited to try something new. They come together to form The Cartoonists Club, where kids can learn about making comics and use their creativity and imagination for their own storytelling adventures!

Nothing has been going right for Jinx. People at school think she's a goth weirdo, and now her parents are getting divorced. She has to move to an unfamiliar apartment building that doesn't feel like home --and that doesn't have her dad. And when a new neighbor gives her a mysterious crystal, her life is turned even more upside down by the Adorables, a mischievous band of magical creatures. They are messy, distracting, and, worst of all, they follow Jinx everywhere. She just wants to be left alone. ... Getting rid of the Adorables turns out to be harder than expected, but they might just help Jinx find her way back to happiness.

We Are Not Strangers explores a unique situation of Japanese and Jewish Americans living side by side in a country at war. Marco Calvo always knew his grandfather, affectionately called Papoo, was a good man. After all, he was named for him. A first-generation Jewish immigrant, Papoo was hardworking, smart, and caring. When Papoo peacefully passes away, Marco expects the funeral to be simple. However, he is caught off guard by something unusual. Among his close family and friends are mourners he doesn't recognize--Japanese American families--and no one is quite sure who they are or why they are at the service. How did these strangers know his grandfather so well?

After losing his best friend to cancer, grieving Theo navigates a haunting alternate reality that embodies his depression, where he faces a shape-shifting monster and teams up with a mysterious girl to survive in a world where everyone has vanished.

Eleven-year-old Tony Weaver, Jr. loves comic books, anime, and video games, and idolizes the heroic, larger-than-life characters he finds there. But his new classmates all think he's a weirdo. Bullied by his peers, Tony struggles with the hurt of not being accepted and tries to conform to other people's expectations. After a traumatic event shakes him to his core, he embarks on a journey of self-love that will require him to become the hero of his own story.

In the summer of 1968, after traveling from Brooklyn to Oakland, California, to spend a month with the mother they barely know, eleven-year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters arrive to a cold welcome as they discover that their mother, a dedicated poet and printer, is resentful of the intrusion of their visit and wants them to attend a nearby Black Panther summer camp.

High school senior Carson Flynn doesn't give a damn about you, about school, or about her future. The only thing she cares about is jumping into mosh pits at punk shows with her best friend Ash. But when Ash and Carson's friendship becomes something more, a lot of complicated feelings enter the pit swinging: the unresolved grief they share over the loss of Carson's mother, the realities of growing up queer in small-town America, and the biggest bruiser of all: what does it mean to love and be loved? As Carson discovers new corners of her heart, she sees that her too-cool approach to life may have been keeping her closed off from her potential. Maybe there is something greater out there, a bright future full of promise... if only she could convince Ash to see it too.

Twelve-year-old Eugenia Wang, who has never celebrated her birthday on April 4th due to her mom's superstition, starts to question whether she is cursed when troubling visions of doom begin to surface as she approaches her thirteenth birthday.

Horror/Terror

Izzy's sister has been acting strange. Izzy knows that something is going on with her twin, Grace; hurrying off to hang with other kids, avoiding her at school, and going to bed earlier than usual. When Izzy learns that her twin sister has been sneaking off at night to hang out with the mysterious Midnight Society, she surprises them at their night of storytelling and threatens to tell their parents about Grace's new hobby. But in order to prevent Izzy from telling on her, the Midnight Society proposes a scare-off! If Izzy wins, Grace is booted from the Midnight Society. If Grace wins, Izzy won't tell anyone about the Midnight Society. What follows are three terrifying tales that may determine the fate of not only the Midnight Society, but also the twins' relationship. In "The Tale of the Bushwalkers," a girl who cheats in school discovers that monsters may be prowling her campus, ready to eat cheating students. In "The Tale of the Spirit Drum," a young boy tests his luck when he comes into possession of a drum that can make his dreams come true. And in "The Tale of the Sinister Sisters," two twins must survive the night by themselves as malignant spirits take their form to pit the twins against each other.

Uno, dos, el celador te viene a buscar. Tres, cuatro, dejaras de respirar. Cinco, seis, como un palo flotaras. Siete, ocho, tu destino encontraras". Rafael Fuentes no se asusta facilmente. Le encanta escribir historias de fantasmas, leer libros de terror y entretener a sus amigos con cuentos aterradores que crea en el acto. Rafa se ha enfrentado a tantas situaciones aterradoras en la vida real que las apariciones fantasmales no le quitan el sueno. Su madre pronto saldra de la carcel y vendra a vivir con el, su hermana y sus abuelos. Por primera vez en mucho tiempo, Rafa siente que el miedo se le acumula en el estomago.Para distraerse del regreso de su madre, Rafa pasa una noche elaborando la historia de fantasmas mas aterradora que jamas haya contado. Bajo una espeluznante luna de sangre, Rafa le cuenta a un grupo de amigos sobre el celador, un fantasma malvado que atrae a los ninos desprevenidos al estanque del vecindario... y nunca regresan. Rafa esta muy orgulloso de su ultima creacion, hasta que empiezan a suceder cosas extranas a su alrededor y se da cuenta de que el celador es real. Rafa le ha dado vida al fantasma y solo el puede detenerlo.

When seventeen-year-old Riley is murdered in an occult ritual, the witch's daughter Madelyn resurrects her in an attempt to break the cycle of violence and escape the horrors of Voynich Woods.

With the help of her skeptical brother, Caleb, and their new ghost-obsessed neighbor, Teddy, Lila -- the girl who's vowed to be less dramatic -- must uncover her grandfather's killer AND stop the evil spirits desperate to make their way back into the human world.

Seventeen-year-old Haitian American zombie Brielle seeks revenge on the wealthy elites responsible for her immigrant family's pain.

Eleven-year-old Diego goes to live with his uncle in Mexico City where he explores a haunted island in search of a wish-granting doll.

Mystery/Thriller

Ever since Lucy Smith's father died five years ago, 'home' has been more of an idea than a place. She knows being on the run is better than anything waiting for her as a 'ward of the state.' But when the sharp-eyed and kind Mr. Jameson with an interest in her case comes looking for her, Lucy wonders if hiding from her past will ever truly keep her safe. Five years in the foster system has taught her to be cautious and smart. But she wants to believe Mr. Jameson and his 'friend-not-friend, ' a tall and fierce-looking woman who say they want to look after her. They also tell Lucy the truth her father hid from her--She is Ojibwe; she has--had--a sister, and more siblings, a grandmother who'd look after her and a home where she would be loved. But Lucy is being followed. The past has destroyed any chance at safety she had. Will the secrets she's hiding swallow her whole and take away any hope for the future she always dreamed of? When the past comes for revenge, it's fight or flight

Two DC teens, Cooper and Monique, investigate the murder of a protester at a Black Lives Matter rally while trying to clear the name of their friend Jason, who has been wrongfully accused.

Rafa goes to work on a Rancho Espanto as punishment for a prank gone wrong, where he discovers a mystery as inexplicable as it is familiar and ultimately leads to Rafa learning hard truths about himself

Brooklyn girl Kaylani McKinnon is thrust into an intricate web of lies when a shocking murder on Martha's Vineyard threatens to expose dangerous secrets.

When a high school tarot reader's latest client goes missing after a troubling reading, she must apply everything she has learned from her private investigator mother to solve a case of her own.

Twelve-year-old Wren fights to find her missing Cherokee mother, while also navigating a chilling town mystery, a new friendship, and a family in need of healing.

Fantasy

After feelings for her best friend Deve become complicated, thirteen-year-old African American Birdie makes a wish with a West African trickster god that goes awry.

Three cousins venture through time to 1862 where they must deliver their aunt's mysterious sword to General Ignacio Zaragoza in time for the Battle of Puebla in Mexico.

El séptimo día del séptimo mes, la vida de Kai cambió para siempre. Y la balanza entre el mundo de los talenti y los currenti se desequilibró por primera vez desde la Guerra de los Siete. El Liceo Septem se ha convertido en el escenario de la batalla entre el bien y el mal. Kai y sus amigos deberán decidir de qué bando ponen sus talentos, pero antes... ¿Estarán dispuestos a enfrentarse a sí mismos? ¡Bienvenidos al Liceo Septem! ¿Preparados para descubrir los talentos ocultos?

Kai Sosa espera demostrar su destreza como nadador en su famoso equipo de natación durante un verano en el que se dan las condiciones climáticas del fenómeno El Niño. El que fuera un atleta prometedor, está decidido a mantener el legado familiar en una competencia contra los infames Lobos Marinos, a pesar de ser el eslabón más débil del equipo. Sin embargo, recientemente ha tenido sueños desconcertantes en los que ve a Cali, su hermana desaparecida, nadando en el océano Pacífico con delfines y, cuando despierta, le resulta difícil acallar la sensación que ha estado tratando de contener con tanto esfuerzo. Kai está convencido de que Cali le está enviando un mensaje sobre su último encontrar su apreciado brazalete de oro desaparecido.

Determined to save her brother from the Darkness that plagues their home, ten-year-old Lola follows mythical chaneques into a secret world where she seeks help from the queen.

Fifteen-year-old Marisol is the daughter of a soucouyant. Every new moon, she sheds her skin like the many women before her, shifting into a fireball witch who must fly into the night and slowly sip from the lives of others to sustain her own. But Brooklyn is no place for fireball witches with all its bright lights, shut windows, and bolt-locked doors. While Marisol hoped they would leave their old traditions behind when they emigrated from the islands, she knows this will never happen while she remains ensnared by the one person who keeps her chained to her magical past--her mother. Seventeen-year-old Genevieve is the daughter of a college professor and a newly minted older half sister of twins. Her worsening skin condition and the babies' constant wailing keep her up at night, when she stares at the dark sky with a deep longing to inhale it all. She hopes to quench the hunger that gnaws at her, one that seems to reach for some memory of her estranged mother. When a new nanny arrives to help with the twins, a family secret connecting her to Marisol is revealed, and Gen begins to find answers to questions she hasn't even thought to ask.

Romance

Reyna has spent most of her life at her family's seaside resort in Tobago, the Plumeria. It's been two years since Reyna's mother passed away, two years since Aiden- her childhood best friend, first kiss, first love, first everything- left the island to pursue his music dreams. Even Daddy seems to want to move on, leaving her to try to keep the Plumeria running. Aiden is now one-third of DJ Bacchanal, the latest, hottest music group on the scene. He comes back into Reyna's life as a VIP guest at the resort with his Grammy-nominated band-- and two gorgeous LA socialites. And he may (or may not be) dating one of them..

Cuban childhood friends Vida and Adán rediscover each other in Florida where they work together to protect endangered animals while navigating their complicated home lives. Told in verse format.

Told in alternating voices, determined to make a difference and heal from their troubled pasts, teens Ana and Leandro fight to protect California wildlife and the endangered puma.

High school freshmen, Pacy and Cecil, share a look of love at first sight that sparks a series of mistakes and awkward interactions that become part of their love story.

When three estranged best friends take a road trip to see their favorite band, romantic feelings resurface.

Lola, una adolescente en su último año de preparatoria, está llena de inquietudes sobre su futuro y no sabe qué hacer con su vida. Aunque tiene muchas ganas de conquistar el mundo, también está repleta de inseguridades que la mantienen atada a su zona de confort. Nico, por su parte, vive cada día como si fuera el último, disfrutando intensamente del presente porque su futuro es incierto. Sin esperarlo, los caminos de Nico y Lola se cruzan e, inmediatamente, se convierten el uno para el otro en «la persona perfecta en el momento perfecto». Nadie dijo que sería una relación fácil, pero juntos aprenderán a vivir un carpe diem real. Cuando el cielo se vuelva amarillo es una auténtica lección de vida que te hará comprender el verdadero significado del amor, algo muy simple en esencia, pero que el ser humano tiende a complicar innecesariamente.

Science Fiction/Adventure

Tres hermanos. Dos mundos. Una amenaza. Telmo Lobo se está volviendo loco: ve cosas que nadie ve, las gaviotas le hablan y un misterioso millonario aparece para decirle que sabe dónde está su padre, quien desapareció sin decir nada hace años de la vida de sus hijos, Telmo, Mía y Sammy. Los hermanos Lobo y su amiga Carmina se han enfrentado a abusones y a duras competiciones de deporte, pero lo que se encontrarán al seguir la pista de su padre será algo nunca visto: otra dimensión como jamás hubiesen imaginado, donde surfear por el aire y comunicarse con la mente es posible, y donde el mal amenaza con tomar el control. Juntos se adentrarán en una aventura llena de retos en la que todos deberán hacer frente a sus miedos. Tendrán que sacar valor y arriesgarse antes de que la amenaza de Vértigo condene a todas las personas a las que quieren. Tictac, tictac... El tiempo se acaba. ¿Te atreves a acompañarlos?

When thirteen-year-old African American Coal discovers he can turn invisible, he searches for answers about his past with the help of his friends and his new foster family.

Thirteen-year-old Asher Doyle is no stranger to misfortune. Bullied at school and struggling with problems at home, he dreams of the day he can leave it all behind him. That's when he receives an unexpected opportunity: an invitation to join the Factory -- a top-secret research facility that's supposedly developing renewable energy -- and Asher will be paid handsomely for his participation. It seems like the answer to all his problems. But not everything is as it seems at the Factory. The other kids in the program are tired and sullen, almost as if they've had the life sucked out of them, and the staff members are clearly hiding something. What's more, Asher discovers he wasn't chosen at random; someone in the program desperately wants him to participate. Asher can't help but feel that whatever the Factory is doing, it's not what he or any of the other kids signed up for. To Asher's horror, it turns out that the Factory isn't developing renewable energy at all. So what is the Factory up to, and more important, why? As conditions in the Factory worsen, Asher must team up with the other kids to uncover the sinister truth behind the experiment -- and his personal connection to it -- before someone gets seriously hurt.

Por más de 400 años, el mundo ha sido un sinfín de tierras baldías. Los pocos seres humanos que logran sobrevivir han formado una existencia en la ruin ciudad de Pocatel, o prueban su suerte en las Forastierras, llenas de espíritus deambulantes y gudrones. No suelen durar mucho. Leandro, un carterisa de trece años, y su hermana Gabi hacen lo que tienen que hacer para forjar una vida en Pocatel. La ciudad desconfía de Cascabeles como ellos, descendientes de aquellos que trabajaron en el Valle de San Joaquín por generaciones. Cuando atrapan a Gabi robando frutos preciosos de la élite Pocatelana, Leandro asume la culpa del crimen. Pero su exilio demuestra ser mucho más de lo que nunca hubiera podido imaginar, más que un simple destierro, su conciencia es trasladada a un dron antiguo y abandonada para valerse por sí misma. Pero más allá de las murallas de Pocatel yacen otros Alebrijes como Leandro buscando un mundo mejor, así como monstruos mutantes, piratas de las forastierras, un oasis escondido, y la verdad.

Realistic Fiction

Set at a classic drive-in restaurant that seems to exist in every Native community, this anthology unites the stories of teens from all kinds of backgrounds through the shared theme of Native joy, with stories and poems reflecting hope, healing, humor, love, friendship, romance, and joy. The road to Sandy June's Legendary Frybread Drive-In slips through every rez and alongside every urban Native hangout. The menu offers a rotating feast, including traditional eats and tasty snacks. But Sandy June's serves up more than food: it hosts live music, movie nights, unexpected family reunions, love long lost, and love found again. That big green-and-gold neon sign beckons to teens of every tribal Nation, often when they need it most. Featuring the voices of both new and acclaimed Indigenous writers, and edited by bestselling Muscogee author Cynthia Leitich Smith, this collection of interconnected stories serves up laughter, love, Native pride, and the world's best frybread.

Nadie sabe de trabajo duro y dedicación como Valentina Camacho. Y lo de ella es la esgrima. Es la atleta estrella de su club. O lo fue... hasta el accidente. Después de pasar meses lejos del deporte, Vale puede practicar otra vez. Pero todo es mucho más difícil que antes. Su cuerpo no se mueve igual, y hay una nueva número uno: Myrka. Cuando Myrka la deja atrás, con su forma perfecta y su sonrisa fácil, Vale no puede aceptarlo como si nada. Pero entre más duro pelea por alcanzarla, más se da cuenta de que su lesión no es lo único que la detiene. Si no puede dejar su accidente en el pasado, entonces, ¿qué le espera?

Taylor and Marianna were each other's whole world - best friends, running partners, practically sisters - until Marianna moved away and Taylor promptly ghosted her. When the former best friends turned rivals end up on the same cross-country team three years later, everything is a competition.. reminder of old feelings, as well as blossoming new ones.

Gonzalo Alberto Sánchez García nunca se ha considerado el héroe de su propia historia. Es un observador silencioso, que captura paisajes y dibuja a los animalitos que imagina en ellos. Obligado a pasar el verano con su abuelo a quien no ve muy seguido, Alberto William García -el famoso autor ermitaño- Gonzalo no espera descubrir que los héroes y los monstruos existan más allá de la fantasía. Pero eso es precisamente lo que ocurre cuando la madre de Gonzalo, Verónica, una exitosa ejecutiva, envía a Alberto de gira para promocionar el nuevo libro de su serie de fantasía infantil, y Gonzalo debe acompañarlo, a pesar de no sentir conexión alguna con su abuelo o con sus libros. Juntos, emprenden un viaje por carretera de costa a costa, desde Mendocino hasta Miami, en un clásico Oldsmobile Cutlass S Convertible de 1968 al que llaman Mathilde. A lo largo de diez días épicos en la carretera, enfrentarán demonios, reales e imaginados; revisitarán viejas historias que servirán para escribir nuevas; y aprenderán lo que realmente significa estar presente para la familia.

For Gemma's whole life, it has always been her and her mom against the world. As far as she knew, all her grandparents-and thus her ties to her Taiwanese culture-were dead. Until one day when a mysterious man shows up at her door with two shocking things: the news that her grandfather has just recently passed, and the first clue to a treasure hunt that Gemma hopes will lead to her inheritance. There's just one major problem: to complete the hunt, she has to her grandfather's home in Taiwan. And the only way Gemma can get there is by asking her ex and biggest high-school rival, Xander, for help. But after swallowing her pride, she finds herself halfway across the world, ready to unearth her life-changing prize. Soon Gemma discovers that the treasure hunt is much more than money-it's about finally learning about her family, her cultural roots, and maybe even finding true love.

Chinese American Derrick explores his queer identity by competing in a small-town beauty pageant where he shares his new love of drag with his family and friends.

A Black, autistic teen tries to figure out what happened the night his older brother was unjustly arrested.

Liliana Cruz does what it takes to fit in at her new nearly all-white school, but when family secrets come out and racism at school gets worse than ever, she must decide what she believes in and take a stanand.

Dera Edwards thinks her life is over when she's shipped off to live with her estranged father in White Suburbia. But if that wasn't bad enough, Dera learns that her new school doesn't have a girls' track team, shattering her dreams of getting a track scholarship and, one day, competing in the Olympics. Not one to give up easily, Dera joins the boys' team instead. She may have the school administration's blessing, but her new teammates and classmates are less than welcoming, and her father remains frustratingly distant. Dera starts to think she's destined to be an outsider when she's approached by her classmate Rosalyn, who wants to feature Dera in her blog. Eager to gain a network of support and to spend more time with Rosalyn's gorgeous cousin Gael--who happens to be one of the few teammates who will talk to her--Dera agrees. As Dera gains attention from her classmates as well as students across the state, her new notoriety also opens the door for trolls online and at school. Paired with her deteriorating relationship with her father, Dera soon finds everything to be too much to balance. Will Dera be able to stop running from her problems, or will her dream be the very thing that derails her?

Told from multiple points of view, this novel follows four kids relocated to the same evacuation camp who investigate the mysterious threat that forced the large-scale exodus. Told in verse format.

A coming-of-age story about Elisabeth, a young woman running away from the medical traumas of her childhood by hiding in a small town. But when a massive snowstorm strikes, Elisabeth finally allows herself to accept help from her neighbor, Noah, the town's young sheriff, and learns to heal her heart in the process.

After coming out as trans, fourteen-year-old A is forced to attend weekly Save Our Sons and Daughters meetings, where he uncovers the terrifying truth that the group is run by a demon feeding on their pain and is part of a larger, darker force preying on the world's vulnerable.

Valeria, a young Cuban girl, faces the most challenging journey of her life when she emigrates to the United States with her mother. Leaving behind the only home she's ever known, Valeria's path is fraught with danger as she crosses the Mexican border illegally. Once in the U.S., she must navigate the complexities of a new culture, a new school, and the harsh realities of being undocumented. Un pai s en mi mochila is a powerful coming-of-age story that delves into the trials of leaving one's homeland, the hardships of starting anew, and the enduring hope for a better future.

Yulieta Lopez is accustomed to playing various roles: the diligent daughter, the honorable hija, the good girl who swallows the flames in her throat before they burn anyone. But the fire inside Yuli is spreading, and she can no longer be silent. Because Yuli is angry. Angry at the school board threatening to ban books that made Yuli feel seen. Angry that she has to keep quiet until she can head to college and leave Texas forever. And angry at her racist drama teacher who refuses to cast Black students in lead roles. Determined to fight back, Yuli and her friends start a guerrilla theater club, which stirs things up and gets people talking, and finally, Yuli steps into the role she was always meant to play. This powerful novel in verse is a timely story of resistance, a raw reflection of righteous anger in an unjust world, and a reminder that sometimes, the only way to be heard is to speak up and take center stage.

For most sixteen year olds, life is all about friends, fun, and family. But for Matt Franco, it's different. Because Matt and his family are undocumented immigrants-like many other Brazilian emigres in his town. And that means he can't get a job, he can't get a driver's license, and as for college? Get real. But Matt is also carrying a burden much closer to his own heart. Matt is gay. And right now, he's the only one who knows it. But that changes when handsome, kind-eyed, and charming transfer student James Alberte walks into class. Because James isn't just some queer teen crush. He's everything Matt could ask for-and it's James' love, strength, and support that helps Matt finally come out to the world. Unfortunately, love doesn't necessarily make Matt's situation any easier. He's still stranded by his immigrant status, with a future that seems headed for a dead end. And if he's ever going to be happy, Matt will have to decide what he wants, where he's headed-and who he is at heart.

Cuando hay dos mellizos y uno muere, ¿el otro sigue siendo un mellizo o se llama de otra manera? Esta es la primera pregunta que Elio se hace después de que Eva, su hermana, su compañera inseparable y su amiga del alma, caiga desde lo alto de una azotea. En ausencia de Eva, tan inteligente, tan inquisitiva, tan exigente e intolerante a la injusticia, ¿quién es Elio? ¿Quién es Mónica, su madre, a quien la adolescencia había colocado a mil planetas de distancia de su hija? ¿Qué lugar ocupa en este juego de ausencias Mateo, el psiquiatra de Elio, que tiene que ayudarlo a transitar por el duelo de una pérdida que primero debe desentrañar si ha sido accidental o provocada? Elio no sabe cómo se llama un mellizo cuando el otro muere, pero sí sabe que Eva ya no está, ha volado. Lo que ella siempre había querido.

It's the year 2052. Stevie Henry is a Cherokee girl working at a museum in Texas, trying to save up enough money to go to college. The world around her is in a cycle of drought and superstorms, ice and fire, but people get by. But it's about to get a whole lot worse. When a mysterious boy shows up at Stevie's museum saying that he's from the future--and telling her what is to come--she refuses to believe him. But soon she will have no choice.

While running for junior class president at his university, Jared falls for his opponent--who has a similar platform based on equity and inclusion--and processes his feelings by writing letters to his deceased friend Manny.

After surviving a school shooting that left her feeling helpless in her wheelchair, Bea finds healing and empowerment through horseback riding therapy and begins to advocate for change.

Eleven-year-old Lenny navigates grief while grudgingly attending an experimental middle school located on the college campus where his father teaches.

Daylan, de doce años, no ha ido a nadar en años, desde que tuvo un encuentro aterrador en el río El Naci con Cihuamichin, una legendaria mujer acuática con el poder de traer seguridad o destrucción a su pequeña comunidad mexicana. Daylan suele tener pesadillas con Cihuamichin. En la escuela, lo acosan por su miedo a nadar y su ansiedad social. Cuando un niño nuevo llamado Eliam comienza en la escuela de Daylan, Daylan se ve obligado a confrontar los sentimientos que tiene sobre sí mismo y tal vez incluso volver a meterse en el agua. Pero Eliam se convierte en parte de un grupo problemático y se une a ellos mientras rompen las reglas de la mujer del agua. Cuando amenazan la seguridad que Daylan y su ciudad necesitan desesperadamente, Daylan debe encontrar una manera de superar su miedo al río y dar el paso.

Seventeen-year-old Delia's frustrating journey to find a diagnosis for her excruciating menstrual pain leads to a fateful decision to self-medicate with marijuana, putting her future in jeopardy.

Leena is close with her young single mother. Still, she's always secretly dreamed of ... a huge family to cheer her on at graduation. A gaggle of smiling faces at the holidays. But one call from the hospital, and her mother's hidden past comes to light--Her grandfather is in the ER, and her aunt is with him in recovery. Sorry--her WHO? But with family comes family secrets--Leena's mom's, and as Leena grows close with her new family behind her mother's back, her own. Leena's mom warns that Leena's grandfather Tariq's financial generosity doesn't come without strings attached--like Leena converting to Islam, fighting for a spot at a top university, and adhering to the restrictive rules that she ran from all those years ago. Leena isn't sure who to trust, yet she's certain that she adores Tariq and her mom--and that she's the only one who could heal old hurts. After so many years, is it even possible? And if she can't, will she have to choose between them? A big family was the dream, but all this drama isn't.

As the grandson of a late, great action star, Lionel Honeycutt III knows all about heroics. Not that any of Grandpa's genes were passed down to him; Lionel is solidly a Background Character in the social hierarchy of his high school. But when a fire at a pet store has Lionel cast as the brave teen who helped everyone escape, Lionel can finally live up to the family name. Honestly, though...Lionel isn't sure he did any saving, despite smoky security footage that shows someone who could be him ushering victims to safety. But Lionel blacked out before he even exited the store. He keeps this minor detail to himself as everyone else--from social media influencers to his longtime crush--heralds him a hero. As Lionel's popularity grows, so does his anxiety about his sorta-lie. Between reporters wanting to interview him about the incident, catching feelings for his longtime rival, and an anonymous source who somehow knows more about the incident than Lionel would like, Lionel starts to wonder if the truth will really set him free...or cost him everything.

When thirteen-year-old Sage's best friend dies, Sage struggles with grief and feels that she's at fault, but when she joins a grief group, she slowly learns to heal. Told in verse format.

Nonfiction and Poetry

A groundbreaking nonfiction collection of well-known LGBTQ professional athletes and queer authors telling stories about the feeling of belonging that comes with finding a sport that's yours, all dynamically packaged with photographs and full-color interior illustrations.

Warning: this is not your average U.S. history book. When the Civil War ended, the Confederates may have laid down their arms, but they were far from accepting defeat. Instead, they distorted the facts about what had happened, creating an alternate version of history. This false narrative is known as the Lost Cause. Some lies of the Lost Cause: Slavery was a compassionate institution. The Civil War wasn't fought over slavery; it was all about states' rights. The Ku Klux Klan nobly protected White people during Reconstruction. These lies still influence textbooks, popular culture, public policy, and more -- often in hidden and surprising ways. This book will address twenty lies of the Lost Cause and set the record straight. Dive in to learn the true history of the Civil War and its complex, far-reaching aftermath. Are you ready to begin?

While society often assigns the label 'knucklehead' to kids with attitude problems, this . . . poetry collection by spoken word poet and hip-hop educator Tony Keith Jr. subverts that narrow way of thinking and empathizes with young people who are misunderstood and unheard. There are poems about the power of language to transcend the racist and homophobic constructs of a society prejudging Black boys. There are poems that serve as a salve for a world that inflicts hurt, poems that offer a beacon of hope for the curious and questioning, and poems that transform the way people love Black gay boys and men. This is a journey of self-discovery through history, family, friendship, and falling in love.

A wide-ranging anthology that shines a light on untold Indigenous stories as chronicled by Indigenous creators, compiled by the acclaimed team behind Turtle Island and Sky Wolf's Call. For too long, stories and artistic expressions from Indigenous people have been written and recorded by others, not by the individuals who have experienced the events. In Ours to Tell, sixteen Indigenous creators relate traditions, accounts of historical events, and their own lived experiences. Novelists, poets, graphic artists, historians, craftspeople, and mapmakers chronicle stories on the struggles and triumphs lived by Indigenous people, and the impact these stories have had on their culture and history. Some of the profiles included are: Indigenous poet E. Pauline Johnson, acclaimed novelist Tommy Orange, brave warrior Standing Bear, poet and activist Rita Joe. With each profile accompanied by rich visuals, from archival photos to contemporary art, Ours to Tell brilliantly spotlights Indigenous life, past and present, through an Indigenous lens. Because each profile gives an historical and cultural context, what emerges is a history of Indigenous people.

Biographies

Compiling the definitive speeches, sermons, and correspondence as well as some never-before-seen original material, this comprehensive narrative biography of American icon, Malcolm X, will be the definitive reference volume for young readers.

From Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker James Robinson comes [an] ... illustrated memoir for middle-grade readers (and adults, too), inspired by the viral, Emmy-nominated short film Whale Eyes. Told through an experimental mix of intimate anecdotes and interactive visuals, this book immerses readers in James's point of view, allowing them to see the world through his disabling eye conditions. Readers will get lost as they chase words. They'll stare into this book while taking a vision test. They'll hold it upside down as they practice 'pretend-reading'--and they'll follow an unlikely trail toward discovering the power of words.