Here are our Top-Ten teen books read and published in the year 2021. Including five Fiction novels and five Non-Fiction novels.
XOXO
By Axie Oh
Teen Fiction
Jenny never had much time for boys, K-pop, or really anything besides her dream of being a professional cellist. But when she finds herself falling for a K-pop idol, she has to decide whether their love is worth the risk. A modern forbidden romance wrapped in the glamorous and exclusive world of K-pop, XOXO is perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Maurene Goo.
The Girls I’ve Been
By Tess Sharpe
Teen Fiction
When seventeen-year-old Nora O’Malley, the daughter of a con artist, is taken hostage in a bank heist, every secret she is keeping close begins to unravel.
One Great Lie
By Deb Caletti
Teen Fiction
When Charlotte wins a scholarship to a writing workshop in Venice with the charismatic and brilliant Luca Bruni, it’s a dream come true. Writing is her passion, she loves Bruni’s books, and going to that romantic and magical sinking city gives her the chance to solve a long-time family mystery about a Venetian poet deep in their lineage, Isabella Di Angelo, who just might be the real author of a very famous poem. Bruni’s villa on the eerie island of La Calamita is extravagant–lush beyond belief, and the other students are both inspiring and intimidating. Venice itself is beautiful, charming, and seductive, but so is Luca Bruni. As his behavior becomes increasingly unnerving, and as Charlotte begins to unearth the long-lost work of Isabella with the help of sweet, smart Italian Dante, other things begin to rise, too–secrets about the past, and secrets about the present. As the events of the summer build to a shattering climax, Charlotte will be forced to confront some dark truths about the history of powerful men–and about the determination of creative girls.
The Box in the Woods
By Maureen Johnson
Teen Fiction
After solving the greatest unsolved mystery of the century, Stevie Bell goes undercover as a camp counselor to investigate the strange things going on at Camp Wonder Falls.
As Good As Dead
By Holly Jackson
Teen Fiction
Pippa Fitz-Amobi is haunted by the two murder cases she solved, by the victims, by the attention her crime podcast garnered, and by the survivors, which is bad enough–but then it starts to feel like someone is watching her.
Blackout
By Dhonielle Clayton
Teen Non-Fiction
As a summer heatwave blankets New York City, the light go out. The city is thrown into confusion– and a different kind of electricity sparks. People reveal hidden truths. Love blossoms, friendship transforms, and possibilities take flight. And their stories shine a bright light through the darkness.
Everything You Wanted To Know About Indians But Were Afraid To Ask
By Anton Treuer
Teen Non-Fiction
From the acclaimed Ojibwe author and professor Anton Treuer comes an essential book of questions and answers for Native and non-Native young readers alike. Ranging from “Why is there such a fuss about nonnative people wearing Indian costumes for Halloween?” to “Why is it called a ‘traditional Indian fry bread taco’?” to “What’s it like for natives who don’t look native?” to “Why are Indians so often imagined rather than understood?”, and beyond, Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask (Young Readers Edition) does exactly what its title says for young readers, in a style consistently thoughtful, personal, and engaging. Updated and expanded to include: dozens of new questions and new sections, including a social activism section that explores the Dakota Access Pipeline, racism, identity, politics, and more; over 50 new photos; and adated text for broad appeal.
Gone to the Woods: Surviving A Lost Childhood
By Gary Paulsen
Teen Non-Fiction
Born into the middle of World War II, Gary Paulsen’s turbulent childhood provided plenty of subject matter for his bestselling novels, and the librarians in his life gave him the inspiration and support to explore the world through books. As a soldier himself, his storytelling technique developed, and for the first time he shares his own.
Graceling
By Kristin Cashore and Gareth Hinds
Teen Non-Fiction
The beloved New York Times best-selling YA fantasy by Kristin Cashore is now available as a graphic novel, with stunning illustrations by award-winning artist Gareth Hinds.
The Dire Days of Willowweep Manor
By Shaenon K. Garrity
Teen Non-Fiction
After she saves a man from drowning, Haley wakes up in a pocket universe that appears as a gothic estate and helps three brothers whose job it is to protect her world against a penultimate evil.
Recommended and Voted on by Staff
