Young Adult Fiction - Social Themes - Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance

The amazing novel that introduced Nick and Charlie from HEARTSTOPPER -- and the unforgettable Tori Spring.Tori Spring isn't sure how to be happy again. Then she meets Michael Holden, and they try to unmask the mysterious Solitaire (and survive high school) in Alice Oseman's...

Retta Lee Jones is blessed with a beautiful voice and has big dreams of leaving her tiny Tennessee hometown. So with a beaten-down car, a pocketful of hard-earned waitressing money, and stars in her eyes, Retta sets out to make it big in Nashville....

Crash-landed on a desolate planet light-years from Earth, seventeen-year-old Jessica Mathers must unravel the mystery of the bloody destruction all around her--and the questionable intentions of a familiar stranger. 2199. Deep-space exploration is a reality and teleportation is routine. But this time something seems...

A 2024 Edgar Award Nominee! Survival and self-determination collide in this haunting, pulse-pounding science fiction novel from Edgar Award-winning author Matthew J. Kirby that spans both space and time. "An intense, read-in-one-sitting kind of ride.″--Kirkus, starred review 2199. Deep-space exploration is a reality and...

2025 Crystal Kite Honor Winner for Midsouth Region From Schneider Award-winning author Shannon Stocker comes a moving and empowering YA novel that explores what it means to find your voice and learn to advocate for yourself. Twyla has always believed things happen for a...

The instant New York Times bestseller from visionary storyteller Ransom Riggs! Weaving the familiar with the peculiar, this stunning tale of loss, triumph, friendship and magic, will remind readers everywhere that true heroes are made, not born--and when you're never the chosen one, sometimes...

The instant New York Times bestseller from visionary storyteller Ransom Riggs! Weaving the familiar with the peculiar, this stunning tale of loss, triumph, friendship and magic, will remind readers everywhere that true heroes are made, not born--and when you're never the chosen one, sometimes...

Levi was simple, like a child. It was the best thing about him, and it was the worst, too. When high school senior Jonas moves to Seattle, he is glad to meet Levi, a nice, soft-spoken guy and fellow basketball player. Suspense builds like...

Read the books that inspired the CW show! All four thrilling novels in The 100 series are now available in this paperback boxed set. Ever since nuclear war destroyed our planet, humanity has been living on city-like spaceships hovering above the toxic surface. As...

A thoughtful exploration about finding oneself, learning to hope after loss, and recognizing the role that family, friends, and even strangers can play in the healing process if you are open and willing to share your experience with others. It has been two years...

Blending elements of Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak and Gary Paulsen's Hatchet, this gripping story from Kathryn Holmes was deemed "a page turner" by author Richard Peck and "an intense story of survival" by ALA Booklist in its starred review.Sophomore Hallie Calhoun has just endured...

In Allen Zadoff's The Donut Prince of New York, a plus-sized kid finds acceptance once he joins the football team. That's more fun than getting ready for a party by having to stretch out a sweater so it won't seem so tight. And heck,...

An irreverent and irresistible New York Times bestselling romance between the so-called Designated Ugly Fat Friend and the Hot Jock. Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper may not be the prettiest girl in her high school, but she has a loyal group of friends, a biting wit,...

A super-readable and accessible raw, contemporary story of friendship. Mog's friendship with his best friend, the charismatic Chris, is everything. It protects him from the relentless group of bullies at school and even gives him a certain amount of clout among their friends who...

The bestselling and award-winning author of The Skin I'm In and The Life I'm In returns with a novel that explores the complex relationships between Black boys and their fathers, and what it truly means to be a man. Sharon G. Flake's groundbreaking novel...

The beloved, #1 global bestseller by John Green, author of The Anthropocene Reviewed and Turtles All the Way Down "John Green is one of the best writers alive." -E. Lockhart, #1 bestselling author of We Were Liars "The greatest romance story of this decade.″...

Now a Major Motion Picture TODAY Book Club pick TIME magazine's #1 Fiction Book of 2012 "The greatest romance story of this decade." --Entertainment Weekly -Millions of copies sold- #1 New York Times Bestseller #1 Wall Street Journal Bestseller #1 USA Today Bestseller #1...

A teen travels to Jamaica hoping to answer questions about her absent mother, only to discover more about her identity than she could have ever expected--and find herself caught up in an unexpected love triangle--in this dazzling young adult coming-of-age novel by award-winning author...

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard SelectionA fun and flirty contemporary YA novel between a cat café barista and a boy band pop star that hits all the right notes! The Music of Us is a laugh-out-loud friends-to-more romance perfect for fans of Kasie...

The government sends Brian back to the Canadian wilderness in this beloved follow-up to the award-winning classic Hatchet from three-time Newbery Honor-winning author Gary Paulsen! Two years after Brian Robeson survived fifty-four days alone in the Canadian wilderness, the government wants him to head...