Best young adult summer reads // summer YA reading recs 2024 - square

Wrap Up 2024 with these 5 Best Young Adult Summer Reads

Wrap up your 2024 school year with the 5 best young adult summer reads and middle grade reads! Wrap up your 2024 school year with the 5 best young adult summer reads and middle grade reads! Welcome, book lovers and educators! As the school year draws to a close and the promise of long, sunny days begins to unfold, it’s the perfect time to update your reading list with the best young adult summer reads. Whether you’re lounging by the pool, nestled in a cozy hammock, or simply enjoying the quiet of your living room, these books promise to be the perfect companions. Below, we’ll explore five standout titles that are sure to resonate with both young adult and middle grade readers, making them excellent picks for secondary ELA educators looking to recommend or explore

Carina Assayed July 16, 2024

MG & YA book list for 2023 titled above an image of a brightly colored, fully stocked bookshelf

An Unforgettable Must-Read YA Book List for 2023

Summer is best for catching up on your TBR and figuring out what to add to your classroom library. Well, look no further. I’ve done a bunch of reading for you—you’re welcome 😉—and compiled this epic YA book list. I can confidently tell you which inclusive, new titles will be popular young adult books bound to fly off your shelves. (Bonus: if you’re looking for “older” titles, Danielle has this mega post with all of our MG & YA book list round-ups and inclusive media pairings, too; you can bookmark it since we update it frequently). This YA book list blog post uses affiliate links for your convenience. If you decide to purchase any recommendation from this YA book list, please consider doing so through our affiliate links at no additional cost to you. 2023:

Carina Assayed July 12, 2023

Making an inclusive space for all students: 3 ways to celebrate Pride Month in your classroom

Bring the celebration of Pride Month in your classroom all-year long! Check out these 3 tips on how to make your classroom a more inclusive space for all students. How do you create an inclusive classroom space for all of your students? Although some folks may think classroom decorations hold little weight, the tone of your safe-space classroom can be determined by what symbols are displayed around the room. According to the National Education Association (NEA), symbols of diversity and inclusivity lets your students know that your classroom will be a safe and welcoming place for them. This is especially important for students who make up marginalized communities, like those in the LGBTQIA+ community. Of course, the access to do so depends on your school, district, and county culture. Please prioritize doing what is safest

Carina Assayed June 4, 2023

7 LGBTQ YA Books is written atop a group of diverse individuals huddles and staring down at a camera with a pride flag above them

7 Mesmerizing LGBTQ YA books every young adult should know

With love in the air, I have been reading a ton of LGBTQ YA books this February. Whether it’s a YA romance pick or a coming-of-age, I love when complex LGBTQ+ protagonists fall in love (with themselves, especially). For this month’s round-up, you’ll find 7 of my favorite recently read LGBTQ YA books. I listed them in no particular order, and you truly could not go wrong reading any of these! Or even better, reading them and then adding to your classroom library #representationmatters. 🏳️‍🌈 7 must-read LGBTQ YA books 🏳️‍⚧️ The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School (HS) by Sonora Reyes ❤️ I teach at a school whose demographic is predominantly Latine students. I wish I could give every one of my students this LGBTQ YA book because so many would feel seen in a

Carina Assayed February 14, 2023

7 MORE YA Fantasy Book Recommendations

New year, new bookshelf goals! A personal goal of mine this school year is to add more diverse genres and, of course, more diverse YA books to my classroom library. When I conducted a bookshelf audit to find what was missing on my shelves, I realized I was low on YA fantasy books and YA sci-fi books. After reading Danielle’s post for 12 diverse YA fantasy books and YA sci-fi books, it inspired me to curate a list of seven more to add to my shelves this year. Diverse YA Fantasy Books & YA Sci-Fi Books 1. Love Sugar Magic: A Dash of Trouble by Anna Meriano (MS) If you’re a fan of… ✨ Coco (who isn’t?), ✨ The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (or Sabrina the Teenage Witch for us older folks),✨or Harry Potter (sans

Carina Assayed January 24, 2023

4 books standing on their ends, fanned out against a sea-foam green background. There is a white border at the top with pink text that reads "2021 Book Recommendations"

Best Books of 2021 – YA & MG

No matter what you read, there’s something you’ll love on my list of the best books of 2021! YA, middle-grade, and more! If we’re being honest, I really struggled with the motivation for reading during 2020 and into 2021. But these titles – my personal “best books of 2021” – really helped break me out of my reading slump. (Btw, if you’re struggling to find the time or focus to read, that’s okay! Give yourself some grace. I know as teachers we often put pressure on ourselves to feel a certain way about reading, but I release you that! We can still help our students love books and learning, even if we’re taking a break from books <3) So without further delay, I present my nominations for Best Books of 2021! Amari and the Night

Danielle Hall December 7, 2021

A stack of books with the top one laying open. The background is light pink with a light blue border at the top. There is black text that reads "YA & MG Novels with Trans & Enby Rep"

10 YA & MG Books with Trans Characters You’ll Want in Your Classroom Library

Looking for more books with trans characters to add to your classroom library? I have recommendations for middle & high school in this post. YA & MG Books with Trans Characters Including books by Trans authors (and featuring Trans characters) in your classroom library is a great way to make your classroom a safe space for LGBTQ+ students. I have previously shared my tips on making your classroom a safe space for LGBTQ+ students. One EASY action item for both middle and high school is to include novels by Trans authors and books with Trans characters in your classroom library. And YES, you can do this at a middle school level, too. Here are my top ten books by Trans authors (or strongly centering a Trans character) for middle and high school. If you decided

Leila Hobbs August 24, 2021

A background of rainbow colored roses with overlayed text reading LGBTQ+ Short Texts for Secondary ELA

Short Texts by LGBTQ+ Authors for Secondary ELA

Make your classroom more inclusive all year long by using these short texts by LGBTQ+ authors for Secondary ELA. These LGBTQ short stories and texts can be used to teach a variety of skills and concepts in your middle or high school class to enrich your young readers. Are you having a hard time increasing the representation in your Secondary ELA curriculum? You do not have to wait until October (LGBTQ+ History Month) or June (Pride month) to have a good reason to represent LGBTQ+ voices. Here are short story collections by LGBTQ+ authors that you can use year-round and connect to topics and skills you’re already teaching. Short Texts by LGBTQ+ Authors for Secondary ELA “At Seventeen” (song) Janis Ian This song gives students a great chance to analyze the author’s purpose and meaning.

Leila Hobbs June 23, 2021

Indigenous Texts for Secondary ELA

Many of you have asked for recommendations for Indigenous texts for Secondary ELA to help enrichen your curriculum. Last year, I shared a guest post from Megan Tipler featuring Indigenous Literature for the classroom library. Today, Victoria, the English teacher/Bookstagrammer behind @floury_words shares some incredible texts to incorporate into your curriculum. If you haven’t checked out Victoria’s Instagram account, be sure to follow her. She shares beautiful photos of books and baked goods that will make your day! Before we jump in, I wanted to get personal and acknowledge two things. First of all, I wanted to acknowledge that I am on Clatsop lands. Over the past couple years, I’ve been working intentionally to increase my self-reflection and future impact on Indigenous peoples. In addition to buying from Indigenous educators, writers, and artists, I am

Danielle Hall November 10, 2020

Tell Me How You Really Feel by Aminah Mae Safi feat. Justina Chen

This week we chat with author Justina Chen about Gilmore Girls, Firefly, and of course our featured title, Tell Me How You Really Feel by Aminah Mae Safi. (Transcript) In today’s episode… Tell Me How You Really Feel by Aminah Mae Safi Rachel Recht is the next great filmmaker. At least, she will be as soon as she can get her movie finished. She works hard not to rely on anyone—especially not Sana, the beautiful cheerleader who asked her out freshman year as what had to be some kind of cruel joke. Sana is the picture of the perfect daughter. She may not know what she wants to do next year—does she want to go to Princeton like her family believes, or fly halfway across the world for an internship in India?—but she knows

Danielle Hall June 13, 2019

These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling feat. Jessica Spotswood

Author/editor Jessica Spotswood joins us to chat about the blood witches and bad breakups in These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling, a fun YA mystery. (Transcript) In today’s episode… In These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling, Hannah Walsh wants to get through her summer breakup, but sharing a coven with her ex-girlfriend Veronica doesn’t make life easy. Hannah is an elemental witch—she’s able to control the four elements through magic. But she’s still underage and not fully trained, meaning no one believes her when a dangerous Blood Witch comes to town. She thinks it’s a Blood Witch. She’s pretty sure. Working with Veronica is the only way to convince her family of the threat, but it’s hard to focus on the dangers facing them when Veronica keeps trying to hook back up. In

Danielle Hall May 30, 2019

12 Diverse YA Sci-Fi & Fantasy Novels

Many students adore fantasy and sci-fi, but most of our class novel choices are contemporary or historical fiction. Here are some great titles you can add to your classroom library to make sure you’re providing students with well-rounded choices. These diverse ya fantasy and sci-fi novels also feature authors and protagonists from a range of backgrounds and identities. Diverse YA Fantasy & Sci-Fi 1. The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton Camellia Beauregard is a Belle, a giver of beauty in the gray world of Orleans. Only sessions with Belles can transform the citizens into anything work looking at – if they can pay for it. Simply being a Belle isn’t enough for Camellia; she also wants to be chosen as the Queen’s Favorite. But when she arrives at Court, Camellia begins to unravel

Danielle Hall April 16, 2019

Girls with Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young feat. Amanda K. Morgan

Author Amanda K. Morgan joins us to chat about Girls with Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young, a new YA thriller that kept us guessing all the way through! (Transcript) In today’s episode… In Girls with Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young, Philomena is the perfect student at a school that makes perfect girls. Behind her school’s gated walls, girls are molded to become perfect wives for powerful men–girls who are beautiful to look at and won’t ask too many questions. They are constantly told the school has their very best interests at heart, with important financiers invested in each girl’s future. Every girl’s emotion and reaction is carefully tamped down–until it isn’t. On one of their rare trips into the outside world, Philomena encounters a civilian who is horrified at the way they are treated.

Danielle Hall March 21, 2019

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon feat. Somaiya Daud

Beware: dragons ahead! Join us as we dive into the epic fantasy world of The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon, with our guest Somaiya Daud. (Transcript) In today’s episode… The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon is an epic fantasy set in a world with sharp divisions. For those in the West, dragons are their most hated enemy, and the only thing keeping them safe is a Queen’s dynasty that has lasted 1,000 years. In the east, sea dragons are gods, guarding and guiding the kingdom. When the enemy of humanity begins to stir, every nation must make a choice on how to fight it and what to believe. Told in third person, Priory follows the queen’s attendant, a prospective dragon rider, a loyal diplomat, and a disgraced alchemist to tell

Danielle Hall February 28, 2019

45 We Set the Dark on Fire Tehlor Mejia cover

We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia feat. Erin Callahan

Love, lies, and revolution! All of that and more in this week’s featured title, We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia, with guest Erin Callahan. (Transcript) In today’s episode… We Set the Dark on Fire provides a dark vision of the island world of Medio where a wall separates the prosperous inner region from the salted, barren earth of the outer island. Every young man of wealth and means negotiates for two wives – a Primera, who is to be his ambitious, intellectual equal, and a Segunda, who will be the lovely and beautiful opposite of everything he is. Daniela has trained as a Primera in Medio, and is set to marry an influential politician’s son. When a rebel organization discovers her biggest secret, she must agree to be a spy in

Danielle Hall February 21, 2019

Death Prefers Blondes by Caleb Roehrig

Teens, drag queens, heists, and hijinks? All of this and more in this week’s title, Death Prefers Blondes by Caleb Roehrig. (Transcript) In today’s episode… Our book this week is Death Prefers Blondes by Caleb Roehrig. By day Margo Manning appears to be your average vapid socialite heiress, but by night she is the leader of a highly skilled group of drag wearing thieves, pulling off notorious heists and making hundreds of thousands of dollars. It’s a perfect balance for Margo until a series of disasters causes her two lives to twine together in increasingly dangerous ways. Can Margo keep herself and her friends safe from the threats that her high crime lifestyle has brought into their world? We’ll see! These Show Notes use Amazon Affiliate Links for your convenience. If you decide

Danielle Hall January 31, 2019

If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo

This week it’s a #throwbackthursday as we chat about a book that came out in 2016. The Stonewall Book Award winning, If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo. (Transcript) In today’s episode… Today we’re discussing If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo. Amanda is a normal high school girl and for the first time she’s given the chance to live like one. She’s a transgender teen who moves back in with her estranged father after the bullying and attacks at her old school become too much. At her new school no one knows she used to look like a boy, she’s just the pretty new girl. And it isn’t long before she has a group of good friends, a boyfriend on the football team and something that looks like the life she’s always wanted.

Danielle Hall January 24, 2019

2018 Recommendation Round-Up Pt. 1

We have something very special for y’all to finish off 2018! In a two-part episode our guests bring 15 recommendations of books that you don’t want to miss. (Transcript) In today’s episode… Today’s episode will be a little different, this is part 1 of a two-part year in review. We’ve called up some of our writer, reader, and teacher friends to make some recommendations of books we didn’t cover this year on the podcast. These Show Notes use Amazon Affiliate Links for your convenience. If you decide to purchase this book, please consider doing so through our affiliate links. Your support makes this podcast possible. Our first recommendation comes from H.D. Hunter, author of Torment: A Novella. He shares a little bit about his writing life, and recommends the HMH anthology Meet Cute.

Danielle Hall December 20, 2018

The Disasters by MK England

In The Disasters by MK England we follow four teens on the run. Can they evade the government long enough to stop the terrorists from striking again? (Transcript) In today’s episode… Today we’re discussing The Disasters by MK England. After washing out of flight school in less than a day, wanna-be pilot Nax Hall is dreading his return to Earth. But when the Academy Space Station is attacked by terrorists, Nax and three other failures escape in a stolen ship to the far-off colonies. Framed for the academy attack, the four of them must scramble to figure out where to hide and how to prevent the powerful terrorist organization from striking again. These Show Notes use Amazon Affiliate Links for your convenience. If you decide to purchase this book, please consider doing so through

Danielle Hall December 13, 2018

The Resolutions by Mia Garcia

Joining us today is friend and writer Samantha Leidig. You may remember her from our first season, and she’s back to discuss The Resolutions by Mia Garcia. (Transcript) In today’s episode… The Resolutions by Mia Garcia. This new year, Jess has a new plan to keep her four best friends together. The four of them will make New Year’s resolutions for each other. She, Nora, Ryan and Lee all have each other’s best interest at heart and give resolutions to help them embrace life or get over old relationships. But, those good intentions don’t always go as they planned. These Show Notes use Amazon Affiliate Links for your convenience. If you decide to purchase this book, please consider doing so through our affiliate links. Your support makes this podcast possible. Episode highlights…

Danielle Hall November 29, 2018

Pulp by Robin Talley

Pulp by Robin Talley is a moving split perspective window into the lives of two women – 60 years apart – who both seek refuge in their writing. (Transcript) In today’s episode… In Robin Talley’s new book PULP, senior Abby Zimet becomes obsessed with 1950’s lesbian pulp fiction. Though her life is falling apart around her, Abby believes that meeting the mysterious author of a famous novel will help her figure things out. We also read the perspective of Janet Jones, a teenager in 1955 who begins to write her own pulp fiction novel. In her time, living openly as a lesbian is difficult and dangerous, much less writing lesbian fiction. Although living through very different times, Abby and Janet’s lives are connected by the sweetness and struggles of first love. These Show Notes use

Danielle Hall November 15, 2018

30 Diverse YA Novels - YA Cafe Podcast IG

30 Diverse YA Novels – Shelf 1 from the YA Cafe Podcast

We’ve wrapped on our first “shelf” from the YA Cafe Podcast, and we want to give you a complete list of diverse YA novels for the classroom library. We’ve reviewed each of these extensively on our podcast, and given our points of view as teachers AND book addicts. 🙂 Be sure to subscribe to the podcast for more great reviews, and you can also check out all the books from our second season! This post uses affiliate links. This doesn’t affect the price of your purchase, but Amazon does give us a small kickback. We use this money to maintain our site and produce our podcast. Thank you for your support! Our goal is to bring you a short and relevant review of new diverse YA novels each week. When we review, it’s

Danielle Hall October 23, 2018

30 Blanca y Roja Anna-Marie McLemore cover

Blanca & Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore

Anna-Marie McLemore’s Blanca & Roja is a twist on an old tale: two sisters challenge the story they’ve been told, and the roles they’ve been given. (Transcript) In today’s episode… Blanca & Roja is a twist on the classic fairytale, Snow White and Rose Red, and shares the tale of a family under a curse. Unto each generation will be born two sisters, and at their coming of age, one of them will be turned into a swan. Blanca is the older, gentler, sweet sister, and Roja is a bit rougher around the edges. The girls must work through a curse that tries to pit them against one another, reaching through the thorns to hold on to their love for each other. We have discussed McLemore’s work on the show before – her story Glamor

Danielle Hall October 19, 2018

29 Ladys Guide to Petticoats and Piracy Mackenzi Lee cover

The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee

In The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee, Felicity faces new adventures as she tries to realize her dreams of becoming a doctor. And yes, there are petticoats AND pirates! In today’s episode… The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee is the follow-up to her fabulous The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue. In this new novel, Felicity is off on her own adventures. After struggling to gain admission into any sort of hospital or medical school, Felicity wonders if she’ll ever be allowed to study medicine as a woman. Finally, a new opportunity presents itself as one of her idols asks her to work for him on a new expedition. Just as Felicity thinks her hopes have been answered, trouble arises and it’s clear that not

Danielle Hall October 18, 2018

Toil & Trouble feat. Melissa from @thereaderandthechef

Join us as we chat with bookstagrammer Melissa Robles about Toil & Trouble, a new YA anthology of stories about witchy women, written by 15 diverse authors. In today’s episode… Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women & Witchcraft is an anthology of short stories featuring witchy girls. Like Spotswood’s other anthologies, the fifteen tales span the ages, geography, and culture, and feature a wide range of diverse protagonists. These Show Notes use Amazon Affiliate Links for your convenience. If you decide to purchase this book, please consider doing so through our affiliate links. Your support makes this podcast possible. Episode highlights… Spoiler-Free *0:58 Behind the scenes @thereaderandthechef *3:45 Melissa and Danielle chat about their favorite pop-culture witches … *7:50 … and about the authors they were

Danielle Hall August 30, 2018

Fresh Ink feat. Lamar Giles

This week we feature the Fresh Ink anthology, a collection of diverse short stories for a YA audience. Joining us is editor and YA author Lamar Giles. (transcript) In today’s episode… Fresh Ink: An Anthology is a collection of short stories, a graphic novella, and a never before published play by the legendary Walter Dean Meyers. Thirteen voices, some brand new and some you already know and love (including YA authors Nicola Yoon, Jason Reynolds, and Malinda Lo) come together to share their perspectives. This incredible anthology was edited by Lamar Giles, YA author and co-founder of We Need Diverse Books. These Show Notes use Amazon Affiliate Links for your convenience. If you decide to purchase this book, please consider doing so through our affiliate links. Your support makes this podcast possible. Episode

Danielle Hall August 16, 2018

Mariam Sharma Hits the Road Sheba Karim cover

Mariam Sharma Hits the Road by Sheba Karim

Mariam Sharma Hits the Road by Sheba Karim is a road trip romp about the 3 F’s; friends, family, and fried food. Join us as we chat about this Pakistani-American spin on coming-of-age. (transcript) In today’s episode… Mariam Sharma Hits the Road by Sheba Karim follows a trio of friends on a summer road trip. Mariam, Ghaz, and Umar travel from New Jersey to New Orleans and have a flurry of that ventures and detours along the way. It’s a Pakistani-American spin on an old trope and a great addition to your summer reading list. These Show Notes use Amazon Affiliate Links for your convenience. If you decide to purchase this book, please consider doing so through our affiliate links. Your support makes this podcast possible. Episode highlights… Spoiler-Free *1:21

Danielle Hall June 14, 2018

The Summer of Jordi Perez by Amy Spalding

We’re chatting with Anne Marie Wells, a fellow reader and foodie friend, about The Summer of Jordi Perez by Amy Spalding. Check out more on this week’s episode of the YA Cafe. In today’s episode… In The Summer of Jordi Perez, Abby scores the internship of her dreams: working at a vintage clothing shop in LA. She hopes to turn this internship at Lemonberry into a paid part-time job (because how else will she be able to afford their awesome dresses otherwise?) and maybe gain a little inspiration for her fashion blog, +style. But when she discovers that she has to share this internship with Jordi Perez, Abby realizes that means some competition for the job. Can Abby somehow have the clothes, score the job, and get the girl? This is a summer

Danielle Hall April 5, 2018

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Welcome to the YA Cafe, where you’ll find conversations and reviews about Young Adult books for teachers, readers, and caffeine addicts everywhere. We’ll be talking about Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli and its new movie adaptation, Love, Simon. Our guest today is Jeimy Gonzalez, a 6th grade English teacher joining us from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. Jeimy is actually the person who handed us a copy of this book when we lived in Puerto Rico, and we want to give a special shout out to The Bookmark, the independent bookstore where it all went down. When we came up for the concept of this show, we were really thinking of sitting in The Bookmark and chatting about YA Lit with Jeimy. In today’s episode… This is our first Book vs.

Danielle Hall March 19, 2018

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