Back cover cover of “Yuki’s Book of Wonders,” by Patricia Cornwell.
KIDS
“Vigilantes of Gelsomina,” by Selena Nelson. Set in a San Francisco neighborhood, this is the story of a 12-year-old girl—with the next phrase, she’s not revealing—who falls victim to bullies.
“When I Grow Up,” by Meagan M. Lewis. When Julia, an emerging middle-school reader, signs on to write for the illustrated magazine “Scholastic Spotlight,” she drops and bleeds in every assignment.
“Ten Better Days,” by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Oscar Islip, the oldest child in his Alabama family, knows just what to say and do when his not-yet-born son has an emergency.
“Yuki’s Book of Wonders,” by Patricia Cornwell. When a plague kills people with unusual names—here, Kim and Cary—Yuki discovers that all children have special powers.
“Sing, Unburied, Sing,” by Jesmyn Ward. A teenage girl returns to her African-American grandparents’ home to search for her best friend after her father is murdered.
“W.M. Grimes Says,” by David Levithan. In this exploration of a preteen girl’s thoughts, Grimes tries to teach her what it means to feel good, be normal, be happy, and to stay “woo-hoo!”
YA
“The Traps of Freedom,” by Shira Solem. During the Civil War, Ohio teenager Noreen is taught that war takes its toll. Here, Noreen wants to find a way to fight back.
“Nine Girls,” by Jessica Mizrahi. In the book’s first chapter, 16-year-old Angela faces a crisis of identity. But Angela is not the only one dealing with a tricky emotional change: Yawn.
“Mary,” by Alice Walker. In this novel about a woman’s struggle with penile cancer, Jean Queen explores her own ties to the disease.
“The Boy on the Running Board,” by Meg Cabot. In this coming-of-age story, Amelia’s favorite pastime is running, but she’s also trying to cope with coming out as a transgender child.
“Ghost Bairds,” by Debbie Macomber. When a kid’s days are not only full of play but also include exciting adventures—and mysterious secret codes—he needs to focus his attention on the future.
FICTION
“Swept Away,” by Johanna Basford. Inspired by the story of a real-life Princess Anne in the Royal Navy, this book traces a friendship between a contemporary girl and a girl of the sea—the only girl in history, really, to serve aboard an HMS destroyer.
“A Mission,” by Elisabeth Throssell. Fifteen-year-old Tatiana faces the decision of whether to join the circus or join her parents’ business.
“Back to Blood,” by Daniel Silva. In the middle of his grueling training, our hero—a CIA agent—gets a visit from his mother. Who is she? Who is she meeting? Are they the bad guys, or are they good guys?
“Man in the Machine,” by Dan Simmons. Boy Danny gets an opportunity to test his strength and might with a slightly dysfunctional hunter robot on a cold Alaska night. But will he cooperate, or will he stand up to the truth?
“Little Jack,” by Rita Mae Brown. When you’re asked to help care for a baby who’s in distress, the instinct is to help. That can have deadly consequences.
“The Button Family,” by Jodi Picoult. Finally getting a break in life, one family discovers it’s not like they thought.