It’s difficult to pick favorites among the many amazing YA and MG titles in print, but here are some recommendations:
Young Adult:
Marcelo in the Real World – Francisco X. Stork
Tell the Wolves I’m Home – Carol Rifka Brunt
I’ll Give You the Sun – Jandy Nelson
Rules of Survival – Nancy Werlin
We Were Liars – E. Lockhart
Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass – Meg Medina
The Miseducation of Cameron Post – Emily M. Danforth
Lovely, Dark and Deep – Amy McNamara
Another Brooklyn – Jacqueline Woodson
Still Life with Tornado – A. S. King
We Are Okay – Nina LaCour
Shout – Laurie Halse Anderson
Gem and Dixie – Sara Zarr
I’m Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter – Erika L. Sanchez
Cold Day in the Sun – Sara Biren
Middle Grade:
A Single Shard – Linda Sue Park
Okay for Now – Gary D. Schmidt
Rules – Cynthia Lord
When You Reach Me – Rebecca Stead
The One and Only Ivan – Katherine Applegate
Counting by Sevens – Holly Goldberg Sloan
The Higher Power of Lucky – Susan Patron
A Crooked Kind of Perfect – Linda Urban
Savvy – Ingrid Law
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever – Barbara Robinson
Me and Marvin Gardens – A. S. King
The Someday Suitcase – Corey Ann Haydu
One for the Murphy’s – Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Louisianna’s Way Home – Kate DiCamillo
Midsummer Night’s Mayhem – Rajani LaRocca
“never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them.” – lemony snicket