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Teen Reading Recommendations

Winter Soldier by Mackenzi Lee The Winter Soldier: Cold Front is a dual-timeline Marvel novel by Mackenzi Lee that contrasts a rebellious teenage Bucky Barnes in 1941 trying to join the fight with his brainwashed, deadly Winter Soldier persona in the 1950s, exploring his lost identity as fragmented memories and a dangerous mission force him to confront who he was and who he's become.	Solitaire by Alice Oseman Solitaire is a raw, unflinching novel following the deeply cynical and isolated teenager Tori Spring as she navigates a mysterious series of increasingly dangerous pranks at her school, forcing her to confront her own mental health struggles and the possibility of human connection.
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys Salt to the Sea tells the intertwined stories of four young people—a Polish girl, a Lithuanian nurse, a Prussian soldier, and a Nazi sailor—who converge while desperately fleeing the advancing Soviet army in WWII, seeking escape on a German ship, unaware they are heading toward history's largest maritime disaster, the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff.	On Thin Ice by Michael Northrop A middle school student with a spinal condition rebuilds a vintage minibike to save his family from eviction, while facing bullying at school.
Jason's Gold by Will Hobbs Jason's Gold is about a determined teenage boy, Jason Hawthorn, who journeys from New York to the treacherous Klondike gold fields in 1897, facing harsh wilderness, dangerous challenges, and encounters with figures like Jack London, learning that friendship and survival are more valuable than gold itself.	The Hard Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder The Long Winter , by Laura Ingalls Wilder, chronicles the Ingalls family's harrowing struggle for survival in De Smet, South Dakota, during the brutal winter of 1880-81, where relentless blizzards cut off food and fuel, forcing them to endure near-starvation with ingenuity and grit until spring.
fangirl 2 In Fangirl Vol. 2 (the manga adaptation of Rainbow Rowell's novel), protagonist Cath faces increasing personal and family drama—including a major issue with her writing partner, conflict with her twin sister, and their father's hospitalization—while she navigates her complicated romantic feelings for Levi.	Demon in the Wood by Leigh Bardugo emon in the Wood is a graphic novel prequel to Shadow and Bone that tells the origin story of the Darkling, following a young, hunted Grisha named Eryk and his mother as they hide their rare powers, seeking safety but finding betrayal and violence, revealing the tragic beginnings of the villain's quest for power and a safe haven for his people.
Blizzard! by Jim Murphy Jim Murphy's Blizzard!: The Storm That Changed America chronicles the devastating 1888 Great Blizzard that paralyzed the U.S. East Coast, particularly New York City, through harrowing survivor accounts and meticulous research, revealing how the historic storm transformed weather forecasting, city planning, and daily life forever.	Big Dark by Rodman Philbrick The Big Dark by Rodman Philbrick is about a New Hampshire boy, Charlie, who must undertake a perilous 50-mile ski journey to find medicine for his diabetic mother after a massive solar flare knocks out all electricity, forcing him to navigate a town descending into chaos and conflict with survivalists amidst a brutal winter.

Winter Recs

Anti-Winter Recs

The Year We Fell Apart by Emily Martin The Year We Fell Apart by Emily Martin follows Harper as she navigates a summer of reconnecting with her estranged best friend Declan, confronting her past mistakes and bad reputation, and dealing with her mother's cancer diagnosis, all while trying to salvage their broken friendship and find herself again.	Summer of Lost Letters by Hannah Reynolds In The Summer of Lost Letters, teen Abby discovers her late grandmother's secret 1950s Nantucket romance through mysterious love letters, prompting her to take a summer job on the island to uncover family history, leading her to the letter writer's grandson, Noah, and a blossoming romance as they unravel hidden truths about prejudice, sacrifice, and their shared Jewish heritage.
Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han The Summer I Turned Pretty is a coming-of-age story about Belly, a teenage girl who experiences a life-changing summer at a beach house, navigating first love, family drama (especially her mom's best friend's cancer), and a complicated love triangle with the charming brothers, Conrad and Jeremiah Fisher, as she transforms from a child into a young woman.	Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is about four distinct teenage best friends who discover a magical pair of jeans that fits them all perfectly, using the pants as a symbolic connection to share their separate summer adventures and coming-of-age challenges, from new romances to family issues, proving their lifelong bond endures despite physical distance.
Kingdom by Jon McNaught Kingdom forges a story in the parts of a vacation we like to forget–the arguments, the poor weather, the moments of quiet solitude. This detailed graphic novel follows a family on their vacation to a small campground, where teenager Andrew explores the dunes in relative solitude, and Suzie navigates childhood in the wake of her older brother.	Girl from the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag Morgan's desire to escape her small island life is upended by meeting Keltie, a mysterious selkie whose magical, romantic presence forces Morgan to confront her hidden identity, first love, family, and environmental secrets, all while discovering the truth about herself and Keltie's connection to the sea.
Give me a Sign by Anna Sortino Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino is about Lilah, a hard-of-hearing teen feeling caught between worlds, who finds community, self-acceptance, and love while working as a counselor at a summer camp for deaf and blind kids, learning ASL and navigating romance with a fellow counselor.	girl mode "Girlmode" is a graphic novel about a recently transitioned teen named Phoebe who, after moving to Los Angeles, must navigate high school life, new friendships, and societal expectations while trying to discover her authentic self.
Between Us and the Moon Between Us and the Moon is a YA novel about aspiring astronomer Sarah, who pretends to be older to date a college boy, Andrew, on Cape Cod, leading to a summer of first love, self-discovery, and complicated choices as she navigates her identity and lies, forcing her to choose between romance and finding herself.	all-we-left-behind-9781481437431_hr All We Left Behind by Danielle R. Graham tells the WWII story of Japanese-Canadian childhood sweethearts, Hayden and Chidori, whose love is tested when anti-Japanese sentiment forces Chidori's family into an internment camp while Hayden joins the Air Force, only to become a POW, separating them as they navigate racism, loss, and the fight for survival, wondering if their bond can endure.

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