YA Selections

2023-2024 VA READS Young Adult Book Selections

Breathe and Count Back from Ten by Natalia Sylvester ISBN: 978-0358536864 Disabled teen Verónica loves the water and wants to try out to play a mermaid at the local theme park, but her parents are hiding a secret that could change everything she knows about her own body.

Destination Unknown by Bill Konigsberg ISBN: 978-1338618051 It’s 1987, and Micah is a quiet gay boy in New York City who meets C.J. and tries to navigate life and life in the midst of the AIDS epidemic.

The Getaway by Lamar Giles ISBN: 978-1338752014 Jay works at a world-famous resort that caters to the rich and famous. When people start disappearing and resort guests stop leaving, Jay and his friends have to decide what kind of future they are willing to fight for.

Hollow Fires by Samira Ahmed ISBN: 978-0316282642 Safiya finds a murdered boy in the woods, and as she starts digging into the background of Jawad Ali, she discovers that his death might be due to hate for his Muslim beliefs.

I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston ISBN: 978-1250244451 Chloe’s archnemesis, Shara, kissed her a month before graduation and then disappeared. On the hunt for why, Chloe discovers that she’s not the only one Shara kissed…and that Shara has left clues behind for all of them to find.

M Is for Monster by Talia Dutton ISBN: 978-1419762208 Maura Ai died six months ago, but her older sister Frances was determined to bring her back. Now Frances has succeeded, but the person who comes back is not Maura.

Magical Boy, Volume 1 by The Kao ISBN: 978-1338775532 Max is a trans boy who comes from a long line of magical girls. When his powers start presenting, complete with a transformation into a frilly dress, he has to learn how to make his powers his own in order to save the world.

Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American by Laura Gao ISBN: 978-0063067769 Laura spent her early years in Wuhan, China, but after moving to Texas, her hometown seems as though it could not be farther away…until the COVID-19 pandemic starts.

Promise Boys by Nick Brooks ISBN: 978-1250866974 When the prominent principal of an all-boys DC charter school is found murdered, three students are the prime suspects, and everyone from fellow students, teachers, and the media has an opinion. When the boys team up to find the truth before they get locked up unjustly, their own lives may be in danger.

The Summer of Bitter and Sweet by Jen Ferguson ISBN: 978-0063086166 Métis-Canadian teen Lou is reeling from her former best friend’s sudden return to town when she gets a letter from her incarcerated father and has to decide whether to meet with him.

We Are All So Good at Smiling by Amber McBride ISBN: 978-1250780386 Whimsy is being treated for depression when she meets Faerry, a boy who moves onto her street. The forest at the end of their street holds magic and secrets that just might answer questions that have terrified both teens for years.