The Children’s Book Review | June 4, 2017
Popular Books for Teens
This month, you’ll discover five books that we’re highlighting from The New York Times’ best selling hardcover young adult titles including Flame in the Mist, by Renée Ahdieh; The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas; and The Sun is Also a Star, by the talented Nicola Yoon.
Nationwide Best Selling Young Adult Books
The Sun Is Also A Star
Written by Nicola Yoon
Publisher’s Synopsis: Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.
Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us.
The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?
Ages 12+ | Publisher: Delacorte Press | November 1, 2016 | ISBN-13: 978-0553496680
The Hate U Give
Written by Angie Thomas
Publisher’s Synopsis: Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, Angie Thomas’s searing debut about an ordinary girl in extraordinary circumstances addresses issues of racism and police violence with intelligence, heart, and unflinching honesty. Soon to be a major motion picture from Fox 2000/Temple Hill Productions.
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.
Ages 14+ | Publisher: Balzer + Bray | February 28, 2017 | ISBN-13: 978-0062498533
Flame in the Mist
Written by Renée Ahdieh
Publisher’s Synopsis: From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Wrath and the Dawn, comes a sweeping, action-packed YA adventure set against the backdrop of Feudal Japan where Mulan meets Throne of Glass.
The daughter of a prominent samurai, Mariko has long known her place—she may be an accomplished alchemist, whose cunning rivals that of her brother Kenshin, but because she is not a boy, her future has always been out of her hands. At just seventeen years old, Mariko is promised to Minamoto Raiden, the son of the emperor’s favorite consort—a political marriage that will elevate her family’s standing. But en route to the imperial city of Inako, Mariko narrowly escapes a bloody ambush by a dangerous gang of bandits known as the Black Clan, who she learns has been hired to kill her before she reaches the palace.
Dressed as a peasant boy, Mariko sets out to infiltrate the Black Clan and track down those responsible for the target on her back. Once she’s within their ranks, though, Mariko finds for the first time she’s appreciated for her intellect and abilities. She even finds herself falling in love—a love that will force her to question everything she’s ever known about her family, her purpose, and her deepest desires.
Order a Copy Now: Indiebound | Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Ages 12+ | Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers | May 16, 2017 | ISBN-13: 978-0399171635
Everything, Everything
Written by Nicola Yoon
TCBR Review: Nicola Yoon’s debut novel, Everything, Everything, is a must-read, inviting a broad spectrum of audiences, from preteens to the older generations. This trendy-styled book illustrates the life of eighteen year-old Madeline Whittier through plain text as well as with pictures, instant messages, journal entries, and emails. Through Madeline’s innovative narrative, the reader is immersed into her life of an “allergic to everything” teenage girl. Read the full review …
Ages 12+ | Publisher: Delacorte Press | 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-0553496642
Star Wars: Rebel Rising
Written by Beth Revis
Publisher’s Synopsis: When Jyn Erso is eight years old, her mother is murdered and her father taken from her to serve the Empire. Saw Gerrera, a man willing to go to any extremes necessary in order to resist Imperial tyranny, takes her in as his own. But fighting alongside Saw brings danger – and the question of just how far Jyn is willing to go. When she faces an unthinkable betrayal that shatters her world, Jyn will have to decide what she truly believes in…And who she can really trust. New York Times bestselling author Beth Revis brings to life the early adventures and heartbreaks of the heroine of the smash hit movie Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Set before Star Wars: A New Hope, Rogue One follows a rag-tag group of rebel commandos who must steal the plans to the Empire’s new superweapon, the Death Star. This standalone story transports fans to unseen corners of the Star Wars universe and strange new planets not to mention an encounter with a familiar adversary, Darth Vader. Have you collected all the Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Books? Rogue One Book and Model: Make Your Own U-wing; Rogue One: Art of Colouring; Rogue One: Mission Files; Rogue One: Profiles and Poster Book.
Ages 12+ | Publisher: Egmont Books Ltd | June 1, 2017 | ISBN-13: 978-1405285070
This information for the best selling books was gathered from the New York Times Best Sellers list for hardcover young adult books, which reflects the sales of books from books sold nationwide, including independent and chain stores. It is correct at the time of publication and presented in random order. Visit www.nytimes.com for their most current and up-to-date list.
For more best selling fiction Young Adult books, follow along with our Best YA tag.
