Today the New Yorker posted the “longlist” for the top ten contenders for the Young People’s Literature category of the National Book Awards which recognizes outstanding literary work by US citizens. Many of these books take on serious and challenging topics including the Vietnam War, the life of Malcolm X, and LGBTQ issues. The winner for this award will not be chosen until the award ceremony in New York in November, so I would suggest reading these titles before then! Many of them are just being released this month, but most libraries will have them by October!
Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
Symphony for the City of the Dead by M.T. Anderson
The thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin
Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson
Bone Gap by Laura Ruby
Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman
Nimona by Noelle StevensonThere are also three more titles up for the award which our library has on order which are:
This Side of Wild: Mutts, Mares, and Laughing Dinosaurs by Gary Paulsen
X: A Novel by Ilyasah Shabazz
Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War by Steve Sheinkin