Teen Scene
June 2026
Recent Releases
Change of Plans
by Sarah Dessen

Finley’s annual visit with her mom unexpectedly turns into a stay at a lake house with estranged family members. As Finley gets a job, makes new friends, and bonds with new-to-her family, she finds her whole outlook shifting. Fans of author Sarah Dessen’s big-hearted novels will appreciate this moving story.
The Fight of Our Lives: AIDS in America
by David Levithan

In the 1980s and 1990s, the AIDS epidemic tore through the United States, creating an atmosphere of fear and subjecting victims to stigma and discrimination. Drawn from a variety of primary sources, this powerful nonfiction work chronicles the history of the epidemic and traces the work of prominent activist groups.
Shards of Silence
by Brian Lee Young

A scholarship to an elite boarding school is a huge opportunity for Derrick, who grew up in Navajo Nation. While rocked by culture shock and academic pressure, he learns more about his beloved great-grandmother’s experience at a brutal residential school. This authentic coming-of-age story traces an engaging search for truth.
Girls Like Us by Jennifer Dugan
Girls Like Us
by Jennifer Dugan

In this sequel to Some Girls Do, two girls struggle when long distance complicates their relationship. Ruby and Morgan fell for each other during their senior year of high school, and now, almost a year later, they are determined to keep their spark alive, even while they are apart. Morgan is studying public policy on a track scholarship at a university several hours away, while Ruby stayed in their hometown and is exploring her love of mechanics in the automotive engineering program at the local community college. Despite their best efforts, the space between them begins to weigh on the girls, with new friendships and flirtatious classmates adding complications. Still, the two are counting down the days to a spring break getaway and the bliss of a whole summer vacation together. But when Morgan discovers she's a finalist for the perfect internship and Ruby gets a shot to appear on her favorite automotive TV show, their plans are thrown into question. With both girls unwilling to stand in the way of each other's future, they wonder: Can their relationship still go the distance even if they're on separate paths?
Retro Reads
Check out these awesome books from the not-so-distant past.
 
Titan of the Stars
by E.K. Johnston

Celeste and Dominic have opposing views about their voyage aboard a luxury spaceship. When the alien species on display are purposefully released among the passengers, these unlikely friends must fight for survival. This high-stakes novel reimagines the Titanic’s story of power and privilege with a science fiction/horror twist.  
This Thing of Ours
by Frederick Joseph

Although Ossie has trouble envisioning a future without basketball, a career-ending injury forces his hand. A creative writing program helps him find his voice, which he needs when racism rears its head at his predominantly white school. Read-alikes: Jasminne Mendez’s The Story of My Anger; Don P. Hooper’s True True.
Fable for the End of the World
by Ava Reid

Rather than paying her debts, Inesa’s mother sacrificed her to a brutal spectacle called the Gauntlet. Melinoë is the assassin targeting Inesa, hoping for redemption in this Gauntlet. When things go sideways, the two find themselves relying on each other. Read-alikes: Amber Hamilton’s Seven Deadly Thorns; Stephanie Oakes’ The Meadows.
The Rose Bargain
by Sasha Peyton Smith

Hoping to repair her family’s reputation, Ivy eagerly joins the competition for the hand of Prince Bram, son of the immortal fae Queen. But then she falls for the wrong prince...and finds herself at the center of a coup. This fast-paced duology opener infuses Victorian England with fae magic.
Contact your librarian for more great books for age 14 and up!