First Book Program: First Book January 2021

A book about the power of love and resistance from New York Times bestselling authors Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed. YES Jamie Goldberg is cool with volunteering for his local state senate candidate--as long as he's behind the scenes. When it comes to speaking to strangers (or, let's face it, speaking at all to almost anyone) Jamie's a choke artist. There's no way he'd ever knock on doors to ask people for their votes...until he meets Maya. NO Maya Rehman's having the worst Ramadan ever. Her best friend is too busy to hang out, her summer trip is canceled, and now her parents are separating. Why her mother thinks the solution to her problems is political canvassing--with some awkward dude she hardly knows--is beyond her. MAYBE SO Going door to door isn't exactly glamorous, but maybe it's not the worst thing in the world. After all, the polls are getting closer--and so are Maya and Jamie. Mastering local activism is one thing. Navigating the cross-cultural crush of the century is another thing entirely.
Lexile Level: 560
Pages: 464
Social Action & Romance

From Stonewall and Lambda Award-winning author Kacen Callender comes a revelatory YA novel about a transgender teen grappling with identity and self-discovery while falling in love for the first time. Felix Love has never been in love--and, yes, he's painfully aware of the irony. He desperately wants to know what it's like and why it seems so easy for everyone but him to find someone. What's worse is that, even though he is proud of his identity, Felix also secretly fears that he's one marginalization too many--Black, queer, and transgender--to ever get his own happily-ever-after. When an anonymous student begins sending him transphobic messages--after publicly posting Felix's deadname alongside images of him before he transitioned--Felix comes up with a plan for revenge. What he didn't count on: his catfish scenario landing him in a quasi-love triangle.... But as he navigates his complicated feelings, Felix begins a journey of questioning and self-discovery that helps redefine his most important relationship: how he feels about himself. Felix Ever After is an honest and layered story about identity, falling in love, and recognizing the love you deserve. "Felix is attending an ultracompetitive arts summer program to have a better shot at a full scholarship to Brown when someone posts Felix's dead name beside photos of him, pre-transition, in the school's lobby. Felix's plot to get revenge throws him onto the path of love and self-discovery." (Publishers Weekly, "An Anti-Racist Children's and YA Reading List")
Lexile Level: Not available
Pages: 368
Subjects: LGBT, Romance, Bullying

For as long as she can remember, it’s been Robin and her mom against the world. Growing up as the only child of a single mother in Seoul, Korea, wasn’t always easy, but it has bonded them fiercely together.

So when a vacation to visit friends in Huntsville, Alabama, unexpectedly becomes a permanent relocation—following her mother’s announcement that she’s getting married—Robin is devastated.

Overnight, her life changes. She is dropped into a new school where she doesn’t understand the language and struggles to keep up.
Lexile Level: Not available
Pages: 240
Subjects: Immigration, Step-parents

Native Women demand to be heard in this stunning anthology. Whether looking back to a troubled past or welcoming a hopeful future, the powerful voices of Indigenous women across North America resound in this book. In the same style as the best-selling Dreaming in Indian, #Not Your Princess presents an eclectic collection of poems, essays, interviews, and art that combine to express the experience of being a Native woman. Stories of abuse, humiliation, and stereotyping are countered by the voices of passionate women making themselves heard and demanding change. Sometimes angry, often reflective, but always strong, the women in this book will give teen readers insight into the lives of women who, for so long, have been virtually invisible.  
Lexile Level: 910
Pages: 116
Subject: Native Americans, women's studies

Coming March 2021 as a Netflix Original Film directed by Amy Poehler! "Moxie is sweet, funny, and fierce. Read this and then join the fight." Amy Poehler An unlikely teenager starts a feminist revolution at a small-town Texas high school in this novel from Jennifer Mathieu, author of The Truth About Alice. MOXIE GIRLS FIGHT BACK! Vivian Carter is fed up. Fed up with an administration at her high school that thinks the football team can do no wrong. Fed up with sexist dress codes, hallway harassment, and gross comments from guys during class. But most of all, Viv Carter is fed up with always following the rules. Viv's mom was a tough-as-nails, punk rock Riot Grrrl in the '90s, and now Viv takes a page from her mother's past and creates a feminist zine that she distributes anonymously to her classmates. She's just blowing off steam, but other girls respond. As Viv forges friendships with other young women across the divides of cliques and popularity rankings, she realizes that what she has started is nothing short of a girl revolution. Moxie is a book about high school life that will make you wanna riot! Also by Jennifer Mathieu: The Truth About Alice: A powerful look at slut-shaming, told through the perspectives of four small-town teens, about how everyone has a motive to bring-and keep-a teen girl down. Devoted: A girl with a controlling, conservative family realizes that her life is her own-if only she can find the courage to fight for it. Afterward: A tragic kidnapping leads to an unlikely friendship in this novel about finding light in the midst of darkness. Praise for Moxie: "With a story that's equal parts heart and instruction manual, Mathieu has captured the movement of a generation-warts and all-and shone a light forward for the next one." --E. K. Johnston, #1 New York TimesBestselling author of Exit Pursued By a Bear "Vivian Carter and Moxie are strong and smart and so, so inspiring. She is my new hero and this is my new favorite book. I'm proud to be a Moxie girl." -Jennifer Niven, New York Times-bestselling author of All the Bright Places and Holding Up the Universe "From its soul-deep girl friendships to its swoony love story to its smart, gutsy heroine, Moxie is a ferocious joy. I could feel my heart and my courage-getting bigger every time I turned the page." -Katie Cotugno, New York Times-bestselling author of 99 Days and How to Love "Moxie is an anthem, a how-to guide, and that best friend who says, 'You matter, too! Sherri L. Smith, author of Pasadena and Flygirl "Like the addictive riff of a punk rock song, Moxie will pull you in, inspire you, and kick you back out into the world with a burning desire to change it. Read this. Now." Jenny Torres Sanchez, author of Because of the Sun "An invaluable revelation." Booklist, starred review "This novel is full of wit, insight, and moxie. . Highly recommended for all teens, but especially those who would enjoy realistic coming-of-age fiction with female empowerment." School Library Journal, starred review "Satisfying and moving." Publishers Weekly.

In this nail-biting sequel to Tehlor Kay Mejia's critically acclaimed fantasy novel  We Set the Dark on Fire,  La Voz operative Carmen is forced to choose between the girl she loves and the success of the rebellion she's devoted her life to. Perfect for fans of The Handmaid's Tale and Anna-Marie McLemore. Being a part of the resistance group La Voz is an act of devotion and desperation. On the other side of Medio's border wall, the oppressed class fights for freedom and liberty, sacrificing what little they have to become defenders of the cause. Carmen Santos is one of La Voz's best soldiers. She spent years undercover, but now, with her identity exposed and the island on the brink of a civil war, Carmen returns to the only real home she's ever known: La Voz's headquarters. There she must reckon with her beloved leader, who is under the influence of an aggressive new recruit, and with the devastating news that her true love might be the target of an assassination plot. Will Carmen break with her community and save the girl who stole her heart--or fully embrace the ruthless rebel she was always meant to be?
Lexile Level: Not Available
Pages: 400
Subject: Young Adult Fiction / Fantasy / Contemporary, Young Adult Fiction / Romance / LGBT, Young Adult Fiction / Social Themes / Class Differences, Dystopias, Fiction, Family secrets, Fiction, Lesbians, Fiction, Marriage, Fiction, Secrecy, Fiction, Social classes, Fiction, Young adult fiction

"We Set the Dark on Fire  burns bright. It will light the way for a new generation of rebels and lovers." --NPR "Mejia pens a compelling, gripping story that mirrors real-world issues of immigration and equality." --Buzzfeed Five starred reviews!! In this daring and romantic fantasy debut perfect for fans of The Handmaid's Tale and Latinx authors Zoraida Córdova and Anna-Marie McLemore, society's wife-in-training Dani has a great awakening after being recruited by rebel spies and falling for her biggest rival. At the Medio School for Girls, distinguished young women are trained for one of two roles in their polarized society. Depending on her specialization, a graduate will one day run a husband's household or raise his children. Both paths promise a life of comfort and luxury, far from the frequent political uprisings of the lower class. Daniela Vargas is the school's top student, but her pedigree is a lie. She must keep the truth hidden or be sent back to the fringes of society. And school couldn't prepare her for the difficult choices she must make after graduation, especially when she is asked to spy for a resistance group desperately fighting to bring equality to Medio. Will Dani cling to the privilege her parents fought to win for her, or will she give up everything she's strived for in pursuit of a free Medio--and a chance at a forbidden love?
Lexile Level: 840
Pages: 384
Subject: Young adult fiction, Fantasy Fiction, Dystopian Fiction.

"There are moments when a story shakes you. Barely Missing Everything is one of those stories, and Mendez, a gifted storyteller with a distinct voice, is sure to bring a quake to the literary landscape." Jason Reynolds, New York Times bestselling author of Long Way Down In the tradition of Jason Reynolds and Matt de la Peña, this heartbreaking, no-holds-barred debut novel told from three points of view explores how difficult it is to make it in life when you--your life, brown lives--don't matter. Juan has plans. He's going to get out of El Paso, Texas, on a basketball scholarship and make something of himself--or at least find something better than his mom Fabi's cruddy apartment, her string of loser boyfriends, and a dead dad. Basketball is going to be his ticket out, his ticket up. He just needs to make it happen. His best friend JD has plans, too. He's going to be a filmmaker one day, like Quentin Tarantino or Guillermo del Toro (NOT Steven Spielberg). He's got a camera and he's got the passion- what else could he need? Fabi doesn't have a plan anymore. When you get pregnant at sixteen and have been stuck bartending to make ends meet for the past seventeen years, you realize plans don't always pan out, and that there are some things you just can't plan for...Like Juan's run-in with the police, like a sprained ankle, and a tanking math grade that will likely ruin his chance at a scholarship. Like JD causing the implosion of his family. Like letters from a man named Mando on death row. Like finding out this man could be the father your mother said was dead. Soon Juan and JD are embarking on a Thelma and Louise­--like a road trip to visit Mando. Juan will finally meet his dad, JD has a perfect subject for his documentary, and Fabi is desperate to stop them. But, as we already know, there are some things you just can't plan for...
Lexile Level: 800
Pages: 320
Subject: Young Adult Fiction / People & Places, United States, Hispanic & Latino, Young Adult Fiction.

From two heavy-hitters in children's literature comes a critically acclaimed biographical novel of cultural icon Muhammad Ali. *"This utterly delightful story about Ali's childhood is a smash hit." --School Library Journal (starred review) Five starred reviews! Before he was a household name, Cassius Clay was a kid with struggles like any other. Kwame Alexander and James Patterson join forces to vividly depict his life up to age seventeen in both prose and verse, including his childhood friends, struggles in school, the racism he faced, and his discovery of boxing. Readers will learn about Cassius' family and neighbors in Louisville, Kentucky, and how, after a thief stole his bike, Cassius began training as an amateur boxer at age twelve. Before long, he won his first Golden Gloves bout and began his transformation into the unrivaled Muhammad Ali. Fully authorized by and written in cooperation with the Muhammad Ali estate, and vividly brought to life by Dawud Anyabwile's dynamic artwork, Becoming Muhammad Ali captures the budding charisma and youthful personality of one of the greatest sports heroes of all time.
Lexile Level: 1010
Pages: 320
Subject: Historical Fiction, Biographical Fiction

Jason Reynolds's Newbery Honor, Printz Honor, and Coretta Scott King Honor-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling novel Long Way Down is now a gripping, galvanizing graphic novel, with haunting artwork by Danica Novgorodoff. Will's older brother, Shawn, has been shot. Dead. Will feels a sadness so great, he can't explain it. But in his neighborhood, there are THE RULES: No. 1: Crying. Don't. No matter what. No. 2: Snitching Don't. No matter what. No. 3: Revenge Do. No matter what. But bullets miss. You can get the wrong guy. And there's always someone else who knows to follow the rules...
Lexile Level: Not Available
Pages: 208
Subject: Young Adult Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels.

The stunning sequel to the #1 New York Times bestseller Dear Martin. Incarcerated teen Quan writes letters to Justyce about his experiences in the American juvenile justice system. Perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds and Angie Thomas. In the highly anticipated sequel to her New York Times bestseller, Nic Stone delivers an unflinching look into the flawed practices and silenced voices in the American juvenile justice system. Vernell LaQuan Banks and Justyce McAllister grew up a block apart in the Southwest Atlanta neighborhood of Wynwood Heights. Years later, though, Justyce walks the illustrious halls of Yale University . . . and Quan sits behind bars at the Fulton Regional Youth Detention Center. Through a series of flashbacks, vignettes, and letters to Justyce--the protagonist of Dear Martin--Quan's story takes form. Troubles at home and misunderstandings at school give rise to police encounters and tough decisions. But then there's a dead cop and a weapon with Quan's prints on it. What leads a bright kid down a road to a murder charge? Not even Quan is sure. "A powerful, raw, must-read told through the lens of a Black boy ensnared by our broken criminal justice system." -Kirkus, Starred Review
Lexile Level: Not Available
Pages: 288
Subject: African Americans, Juvenile fiction

New York Times  bestseller and Newbery Honor Book! A gorgeously written, hopeful middle-grade novel in verse about a young girl who  must leave Syria to move to the United States, perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds and Aisha Saeed. Jude never thought she'd be leaving her beloved older brother and father behind, all the way across the ocean in Syria. But when things in her hometown start becoming volatile, Jude and her mother are sent to live in Cincinnati with relatives. At first, everything in America seems too fast and too loud. The American movies that Jude has always loved haven't quite prepared her for starting school in the US--and her new label of "Middle Eastern," an identity she's never known before. But this life also brings unexpected surprises--there are new friends, a whole new family, and a school musical that Jude might just try out for. Maybe America, too, is a place where Jude can be seen as she really is. This lyrical, life-affirming story is about losing and finding home and, most importantly, finding yourself.
Lexile Level: 930
Pages: 352
Subjects: Juvenile Fiction, People & Places, Middle East, Juvenile Fiction

Lexile Level: 980
Pages: 176
Subject: Young Adult Nonfiction, Biography & Autobiography