Story Tags

Mosquitoland

Let's Take a Road Trip!

YA Books to Inspire You to Hit the Road

Summer time and road trips go hand in hand. There is something about the warm weather that draws us out and makes us want to look for adventure. The magic of the open road and the wide variety of sights, sounds, and smells has made for many great stories. The collection of characters, the big moments, and the quiet in between the miles set the stage for fun, reflection, and the unexpected. 

The Winner's Curse

Strong YA Heroines

From Fantasy to slice of life, books that feature diverse, appealing characters

Figures like Katniss Everdeen have become synonymous with young adult literature because they represent fascinating characters with whom audiences can identify. There are many more book characters in the DC Public Library collection who may just become your new favorite: from bold to intelligent to courageous, these characters demonstrate traits that make them fascinating.

Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian

Dear Diary

Books in diary format for young adults

Novels that are narrated in a diary or journal format provide a raw, intimate, and honest perspective.  Readers are provided confidential details of the narrators’ deepest fears, desires, and secrets.  Young adult novels in diary format are particularly of interest because the process of coming of age is so personal.  This unfiltered perspective is something that the reader's inner voyeur cannot resist.  

Hate List

Break the Stigma

Books that make you think twice about mental health

May is National Mental Health (Awareness) Month. There's so much stigma around mental health that people suffering from mental illness and mental health issues can feel isolated.

The Sky is Everywhere

Female Characters with Stories to Tell

Fiction that feels authentic

One thing I love about reading is the opportunity to get lost in someone else's voice. Characters may act differently or make choices I wouldn't, but a great writer helps me understand why - because the characters feel like real people, and real people react in different ways! The following books may not have a lot in common thematically or stylistically, but they all feature female narrators with compelling voices and stories I cared about.  

The Spectacular Now

Realistic Young Adult Fiction

With a Dose of Grit

If you like your books to be anchored in reality, with authentic characters and believable plots, these are the books for you. Characters’ decisions and actions will be easy to relate to, because they are things that can -- and have -- happened.

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