BLOGS > OCTOBER 27, 2022
Are you looking for fresh and thought-provoking books to share with your students in Grades 6-12? Don't miss these upcoming new releases that are sure to spark their interest!
Author: Mark H. Parsons
Available November 15, 2022
“A wryly funny, extremely intelligent, and sweetly romantic contemporary novel full of biting sarcasm and… tender yet powerful emotions.” -Kirkus Reviews, starred review
A thoughtful exploration about finding oneself, learning to hope after loss, and recognizing the role that family, friends, and even strangers can play in the healing process if you are open and willing to share your experience with others.
Whiteout: A Novel
Authors: Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, Nicola Yoon
Available November 8, 2022
“Encapsulating love, hope, and fresh starts, this wintry story offers something for everyone and will be a must-read all year 'round, but especially on chilly days that call for something heartwarming.” -Booklist
Atlanta is blanketed with snow just before Christmas, but the warmth of young love just might melt the ice in this novel of Black joy, and cozy, sparkling romance — by the same unbeatable team of authors who wrote the New York Times best-seller Blackout!
Author: Shea Ernshaw
Available November 29, 2022
“Mystery and romance unfurl at an unhurried clip, and Vega’s absorbing first-person narration lends immediacy to this existential tale, which evokes an old western feel and hints at a larger potential world.” -Publishers Weekly
In this magical romance from the #1 New York Times best-selling author of Long Live the Pumpkin Queen, an illness cursing the land forces a teen girl astronomer to venture across the wilderness in search of the stars’ message that will, hopefully, save them all.
The Girl I Am, Was, and Never Will Be
Author: Shannon Gibney
Available: January 10, 2023
Part memoir, part speculative fiction, The Girl I Am, Was, and Never Will Be explores the often surreal experience of growing up as a mixed-Black transracial adoptee. Dream Country author Shannon Gibney returns with The Girl I Am, Was, and Never Will Be, a book woven from her true story of growing up as a mixed-Black transracial adoptee and fictional story of Erin Powers, the name Shannon was given at birth, a child raised by a white, closeted lesbian. Gibney surrounds that story with reproductions of her own adoption documents, letters, family photographs, interviews, medical records, and brief essays on the surreal absurdities of the adoptee experience. The end result is a remarkable portrait of an American experience rarely depicted in any form.
Publisher/Producer Advertisement: For more information, visit titlewave.com
An Author Interview with Don Everts
December 17, 2025
What peculiar thread connects secret superpowers, chicken farming, Victorian architecture, and the impossible awkwardness of being 14? Debut middle grade author Don Everts weaves it together for us in this conversation about his new book, Oscar and the Mystery of...
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An Author Interview with Sara Amini and Illustrator Shadia Amin
December 17, 2025
Author Sara Amini and artist Shadia Amin team up for this charming, semi-autobiographical middle grade graphic memoir that explores evolving friendships, puberty mishaps, and finding a place to belong. Navigating life as a multiracial girl has never been more hilarious...
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An Author Interview with Katherine Applegate
December 17, 2025
Go behind the scenes with Newbery Medal-winning author and literary superstar Katherine Applegate as she discusses her returns with two exciting new titles releasing in spring! First up is The Littlest Elephant, a picture book adaptation of the best-selling middle grade...
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An Author Interview with Amy Timberlake and Illustrator Jon Klassen
December 17, 2025
Award-winning author Amy Timberlake and illustrator Jon Klassen team up to bring you the latest in the Skunk and Badger trilogy. Rock Paper Incisors follows odd-couple roommates Skunk and Badger as they explore the complexity of friendship and the meaning...
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What We're Reading: Best of 2025
November 17, 2025
As the year wraps up, we’re highlighting the top books that sparked curiosity, inspired learning, and kept students turning pages in 2025. These eight standout titles – from award-winning historical fiction to imaginative adventures and engaging picture books – are...
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Get Ahead of the 2026 ALA YMAs with These 5 Must-Read Contender Titles
November 1, 2025
This month, we’re diving into the most buzzworthy books of the year – handpicked by our Curation Team from our ALA Youth Media Award Contenders book list. These standout titles are generating serious award chatter, and we’re reading them now to...
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