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• The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian

  Alexie, Sherman, 1966-

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  This semi-autobiographical young adult novel is about 14-year-old Arnold Spirit who lives on the Spokane Indian Reservation but decides to go to school in a wealthy neighbourhood off the reservation. The book is often included in school curriculums…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Betty

  the Helen Betty Osborne Story

  Robertson, David, 1977-

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  This graphic novel is about the murder of Helen Betty Osborne, a young Indigenous woman. David Robertson uses this true story to shine a spotlight on the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

• Flamer

  Curato, Mike,

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  Aiden Navarro is attending sleepaway camp during a pivotal summer in his life as he battles whether to be "normal" or accept the fact that he is gay. The book is praised for its open and honest depiction of the struggles that Aiden endures, but for…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Fun Home

  a Family Tragicomic

  Bechdel, Alison, 1960-

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  In this graphic memoir, Alison Bechdel explores her relationship with her father. A couple of weeks before her father's death, she learned that he was gay. Created many years later, her memoir is an attempt to understand his life and their…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Giver

  Lowry, Lois,

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  Lois Lowry won the 1994 Newberry Medal for The Giver, which is a dystopian young adult novel about a society devoid of memories. The protagonist is Jonas, a 12-year-old boy, who will inherit the position of Receiver of Memory, the person who stores…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Hill We Climb

  An Inaugural Poem for the Country

  Gorman, Amanda, 1998-

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  This is the poem that Amanda Gorman delivered at President Joe Biden's inauguration on Jan. 20, 2021. She said that she wrote the poem "so that all young people could see themselves in a historical moment."

• Julián Is a Mermaid

  Love, Jessica

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  The beautiful picture tells the story of Julián, a young boy who wants to walk in the Coney Island Mermaid Parade. The book is a fabulous example of the joy that comes from helping people embrace their inner mermaid.

• Looking for Alaska

  Green, John, 1977-,

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  This award-winning young adult novel is told from the perspective of Miles, who moves to Alabama to attend a boarding school. His close friend group is shattered when a tragedy occurs. It is often recommended to young readers for its honest…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Nineteen Minutes

  Picoult, Jodi, 1966-

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  This book by best-selling author Jodi Picoult is about a mass school shooting in a small town in New Hampshire. Picoult says the book has provided many youth, especially bullied ones, the feeling that someone understands them. Picoult said that,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Of Mice and Men

  Steinbeck, John, 1902-1968,

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  Steinbeck's 1937 novella—about migrant ranch hands George and Lennie trying to find work during the Great Depression—has been critically lauded since it was first released and has remained heralded as a great literary work. The book is known for…Read moreRead more of this annotation