On January 29, 2017, the Library was thrilled to host Young Adult authors Libba Bray and David Levithan for a panel discussion. School librarian, blogger, and reviewer Jennifer Hubert Swan served as our moderator and guided lively and engaging dialogue between the two luminaries. The audience loved the banter between the authors and moderator and was eager to add their own questions and comments. You can read more about the event in the original blog post.

During the event an audience member inquired about recent books the panel would recommend, and we are pleased to report that the Library has them all! Please read on to learn more about their particular recommendations.

Libba Bray recommended The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma, a story about three girls and the dark secret they hide, and Daniel Jose Older’s Shadowshaper, the first book in a Brooklyn-set, action-packed magical series with a Caribbean flair. 

David Levithan began by mentioning a title from the adult shelves: My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout. Interestingly enough, this was the Library’s own Most Popular Read of the Year. However, he also gave a YA shout-out to the Printz honor title, The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon, a swoon-worthy romance with a conscience, as it occurs on the cusp of a character’s deportation.

Jennifer Hubert Swan said she enjoyed the authentic writing and 1970s setting of Meg Medina’s Burn Baby Burn, which takes place in New York City during the Summer of Sam.also gave a YA shout-out to the Printz honor title, The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon, a swoon-worthy romance with a conscience, as it occurs on the cusp of a character’s deportation.

These are just a few of the stellar titles you will find on our Young Adult-High School shelves. The bulk of the collection is located in the back of Stack 9, but we have recently secured a spot for our newest additions in the Lobby. We also have a growing collection of YA e-books to choose from. Please browse our shelves and in the cloud for your next great YA read!