Farmingdale Library Teens

  Romance is in the air when it comes to young adult books, and there are some extremely exciting titles coming up and readily available on shelves that are sure to make you swoon. Not only are these novels full of romance and relatable lessons, but they also feature a diverse cast of characters navigating love and life, which will keep you interested as you turn the pages. In the vein of  The Sun is Also a Star  by Nicola Yoon or one of my favorites,  Don’t Date Rosa Santos  by Nina Moreno (her next book is featured on this list!), these novels also explore different cultures, friendship and family values. See below for my top three diverse YA romances, two available now and one upcoming, that you must add to your TBR as soon as possible.           Aurora Lydia Dominguez   May 21, 2021 MADE IN KOREA  BY SARAH SUK (MAY 18) In this adorable novel, main character Valerie Kwon loves making a good sale with her cousin Charlie. The two run V&C K-BEAUTY, their school’s successful student

  Middle grade books do a lot of work. They get kids into a habit of reading, explore the many nuanced facets of the human experience, and explain hard things in delicate ways. Middle grade books about mental health manage to do all those things while also showing that no one is alone in any of their struggles. They’re powerful and essential books, regardless of the reader’s age. Below, we offer some suggestions that deal with alcoholism, anxiety, attempted suicide, bullying, child sexual abuse, depression, grief, internalized racism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic attacks, and schizophrenia Ashley Holstrom   May 27, 2021 THE SHAPE OF THUNDER  BY JASMINE WARGA Cora and Quinn are best friends, but they haven’t spoken in a year. Cora’s wading through the grief of losing her sister in a school shooting. Quinn’s carrying the guilt of what her brother did. On Cora’s 12th birthday, Quinn decides that the only way to fix things is to go back in time to the moment before the shooting, so

FOR MIDDLE GRADE READERS (RECOMMENDED FOR AGES 8+): WHEN STARS ARE SCATTERED  BY VICTORIA JAMIESON AND OMAR MOHAMED Fans of  Roller Girl  and  All’s Faire in Middle School   will recognize Victoria Jamieson’s beautiful illustrations and clever writing. In this graphic novel collaboration, Victoria tells the story of Syrian refugee Omar Mohamed. As a child, Omar and his brother were separated from their family and grew up alone in a refugee camp in Syria. This book joins the many wonderful books written about refugees (the middle grade book  A Long Walk to Water  and the picture book  Lubna and Pebble  are two of my favorites) yet adds something new to the conversation by chronicling Omar’s day-to-day life in the camp and his determination to take care of his brother and get an education. A must read! BECOMING RGB: RUTH BADER GINSBERG’S JOURNEY TO JUSTICE  BY DEBBIE LEVY AND WHITNEY GARDNER Not many Supreme Court justices can say that they have a nickname, but Ruth Bader Ginsberg is not