This children's novel centers around Ivan, a captive gorilla who lives in a shopping mall, spending his days on display for the public and his nights conversing with his animal friends, including an elderly elephant named Stella and a stray dog named Bob. Ivan's routine existence is upended with the arrival of Ruby, a young elephant taken from the wild, prompting him to see his environment through new eyes. Inspired by Ruby's plight and Stella's passing wish, Ivan taps into his long-dormant creativity and empathy to hatch a plan to give Ruby a better life, leading to a poignant journey of friendship, art, and the quest for a place to call home.

The book centers around a high school junior named Simon who is not openly gay and prefers to save his drama for the school musical. However, when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now, Simon is being blackmailed, and he must step out of his comfort zone before he's outed against his will or worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he's been emailing, will be compromised. As he navigates through friendship, blackmail, and the prospect of love, Simon must find a way to be true to himself while also trying to decode the identity of the anonymous classmate he has fallen for online.

The novel centers around a teenage girl who has spent her entire life confined to her home due to a rare disease that makes her allergic to virtually everything. Her world is small and meticulously controlled until a new family moves in next door, and she begins a complicated romance with the teenage boy who becomes her window to the outside world. As their relationship deepens, she becomes willing to risk everything to experience life and love, leading to revelations that will change her understanding of the illness that has defined her existence. The story is a poignant exploration of the desire for connection and the lengths we go to for the people we care about.

The book centers around a plus-sized teenager who, despite societal expectations, has always been confident in her own skin. Her self-assuredness is challenged when she develops a crush on a private school boy and her former beauty queen mother's pageant season rolls around. In an act of defiance and to prove a point about being comfortable in one's own body, she decides to enter the local beauty pageant, sparking a small revolution in her Texas town. Along the way, she confronts her own insecurities, makes new friends who challenge the status quo, and embarks on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment.

The book is a young adult romance that explores themes of fate, love, and the interconnectedness of lives. It follows Natasha, a Jamaican-American girl who is trying to prevent her family's deportation from the United States, and Daniel, a Korean-American boy who is struggling with his parents' expectations for him to become a doctor. Over the course of a single day in New York City, their paths cross in a serendipitous encounter, leading them to spend the day together. As they share their dreams, fears, and stories, they develop a deep connection that challenges their beliefs about destiny and the power of their choices amidst the ticking clock of Natasha's impending deportation.

The novel centers around a teenage boy who is grappling with the grief of his boyfriend's suicide and the turmoil of high school life, while also dealing with the extraordinary burden of being periodically abducted by aliens. These extraterrestrials have given him the monumental task of deciding whether to save humanity by pressing a button. As he navigates his relationships with his family, potential new love interests, and bullies, he must weigh the suffering and beauty of the world to determine if it's worth saving, all while questioning the implications of his choice and the value of existence itself.

The book tells the story of a young boy named Castle Cranshaw, who is trying to escape his troubled past. He discovers his talent for sprinting when he joins a local track team. The coach becomes a mentor to him, and his teammates become his friends. As he trains for the Junior Olympics, he learns about discipline, teamwork, and dealing with his past. The book tackles themes of trauma, redemption, and the power of sports.

The novel follows the story of a young Haitian girl who immigrates to Detroit, Michigan, with the hope of a new life and the American Dream, only to be confronted with the harsh realities of immigration and the struggles of adapting to life in America. Upon arrival, she is forced to live with her American cousins and navigate a world of culture clash, while dealing with the absence of her mother, who is detained by immigration authorities. The protagonist grapples with the challenges of fitting in, understanding her identity, and facing the gritty truths of her new neighborhood, all while holding onto her dreams and the spirit of her Haitian heritage.

The book follows the story of a bright African American teen who, after experiencing a traumatic encounter with racial profiling and police brutality, seeks guidance through a series of journal entries addressed to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As he navigates the complexities of contemporary race relations, he attempts to understand what it means to live as a black man in today's America, striving to hold onto Dr. King's teachings amidst the pressures and prejudices of modern society. His journey is one of self-discovery, social critique, and the search for identity within a world still grappling with the deep-seated issues of racial inequality.

The book is a heartwarming tale of two Indian-American teenagers whose parents conspire to arrange their marriage. Dimple Shah, who has her sights set on a career in web development, is less than thrilled when she meets Rishi Patel, a hopeless romantic who respects his heritage and relishes the idea of an arranged marriage. Their initial encounter is anything but auspicious, but as they navigate a summer program for aspiring web developers, their shared culture and experiences draw them closer. Through a series of humorous and touching moments, the story explores themes of identity, family expectations, and personal dreams, ultimately examining whether two seemingly incompatible individuals can find love on their own terms.

The novel is a poignant exploration of friendship, memory, and loss, set against the backdrop of 1970s Brooklyn. It follows the coming-of-age story of August, an African American girl who, along with her friends Sylvia, Angela, and Gigi, navigates the complexities of adolescence, the harsh realities of their neighborhood, and the unyielding bonds of friendship. As August looks back on her youth from her adult years, the narrative weaves a tapestry of her past experiences, capturing the joy, vulnerability, and resilience of young black girls growing up in a world that often fails to protect them.

The book centers around a high school senior of Korean-American descent who struggles with the expectations of his traditional parents and his own Southern California upbringing. Caught between his parents' desire for him to date a Korean girl and his own romantic interest in a non-Korean classmate, he embarks on a fake relationship with a family friend facing similar pressures. This arrangement, meant to appease their parents, leads to a complex journey of self-discovery, as he navigates the challenges of identity, love, and friendship in a multicultural landscape.

Set against the backdrop of the 1980s AIDS crisis in New York City, the novel is a poignant tale of friendship, love, and activism. It follows the lives of three teenagers: an Iranian boy grappling with his sexual identity, a girl with aspirations of becoming a fashion designer, and a gay teen living with HIV. Together, they navigate the complexities of growing up and the harsh realities of the epidemic, finding solace and strength in their bond. As they become involved in the fight for justice and acceptance, the story beautifully captures the era's fear and prejudice, as well as the courage and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community.

"The House in the Cerulean Sea" is a heartwarming and enchanting tale about Linus Baker, a caseworker at the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, who is sent on a special assignment to a remote island orphanage. There, he meets a group of extraordinary children, including a gnome, a sprite, and a were-Pomeranian, and their charming caretaker, Arthur Parnassus. As Linus gets to know the children and Arthur, he begins to question the strict rules and regulations he has always followed and learns the true meaning of love, acceptance, and family. This book is a celebration of diversity, kindness, and the power of friendship.

The novel follows the life of a 39-year-old single, childfree woman living in New York City who is dealing with the societal pressures and expectations of adulthood. Her journey is marked by her struggle to find happiness and fulfillment in her own terms, despite her unconventional lifestyle. The protagonist grapples with her relationships, career, and the looming presence of her family's tragedies, all while trying to understand what it truly means to be "all grown up".

The novel follows the journey of Felix Love, a transgender teen grappling with identity and the desire for love. Despite his name, Felix has never been in love and fears that his marginalization as a Black, queer, and transgender individual makes him one too many steps removed from the happily-ever-after he craves. His quest for self-discovery and acceptance takes a turn when he begins receiving transphobic messages after someone publicly posts his deadname and pre-transition photos at school. In a bid to get revenge, Felix lands in a complicated love triangle, but the experience leads him down a path of introspection, challenging his perceptions of relationships and what it means to love himself fully.

The book follows the story of Liz Lighty, a high school senior who feels out of place in her small, prom-obsessed Midwestern town. With dreams of attending a prestigious college and becoming a doctor, Liz's plans are derailed when her financial aid falls through. In a desperate bid to secure a scholarship, she enters the race for prom queen, a competition steeped in tradition and popularity contests that she has always despised. As Liz navigates the cutthroat world of high school politics, she also embarks on a journey of self-discovery, finding new friendships, embracing her identity, and experiencing her first love, all while challenging the norms of her community and learning to shine as her authentic self.

"Red, White & Royal Blue: A Novel" is a heartwarming and humorous story about the unexpected romance between Alex, the First Son of the United States, and Henry, the Prince of Wales. After a public altercation, they are forced to fake a friendship for the sake of international diplomacy. However, as they spend more time together, their fake friendship turns into a genuine connection, leading them to question their own identities, their responsibilities, and the true meaning of love. This delightful and captivating novel explores themes of self-discovery, acceptance, and the power of love to overcome societal expectations.

"The Vanishing Half" by Brit Bennett is a novel that tells the story of twin sisters, Desiree and Stella, who grow up in a small, southern black community in the 1950s and 60s. After running away from home at the age of 16, Stella decides to pass as white and marries a wealthy white man, while Desiree returns to their hometown with her dark-skinned daughter. The novel explores themes of identity, race, family, and the consequences of choices made in the past. As the sisters' lives diverge, their daughters' paths cross, and secrets are revealed, ultimately leading to a powerful and emotional conclusion.

"One Crazy Summer" is a heartwarming and poignant story set in the 1960s, following the journey of three sisters who travel to Oakland, California to spend the summer with their estranged mother. The girls find themselves immersed in the Black Panther movement and discover the harsh realities of racial inequality and social injustice. Through their experiences, they learn about love, resilience, and the importance of family.

The book is a captivating fantasy novel that weaves a tale of a young woman from a quiet village, chosen by a mysterious and powerful wizard to live with him in his tower, away from her home. As she learns about her own latent magical abilities and the malevolent force of the corrupted Wood that threatens her world, she must navigate a complex relationship with her enigmatic mentor and ally herself with the kingdom's prince to save her people. Drawing on Eastern European folklore, the story is a rich tapestry of magic, politics, and the struggle between tradition and change, ultimately exploring themes of identity, friendship, and the courage to fight for one's home.

The book is a heartwarming and thought-provoking story about a young boy with a facial difference who, after being homeschooled for years, enters fifth grade at a mainstream school. The narrative explores his journey of facing the challenges of being different, dealing with bullying and the struggle to be accepted by his peers. It's a tale of empathy, resilience, and the importance of kindness, told through multiple perspectives that include the boy's own viewpoint as well as those of his classmates, family members, and others in his community. The story encourages readers to look beyond appearances and find the wonder in everyone's uniqueness.

This novel delves into the life of a teenager grappling with obsessive-compulsive disorder as she embarks on a journey to solve a mystery involving a fugitive billionaire. The story is as much about the complexities of friendship, love, and coming-of-age as it is about the protagonist's internal struggles with her mental health. Through her eyes, readers are offered a deep, nuanced understanding of living with mental illness, all while navigating the challenges of adolescence. The narrative combines elements of mystery, romance, and a profound exploration of the human condition, making it a compelling read for young adults and adults alike.

This novel explores the profound bond between a woman and her deceased friend's Great Dane, which she unexpectedly inherits. Set against the backdrop of the literary world, the narrative delves into themes of grief, companionship, and the healing power of the human-animal connection. As the protagonist grapples with her loss and the challenges of caring for a massive, grieving pet in a small apartment, the story unfolds into a poignant meditation on love, loss, and the ways in which creatures, both human and animal, can help us cope with and transcend our sorrows. Through this unique relationship, the novel examines the complexities of friendship, memory, and the impact of death on the living.

"Lumberjanes" is a graphic novel that follows a group of five diverse and adventurous girls at a summer camp, who stumble upon supernatural creatures and mysterious happenings in the nearby forest. As they work together to uncover the secrets of the camp, they also navigate themes of friendship, bravery, and self-discovery. With its charming illustrations and empowering narrative, "Lumberjanes" is a delightful and captivating read for all ages.