The Best Young Adult Books of 2024

When Calvin and his parents move from Chicago to the Levittown suburbs in Pennsylvania, he’s torn between leaving his culture and older brother behind in the black neighborhoods and assimilating into the all-white neighborhood. Meeting and falling for the new black girl in his town doesn’t help as he finds himself caught up in organizing to get more Black teens into his school. But things quickly turn dangerous for him and his friends as loyalties are tested across the board. The Color of the Lie is a propulsive YA coming-of-age historical fiction/thriller that examines racial passing in the 1950s. 

Set in the year 2460, this dystopian romance follows a memory merchant and the rookie police officer set on her tail in hyper-capitalist Boston. With phenomenal worldbuilding, swoony romance, and plenty to think about in terms of valuing community and presence over capitalism, this is a fantastic pick for your dystopia (and romance) fans ages 12 and up. (Some mild language.)

When two sisters camp in the woods for their class sleepover and only one comes out alive with no memory of what happened to her sister, all eyes are on her. It doesn’t help that her friends are suddenly acting weird toward her, and no one seems trustworthy. As law enforcement investigates and the surviving sister digs through her memories for the truth, the reveal is shocking. Silent Sister is a twisty, suspenseful young adult mystery for fans of stories with an unreliable narrator. 

Follow four generations of Filipino men from 1930 to 2020 in Ribay’s riveting YA novel. In 1930, Francisco is a field worker who becomes a labor organizer in California. His son Emil is focused on studying his way out of poverty and distancing himself from his Filipino heritage, believing that gaining an education will make him accepted in America. Emil is frustrated when, in the 80s, his son Chris, rediscovers Filipino culture and history and doesn’t follow the career paths he dreamt of. Jump to 2020, and Chris’s father moves in with his family during the pandemic. Through daily walks, Emil, Chris, and Enzo find their way back to each other. This moving story melds historical fiction with a contemporary storyline, shedding light on the history of Filipino-Americans while highlighting the challenges some teens may face in their relationships with their parents. Really liked this, despite several F-word uses. Recommended for readers ages 13+

This YA novel is set in a dystopian world where every part of the earth is living with frigid temperatures except for Snowglobe–akin to The Capitol in the Hunger Games. While residents of all the other settlements work hard to generate resources for Snowglobe, its inhabitants live life under the camera lens, their lives fodder for reality TV and controlled by prestigious directors. When the star of one of the most popular shows dies, another girl outside Snowglobe who resembles her eerily is recruited to take her place, opening a can of worms about the unethical misuse of power in Snowglobe. Snowglobe is a twisty dystopian thriller for fans of The Hunger Games series that expertly combines elements of a thriller, dystopian fiction, and a mystery subplot while also meditating on privacy, ethics, and reality television. Profanity is limited to 1-2 uses of the sh– word.

When two art-loving teens meet at an annual camp and spend an entire night exploring together, they make a pack to return every year–but there’s a catch. They can’t contact each other throughout the year until they meet again. Florence has a degenerative eye condition, and Jude’s anxiety and his parents’ divorce aren’t letting him give his best to his art, but together, these two find their place in the world. This swoony, gorgeously written romance is written in dialogue and verse and is absolutely stunning on audio. One of my favorite YA books this year! Ages 13+ (some language).

I just adored this new young adult novel about high schooler Aisha, who nudged by the writing prompt of her college admission essay, decides to change her life by stepping outside her comfort zone. Her manifesto includes many bucket list items but mostly revolves around Brian Wu, the boy she’s loved since childhood. The earnest voice, longing, and complete relatability in this novel make it a winner in my book — not to mention the sweetest love interest! Hand to fans of To All the Boys and fans of YA with awkward, messy, and ambitious female leads. Ages 12+ (some mild language).