YA Fiction

A former sci-fi nerd becomes the latest test subject of a terrifying technology she thought existed only on television. When Megan meets LC at a coffee shop, the girls (both Black) develop a friendship almost instantly. Fast forward a few weeks, to LC persuading Megan to take molly at a party. Megan wakes up on the lawn a few hours later—in LC’s body.

In 1914, 18-year-old Clara Ketterling-Dunbar (white) is the only female (and American) member of a crew of 28 on board the British ship Resolute when it sinks in Antarctic waters, leaving everyone alive but stranded on ice floes.

Teenage Ánte loves his life in a small northern Swedish town. His Sámi family herds reindeer, although they’re no longer nomadic. Indeed, he’s living a settled, 21st-century life, going to high school, texting with friends, engaging (or not) on social media. Ánte has no desire to go anywhere but wonders if he’ll be able to stay: He doesn’t know anyone else who is gay.

Iranian American Omid lives with his family in Tucson, Arizona, in 2001. At the private high school he attends, Omid is shy and lacks confidence. But he hits it off with new student Emily (white) and the two convince each other to try out for the school play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Honor Lo, 15 (Chinese American/white) grew up in the spotlight thanks to a reality TV show about her family. Although the show ended a few years ago, her parents and two older sisters continue to seek the spotlight and monetize their fame.

Tre Brun is entering his sophomore year of high school on the Red Lake Ojibwe reservation in Minnesota.

Celine Bangura and Bradley Graeme, Afro-British teens living in Nottingham, are former best friends who fell out in early adolescence.

Brothers Jay and Max, 11 months apart … live with their mother, who is Bribri (Indigenous Costa Rican), and their physically abusive white dad. The two live on high alert, and because their dad is much less likely to hurt their mom if one of them is around, they make sure she’s alone with him as little as possible.

Marisol’s mom died following a car accident that happened after she and Marisol had a huge fight. Marisol, 16, blames herself and has been out of control ever since, fixated on her failures as a daughter, especially how she and her mom (Filipina) always fought and how she didn’t say goodbye to her mom as she lay dying at the hospital.

A well-rounded anthology of loosely connected short stories explores the excitement, trepidation, and (sometimes literal) magic of first-year orientation at fictional Rolland College.