Staff Picks
Celebrate Jewish Heritage Month With These Teen Titles
- Ashley S.
- Friday, May 03
Collection
Celebrate Jewish Heritage Month with these amazing titles!
It's a Whole Spiel
Love, Latkes, and Other Jewish Stories
Published in 2019
"From stories of confronting their relationships with Judaism to rom-coms with a side of bagels and lox, It's a Whole Spiel features one story after another that says yes, we are Jewish, but we are also queer, and disabled, and creative, and political, and adventurous, and anything we want to be"-- Provided by publisher.
Salt and Honey
Jewish Teens on Feminism, Creativity, & Tradition
Published in 2022
"This collection of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and art explores what it means to be a Jewish young woman today"-- Provided by publisher.
Cool for the Summer
Published in 2021
Larissa Bogdan was supposed to spend her summer babysitting and bookselling. Instead, she tagged along with her mom to the Outer Banks, working on her tan and making new friends. Now she's back and starting her senior year at Stratford High, only to face another unexpected turn: She's finally attracted the attention of superstar quarterback Chase Harding, the guy she's crushed on since middle school. Then Jasmine Killary shows up. Jasmine, who's supposed to be in North Carolina, not the New York City suburbs. Jasmine, who immediately entices Stratford's student body with her glitterig beauty and casual-cool style. Jasmine, who gave Larissa the three most perfect months of her life. But now Jasmine's keeping her distance, not even acknoledging their friendship, much less the hot summer nights they spent together. Larissa knows she should be glad to bury their secret, but she also knows she never felt more comfortable, more confident, more herself than when she was with Jasmine. What was supposed to be a playful fling became something much deeper than she ever could have imagined. If Larissa's finally got the guy, why can't she stop thinking about the girl?
Going Bicoastal
Published in 2023
Told in alternating timelines, Jewish seventeen-year-old Natalya spends one summer in New York with her dad, trying to muster the courage to talk to her girl crush, and the other in Los Angeles with her estranged mom, going for a guy she never saw coming.
Kate in Waiting
Published in 2021
Best friends Kate Garfield and Anderson Walker share a love of theater and crushes on the same guys, but when one of their long-distance crushes shows up at their school, real feelings might end their friendship.
Eight Dates and Nights
Published in 2023
New Yorker Hannah Levin is allergic to horses and tinsel. Unfortunately, she’s surrounded by both when she’s snowed in at her grandmother’s home in a small Texas town. Missing latkes and reliable Wi-Fi, Hannah wanders into an old deli where she meets the only other Jewish teen around: Noah, who happens to be equal parts adorable and full of annoying, over the top festival of lights spirit that he’s determined to share with Hannah, one Hanukkah sweater at a time. As days pass, Hannah begins to wonder if there's more to Hanukkah than she thought. -- adapted from back cover
How to Excavate a Heart
Published in 2022
Snowy weather and fish fossils help bring together two Jewish college freshmen spending winter break in Washington, D.C.
The Blood Years
Published in 2023
From Michael L. Printz honoree & National Book Award finalist Elana K. Arnold comes the harrowing story of a young girl's struggle to survive the Holocaust in Romania. Frederieke Teitler and her older sister, Astra, live in a house, in a city, in a world divided. Their father ran out on them when Rieke was only six, leaving their mother a wreck and their grandfather as their only stable family. He's done his best to provide for them and shield them from antisemitism, but now, seven years later, being a Jew has become increasingly dangerous, even in their beloved home of Czernowitz, long considered a safe haven for Jewish people. And when Astra falls in love and starts pulling away from her, Rieke wonders if there's anything in her life she can count on-and, if so, if she has the power to hold on to it.Then-war breaks out in Europe.First the Russians, then the Germans, invade Czernowitz. Almost overnight, Rieke and Astra's world changes, and every day becomes a struggle: to keep their grandfather's business, to keep their home, to keep their lives. Rieke has long known that she exists in a world defined by those who have power and those who do not, and as those powers close in around her, she must decide whether holding on to her life might mean letting go of everything that has ever mattered to her-and if that's a choice she will even have the chance to make. Based on the true experiences of her grandmother's childhood in Holocaust-era Romania, award-winning author Elana K. Arnold weaves an unforgettable tale of love and loss in the darkest days of the twentieth century-and one young woman's will to survive them.
The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen
Published in 2022
"Hoodie Rosen's life isn't that bad. Sure, his entire Orthodox Jewish community has just picked up and moved to the quiet, mostly non-Jewish town of Tregaron, but Hoodie's world hasn't changed that much. He's got basketball to play, studies to avoid, and a supermarket full of delicious kosher snacks to eat. The people of Tregaron aren't happy that so many Orthodox Jews are moving in at once, but that's not Hoodie's problem. That is, until he meets and falls for Anna-Marie Diaz-O'Leary - who happens to be the daughter of the obstinate mayor trying to keep Hoodie's community out of the town. And things only get more complicated when Tregaron is struck by a series of antisemitic crimes that quickly escalate to deadly violence. As his community turns on him for siding with the enemy, Hoodie finds himself caught between his first love and the only world he's ever known".-- Publisher's description.
Alma Presses Play
Published in 2021
"Alma's life is a constant of halfways: She's half-Chinese, half-Jewish; her parents spend half the time fighting, and the other half silent; and, at thirteen, she's halfway through becoming a woman. Then comes the year when everything changes, and her life is overtaken by constant endings: friends move away, romances bloom and wither, her parents file for divorce, and just like that her childhood seems to be over. Among this world of confusing beginnings, middles, and endings, could there be a roadmap for Alma to truly find herself?"--OCLC.
Color Me in
A Novel
Published in 2019
Fifteen-year-old Nevaeh Levitz is torn between two worlds, passing for white while living in Harlem, being called Jewish while attending her mother's Baptist church, and experiencing first love while watching her parents' marriage crumble.
As if on Cue
Published in 2021
It seems that aspiring playwright Natalie and musician Reid have been in competition all their young lives, but when they are forced to compete for scarce school budget dollars they embark on an all-out prank war which backfires; now they are forced to cooperate, pool their talents and ambitions to produce a school musical--and not only is cooperation an unfamiliar role, but they are suddenly starting to have feelings for each other.
Finally Fitz
Published in 2024
Heartbroken after her breakup with her girlfriend Dani, bisexual Fitz hatches a plan with childhood friend Levi to fake an online romance to make their exes jealous, which leads to unexpected real feelings as they navigate the complexities of love, friendship, and authenticity.
When the Angels Left the Old Country
Published in 2022
"Uriel the angel and Little Ash (short for Ashmedai) are the only two supernatural creatures in their shtetl (which is so tiny, it doesn't have a name other than Shetl). The angel and the demon have been studying together for centuries, but pogroms and the search for a new life have drawn all the young people from their village to America. When one of those young people, Essie, goes missing. Uriel and Little Ash set off to find her. Along the way the angel and demon encounter humans in need of their help, including Rose Cohen, whose best friend (and the love of her life) has abandoned her to marry a man, and Malke Shulman, whose father died mysteriously on his way to America. But there are obstacles ahead of them as difficult as what they've left behind. Medical exams (and demons) at Ellis Island. Corrupt officials, cruel mob bosses, murderers, poverty. The streets are far from paved with gold. With cinematic sweep and tender observation, Sacha Lamb presents a totally original drama about individual purpose, the fluid nature of identity, and the power of love to change and endure."-- Provided by publisher.
Wide Awake Now
Published in 2024
"A gay Jewish man has just been elected president of the United States--or so it seems, until the governor of Kansas decides that some election results in his state are invalid and awards crucial votes to the other candidate, his fellow party member. Things quickly go very wrong--and hundreds of thousands of people flock to Kansas to protest for what they believe is right and just. Among them are Jimmy and Duncan, teens who are not only fighting for the future of their country but for the future of their relationship, too"--Provided by publisher.
Some Kind of Hate
Published in 2022
When freshman Declan Taylor hurts his pitching arm he becomes mad at the world, soon getting caught up with a group of white supremacists and turning against his Jewish former friend, Jake--but when things turn violent Declan must figure out what he actually stands for.
This Rebel Heart
Published in 2022
Csilla has felt protected by the Duna river her entire life, and especially during the Holocaust of World War II, but that magic seems to have broken when Communists took control of Hungary. When her parents are killed by the secret police, Csilla's deep feelings of betrayal and disconnection cause her to plan her escape from her unrecognizable homeland. They are posthumously exonerated, however, sparking a series of protests that make her reconsider whether she can leave it all behind.
Continuum
Published in 2021
Offers advice and insight into cultivating self-acceptance and supporting inclusivity through the experiences of Chella Man, a deaf, transgender, and Jewish artist, activist, and actor.
Sick Kids in Love
Published in 2019
"Isabel has one rule: no dating. It's easier-it's safer-it's better-for the other person. She's got issues. She's got secrets. She's got rheumatoid arthritis. But then she meets another sick kid. He's got a chronic illness Isabel's never heard of, something she can't even pronounce. He understands what it means to be sick. He understands her more than her healthy friends. He understands her more than her own father, who's a doctor. He's gorgeous, fun, and foul-mouthed. And totally into her. Isabel has one rule: no dating. It's complicated-it's dangerous-it's never felt better-to consider breaking that rule for him."
Once More with Chutzpah
Published in 2022
Anxious eighteen-year-old Tally and her twin Max set off on a whirlwind high school exchange trip to Israel where she grapples with her Jewish identity, mental health, and sexuality.
The City Beautiful
Published in 2021
"Death lurks around every corner in this unforgettable Jewish historical fantasy about a city, a boy, and the shadows of the past that bind them both together. Chicago, 1893. For Alter Rosen, this is the land of opportunity, and he dreams of the day he'll have enough money to bring his mother and sisters to America, freeing them from the oppression they face in his native Romania. But when Alter's best friend, Yakov, becomes the latest victim in a long line of murdered Jewish boys, his dream begins to slip away. While the rest of the city is busy celebrating the World's Fair, Alter is now living a nightmare: possessed by Yakov's dybbuk, he is plunged into a world of corruption and deceit, and thrown back into the arms of a dangerous boy from his past. A boy who means more to Alter than anyone knows. Now, with only days to spare until the dybbuk takes over Alter's body completely, the two boys must race to track down the killer--before the killer claims them next." -- Amazon.com.
Eight Nights of Flirting
Published in 2022
Sixteen-year-old Shira is on a mission to find the perfect boyfriend over Hanukkah, but after getting snowed in on Nantucket with her nemesis-slash-former-crush her plans begin to go off the rails.
The Ghosts of Rose Hill
Published in 2022
"Sent to stay with her aunt in Prague and witness the humble life of an artist, Ilana Lopez-a biracial Jewish girl-finds herself torn between her dream of becoming a violinist and her immigrant parents' desire for her to pursue a more stable career. When she discovers a forgotten Jewish cemetery behind her aunt's cottage, she meets the ghost of a kindhearted boy named Benjamin, who died over a century ago. As Ilana restores Benjamin's grave, he introduces her to the enchanted side of Prague, where ghosts walk the streets and their kisses have warmth. But Benjamin isn't the only one interested in Ilana. Rudolph Wassermann, a man with no shadow, has become fascinated with her and the music she plays. He offers to share his magic, so Ilana can be with Benjamin and pursue her passion for violin. But after Ilana discovers the truth about Wassermann and how Benjamin became bound to the city, she resolves to save the boy she loves, even if it means losing him-forever."--Front jacket flap.
Emmett
Published in 2023
Seventeen-year-old self-absorbed Emmett navigates love and relationships in this queer retelling of Emma.
The Way Back
Published in 2020
A historical fantasy that follows Eastern European teens Yehuda and Bluma on a journey through the Far Country, the Jewish land of the dead.
Miss You Love You Hate You Bye
Published in 2020
Best friends almost since birth, Zoe and Hank navigate the shifting boundaries of their relationships during high school as one of them struggles with an eating disorder.
Those Summer Nights
Published in 2022
After recovering from a soccer injury that ended her Olympic dreams and still grieving the death of her beloved grandmother, seventeen-year-old Hannah Klein must navigate a new summer job working with her ex-best friend, her younger brother, and her brother's suddenly-attractive best friend.
See You Yesterday
Published in 2022
After reliving the same day for months, eighteen-year-old Barrett reluctantly teams up with her nemesis Miles to escape the time loop, and soon finds herself falling for him, but what she does not know is what they will mean to each other if they finally make it to tomorrow.
One Last Shot
Published in 2023
"Tells the story of Gerda Taro, a headstrong photojournalist with a passion for capturing the truth amid political turmoil and the first woman photojournalist killed in combat"-- Provided by publisher.