Thank you for recognizing the gap and offering suggested books for young teens. We welcome younger YA books, especially murder mysteries, horror &humor! sites.prh.com/pyrmiddlesch... @penguinschoollib.bsky.social @penguinteen.bsky.social #youngteenlit #yalit #tlsky @penguinrandomhouse.bsky.social

I think a big reason that middle grade is struggling is that it tries, often unsuccessfully, to meet the needs of too wide an age range. Let’s let middle grade be unabashedly for 8-12 year olds and give us #youngteenlit for our 12-15 year olds #tlsky #mglit

Taylor Swift + middle school books — once you start making the connections you just can’t stop #youngteenlit #taylorswift #tlsky #middleschoollibrary

Good news!

Nonfiction roundup: Beautiful moving story about the immigrant experience. Read it to kids of all ages to build empathy, read it with language learners and they will feel seen. This should have won all the awards #tlsky #kidlit #hmong #immigration @kaokaliayang.bsky.social @lernerbooks.bsky.social

Nonfiction roundup: What is Color is a favorite of 2024. This dive into color is like nothing I’ve ever read—jam packed with art and fun facts and snarky jokes. It’s like Robin Williams wrote a book about art #youngteenlit #mglit #tlsky #booksky #nonfiction @stevendraws.bsky.social

For your mature 14-16 yr olds: PROMISE BOYS and UP IN SMOKE by Nick Brooks. Short chapters, multiple voices. Page-turning whodunits with 16 yr olds trying to prove a friend's innocence in the death of their principal (PB)/a woman at a BLM rally (UiS). CW👇 #youngteenlit @henryholtbooks.bsky.social

Nonfiction roundup: 3 outstanding #nonfiction picture books from 2024. Spectacular writing and illustrations, respectful of kids, unique storytelling #tlsky #booksky @authorjasonchin.bsky.social @lesliebarnardbooth.bsky.social @simonkids.bsky.social

Nonfiction roundup: compelling account of the Mt St Helens eruption backed by so much research. Great example of #nonfiction for young teens—fast-paced, death & destruction + survival & scientific advancement (cover=young but text is #youngteenlit) #booksky @rebeccaefbarone.bsky.social #mglit

Nonfiction roundup: this book sounds silly, but it documents an incredible connection between the first airplane flight and current exploration on Mars. History, STEM, science & a great read aloud! #tlchat #nonfiction #booksky @littlebrown.bsky.social @littlebrownyr.bsky.social

Nonfiction roundup: I loved One Long Line by @loreegriffinburns.bsky.social Who knew that marching caterpillars could be so compelling? It’s really about how science builds on past knowledge. K-6 libraries should absolutely buy it #tlsky #nonfiction #booksky #mglit @candlewickpress.bsky.social

I learned so much from Power to the Parasites by Chelsea Wood. Underneath its funny tone, there’s a lot of great science that kids will love. Gross and fascinating! #mglit #tlsky #booksky @henryholtbooks.bsky.social

Nonfiction roundup: Radar and the Raft by Jeff Lantos is a gripping survival story. It’s also about scientific achievement, but I was there for learning how the Bell family survived a torpedo by a German U-boat. Highly recommended for teens #tlsky #youngteenlit #booksky @charlesbridge.bsky.social

Nonfiction roundup: if you haven’t read The Enigma Girls by Candace Fleming, go read it now. It’s an incredible World War II story about teenage girls in Britain who helped win the war by cracking codes. It’s a well-told story backed by fastidious research #youngteenlit #nonfiction #tlsky #booksky

Nonfiction roundup: The Girl Who Sang: A Holocaust Memoir of Hope and Survival is a real gem. I’m recommending this book to everyone I know from middle school on up. Don’t miss this unforgettable graphic novel #tlsky #nonfiction #youngteenlit @melaniekoss.bsky.social

Nonfiction roundup: Let’s Learn to Fish by Dan Armitage is an excellent how-to book for young readers. It’s hard to find fishing books for school libraries and this one is awesome for kids up through 6th grade! Gorgeous color photos throughout #tlsky #kidlit #mglit #nonfiction @balibra76.bsky.social

Nonfiction roundup: Urban Coyotes by Mary Kay Carson from the Scientists in the Field series gave me a fascinating look at how coyotes survive in big cities & why they are actually good to have around. Fascinating for adults as well as kids! #tlsky #mglit #nonfiction @clarionbooks.bsky.social

Summer reading round up: loved this book’s emphasis on choice and reading for pleasure and can’t wait to use the Book Head Heart questions with my middle school book clubs. Thank you @amybrownlee93.bsky.social for your post teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2025/05/01/h... #tlsky #schoollibrarians #bookjoy

Don’t miss this important conversation with #itstimeforyoungteenlit founding #librarians of @youngteenlit.bsky.social #youngteenlit

@overbooked.bsky.social and I share how we started the Young Teen Lit movement in this podcast episode with @slupodcast.bsky.social. Tune in to learn how you can find #youngteenlit books and how you can support our movement. #itstimeforyoungteenlit #skybrarians #tlsky #skybrarian #mglit #yalit

Honored to be back on the podcast, this time with @overbooked.bsky.social to talk about our advocacy for #youngteenlit. 12-15 year olds deserve books, too! #itstimeforyoungteenlit #tlsky #skybrarians

I have an old-school book blog where I have been writing about middle school books for YEARS. Lots of #youngteenlit here. Catching up on new books this week. Yes, I probably need a new home for this content (suggestions welcome), but this does help me remember what I've read #tlsky bit.ly/3IGvOcl

The News Literacy Project is an essential resource for schools and libraries ❤️ I especially love their "Daily Do Now" slide deck with news literacy mini lessons updated every week--easy to slip something into every library lesson and book talk that I do all year long bit.ly/46pCKnX #tlsky

Excellent food for thought as we start a new school year--touching on one of my favorite aspects of being a school librarian. "How can we help the students whose gifts are not served by traditional academic coursework feel seen and thrive?" #tlsky

Can’t wait to share a conversation with @youngteenlit.bsky.social founders and #schoollibrarians @medialoguer.bsky.social and @overbooked.bsky.social #episode 330 Friday, July 25!!! #tlsky #tlskchat

#youngteenlit #itstimeforyoungteenlit #itstimeforyoungteenbooks #middleschool #teacherlibrarians

Read Jennifer’s post about how all the YA books are about 17-20 year olds! Publishers we are desperate for books featuring younger teens. We are super grumpy too. Please please help us out! #youngteenlit

My July 4th weekend reading—a new book by @halseanderson.bsky.social is reason to celebrate #youngteenlit

Excited to meet the author and illustrator of Brownstone @samuelteer.bsky.social and @marjulia.bsky.social at #alaac25 Thanks for writing about a 14 year old! #youngteenlit #tlsky

It’s hard to find books that have 14-15 year old protagonists, and here’s one about a 14-year-old—Thanks Dusti Bowling! #youngteenlit #alaac25 @unionsquarekids.bsky.social #itstimeforyoungteenlit

Pinch me! Can’t believe I ran into two of the absolute icons of #youngteenlit at #alaac25 #tlsky Thank you Laurie Halse Anderson and Neal Shusterman for writing some of the finest books ever written for teens

At #alaac25 looking for #youngteenlit Especially looking for books about 14-15 year olds—here’s one that looks great for teens! It’s a graphic novel sports memoir by Amar Shah @amarshah.bsky.social

So true—kids struggle with long texts—anything that makes a book easier to read is a big plus for young teens #youngteenlit

Need a fun game to play while you're traveling for ALA Annual or waiting in line or an author signing or event at #ALAAC25? Download and play our ALA Connections game! penguinschoollibrary.com/ALAConnections

Finalizing Summer PD. A few new ones have been added from the last time I posted. If you are interested please do sign up by Friday :) Oh and it is completely FREE. Check them all out by clicking HERE Excited to connect with educators during the summer! It is the best :)

I'm a huge fan of her Life As We Knew It series--it has been a hit with middle schoolers for many years. We could use more books like hers--good to know more about her and her work #youngteenlit #tlsky #middleschoollibrarians

The SLJ Summit is a great event--hoping we can talk about #youngteenlit @slj.com #tlskychat #tlsky

Definitely recommending this to my middle schoolers!

Books build empathy, and this genre-bender goes deep into the experience of transgender teens as they face off against actual demons bent on destroying them. It's an action-dystopian-horror-fantasy that's steeped in Jewish mythology, and it's totally #youngteenlit @kylelukoff.bsky.social #tlsky

Thanks Amanda! It’s definitely time for #youngteenlit

Yes!

#youngteenlit presentation today at 11:10 at #glmasi25 12-15 year-olds need books! @overbooked.bsky.social @glma-inc.bsky.social

We need books with mass appeal—See #6 here teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2025/06/09/m... #youngteenlit

I have a first period class of 20 7th and 8th graders that are my library Leaders

I love this list—some surprises here. I read Red Kayak YEARS ago—a blast from the past! #youngteenlit

Middle school librarians, please share your stats! #TLsky

When I take out the top circulating graphic novels, 10 of my 20 top titles are Wimpy Kids. The other 10 are a variety of genres/authors, including Alan Gratz, Jenny Han, Holly Jackson, Victoria Aveyard, J.L. Esplin, David Levithan, and Lamar Giles. Common thread: Romance, action, and mystery

19 of my top 20 checkouts are graphic novels (no surprise to me). Good Girl, Bad Blood (murder mystery) the only novel that broke through. Grade 6-8 Title I middle school with 1,000 students. Annual circulation 17,879 books #youngteenlit

Not surprising. How many more things must they take away from kids, from educators, from critical thinkers before congress says enough? #tlsky

Don't miss this #youngteenlit sci fi book by Ireland's Children's Literature Laureate. 14-year-old Aria is sent to earth with her dad to eradicate humanity. But Aria finds out humans aren't inferior as she was led to believe, and by eliminating humans she may be about to kill herself! #mglit #tlsky