Popular North American Young Adult Books

Find young adult books written by authors from North America for the next part of the Read Around The World Challenge. (83)

11.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz EN

Rating: 5 (2 votes)
Description:
Fifteen-year-old Ari Mendoza is an angry loner with a brother in prison, but when he meets Dante and they become friends, Ari starts to ask questions about himself, his parents, and his family that he has never asked before.

12.

Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World by Benjamin Alire Saenz EN

Rating: 4 (1 vote)
Description:
High school seniors Aristotle and Dante find ways to spend time together despite being at different schools, having to keep their love secret, and nightly news of gay men dying from AIDS.

13.

Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarez EN

Rating: 4 (2 votes)
Description:
In the early 1960s in the Dominican Republic, twelve-year-old Anita learns that her family is involved in the underground movement to end the bloody rule of the dictator, General Trujillo.

14.

Beka Lamb : by Zee Edgell EN

Rating: 3 (2 votes)
Description:
Subtle yet rich descriptions of culture, society, and family life in Belize adorn Zee Edgell’s beautifully narrated story of a short time in the life of 14-year-old Beka Lamb. Through flashbacks, points on politics and independence are animated, since the political struggles for independence in Belize reflect Beka’s own developing maturity and need to assert herself. Two main features of this heartwarming story are Beka’s penchant for lying and her relationship with her older friend Troycie, whose troubling choices lead her down a self-destructive path. The pride of winning an essay contest at... continue

15.

Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger EN

Rating: 4 (8 votes)
Description:
In an effort to escape the hypocrisies of life at his boarding school, sixteen-year-old Holden Caulfield seeks refuge in New York City.

16.

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo EN

Rating: 4 (3 votes)
Description:
Camino Rios lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic. But this time, on the day when his plane is supposed to land, Camino arrives at the airport to see crowds of crying people... In New York City, Yahaira Rios is called to the principal's office, where her mother is waiting to tell her that her father, her hero, has died in a plane crash. Separated by distance -- and Papi's secrets -- the two girls are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever altered. And then, when it seems like they've lost everything of their f... continue

17.

Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Jean Webster EN

Rating: 4 (1 vote)
Description:
Jean Webster (pseudonym for Alice Jane Chandler Webster, July 24, 1876 - June 11, 1916) was an American writer . Her best-known books feature lively and likeable young female protagonists who come of age intellectually, morally, and socially, but with enough humor, snappy dialogue, and gently biting social commentary to make her books palatable and enjoyable to contemporary readers.

18.

Dark Dude by Oscar Hijuelos EN

0 Ratings
Country: North America / Cuba flag Cuba
Description:
He didn't say good-bye. He didn't leave a phone number. And he didn't plan on coming back - ever. In Wisconsin, Rico could blend in. His light hair and lighter skin wouldn't make him the "dark dude" or the punching bag for the whole neighborhood. The Midwest is the land of milk and honey, but for Rico Fuentes, it's really a last resort. Trading Harlem for Wisconsin, though, means giving up on a big part of his identity. And when Rico no longer has to prove that he's Latino, he almost stops being one. Except he can never have an ordinary white kid's life, because there are some things that can'... continue


20.

Don’t Know Tough by Eli Cranor EN

Rating: 4 (1 vote)
Description:
WINNER OF THE EDGAR AWARD WINNER OF THE PETER LOVESEY FIRST CRIME NOVEL CONTEST Friday Night Lights gone dark with Southern Gothic; Eli Cranor delivers a powerful noir that will appeal to fans of Wiley Cash and Megan Abbott. In Denton, Arkansas, the fate of the high school football team rests on the shoulders of Billy Lowe, a volatile but talented running back. Billy comes from an extremely troubled home: a trailer park where he is terrorized by his mother’s abusive boyfriend. Billy takes out his anger on the field, but when his savagery crosses a line, he faces suspension. Without Billy Lowe,... continue