Kelly Yang, author of the renowned
Front Desk series of middle-grade novels, has a new fiction book for teens on the way to library shelves.
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Private Label by Kelly Yang
Serene dreams of making couture dresses even more stunning than her mom’s, but for now she’s an intern at her mom’s fashion label. When her mom receives a sudden diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, all of that changes. Serene has to take over her mother’s business overnight while trying to figure out what happened with her dad in Beijing. He left before she was born, and Serene wants to find him, even if it means going against her mom’s one request: never look back. Lian Chen moved from China to Serene’s mostly white Southern California beach town a year ago. He doesn’t fit in at school, where kids mispronounce his name. His parents don’t care about what he wants to do—comedy—and push him toward going to MIT engineering early. Lian thinks there’s nothing to stick around for until one day he starts a Chinese Club after school… and Serene walks in.
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Emiko Jean’s
Tokyo Dreaming, the highly anticipated sequel to Reese’s Book Club YA pick
Tokyo Ever After, is already racking up a wait list ahead of its release. If you fall in love with that book, make sure to give one of these readalikes a try.
What’s New This Month
In addition to the books above, new titles are incoming from authors like Candace Iloh, H.E. Edgmon, Lyla Lee, Brigid Kemmerer, Kat Cho, Katharine McGee, and more.
What We’re Reading
Here are some quotes from library staff about the books in the newest list of recommended picks:
The Croaking: At First Flight by Megan Gray: “It’s got espionage! It’s got queer romance! It’s got a trio of ragtag friends with huge personalities, and antagonists that keep you on your toes.”
Himawari House by Harmony Becker: “Three young adults converge in a boarding home for students looking to find their way into adulthood. I love the celebration of friendship.”
For more lists of recommended reads from the book world and beyond, check these out: