Our Teen Advisory Group recently got a sneak peek at NYPL’s 2018 summer reading lists for middle school and high school, and browsed through copies of the books. Here are their thoughts on six titles that stood out for them.

The V-Word edited by Amber J. Keyser

"This book is answering a lot of my questions! It says that your virginity is a state of being. We’re told that your virginity is something you’re supposed to keep, but it’s just something you go through in life. So it gives me another view of virginity." 

"It gives very different perspectives from people who lost their virginity in different ways. Some were happy about it and some regretted it. This book gives you the knowledge of other people’s experience and the chance to be less ignorant about virginity."
 

Burn Baby Burn by Meg Medina

"It’s the same author as Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass? I LOVE that book! It takes place during the summer of a huge blackout in NYC, the same summer that a killer called the Son of Sam was on the loose."
 

Dear Yvette by Ni-Ni Simone

"There’s not a usual way of speaking in this book. You can actually, like, hear the voice in your head. It has its own unique voice. It uses slang and it’s very popular. I like the boombox on the cover!"

Dating and Sex: A Guide For the 21st Century Teen Boy by Andrew P. Smiler

"Teenagers would LOVE reading this book, for entertainment or for education. It’s basically a guide for the dos and don’ts of teenage life. Like, when you’re preparing to ask someone out, you should plan. And you should talk in private, just in case you don’t get the best response. Practicing would always help, so you won’t make a scene with your reaction, if they say no or if they say yes."

The Backstagers Vol 1: Rebels Without Applause by James Tynion IV & Rian Sygh

"It’s very colorful and very attractive. It attracts my eyes! It has amazing visuals and drawings. It’s a graphic novel with a manga look to it, about kids who work backstage at a theater. I would definitely recommend this book to teenagers who like funny and colorful books."

Drama by Raina Telgemeier

"This graphic novel has good illustrations and a good storyline. It’s about a girl named Callie who is working on a play called Moon Over Mississippi. Meanwhile, she has boy drama!"

Looking for more awesome books to read this summer? Stop by your local library and discover even more titles, and browse through our summer reading list to see which books you'd like to try!