We pick some of our favourite books for teens and young adults that are coming out in 2023, and scan prestigious book prizes - such as the Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature. We will keep adding to the list throughout the year.
Our list of new books in popular series also contains plenty of great books for teens, and you can also browse our full selection of books for teens.
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Part of our best books of 2023 series.
The Girl Who Broke the Sea
by A. Connors
Recently expelled from school, 16 year old Lily accompanies her scientist mother to the research station of an experimental deep sea mining rig. As Lily tries to come to terms with her claustrophobic and isolated new home, it turns out the head scientist has disappeared. More unsettling still, Lily senses a creature reaching out to her from the depths. Lily already has difficulty connecting who she is on the inside with the person she presents to others. When a bioluminescent euglenoid with vast microbial intelligence starts to use her as the interface for its first experience of the outside world, what are the consequences? Exciting sci-fi thriller from an author with a PhD in physics.
The Bones of Birka: Unraveling the Mystery of a Female Viking Warrior
by C. M. Surrisi
This nonfiction book tells the story of an exciting and hugely significant Viking find on the Swedish island of Björkö in 1878. Based on the position and contents of the 10th century grave (which included two horses, silk clothing, and a full complement of weapons) it was assumed to be that of an important warrior. The Bones of Birka goes on to detail the intriguing discovery (through osteology and genomic testing) that the occupant of the grave was biologically female. Intended for teens, this is an accessible read for anyone interested in archaeology or Viking history. This book also does an excellent job of demonstrating the need to examine our assumptions and ask the right questions to avoid research bias.
Broken Hearts and Zombie Parts
by William Hussey
Jesse has a few weeks to go before major heart surgery. He has just a couple of items on his to-do list before then: fall in love, and shoot an epic zombie film on a shoestring budget. What could possibly go wrong? A warmhearted story subtitled ‘A Big Gay Rom-Zom-Com’, this novel also has a serious message about the corrosiveness of our ideas about an “ideal” body image.
Victory. Stand! Raising My Fist for Justice
Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes, Dawud Anyabwile (illustrator)
***Winner 2023 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults***
This is a powerful graphic memoir, propelled by the great combination of a compelling story and dynamic illustrations by an award-winning artist. At the 1968 Olympics, Tommie Smith – having just broken the 200 metre sprint world record – and bronze medal winner John Carlos, raised their fists in an iconic gesture against the injustice inflicted on African Americans. This graphic novel tells the story of that race and the incredible determination it took to win, with flashbacks to Tommie Smith’s childhood. The Olympic medallists’ decision to use their platform to take a stand had severe consequences (including death threats) and still resonates today.
When the Angels Left the Old Country
by Sacha Lamb
***2023 Stonewall Young Adult Book Award Winner***
***2023 Michael L. Printz Honor Book (for Young Adult Literature)***
In a small shtetl in Poland in the early 20th century, an angel and a demon are studying the Talmud together. With opposing roles in the cosmic order but an intimate personal relationship, they embark on a quest to find out what happened to a local girl who has gone missing on the way to the USA. On the journey they meet Rose, whose best friend – the love of her life – has abandoned her to marry a man. An engaging novel with elements of Yiddish literature and folklore and concerned with early 20th century Ashkenazi immigration history, it is also about queer love and the fluid nature of identity, and about what is good and what is wicked.
All My Rage
Sabaa Tahir, narrated by Deepti Gupta, Kamran R. Khan and Kausar Mohammed
***Winner 2023 Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature***
***2022 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature (USA)***
“Of the three different characters, two are best friends who are in a difficult spot with each other. And the third is the mother, whose voice is telling her story in the past leading up to the present. It gets into some heavier topics, where the three of them are facing a lot of hardship. At the same time, there are beautiful relationships that you’re discovering. While there’s a lot of anger and grief, there’s also a lot of joy that’s found.” Read more...
The Best Audiobooks for Kids of 2022
Emily Connelly, Journalist
Icebreaker
by A. L. Graziadei
***2023 Michael L. Printz Honor Book (for Young Adult Literature)***
This is a sport rivalry-to-romance novel which touches on several important themes. Mickey is a 17 year old ice hockey player whose father and grandfather have gone down in North American ice hockey history. High expectations don’t help Mickey with his anxiety or depression, nor does it make it easy for him to come out as bisexual. Jaysen resents Mickey’s privileged position and is a fierce competitor for the NHL’s top draft spot. At the same time, the two young players are teammates who need to learn to work together. As their relationship develops, they must decide what really matters, and what they are willing to risk.
Queer Ducks (and Other Animals): The Natural World of Animal Sexuality
by Eliot Schrefer & Jules Zuckerberg (illustrator)
***2023 Michael L. Printz Honor Book (for Young Adult Literature)***
This is an engaging and accessible non-fiction book about queer behaviours observed throughout the animal kingdom. Structured with chapters on different animal species and Q&A with scientists, it highlights how biases impact our understanding of the world, and that the idea that same-sex sexual behaviour is “unnatural” needs to be put to rest.
Seen and Unseen: What Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake, and Ansel Adams’s Photographs Reveal about the Japanese American Incarceration
by Elizabeth Partridge & Lauren Tamaki (illustrator)
***2023 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal***
***BolognaRagazzi Award: Photography – 2023 Special Category***
After the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, over 125,000 Japanese and Japanese Americans were incarcerated in camps. Three photographers set out to document life at the Manzanar concentration camp in the California desert. This book vividly brings history to life by weaving the photos together with atmospheric illustrations and simple text. Given the different styles of the photographs, this book is also a brilliant resource for teaching children to think about and evaluate primary sources.
Ages 10-14
Shuna's Journey
by Hayao Miyazaki & translated by Alex Dudok de Wit
Shuna’s Journey – published in 1983, before the launch of Studio Ghibli – is finally available in English. There are seeds of themes and characters which fans will recognise from more famous later works, and similarities with Nausicaä in particular. But Shuna’s Journey is unique, a stand-alone graphic novel based on a Tibetan folk tale called The Prince Who Turned into a Dog. Shuna travels through a breathtaking variety of landscapes and the watercolour art makes it a visual feast. Much of the scenery is inspired by Tibet but there are also ocean and primeval forest. The traditional folk tale is about the people’s gratitude towards barley, their staple crop; Miyazaki envelops it in a narrative about slavery and people consumed by greed and estranged from nature.
