My library button
  • Book cover of Luna (National Book Award Finalist)

    A groundbreaking novel about a transgender teen, selected as a National Book Award Finalist. Regan's brother Liam can't stand the person he is during the day. Like the moon from whom Liam has chosen his female name, his true self, Luna, only reveals herself at night. In the secrecy of his basement bedroom, Liam transforms into the beautiful girl he longs to be, with help from his sister's clothes and makeup. Now, everything is about to change: Luna is preparing to emerge from her cocoon. But are Liam's family and friends ready to welcome Luna into their lives? Compelling and thought-provoking, this is an unforgettable novel about a transgender teen's struggle for self-identity and acceptance.

  • Book cover of By the Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead

    A significant book about one girl's struggle with suicide, from National Book Award finalist Julie Anne Peters. Daelyn is fifteen years old, and in her mind she is a failure. She tried slitting her wrists, and she was rescued. She tried swallowing chemicals, and after burning through her esophagus enough to lose the ability to speak, she was rescued. But this time will be different. As readers see Daelyn's touching friendship with a quirky seventeen-year-old boy develop and her newfound willingness to share all of the pain she has held inside of her, they may just see a glimmer of hope. Will Daelyn see it though? Raw and heartfelt, this is an inside look into the mind of a teen who has lost the will to fight and the parents that will do anything they can to help her survive. Still, there are some things that even loving parents can't protect you from—yourself. Please note that due to the sensitive nature of the material in this book, we will be providing back matter from key experts. We hope that this book will help to open a dialogue about this increasingly prevalent issue.

  • Book cover of Luna

    With the help of his sister, Liam secretly transforms himself into a girl when evening falls, but although he wants to present his female persona to the world, he fears the reaction of the rest of his family.

  • Book cover of Keeping You a Secret

    A National Book Award finalist presents a YA love story between two teen girls—and how one of them copes with bullying and rejection when she comes out. An ALA Stonewall Award Honor BookA Lambda Literary Award FinalistA New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age Selection With a steady boyfriend, the position of Student Council President, and a chance to go to an Ivy League college, high school life is just fine for Holland Jaeger. At least, it seems to be. But when Cece Goddard comes to school, everything changes. Cece and Holland have undeniable feelings for each other, but how will others react to their developing relationship? This moving love story is for fans of Nancy Garden's classic young adult coming out novel, Annie on My Mind. With her characteristic humor and breezy style, Peters has captured the compelling emotions of young love. "These are likable young women; readers will warm to their situation and cheer Holland's breaking free." — The Bulletin "Holland's experiences will inform readers who are also discovering their sexual identity. Gay or straight, they'll identify with the excitement that accompanies that first love affair." — Kirkus Reviews "Captivating. . . . Not just a gay love story, this book transcends barriers, allowing readers of all persuasions to revel in its universal truths. . . . Anyone who has ever fallen in love will recognize themselves." — VOYA

  • Book cover of Define "Normal"

    What you see isn't always what you get in this funny and heart-wrenching story about two girls from different crowds who find common ground, by National Book Award finalist Julie Anne Peters. Antonia is a "nerd," and Jazz is a "punk." Antonia belongs to the math club; Jazz hangs out at the tattoo parlor. Antonia's parents are divorced and her mother suffers from depression. Jazz is from a wealthy, traditional family. But when these two very different girls find themselves facing each other in a peer-counseling program, they discover they have some surprising things in common. With both humor and heart, this absorbing read will keep readers thinking and laughing.

  • Book cover of Far from Xanadu

    In a small Kansas town, sixteen-year-old Mary-Elizabeth "Mike" Szabo tries to come to terms with her father's suicide and her own homosexuality.

  • Book cover of Rage: A Love Story

    A National Book Award Finalist offers an intense portrait of an abusive relationship. Johanna is steadfast, patient, reliable; the go-to girl, the one everyone can count on. But always being there for others can’t give Johanna everything she needs—it can’t give her Reeve Hartt. Reeve is fierce, beautiful, wounded, elusive; a flame that draws Johanna’s fluttering moth. Johanna is determined to get her, against all advice, and to help her, against all reason. But love isn’t always reasonable, right? In the precarious place where attraction and need collide, a teenager experiences the dark side of a first love, and struggles to find her way into a new light.

  • Book cover of grl2grl

    An enthralling short story collection that delves into the lives and loves of queer teenage girls, by National Book Award finalist Julie Anne Peters. In this honest, emotionally captivating short story collection, renowned author and National Book Award finalist Julie Anne Peters offers a stunning portrayal of young women as they navigate the hurdles of relationships and sexual identity. From the young lesbian taking her first steps toward coming out to the two strangers who lock eyes across a crowded train, from the transgender teen longing for a sense of self to the girl whose abusive father has turned her to stone, Peters is the master of creating characters whose own vulnerability resonates with readers and stays with them long after the last page is turned. Grl2grl shows the rawness of teenage emotion as young girls become women and begin to discover the intricacies of love, dating, and sexuality.

  • Book cover of Lies My Girlfriend Told Me

    National Book Award finalist Julie Anne Peters returns with a compelling novel about relationships, trust, romance, and loss—with a suspenseful twist. When Alix's charismatic girlfriend, Swanee, dies from sudden cardiac arrest, Alix is overcome with despair. As she searches Swanee's room for mementos of their relationship, she finds Swanee's cell phone, pinging with dozens of texts sent from a mysterious contact, L.T. The most recent text reads: "Please tell me what I did. Please, Swan. Te amo. I love you." Shocked and betrayed, Alix learns that Swanee has been leading a double life—secretly dating a girl named Liana the entire time she's been with Alix. Alix texts Liana from Swanee's phone, pretending to be Swanee in order to gather information before finally meeting face-to-face to break the news. Brought together by Swanee's lies, Alix and Liana become closer than they thought possible. But Alix is still hiding the truth from Liana. Alix knows what it feels like to be lied to—but will coming clean to Liana mean losing her, too?

  • Book cover of It's Our Prom (So Deal With It)

    In this funny and heartfelt novel from National Book Award finalist Julie Anne Peters, planning an alternative prom might not be as simple as it seems—especially when secret crushes are involved. When Azure's principal gives her the chance to turn the school's traditional (and boring) senior prom into an event that will appeal to everyone, not just the jocks and cheerleaders, she jumps at the opportunity. Soon Azure manages to convince her best friends, Luke and Radhika, to join the prom committee as well. Facing heavy opposition and admittedly clueless about prom logistics, the three friends are nonetheless determined to succeed—if Luke's and Azure's secret crushes on Radhika don't push the committee members, and their friendships, to the breaking point first. Told in two voices and filled with comical missed connections, It's Our Prom (So Deal With It) explores the ups and downs of planning an alternative prom—while dealing with an unrequited crush on your best friend—and shines with Peters's unmistakable wit and insight.