Teens

  • Bisexuality Visibility Day Picks

    Bisexuality Visibility Day Picks

    Bisexuality Visibility Day, celebrated annually on September 23, is a chance to bring awareness to bi people around the world. A diverse and vast community, bi authors create works to educate, entertain, and acknowledge the existence and experiences of this identity. Here are some recent titles to check out! In Robin Gow’s Ode to My First… Continue reading

  • Banned Books for Teens

    Banned Books for Teens

    Unfortunately for us all, more and more books for teens are being challenged in schools and libraries all across the nation. Here are some of the most popular banned and challenged titles, taken from our Books Unbanned project list. In The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta, it seems Mike doesn’t fit in anywhere, or with anyone,… Continue reading

  • Jewish Reads for the High Holidays

    As we move into the High Holiday season, with Rosh Hashanah starting on September 15 and Yom Kippur on September 24, why not try a new book by a Jewish author? These represent many different experiences of Judaism, with some identifying strongly with the religion, others with the culture, and there are as many ways… Continue reading

  • Read with Isaac from Heartstopper, Season 2!

    Read with Isaac from Heartstopper, Season 2!

    Have you had a chance to watch Heartstopper, Season 2? The tender, heartwarming coming-of-age screen adaptation of Alice Oseman’s graphic novel series has captured the hearts of fans of all ages, and perhaps no character is as dear to librarians as the ever-reading Isaac. Here is a sampling of the many books Isaac is seen… Continue reading

  • Teen Summer Reads 2023, Part Two

    Teen Summer Reads 2023, Part Two

    Our teen librarians had a lot of suggestions for casual summer reading, so we made another list! Teen Summer Reads, Part Two. In Becky Albertalli’s romance Imogen, Obviously, Imogen has always been the token straight girl, the best ally ever. When she visits her childhood best friend Lili at college, Lili reveals that she told… Continue reading

  • Teen Summer Reads, Part One

    Teen Summer Reads, Part One

    We asked our Teen Librarians what they’re reading, loving, and promoting this spring as excellent summer reads for teens, and they gave us these titles: Teen Summer Reads, Part One In Alex Aster’s Lightlark, the island of Lightlark appears every hundred years to host the Centennial, a battle between the rulers of the six realms… Continue reading

  • Teen Pride, June 2023

    Teen Pride, June 2023

    Every June is a month for LGBTQIA+ Pride, and this year is no different. Enjoy these newer teen titles with pride! In How to Excavate a Heart by Jake Maia Arlow, Shani finds herself stuck over winter break with May, a girl she almost ran over. Can the two girls spend the holidays together and… Continue reading

  • On Your Bookmark: Summer Book Bingo Starts Today

    On Your Bookmark: Summer Book Bingo Starts Today

    Grab a stack of books, a friend and start reading — Seattle’s favorite summer reading contest is on! The Seattle Public Library and Seattle Arts & Lectures just launched this year’s Summer Book Bingo, which encourages people to read for pleasure and to talk about books with friends, coworkers and neighbors. Need a refresher? Book… Continue reading

  • Fiction Medley for Teens

    May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, Jewish American Heritage Month, and Mental Health Awareness month. Here are some great teen novels celebrating and exploring these identities and experiences. In The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen by Isaac Blum, Hoodie’s somewhat limited life in the Orthodox Jewish quarter isn’t so bad until he meets and… Continue reading

  • Taking a Stand for the Right to Read with Books Unbanned

    If you’ve followed the news about the unprecedented increase in book bans and challenges nationwide, you’ll be happy to know that The Seattle Public Library is doing something about it. On April 29, we announced that we are joining Brooklyn Public Library to offer a free Books Unbanned e-card for teens and young adults (ages… Continue reading

  • Poetry for Teens

    For National Poetry Month, here are fifteen books of teen-centered poetry, all as novels in verse. See these titles in our catalog. In Kwame Alexander’s The Door of No Return, Kofi’s peaceful life in Upper Kwanta is changed forever when his older brother wrestles – and accidentally kills – a boy from Lower Kwanta. As… Continue reading

  • Teens in Sports

    If you love sports, whether it’s watching or playing, you’ll love these fantastic new novels involving teens playing their favorite games. Check these out also for a dose of romance and social justice. In Kneel by Candace Buford, Marion and Rus are hassled by their white adversaries at the football game, insults and fists fly,… Continue reading

  • Teens in Love

    February is a great time to find new love, and new books to love.  Here are some fantastic new teen titles focusing on teen romance. In Blackout, six fabulous Black authors weave a romance in six different parts, all beginning with a citywide blackout. In the free-verse novel Only on the Weekends by Dean Atta,… Continue reading

  • The Central Library Expands Hours, and 20-Plus Things to Do There

    The Central Library Expands Hours, and 20-Plus Things to Do There

    Tourists stop by all the time, but when was the last time you visited The Seattle Public Library’s internationally acclaimed downtown location? If it’s been a while, we have good news: Starting Wednesday, Jan. 18, the Central Library will be open two nights a week until 8 p.m. (with the exception of the Faye G.… Continue reading

  • What Seattle Read in 2022: Teen Edition

    What are the teenagers checking out these days? We were curious, so as a follow-up to our post on The Seattle Public Library’s most popular books for adults in 2022, we’ve compiled the top-circulated 10 fiction and nonfiction books for teen audiences. It’s a diverse, fascinating list, ranging from award-winning graphic novels to an Ojibwe… Continue reading

  • Gothic Teen Reads

    Gothic Teen Reads

    Gothic horror has always been one of my favorite genres. Even through the holidays, I find myself turning to the gothic for a fun escape. I love the unsettling atmosphere, the haunted houses, the ghosts, and the element of mystery woven throughout the story. Here are some of my recent teen gothic-horror favorites: Watch Over… Continue reading

  • Teen Staff Faves 2022

    Each year, we ask library staff around the system for their favorite books published that year.  Here are this year’s teen titles. In The Charmed List by Julie Abe, Ellie and Jack, two teens with magical abilities, are forced to go on a road trip as punishment for a prank gone wrong. Along the way,… Continue reading

  • Native American Books for Teens and Young Adults

    In celebration of Native American Heritage month, we’re featuring titles written for teens by Native American and First Nations authors. Some of these are realistic, some are fantasy, and some take the form of memoirs. In Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley, science-oriented Daunis uses her Ojibwe knowledge of plants, medicine, and chemistry to help her… Continue reading