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by Geoffrey Chaucer
MoreScore: 2 white cis-female undisclosed adventure realistic women priests politicians 586 pages
Chaucer uses the tales and descriptions of its characters to paint an ironic and critical portrait of English society at the time, and particularly of the Church. Chaucer's use of such a wide range of classes and types of people was without precedent in English. Although the characters are fictional, they still offer a variety of insights into customs and practices of the time.
by Geoffrey Chaucer
MoreScore: 2 white cis-female undisclosed adventure realistic women priests politicians 586 pages
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by Faridah Àbíké Íyímídé
MoreScore: 5 non-white cis female non-straight adventure thriller private school black racism 432 pages
Gossip Girl meets Get Out. Devon Richards and Chiamaka Adebayo, are selected to be part of the elite school’s senior class prefects, it looks like their year is off to an amazing start. After all, not only does it look great on college applications, but it officially puts each of them in the running for valedictorian. Shortly after the announcement is made, though, someone who goes by Aces begins using anonymous text messages to reveal secrets about the two of them that turn their lives upside down. Can Devon and Chiamaka stop Aces before things become deadly?
by Faridah Àbíké Íyímídé
MoreScore: 5 non-white cis female non-straight adventure thriller private school black racism 432 pages
Gossip Girl meets Get Out. Devon Richards and Chiamaka Adebayo, are selected to be part of the elite school’s senior class prefects, it looks like their year is off to an amazing start. After all, not only does it look great on college applications, but it officially puts each of them in the running for valedictorian. Shortly after the announcement is made, though, someone who goes by Aces begins using anonymous text messages to reveal secrets about the two of them that turn their lives upside down. Can Devon and Chiamaka stop Aces before things become deadly?
by Gabby Rivera
Featured Book MoreScore: 5 non-white cis-female non-straight adventure science fiction Superheros Latina Lesbians 136 pages
She was a Young Avenger. She leads the Ultimates. Now she officially claims her place as the preeminent butt-kicker of the entire Marvel Universe! But what's a super-powered teenager to do when she's looking for a little personal fulfillment? She goes to college! America just has to stop an inter-dimensional monster or two first.
by Gabby Rivera
Featured Book MoreScore: 5 non-white cis-female non-straight adventure science fiction Superheros Latina Lesbians 136 pages
She was a Young Avenger. She leads the Ultimates. Now she officially claims her place as the preeminent butt-kicker of the entire Marvel Universe! But what's a super-powered teenager to do when she's looking for a little personal fulfillment? She goes to college! America just has to stop an inter-dimensional monster or two first.
by Jacqueline Koyanagi
MoreScore: 5 non-white cis-female non-straight adventure science fiction Space Engineers Lesbians 334 pages
Alana Quick is the best damned sky surgeon in Heliodor City, but repairing starship engines barely pays the bills. When the desperate crew of a cargo vessel stops by her shipyard looking for her spiritually-advanced sister Nova, Alana stows away. Maybe her boldness will land her a long-term gig on the crew. But the Tangled Axon proves to be more than star-watching and plasma coils. The chief engineer thinks he's a wolf. The pilot fades in and out of existence. The captain is all blond hair, boots, and ego... and Alana can't keep her eyes off her.
by Jacqueline Koyanagi
MoreScore: 5 non-white cis-female non-straight adventure science fiction Space Engineers Lesbians 334 pages
Alana Quick is the best damned sky surgeon in Heliodor City, but repairing starship engines barely pays the bills. When the desperate crew of a cargo vessel stops by her shipyard looking for her spiritually-advanced sister Nova, Alana stows away. Maybe her boldness will land her a long-term gig on the crew. But the Tangled Axon proves to be more than star-watching and plasma coils. The chief engineer thinks he's a wolf. The pilot fades in and out of existence. The captain is all blond hair, boots, and ego... and Alana can't keep her eyes off her.
by La Shonda Katrice Barnett
Featured Book MoreScore: 5 non-white cis-female non-straight adventure historical Race Riots African American Journalism 336 pages
Ivoe Williams, the precocious daughter of a Muslim cook and a metalsmith, ignites her lifelong obsession for journalism when she steals a newspaper from her mother’s white employer. Her family eventually flees the Jim Crow South with her family and settles in Kansas City. Eventually, she and her lover, Ona, found the first female-run African American newspaper, Jam! On the Vine.
by La Shonda Katrice Barnett
Featured Book MoreScore: 5 non-white cis-female non-straight adventure historical Race Riots African American Journalism 336 pages
Ivoe Williams, the precocious daughter of a Muslim cook and a metalsmith, ignites her lifelong obsession for journalism when she steals a newspaper from her mother’s white employer. Her family eventually flees the Jim Crow South with her family and settles in Kansas City. Eventually, she and her lover, Ona, found the first female-run African American newspaper, Jam! On the Vine.
by Ian Mc Donald
MoreScore: 5 non-white non-binary undisclosed adventure science fiction India Politics Artificial Intelligence 463 pages
As Mother India approaches her centenary, nine people are going about their business — a gangster, a cop, his wife, a politician, a stand-up comic, a set designer, a journalist, a scientist, and a dropout. And so is Aj — the waif, the mind-reader, the prophet — when she one day finds a man who wants to stay hidden. In the next few weeks, they will all be swept together to decide the fate of the nation. River of Gods teems with the life of a country choked with peoples and cultures — one and a half billion people, twelve semi-independent nations, nine million gods.
by Ian Mc Donald
MoreScore: 5 non-white non-binary undisclosed adventure science fiction India Politics Artificial Intelligence 463 pages
As Mother India approaches her centenary, nine people are going about their business — a gangster, a cop, his wife, a politician, a stand-up comic, a set designer, a journalist, a scientist, and a dropout. And so is Aj — the waif, the mind-reader, the prophet — when she one day finds a man who wants to stay hidden. In the next few weeks, they will all be swept together to decide the fate of the nation. River of Gods teems with the life of a country choked with peoples and cultures — one and a half billion people, twelve semi-independent nations, nine million gods.
by Leigh Bardugo
MoreScore: 5 non-white cis-female non-straight adventure fantasy Heists Criminal Crews Thieves 242 pages Lexile: HL790L
Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price–and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone. A convict with a thirst for revenge. A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager. A runaway with a privileged past. A spy known as the Wraith. A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums. A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes. Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist.
by Leigh Bardugo
MoreScore: 5 non-white cis-female non-straight adventure fantasy Heists Criminal Crews Thieves 242 pages Lexile: HL790L
Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price–and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone. A convict with a thirst for revenge. A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager. A runaway with a privileged past. A spy known as the Wraith. A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums. A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes. Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist.
by Octavia Butler
Featured Book MoreScore: 5 non-white cis-female non-straight adventure fantasy shape-shifting colonial america slavery 288 pages
Anyanwu the immortal African shape-shifter and Doro the immortal African soul-stealer each work to protect those with supernatural gifts in this alternative history of slavery and America. While they share the same goals, they are often in conflict over each other's methods. Yet, as the only immortals they need each other to survive the hope and loneliness of an eternity of living.
by Octavia Butler
Featured Book MoreScore: 5 non-white cis-female non-straight adventure fantasy shape-shifting colonial america slavery 288 pages
Anyanwu the immortal African shape-shifter and Doro the immortal African soul-stealer each work to protect those with supernatural gifts in this alternative history of slavery and America. While they share the same goals, they are often in conflict over each other's methods. Yet, as the only immortals they need each other to survive the hope and loneliness of an eternity of living.
by Nnedi Okorafor
MoreScore: 4 non-white cis-female undisclosed adventure fantasy Nigeria Albinos Magic 496 pages Lexile: HL690L
A year ago, Sunny Nwazue, an American-born girl Nigerian girl, was inducted into the secret Leopard Society. As she began to develop her magical powers, Sunny learned that she had been chosen to lead a dangerous mission. Sunny is studying with her mentor Sugar Cream and struggling to unlock the secrets in her strange Nsibidi book.
by Nnedi Okorafor
MoreScore: 4 non-white cis-female undisclosed adventure fantasy Nigeria Albinos Magic 496 pages Lexile: HL690L
A year ago, Sunny Nwazue, an American-born girl Nigerian girl, was inducted into the secret Leopard Society. As she began to develop her magical powers, Sunny learned that she had been chosen to lead a dangerous mission. Sunny is studying with her mentor Sugar Cream and struggling to unlock the secrets in her strange Nsibidi book.
by Ann Leckie
MoreScore: 4 undisclosed non-binary undisclosed adventure science fiction Space Artificial Intelligence Revenge 432 pages
On a remote, icy planet, the soldier known as Breq is drawing closer to completing her quest. Once, she was the Justice of Toren - a colossal starship with an artificial intelligence linking thousands of soldiers in the service of the Radch, the empire that conquered the galaxy. Now, an act of treachery has ripped it all away, leaving her with one fragile human body, unanswered questions, and a burning desire for vengeance.
by Ann Leckie
MoreScore: 4 undisclosed non-binary undisclosed adventure science fiction Space Artificial Intelligence Revenge 432 pages
On a remote, icy planet, the soldier known as Breq is drawing closer to completing her quest. Once, she was the Justice of Toren - a colossal starship with an artificial intelligence linking thousands of soldiers in the service of the Radch, the empire that conquered the galaxy. Now, an act of treachery has ripped it all away, leaving her with one fragile human body, unanswered questions, and a burning desire for vengeance.
by Darryl Pinckney
MoreScore: 4 non-white cis-male non-straight adventure realistic Berlin, German African American Expatriates 304 pages
Jed is young, gay, black, out of rehab and out of prospects in Chicago. He flees to the city of his fantasies, a museum of modernism and decadence: Berlin. The paradise that tyranny created, the subsidized city isolated behind the Berlin Wall, is where he's chosen to become the figure that he so admires, the black American expatriate. Newly sober and nostalgic for the Weimar days of Isherwood and Auden, Jed arrives to chase boys and to escape from what it means to be a black male in America.
by Darryl Pinckney
MoreScore: 4 non-white cis-male non-straight adventure realistic Berlin, German African American Expatriates 304 pages
Jed is young, gay, black, out of rehab and out of prospects in Chicago. He flees to the city of his fantasies, a museum of modernism and decadence: Berlin. The paradise that tyranny created, the subsidized city isolated behind the Berlin Wall, is where he's chosen to become the figure that he so admires, the black American expatriate. Newly sober and nostalgic for the Weimar days of Isherwood and Auden, Jed arrives to chase boys and to escape from what it means to be a black male in America.
by Tomi Adeyemi
MoreScore: 4 non-white cis-female undisclosed adventure fantasy Afrofuturism Magic 448 pages
Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls. But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope. Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.
by Tomi Adeyemi
MoreScore: 4 non-white cis-female undisclosed adventure fantasy Afrofuturism Magic 448 pages
Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls. But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope. Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.
by Indra Das
MoreScore: 4 non-white cis-male non-straight adventure fantasy Modern India Shapeshifting Mughal Empire 306 pages
On a cool evening in Kolkata, India, beneath a full moon, as the whirling rhythms of traveling musicians fill the night, college professor Alok encounters a mysterious stranger with a bizarre confession and an extraordinary story. Tantalized by the man's unfinished tale, Alok will do anything to hear its completion. So Alok agrees, at the stranger's behest, to transcribe a collection of battered notebooks, weathered parchments, and once-living skins.
by Indra Das
MoreScore: 4 non-white cis-male non-straight adventure fantasy Modern India Shapeshifting Mughal Empire 306 pages
On a cool evening in Kolkata, India, beneath a full moon, as the whirling rhythms of traveling musicians fill the night, college professor Alok encounters a mysterious stranger with a bizarre confession and an extraordinary story. Tantalized by the man's unfinished tale, Alok will do anything to hear its completion. So Alok agrees, at the stranger's behest, to transcribe a collection of battered notebooks, weathered parchments, and once-living skins.
by April Daniels
MoreScore: 4 undisclosed trans-female undisclosed adventure science fiction Superheros Gender Identity 304 pages
Danny Tozer has a problem: she just inherited the powers of Dreadnought, the world’s greatest superhero. Until Dreadnought fell out of the sky and died right in front of her, Danny was trying to keep people from finding out she’s transgender. But before he expired, Dreadnought passed his mantle to her, and those powers transformed Danny’s body into the shape she always wanted. It should be the happiest time of her life, but Danny’s first weeks finally living in a body that fits her are more difficult and complicated than she could have imagined.
by April Daniels
MoreScore: 4 undisclosed trans-female undisclosed adventure science fiction Superheros Gender Identity 304 pages
Danny Tozer has a problem: she just inherited the powers of Dreadnought, the world’s greatest superhero. Until Dreadnought fell out of the sky and died right in front of her, Danny was trying to keep people from finding out she’s transgender. But before he expired, Dreadnought passed his mantle to her, and those powers transformed Danny’s body into the shape she always wanted. It should be the happiest time of her life, but Danny’s first weeks finally living in a body that fits her are more difficult and complicated than she could have imagined.
by Cornelia Funke
Featured Book MoreScore: 4 non-white cis-female undisclosed adventure fantasy Italy Magic Bookbinding 576 pages Lexile: 780L
One cruel night, Meggie's father reads aloud from a book called Inkheart and an evil ruler escapes the boundaries of fiction and lands in their living room. Suddenly, Meggie is smack in the middle of the kind of adventure she has only read about in books. Meggie must learn to harness the magic that has conjured this nightmare. Only she can change the course of the story that has changed her life forever.
by Cornelia Funke
Featured Book MoreScore: 4 non-white cis-female undisclosed adventure fantasy Italy Magic Bookbinding 576 pages Lexile: 780L
One cruel night, Meggie's father reads aloud from a book called Inkheart and an evil ruler escapes the boundaries of fiction and lands in their living room. Suddenly, Meggie is smack in the middle of the kind of adventure she has only read about in books. Meggie must learn to harness the magic that has conjured this nightmare. Only she can change the course of the story that has changed her life forever.
by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
MoreScore: 4 non-white cis-female undisclosed adventure fantasy India Twins Demons 304 pages Lexile: 1030L
In the heart of Calcutta lurks a dark mystery....Set in Calcutta in the 1930s, The Midnight Palace begins on a dark night when an English lieutenant fights to save newborn twins Ben and Sheere from an unthinkable threat. Despite monsoon-force rains and terrible danger lurking around every street corner, the young lieutenant manages to get them to safety, but not without losing his own life. . . .Years later, on the eve of Ben and Sheere's sixteenth birthday, the mysterious threat reenters their lives. This time, it may be impossible to escape. With the help of their brave friends, the twins will have to take a stand against the terror that watches them in the shadows of the night--and face the most frightening creature in the history of the City of Palaces.
by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
MoreScore: 4 non-white cis-female undisclosed adventure fantasy India Twins Demons 304 pages Lexile: 1030L
In the heart of Calcutta lurks a dark mystery....Set in Calcutta in the 1930s, The Midnight Palace begins on a dark night when an English lieutenant fights to save newborn twins Ben and Sheere from an unthinkable threat. Despite monsoon-force rains and terrible danger lurking around every street corner, the young lieutenant manages to get them to safety, but not without losing his own life. . . .Years later, on the eve of Ben and Sheere's sixteenth birthday, the mysterious threat reenters their lives. This time, it may be impossible to escape. With the help of their brave friends, the twins will have to take a stand against the terror that watches them in the shadows of the night--and face the most frightening creature in the history of the City of Palaces.
by Virginia Woolf
MoreScore: 4 white non-binary non-straight adventure historical England Gender Fluidity Gender Roles 230 pages
Orlando tells the tale of an extraordinary individual who lives through centuries of English history, first as a man, then as a woman; of his/her encounters with queens, kings, novelists, playwrights, and poets, and of his/her struggle to find fame and immortality not through actions, but through the written word.
by Virginia Woolf
MoreScore: 4 white non-binary non-straight adventure historical England Gender Fluidity Gender Roles 230 pages
Orlando tells the tale of an extraordinary individual who lives through centuries of English history, first as a man, then as a woman; of his/her encounters with queens, kings, novelists, playwrights, and poets, and of his/her struggle to find fame and immortality not through actions, but through the written word.
by Corinne Duyvis
MoreScore: 4 undisclosed cis-female non-straight adventure fantasy lesbians clairvoyance revolution 416 pages Lexile: HL680L
Nolan doesn't see darkness when he closes his eyes. Instead, he's transported into the mind of Amara, a girl living in a different world. Nolan's life in his small Arizona town is full of history tests, family tension, and laundry; his parents think he has epilepsy, judging from his frequent blackouts. Amara's world is full of magic and danger--she's a mute servant girl who's tasked with protecting a renegade princess.
by Corinne Duyvis
MoreScore: 4 undisclosed cis-female non-straight adventure fantasy lesbians clairvoyance revolution 416 pages Lexile: HL680L
Nolan doesn't see darkness when he closes his eyes. Instead, he's transported into the mind of Amara, a girl living in a different world. Nolan's life in his small Arizona town is full of history tests, family tension, and laundry; his parents think he has epilepsy, judging from his frequent blackouts. Amara's world is full of magic and danger--she's a mute servant girl who's tasked with protecting a renegade princess.
by Roz Kaveney
Lambda Literary Award MoreScore: 4 white trans-female non-straight adventure realistic Chicago, IL Gender Identity Socialites 179 pages
It's the late 1970s and Annabelle Jones is a literary journalist. She meets Natasha in London and convinced to move to Chicago to join an impromptu sisterhood of other transwomen among the bar and night clubs. Her adventures in Chicago range from criminal to mundane from sexual to bookish. Reacting with Jane Austen levels of calm and wit, Annabelle navigates the abuses of the police, sex workers, and her so-called friends.
by Roz Kaveney
Lambda Literary Award MoreScore: 4 white trans-female non-straight adventure realistic Chicago, IL Gender Identity Socialites 179 pages
It's the late 1970s and Annabelle Jones is a literary journalist. She meets Natasha in London and convinced to move to Chicago to join an impromptu sisterhood of other transwomen among the bar and night clubs. Her adventures in Chicago range from criminal to mundane from sexual to bookish. Reacting with Jane Austen levels of calm and wit, Annabelle navigates the abuses of the police, sex workers, and her so-called friends.
by Patrick White
MoreScore: 4 white non-binary non-straight adventure historical Australian Outback White Australian Gender Identity 432 pages
E. Twyborn is bisexual and beautiful, the child of a Judge and a drunken mother. As their soul transmigrates through Eudoxia / Eddie / Eadith Twyborn - through their search for identity and love in its many forms we embark on a journey into the ambiguous landscapes, sexual, psychological and spiritual, of the human condition. Set sequentially in the pre-World War I French Riviera, an Australian Outback Sheep Station, and pre-World War II London.
by Patrick White
MoreScore: 4 white non-binary non-straight adventure historical Australian Outback White Australian Gender Identity 432 pages
E. Twyborn is bisexual and beautiful, the child of a Judge and a drunken mother. As their soul transmigrates through Eudoxia / Eddie / Eadith Twyborn - through their search for identity and love in its many forms we embark on a journey into the ambiguous landscapes, sexual, psychological and spiritual, of the human condition. Set sequentially in the pre-World War I French Riviera, an Australian Outback Sheep Station, and pre-World War II London.
by Grace Lin
MoreScore: 4 non-white cis-female undisclosed adventure folk tale China Dragons Moon 288 pages Lexile: 810L
A young girl named Minli lives in a ramshackle hut with her parents. In the evenings, her father regales her with old folktales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man on the Moon, who knows the answers to all of life's questions. Inspired by these stories, Minli sets off on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man on the Moon to ask him how she can change her family's fortune. She encounters an assorted cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest for the ultimate answer.
by Grace Lin
MoreScore: 4 non-white cis-female undisclosed adventure folk tale China Dragons Moon 288 pages Lexile: 810L
A young girl named Minli lives in a ramshackle hut with her parents. In the evenings, her father regales her with old folktales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man on the Moon, who knows the answers to all of life's questions. Inspired by these stories, Minli sets off on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man on the Moon to ask him how she can change her family's fortune. She encounters an assorted cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest for the ultimate answer.
by G Willow Wilson
MEOC Award MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-male undisclosed adventure fantasy Middle East Arab-Indian Hacking 320 pages
In an unnamed Middle Eastern security state, a young Arab-Indian hacker shields his clients — dissidents, outlaws, Islamists — from surveillance and tries to stay out of trouble. Alif discovers The Thousand and One Days, the secret book of the jinn, which both he and his archenemy suspect may unleash a new level of information technology.
by G Willow Wilson
MEOC Award MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-male undisclosed adventure fantasy Middle East Arab-Indian Hacking 320 pages
In an unnamed Middle Eastern security state, a young Arab-Indian hacker shields his clients — dissidents, outlaws, Islamists — from surveillance and tries to stay out of trouble. Alif discovers The Thousand and One Days, the secret book of the jinn, which both he and his archenemy suspect may unleash a new level of information technology.
by Virginie Despentes
Stonwall Award MoreScore: 3 white cis-female non-straight adventure detective Europe Punk Missing Persons 336 pages
Apocalypse Baby is a smart, fast-paced mystery about a missing adolescent girl traveling through Paris and Barcelona. She is tailed by two mismatched private investigators: the Hyena, part ruthless interrogator, part oversexed rock star, and Lucie, her plain and passive—almost to the point of invisible—sidekick. As their desperate search unfolds, they interrogate a suspicious cast of characters, and the dark heart of contemporary youth culture is exposed.
by Virginie Despentes
Stonwall Award MoreScore: 3 white cis-female non-straight adventure detective Europe Punk Missing Persons 336 pages
Apocalypse Baby is a smart, fast-paced mystery about a missing adolescent girl traveling through Paris and Barcelona. She is tailed by two mismatched private investigators: the Hyena, part ruthless interrogator, part oversexed rock star, and Lucie, her plain and passive—almost to the point of invisible—sidekick. As their desperate search unfolds, they interrogate a suspicious cast of characters, and the dark heart of contemporary youth culture is exposed.
by David Wright
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-male undisclosed adventure realistic Paris, France Muslims Racism 312 pages Lexile: HL720L
Matt, a white quarterback from Montreal, Quebec travels to France to play football. Freeman, a black football player from San Antonio, Texas, is in Paris on a school trip when he hears about kids playing American football low-income suburb. Matt and Free make friends with the other players, who come from many different ethnic groups. Tension erupts into riots when some of their Muslim teammates get in trouble with the police, and Matt and Free have to decide where their loyalties lie.
by David Wright
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-male undisclosed adventure realistic Paris, France Muslims Racism 312 pages Lexile: HL720L
Matt, a white quarterback from Montreal, Quebec travels to France to play football. Freeman, a black football player from San Antonio, Texas, is in Paris on a school trip when he hears about kids playing American football low-income suburb. Matt and Free make friends with the other players, who come from many different ethnic groups. Tension erupts into riots when some of their Muslim teammates get in trouble with the police, and Matt and Free have to decide where their loyalties lie.
by Irfan Master
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-male undisclosed adventure historical India Partition of India Fathers 321 pages Lexile: 790L
India 1947. The country is coming apart — and so is thirteen-year-old Bilal’s life. He is determined to protect his dying father from the news of Partition, news that he knows will break his father’s heart. With spirit and determination, and with the help of his good friends, Bilal builds an elaborate deception, even printing false pages of the local newspaper to hide the signs of national unrest. All Bilal wants is for his father to die in peace. But that means Bilal has a very complicated relationship with the truth.
by Irfan Master
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-male undisclosed adventure historical India Partition of India Fathers 321 pages Lexile: 790L
India 1947. The country is coming apart — and so is thirteen-year-old Bilal’s life. He is determined to protect his dying father from the news of Partition, news that he knows will break his father’s heart. With spirit and determination, and with the help of his good friends, Bilal builds an elaborate deception, even printing false pages of the local newspaper to hide the signs of national unrest. All Bilal wants is for his father to die in peace. But that means Bilal has a very complicated relationship with the truth.
by Dhonielle Clayton
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-female pending adventure fantasy Beauty 448 pages
Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orleans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orleans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful. But it's not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite - the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orleans.
by Dhonielle Clayton
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-female pending adventure fantasy Beauty 448 pages
Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orleans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orleans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful. But it's not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite - the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orleans.
by Nnedi Okorafor
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-female pending adventure science fiction Himba Space Travel University 96 pages
Her name is Binti, and she is the first of the Himba people ever to be offered a place at Oomza University, the finest institution of higher learning in the galaxy. But to accept the offer will mean giving up her place in her family to travel between the stars among strangers who do not share her ways or respect her customs. Knowledge comes at a cost, one that Binti is willing to pay, but her journey will not be easy. The world she seeks to enter has long warred with the Meduse, an alien race that has become the stuff of nightmares.
by Nnedi Okorafor
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-female pending adventure science fiction Himba Space Travel University 96 pages
Her name is Binti, and she is the first of the Himba people ever to be offered a place at Oomza University, the finest institution of higher learning in the galaxy. But to accept the offer will mean giving up her place in her family to travel between the stars among strangers who do not share her ways or respect her customs. Knowledge comes at a cost, one that Binti is willing to pay, but her journey will not be easy. The world she seeks to enter has long warred with the Meduse, an alien race that has become the stuff of nightmares.
by Manil Suri
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-female straight adventure science fiction Mumbai, India Ethnic Conflict Nuclear War 400 pages
Armed only with a pomegranate, Sarita ventures into the empty streets of Mumbai, on the eve of its threatened nuclear annihilation. She is looking for her physicist husband Karun, who has been missing for over a fortnight. She is soon joined on her quest by Jaz - cocky, handsome, Muslim, gay, and in search of his own lover.
by Manil Suri
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-female straight adventure science fiction Mumbai, India Ethnic Conflict Nuclear War 400 pages
Armed only with a pomegranate, Sarita ventures into the empty streets of Mumbai, on the eve of its threatened nuclear annihilation. She is looking for her physicist husband Karun, who has been missing for over a fortnight. She is soon joined on her quest by Jaz - cocky, handsome, Muslim, gay, and in search of his own lover.
by Jeanne Du Prau
MoreScore: 3 undisclosed cis-female undisclosed adventure apocalyptic Underground Cities Puzzles Electricity 288 pages Lexile: 680L
Many hundreds of years ago, the city of Ember was created by the Builders to contain everything needed for human survival. It worked - but now the storerooms are almost out of food, crops are blighted, corruption is spreading through the city and worst of all - the lights are failing. Soon Ember could be engulfed by darkness. Two children, Lina and Doon, discover fragments of an ancient parchment, they begin to wonder if there could be a way out of Ember.
by Jeanne Du Prau
MoreScore: 3 undisclosed cis-female undisclosed adventure apocalyptic Underground Cities Puzzles Electricity 288 pages Lexile: 680L
Many hundreds of years ago, the city of Ember was created by the Builders to contain everything needed for human survival. It worked - but now the storerooms are almost out of food, crops are blighted, corruption is spreading through the city and worst of all - the lights are failing. Soon Ember could be engulfed by darkness. Two children, Lina and Doon, discover fragments of an ancient parchment, they begin to wonder if there could be a way out of Ember.
by Sarwat Chadda
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis male undisclosed adventure fantasy new york city iraqi american magic 321 pages
Thirteen-year-old Sikander "Sik" Aziz wants a simple life going to school and helping at his parents' deli in the evenings. But all that is blown to smithereens when Nergal, the ancient god of plagues, comes looking for him. Sik, it seems, is immortal and may just hold the secret to eternal life. Sik must team up with the hero Gilgamesh and the goddess Belet to save Manhattan from a deadly disease and face their own darkest fears.
by Sarwat Chadda
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis male undisclosed adventure fantasy new york city iraqi american magic 321 pages
Thirteen-year-old Sikander "Sik" Aziz wants a simple life going to school and helping at his parents' deli in the evenings. But all that is blown to smithereens when Nergal, the ancient god of plagues, comes looking for him. Sik, it seems, is immortal and may just hold the secret to eternal life. Sik must team up with the hero Gilgamesh and the goddess Belet to save Manhattan from a deadly disease and face their own darkest fears.
by Christopher Paul Curtis
Coretta Scott King Award MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-male undisclosed adventure historical Bruxton, Canada African Canadian Freedom 368 pages Lexile: 980L
Eleven-year-old Elijah lives in Buxton, Canada, a settlement of runaway slaves near the American border. He's the first child in town to be born free, and he ought to be famous just for that. Unfortunately, all that most people see is a "fra-gile" boy who's scared of snakes and talks too much. But everything changes when a former slave steals money from Elijah's friend, who has been saving to buy his family out of captivity in the South. Now it's up to Elijah to track down the thief.
by Christopher Paul Curtis
Coretta Scott King Award MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-male undisclosed adventure historical Bruxton, Canada African Canadian Freedom 368 pages Lexile: 980L
Eleven-year-old Elijah lives in Buxton, Canada, a settlement of runaway slaves near the American border. He's the first child in town to be born free, and he ought to be famous just for that. Unfortunately, all that most people see is a "fra-gile" boy who's scared of snakes and talks too much. But everything changes when a former slave steals money from Elijah's friend, who has been saving to buy his family out of captivity in the South. Now it's up to Elijah to track down the thief.
by China Miéville
MoreScore: 3 undisclosed cis-female undisclosed adventure science fiction Space Aliens Gender and Language 368 pages
In the far future, humans have colonized a distant planet, home to the enigmatic Ariekei, sentient beings famed for a language unique in the universe. Avice Benner Cho, a human colonist, has returned to Embassytown after years of deep-space adventure. She cannot speak the Ariekei tongue, but she is an indelible part of it, having long ago been made a figure of speech, a living simile in their language. When distant political machinations deliver a new ambassador to Arieka, the fragile equilibrium between humans and aliens is violently upset.
by China Miéville
MoreScore: 3 undisclosed cis-female undisclosed adventure science fiction Space Aliens Gender and Language 368 pages
In the far future, humans have colonized a distant planet, home to the enigmatic Ariekei, sentient beings famed for a language unique in the universe. Avice Benner Cho, a human colonist, has returned to Embassytown after years of deep-space adventure. She cannot speak the Ariekei tongue, but she is an indelible part of it, having long ago been made a figure of speech, a living simile in their language. When distant political machinations deliver a new ambassador to Arieka, the fragile equilibrium between humans and aliens is violently upset.
by Sonia Nazario
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-male undisclosed adventure realistic Honduras Family Reunification Child Immigrants 400 pages Lexile: 830L
The quest of a Honduran boy looking for his mother, eleven years after she is forced to leave her starving family to find work in the United States. Braving unimaginable peril, often clinging to the sides and tops of freight trains, Enrique travels through hostile worlds full of thugs, bandits, and corrupt cops. But he pushes forward, relying on his wit, courage, hope, and the kindness of strangers.
by Sonia Nazario
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-male undisclosed adventure realistic Honduras Family Reunification Child Immigrants 400 pages Lexile: 830L
The quest of a Honduran boy looking for his mother, eleven years after she is forced to leave her starving family to find work in the United States. Braving unimaginable peril, often clinging to the sides and tops of freight trains, Enrique travels through hostile worlds full of thugs, bandits, and corrupt cops. But he pushes forward, relying on his wit, courage, hope, and the kindness of strangers.
by Mackenzi Lee
MoreScore: 3 undisclosed cis-male non-straight adventure fantasy homosexuality bisexuality 528 pages Lexile: 900L
A young bisexual British lord embarks on an unforgettable Grand Tour of Europe with his best friend/secret crush in an 18th-century romantic adventure written for the modern age. But one reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt calling into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores. Witty, dazzling, and intriguing.
by Mackenzi Lee
MoreScore: 3 undisclosed cis-male non-straight adventure fantasy homosexuality bisexuality 528 pages Lexile: 900L
A young bisexual British lord embarks on an unforgettable Grand Tour of Europe with his best friend/secret crush in an 18th-century romantic adventure written for the modern age. But one reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt calling into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores. Witty, dazzling, and intriguing.
by Rita Williams Garcia
Coretta Scott King Award MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-female straight adventure realistic Alabama African American Sisters 320 pages Lexile: 740L
The Gaither sisters as they travel from the streets of Brooklyn to the rural South for the summer of a lifetime. Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern are off to Alabama to visit their grandmother Big Ma and her mother, Ma Charles. Across the way lives Ma Charles’s half sister, Miss Trotter. The two half sisters haven’t spoken in years. As Delphine hears about her family history, she uncovers the surprising truth that’s been keeping the sisters apart.
by Rita Williams Garcia
Coretta Scott King Award MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-female straight adventure realistic Alabama African American Sisters 320 pages Lexile: 740L
The Gaither sisters as they travel from the streets of Brooklyn to the rural South for the summer of a lifetime. Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern are off to Alabama to visit their grandmother Big Ma and her mother, Ma Charles. Across the way lives Ma Charles’s half sister, Miss Trotter. The two half sisters haven’t spoken in years. As Delphine hears about her family history, she uncovers the surprising truth that’s been keeping the sisters apart.
by Gerald Robert Vizenor
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-male undisclosed adventure magical realism Tianjin, China Native American 240 pages
Griever de Hocus, a reservation-born Native American, heads to China on an academic exchange to teach college in Tianjin, China. He adopts a rooster and names him Matteo Ricci, after the 16th century Jesuit missionary to China. Channeling the trickster figures of Native American and Chinese mythology, he sets out to undermine and satire the stoic Chinese bureaucracy.
by Gerald Robert Vizenor
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-male undisclosed adventure magical realism Tianjin, China Native American 240 pages
Griever de Hocus, a reservation-born Native American, heads to China on an academic exchange to teach college in Tianjin, China. He adopts a rooster and names him Matteo Ricci, after the 16th century Jesuit missionary to China. Channeling the trickster figures of Native American and Chinese mythology, he sets out to undermine and satire the stoic Chinese bureaucracy.
by Socorro Acioli
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-male undisclosed adventure magical realism Brazil Faith St. Anthony of Padua 192 pages
Fourteen-year-old Samuel is newly orphaned and homeless in a small town in Brazil. He lives in a giant, hollow, concrete head of St. Anthony, the lingering evidence of the village’s inept and failed attempt to build a monolith over a decade ago. In it, he hears beautiful singing, echoing like magic in the head twice a day. So he stays. Miraculously, he can also hear the private prayers and longings of the villagers. Feeling mischievous, Samuel begins to help answer these prayers.
by Socorro Acioli
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-male undisclosed adventure magical realism Brazil Faith St. Anthony of Padua 192 pages
Fourteen-year-old Samuel is newly orphaned and homeless in a small town in Brazil. He lives in a giant, hollow, concrete head of St. Anthony, the lingering evidence of the village’s inept and failed attempt to build a monolith over a decade ago. In it, he hears beautiful singing, echoing like magic in the head twice a day. So he stays. Miraculously, he can also hear the private prayers and longings of the villagers. Feeling mischievous, Samuel begins to help answer these prayers.
by N K Jemisin
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-female pending adventure fantasy Fictional Multi-ethnic Monarchy 432 pages
Yeine Darr is an outcast from the barbarian north. But when her mother dies under mysterious circumstances, she is summoned to the majestic city of Sky. There, to her shock, Yeine is named an heiress to the king. But the throne of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is not easily won, and Yeine is thrust into a vicious power struggle with cousins she never knew she had. As she fights for her life, she draws ever closer to the secrets of her mother's death and her family's bloody history.
by N K Jemisin
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-female pending adventure fantasy Fictional Multi-ethnic Monarchy 432 pages
Yeine Darr is an outcast from the barbarian north. But when her mother dies under mysterious circumstances, she is summoned to the majestic city of Sky. There, to her shock, Yeine is named an heiress to the king. But the throne of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is not easily won, and Yeine is thrust into a vicious power struggle with cousins she never knew she had. As she fights for her life, she draws ever closer to the secrets of her mother's death and her family's bloody history.
by Catherynne M. Valente
MoreScore: 3 undisclosed cis-female undisclosed adventure fantasy mythology magic 496 pages
Welcome to the Arabian Nights for our time–a lush and fantastical epic guaranteed to spirit you away from the very first page. Secreted away in a garden, a lonely girl spins stories to warm a curious prince: peculiar feats and unspeakable fates that loop through each other and back again to meet in the tapestry of her voice. Adorned with illustrations by the legendary Michael Kaluta, the story offers a breathtaking reinvention of the untold myths and dark fairy tales that shape our dreams.
by Catherynne M. Valente
MoreScore: 3 undisclosed cis-female undisclosed adventure fantasy mythology magic 496 pages
Welcome to the Arabian Nights for our time–a lush and fantastical epic guaranteed to spirit you away from the very first page. Secreted away in a garden, a lonely girl spins stories to warm a curious prince: peculiar feats and unspeakable fates that loop through each other and back again to meet in the tapestry of her voice. Adorned with illustrations by the legendary Michael Kaluta, the story offers a breathtaking reinvention of the untold myths and dark fairy tales that shape our dreams.
by Haruki Murakami
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-male undisclosed adventure detective Japan Japanese World War II 448 pages
Kafka on the Shore is powered by two remarkable characters: a teenage boy, Kafka Tamura, who runs away from home either to escape a gruesome oedipal prophecy or to search for his long-missing mother and sister; and an aging veteran called Nakata, who never recovered from a wartime affliction and now is drawn toward Kafka for reasons that, like the most basic activities of daily life, he cannot fathom.
by Haruki Murakami
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-male undisclosed adventure detective Japan Japanese World War II 448 pages
Kafka on the Shore is powered by two remarkable characters: a teenage boy, Kafka Tamura, who runs away from home either to escape a gruesome oedipal prophecy or to search for his long-missing mother and sister; and an aging veteran called Nakata, who never recovered from a wartime affliction and now is drawn toward Kafka for reasons that, like the most basic activities of daily life, he cannot fathom.
by Tanita S Davis
Coretta Scott King Award MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-female pending adventure historical African American Women's Army Corps 341 pages Lexile: 830L
Meet Mare, a grandmother with flair and a fascinating past. Octavia and Tali are dreading the road trip their parents are forcing them to take with their grandmother over the summer. After all, Mare isn’t your typical grandmother. She drives a red sports car, wears stiletto shoes, flippy wigs, and push-up bras, and insists that she’s too young to be called Grandma. But somewhere on the road, Octavia and Tali discover there’s more to Mare than what you see.
by Tanita S Davis
Coretta Scott King Award MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-female pending adventure historical African American Women's Army Corps 341 pages Lexile: 830L
Meet Mare, a grandmother with flair and a fascinating past. Octavia and Tali are dreading the road trip their parents are forcing them to take with their grandmother over the summer. After all, Mare isn’t your typical grandmother. She drives a red sports car, wears stiletto shoes, flippy wigs, and push-up bras, and insists that she’s too young to be called Grandma. But somewhere on the road, Octavia and Tali discover there’s more to Mare than what you see.
by Djuna Barnes
MoreScore: 3 white cis-female non-straight adventure historical Europe US Expatriate Hedonism 208 pages
The story unfolds in the decadent shadows of Paris, Berlin, and Vienna — a world in which the boundaries of class, religion, and sexuality are bold but surprisingly porous. Robin Vote, an American expatriate marries and then engages in a series of affairs, first with Nora Flood and then with Jenny Petherbridge, driving all of her lovers to distraction with her passion for wandering alone in the night. She is befriended by Dr. Matthew Dante O'Connor, a trans gynecologist, whose digressive speeches brim with fury, keen insights, and surprising allusions.
by Djuna Barnes
MoreScore: 3 white cis-female non-straight adventure historical Europe US Expatriate Hedonism 208 pages
The story unfolds in the decadent shadows of Paris, Berlin, and Vienna — a world in which the boundaries of class, religion, and sexuality are bold but surprisingly porous. Robin Vote, an American expatriate marries and then engages in a series of affairs, first with Nora Flood and then with Jenny Petherbridge, driving all of her lovers to distraction with her passion for wandering alone in the night. She is befriended by Dr. Matthew Dante O'Connor, a trans gynecologist, whose digressive speeches brim with fury, keen insights, and surprising allusions.
by Jessica Webb
Lambda Literary Award MoreScore: 3 white cis-female non-straight adventure romance Canada Terrorism Lesbians 288 pages
When a deadly virus surfaces in the small, wealthy town of Hidden Valley, British Columbia, Dr. Kate Morrison and Sergeant Andy Wyles work together to uncover the source of the outbreak. As the two women navigate their new relationship, Kate and Andy are also forced to navigate a highly political and increasingly panicked community.
by Jessica Webb
Lambda Literary Award MoreScore: 3 white cis-female non-straight adventure romance Canada Terrorism Lesbians 288 pages
When a deadly virus surfaces in the small, wealthy town of Hidden Valley, British Columbia, Dr. Kate Morrison and Sergeant Andy Wyles work together to uncover the source of the outbreak. As the two women navigate their new relationship, Kate and Andy are also forced to navigate a highly political and increasingly panicked community.
by William Klaber
Stonwall Award MoreScore: 3 white trans-male non-straight adventure historical Gender Identity American West Institutionalization 288 pages
At a time when women did not commonly travel unescorted, sit down in bars, have romantic liaisons with other women, let alone work outside the home, Lucy Lobdell struck out westward leaving her abusive husband behind in New York to live and work as Joseph Lobdell. He sets out to explore the Minnesota Territory. Eventually, after returning to New York, he meets and marries his second spouse, Mary Penny.
by William Klaber
Stonwall Award MoreScore: 3 white trans-male non-straight adventure historical Gender Identity American West Institutionalization 288 pages
At a time when women did not commonly travel unescorted, sit down in bars, have romantic liaisons with other women, let alone work outside the home, Lucy Lobdell struck out westward leaving her abusive husband behind in New York to live and work as Joseph Lobdell. He sets out to explore the Minnesota Territory. Eventually, after returning to New York, he meets and marries his second spouse, Mary Penny.
by Rick Riordan
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-female straight adventure fantasy Egypt Egyptian Mythology Secret Societies 528 pages Lexile: 650L
Dr. Julius Kane brings siblings Carter and Sadie together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives. Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking and they must embark on a dangerous quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family, and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.
by Rick Riordan
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-female straight adventure fantasy Egypt Egyptian Mythology Secret Societies 528 pages Lexile: 650L
Dr. Julius Kane brings siblings Carter and Sadie together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives. Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking and they must embark on a dangerous quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family, and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.
by Gail Carriger
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-female straight adventure fantasy england vampires werewolves 416 pages
Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.
by Gail Carriger
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-female straight adventure fantasy england vampires werewolves 416 pages
Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.
by Tommy Orange
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis female pending adventure realistic oakland native american pow pow 304 pages
There There follows twelve characters from Native communities as they travel to the Big Oakland Powwow. Each character is connected to the others in ways they do not yet realize. Among them are Jacquie Red Feather, newly sober and trying to make it back to the family she left behind, and fourteen-year-old Orvil, coming to perform traditional dance for the first time. Together, this chorus of voices tells of the plight of the urban Native American, an inheritance of beauty and spirituality, communion and heroism.
by Tommy Orange
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis female pending adventure realistic oakland native american pow pow 304 pages
There There follows twelve characters from Native communities as they travel to the Big Oakland Powwow. Each character is connected to the others in ways they do not yet realize. Among them are Jacquie Red Feather, newly sober and trying to make it back to the family she left behind, and fourteen-year-old Orvil, coming to perform traditional dance for the first time. Together, this chorus of voices tells of the plight of the urban Native American, an inheritance of beauty and spirituality, communion and heroism.
by Jessica Webb
MoreScore: 3 white cis-female non-straight adventure romance Canada Terrorism Lesbians 264 pages
Dr. Kate Morrison doesn't know how or why someone would create human bombs that are triggered by touch. But when Sergeant Andy Wyles blocks Kate from touching the patient who collapses in her Vancouver ER, Kate joins the investigation to demand answers, regardless of the danger. As the two women work together to find those responsible for creating an army of human weapons, Kate finds it increasingly difficult to ignore her feelings for the fiercely protective and unrelentingly perceptive cop.
by Jessica Webb
MoreScore: 3 white cis-female non-straight adventure romance Canada Terrorism Lesbians 264 pages
Dr. Kate Morrison doesn't know how or why someone would create human bombs that are triggered by touch. But when Sergeant Andy Wyles blocks Kate from touching the patient who collapses in her Vancouver ER, Kate joins the investigation to demand answers, regardless of the danger. As the two women work together to find those responsible for creating an army of human weapons, Kate finds it increasingly difficult to ignore her feelings for the fiercely protective and unrelentingly perceptive cop.
by Naomi Shihab Nye
MEOC Award MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-male undisclosed adventure realistic Muscat, Oman Immigration Grandfathers 304 pages Lexile: 700L
This accessible, exquisite novel shines with gentle humor and explores themes of moving, family, nature, and immigration. It tells the story of young Aref Al-Amri, who must say good-bye to everything and everyone he loves in his hometown of Muscat, Oman, as his family prepares to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where his parents will go to graduate school. Before packing, he and his grandfather, Siddi go on a series of adventures. They visit the camp of a thousand stars deep in the desert, they sleep on Siddi's roof, they visit a nature reserve to watch the sea turtles.
by Naomi Shihab Nye
MEOC Award MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-male undisclosed adventure realistic Muscat, Oman Immigration Grandfathers 304 pages Lexile: 700L
This accessible, exquisite novel shines with gentle humor and explores themes of moving, family, nature, and immigration. It tells the story of young Aref Al-Amri, who must say good-bye to everything and everyone he loves in his hometown of Muscat, Oman, as his family prepares to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where his parents will go to graduate school. Before packing, he and his grandfather, Siddi go on a series of adventures. They visit the camp of a thousand stars deep in the desert, they sleep on Siddi's roof, they visit a nature reserve to watch the sea turtles.
by Colson Whitehead
Pulitzer Prize MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-female straight adventure historical American South Slavery Underground Railroad 306 pages Lexile: 890L
Cora is a slave on a cotton plantation in Georgia. All the slaves lead a hellish existence, but Cora has it worse than most; she is an outcast even among her fellow Africans and she is approaching womanhood, where it is clear even greater pain awaits. When Caesar, a slave recently arrived from Virginia, tells her about the Underground Railroad, they take the perilous decision to escape to the North.
by Colson Whitehead
Pulitzer Prize MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-female straight adventure historical American South Slavery Underground Railroad 306 pages Lexile: 890L
Cora is a slave on a cotton plantation in Georgia. All the slaves lead a hellish existence, but Cora has it worse than most; she is an outcast even among her fellow Africans and she is approaching womanhood, where it is clear even greater pain awaits. When Caesar, a slave recently arrived from Virginia, tells her about the Underground Railroad, they take the perilous decision to escape to the North.
by Marina Budhos
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-male undisclosed adventure realistic New York Bangladeshi Surveillence 272 pages Lexile: HL550L
Naeem is a Bangladeshi teenager living in Queens who thinks he can charm his way through anything. But then mistakes catch up with him. So do the cops, who offer him an impossible choice: spy on his Muslim neighbors and report back to them on shady goings-on, or face a police record. Naeem wants to be a hero--a protector. He wants his parents to be proud of him. But as time goes on, the line between informing and entrapping blurs. Is he saving or betraying his community?
by Marina Budhos
MoreScore: 3 non-white cis-male undisclosed adventure realistic New York Bangladeshi Surveillence 272 pages Lexile: HL550L
Naeem is a Bangladeshi teenager living in Queens who thinks he can charm his way through anything. But then mistakes catch up with him. So do the cops, who offer him an impossible choice: spy on his Muslim neighbors and report back to them on shady goings-on, or face a police record. Naeem wants to be a hero--a protector. He wants his parents to be proud of him. But as time goes on, the line between informing and entrapping blurs. Is he saving or betraying his community?
by Terry Pratchett
MoreScore: 3 undisclosed cis-female undisclosed adventure fantasy Discworld Fairies Witches 375 pages Lexile: 680L
A nightmarish danger threatens from the other side of reality. Armed with only a frying pan and her common sense, young witch-to-be Tiffany Aching must defend her home against the monsters of Fairyland. Luckily she has some very unusual help: the local Nac Mac Feegle - aka the Wee Free Men - a clan of fierce, sheep-stealing, sword-wielding, six-inch-high blue men. Together they must face headless horsemen, ferocious grimhounds, terrifying dreams come true, and ultimately the sinister Queen of the Elves herself.
by Terry Pratchett
MoreScore: 3 undisclosed cis-female undisclosed adventure fantasy Discworld Fairies Witches 375 pages Lexile: 680L
A nightmarish danger threatens from the other side of reality. Armed with only a frying pan and her common sense, young witch-to-be Tiffany Aching must defend her home against the monsters of Fairyland. Luckily she has some very unusual help: the local Nac Mac Feegle - aka the Wee Free Men - a clan of fierce, sheep-stealing, sword-wielding, six-inch-high blue men. Together they must face headless horsemen, ferocious grimhounds, terrifying dreams come true, and ultimately the sinister Queen of the Elves herself.
by Maile Meloy
MoreScore: 2 white cis-female undisclosed adventure fantasy London Cold War Alchemy 384 pages Lexile: 740L
It's 1952 and the Scott family has just moved from Los Angeles to London. Here, fourteen-year-old Janie meets a mysterious apothecary and his son, Benjamin Burrows - a fascinating boy who's not afraid to stand up to authority and dreams of becoming a spy. When Benjamin's father is kidnapped, Janie and Benjamin must uncover the secrets of the apothecary's sacred book, the Pharmacopoeia, in order to find him.
by Maile Meloy
MoreScore: 2 white cis-female undisclosed adventure fantasy London Cold War Alchemy 384 pages Lexile: 740L
It's 1952 and the Scott family has just moved from Los Angeles to London. Here, fourteen-year-old Janie meets a mysterious apothecary and his son, Benjamin Burrows - a fascinating boy who's not afraid to stand up to authority and dreams of becoming a spy. When Benjamin's father is kidnapped, Janie and Benjamin must uncover the secrets of the apothecary's sacred book, the Pharmacopoeia, in order to find him.
by Melanie Little
MoreScore: 2 non-white cis-male pending adventure historical Spain Jews Inquisition 310 pages
It's the Spanish Inquisition, and agents of oppression grow deadly for two teens. Fifteenth-century Spain is a richly multicultural society in which Jews, Muslims and Christians coexist. But under the zealous Christian Queen Isabella, the country abruptly becomes one of the most murderously intolerant places on Earth. It is in this atmosphere that the Benvenistes, a family of scribes, attempt to eke out a living. The family has a secret-they are conversos: Jews who converted to Christianity. Now, with neighbors and friends turned into spies, fear hangs in the air.
by Melanie Little
MoreScore: 2 non-white cis-male pending adventure historical Spain Jews Inquisition 310 pages
It's the Spanish Inquisition, and agents of oppression grow deadly for two teens. Fifteenth-century Spain is a richly multicultural society in which Jews, Muslims and Christians coexist. But under the zealous Christian Queen Isabella, the country abruptly becomes one of the most murderously intolerant places on Earth. It is in this atmosphere that the Benvenistes, a family of scribes, attempt to eke out a living. The family has a secret-they are conversos: Jews who converted to Christianity. Now, with neighbors and friends turned into spies, fear hangs in the air.
by Alan Gratz
MoreScore: 2 pending cis-female undisclosed adventure humor Censorship Protest Libraries 256 pages Lexile: 960L
Fourth grader Amy Anne Ollinger fights back when From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg is challenged by a well-meaning parent and taken off the shelves of her school library. Amy Anne is shy and soft-spoken, but don’t mess with her when it comes to her favorite book in the whole world. Amy Anne and her lieutenants wage a battle for the books that will make you laugh and pump your fists as they start a secret banned books locker library, make up ridiculous reasons to ban every single book in the library to make a point, and take a stand against censorship.
by Alan Gratz
MoreScore: 2 pending cis-female undisclosed adventure humor Censorship Protest Libraries 256 pages Lexile: 960L
Fourth grader Amy Anne Ollinger fights back when From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg is challenged by a well-meaning parent and taken off the shelves of her school library. Amy Anne is shy and soft-spoken, but don’t mess with her when it comes to her favorite book in the whole world. Amy Anne and her lieutenants wage a battle for the books that will make you laugh and pump your fists as they start a secret banned books locker library, make up ridiculous reasons to ban every single book in the library to make a point, and take a stand against censorship.
by Gabriel García Márquez
MoreScore: 2 non-white cis male straight adventure magical realism colombia colombian murder mystery 128 pages
A man returns to the town where a baffling murder took place 27 years earlier, determined to get to the bottom of the story. Just hours after marrying the beautiful Angela Vicario, everyone agrees, Bayardo San Roman returned his bride in disgrace to her parents. Her distraught family forced her to name her first lover; and her twin brothers announced their intention to murder Santiago Nasar for dishonoring their sister. Yet if everyone knew the murder was going to happen, why did no one intervene to stop it?
by Gabriel García Márquez
MoreScore: 2 non-white cis male straight adventure magical realism colombia colombian murder mystery 128 pages
A man returns to the town where a baffling murder took place 27 years earlier, determined to get to the bottom of the story. Just hours after marrying the beautiful Angela Vicario, everyone agrees, Bayardo San Roman returned his bride in disgrace to her parents. Her distraught family forced her to name her first lover; and her twin brothers announced their intention to murder Santiago Nasar for dishonoring their sister. Yet if everyone knew the murder was going to happen, why did no one intervene to stop it?
by Gail Carriger
MoreScore: 2 white cis-female undisclosed adventure steampunk Robots Spies Boarding Schools 320 pages Lexile: HL780L
Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is a great trial to her poor mother. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper manners. So her mother enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality. But Sophronia soon realizes the school is not quite what it seems. Young ladies learn to finish...everything. Certainly, they learn the fine arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but they also learn to deal out death, diversion, and espionage--in the politest possible ways, of course.
by Gail Carriger
MoreScore: 2 white cis-female undisclosed adventure steampunk Robots Spies Boarding Schools 320 pages Lexile: HL780L
Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is a great trial to her poor mother. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper manners. So her mother enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality. But Sophronia soon realizes the school is not quite what it seems. Young ladies learn to finish...everything. Certainly, they learn the fine arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but they also learn to deal out death, diversion, and espionage--in the politest possible ways, of course.
by Lamar Giles
MoreScore: 2 non-white cis-male straight adventure thriller Witness Protection African Americans Conspiracy 336 pages Lexile: HL640L
Nick Pearson is hiding in plain sight. In fact, his name isn't really Nick Pearson. He shouldn't tell you his real name, his real hometown, or why his family just moved to Stepton, Virginia. And he definitely shouldn't tell you about his friend Eli Cruz and the major conspiracy Eli was uncovering when he died. About how Nick had to choose between solving Eli's murder with his hot sister, Reya, and "staying low-key" like the Program said to do.But he's going to tell you—unless he gets caught first.
by Lamar Giles
MoreScore: 2 non-white cis-male straight adventure thriller Witness Protection African Americans Conspiracy 336 pages Lexile: HL640L
Nick Pearson is hiding in plain sight. In fact, his name isn't really Nick Pearson. He shouldn't tell you his real name, his real hometown, or why his family just moved to Stepton, Virginia. And he definitely shouldn't tell you about his friend Eli Cruz and the major conspiracy Eli was uncovering when he died. About how Nick had to choose between solving Eli's murder with his hot sister, Reya, and "staying low-key" like the Program said to do.But he's going to tell you—unless he gets caught first.
by Emma Donoghue
Stonwall Award MoreScore: 2 white cis-female non-straight adventure historical San Fransisco Lesbians Based on True Events 416 pages
It's San Fransisco 1876. Through the window of a railroad saloon, Jenny Bonnet, a young woman dressed in a jacket and trousers, is shot dead. The survivor, her lover Blanche Beunon, is a French burlesque dancer. Over the next three days, she will risk everything to bring Jenny's murderer to justice--if he doesn't track her down first. Full of songs that migrated across the world, follow the tale of love and bloodshed in the underbelly of a boomtown like no other.
by Emma Donoghue
Stonwall Award MoreScore: 2 white cis-female non-straight adventure historical San Fransisco Lesbians Based on True Events 416 pages
It's San Fransisco 1876. Through the window of a railroad saloon, Jenny Bonnet, a young woman dressed in a jacket and trousers, is shot dead. The survivor, her lover Blanche Beunon, is a French burlesque dancer. Over the next three days, she will risk everything to bring Jenny's murderer to justice--if he doesn't track her down first. Full of songs that migrated across the world, follow the tale of love and bloodshed in the underbelly of a boomtown like no other.
by Catherynne M Valente
MoreScore: 2 white cis-female undisclosed adventure fantasy Voyages Dragons Fairies 256 pages Lexile: 870L
Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and had an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work and a fairy showed up at her kitchen window. The new Marquess of Fairyland is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. September must retrieve a talisman from the enchanted forest to save Fairyland from the wrath of the Marquess.
by Catherynne M Valente
MoreScore: 2 white cis-female undisclosed adventure fantasy Voyages Dragons Fairies 256 pages Lexile: 870L
Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and had an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work and a fairy showed up at her kitchen window. The new Marquess of Fairyland is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. September must retrieve a talisman from the enchanted forest to save Fairyland from the wrath of the Marquess.
by Derek B Miller
MEOC Award MoreScore: 2 undisclosed cis-male undisclosed adventure detective Persian Gulf War Jounalism Mysteries 336 pages
1991. One hundred miles from the Kuwaiti border, Thomas Benton meets Arwood Hobbes. Benton is a British journalist, Arwood is a naive American army private. Operation Desert Storm is over, but as they argue about crossing the nearest border in search of ice cream, they are overtaken by an attack in which a young local girl in a green dress is killed. Time, politics, or maybe fate is now offering an unlikely opportunity to redeem themselves when it seems that same girl in green is found alive and in need of salvation again.
by Derek B Miller
MEOC Award MoreScore: 2 undisclosed cis-male undisclosed adventure detective Persian Gulf War Jounalism Mysteries 336 pages
1991. One hundred miles from the Kuwaiti border, Thomas Benton meets Arwood Hobbes. Benton is a British journalist, Arwood is a naive American army private. Operation Desert Storm is over, but as they argue about crossing the nearest border in search of ice cream, they are overtaken by an attack in which a young local girl in a green dress is killed. Time, politics, or maybe fate is now offering an unlikely opportunity to redeem themselves when it seems that same girl in green is found alive and in need of salvation again.
by James Welch
MoreScore: 2 non-white cis-male pending adventure romance Marseilles, France Oglala Sioux Touring Attractions 440 pages
Charging Elk, an Oglala Sioux, joins Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show and journeys from the Black Hills of South Dakota to the back streets of nineteenth-century Marseilles. Left behind in a Marseilles hospital after a serious injury while the show travels on, he is forced to remake his life alone in a strange land. He struggles to adapt as well as he can, while holding on to the memories and traditions of life on the Plains and eventually falling in love. But none of the worlds the Indian has known can prepare him for the betrayal that follows.
by James Welch
MoreScore: 2 non-white cis-male pending adventure romance Marseilles, France Oglala Sioux Touring Attractions 440 pages
Charging Elk, an Oglala Sioux, joins Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show and journeys from the Black Hills of South Dakota to the back streets of nineteenth-century Marseilles. Left behind in a Marseilles hospital after a serious injury while the show travels on, he is forced to remake his life alone in a strange land. He struggles to adapt as well as he can, while holding on to the memories and traditions of life on the Plains and eventually falling in love. But none of the worlds the Indian has known can prepare him for the betrayal that follows.
by Perry Moore
Lambda Literary Award MoreScore: 2 pending cis-male non-straight adventure science fiction Superhero 432 pages Lexile: 880L
Thom Creed is used to being on his own. Even as a highschool basketball star, he has to keep his distance because of his father. Hal Creed had once been one of the greatest and most beloved superheroes of The League--until the Wilson Towers incident. After that Thom's mother disappeared and his proud father became an outcast. The last thing in the world Thom would ever want is to disappoint his father. So Thom keeps two secrets from him. First: he's gay. Second: he has the power to heal people.
by Perry Moore
Lambda Literary Award MoreScore: 2 pending cis-male non-straight adventure science fiction Superhero 432 pages Lexile: 880L
Thom Creed is used to being on his own. Even as a highschool basketball star, he has to keep his distance because of his father. Hal Creed had once been one of the greatest and most beloved superheroes of The League--until the Wilson Towers incident. After that Thom's mother disappeared and his proud father became an outcast. The last thing in the world Thom would ever want is to disappoint his father. So Thom keeps two secrets from him. First: he's gay. Second: he has the power to heal people.
by J. R. R. Tolkien
MoreScore: 2 undisclosed cis-male undisclosed adventure fantasy Middle Earth Hobbits Quests 288 pages Lexile: 1000L
Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep to recruit a thief for their adventure. They have launched a plot to raid the treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, an ancient dragon. Bilbo reluctantly joins their quest, unaware that on his journey to the Lonely Mountain he will encounter both a magic ring and a frightening creature known as Gollum.
by J. R. R. Tolkien
MoreScore: 2 undisclosed cis-male undisclosed adventure fantasy Middle Earth Hobbits Quests 288 pages Lexile: 1000L
Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep to recruit a thief for their adventure. They have launched a plot to raid the treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, an ancient dragon. Bilbo reluctantly joins their quest, unaware that on his journey to the Lonely Mountain he will encounter both a magic ring and a frightening creature known as Gollum.
by N. Scott Momaday
Pulitzer Prize MoreScore: 2 non-white cis-male straight adventure war American Southwest Kiowa World War II 198 pages Lexile: 970L
He was a young American Indian named Abel, and he lived in two worlds. One was that of his father, wedding him to the rhythm of the seasons, the harsh beauty of the land, the ecstasy of the drug called peyote. The other was the world of the twentieth century, goading him into a compulsive cycle of sexual exploits, dissipation, and disgust. Home from a foreign war, he was a man being torn apart, a man descending into hell.
by N. Scott Momaday
Pulitzer Prize MoreScore: 2 non-white cis-male straight adventure war American Southwest Kiowa World War II 198 pages Lexile: 970L
He was a young American Indian named Abel, and he lived in two worlds. One was that of his father, wedding him to the rhythm of the seasons, the harsh beauty of the land, the ecstasy of the drug called peyote. The other was the world of the twentieth century, goading him into a compulsive cycle of sexual exploits, dissipation, and disgust. Home from a foreign war, he was a man being torn apart, a man descending into hell.
by Frances Hardinge
MoreScore: 2 white cis-female undisclosed adventure fantasy England Gender Roles Scientific Research 384 pages Lexile: 860L
In Victorian England, Faith Sunderly leads a double life. To most people, she is reliable, dull, trustworthy—a proper young lady who knows her place, subservient to men. Inside, Faith is full of questions and curiosity. She knows secrets no one suspects her of knowing. She knows her family moved to the so her scientist father could flee a horrible scandal. When her father is murdered, she knows she must get revenge.
by Frances Hardinge
MoreScore: 2 white cis-female undisclosed adventure fantasy England Gender Roles Scientific Research 384 pages Lexile: 860L
In Victorian England, Faith Sunderly leads a double life. To most people, she is reliable, dull, trustworthy—a proper young lady who knows her place, subservient to men. Inside, Faith is full of questions and curiosity. She knows secrets no one suspects her of knowing. She knows her family moved to the so her scientist father could flee a horrible scandal. When her father is murdered, she knows she must get revenge.
by Gore Vidal
MoreScore: 2 white trans-female straight adventure realistic Hollywood, CA Gender Identity 60's Swinger Culture 440 pages
It is a risky (and risque) business becoming 'Woman Triumphant' - exercising total power over men. Such is Rusty Godowski. Rusty just wants to be a Hollywood leading man like everyone else at Buck Loner's academy, but now that Buck's niece, Myra Breckinridge, has arrived, the curriculum is taking a wildly strange turn. Willing to risk all to be superb and unique, Myra means to prove to her old friend Dr. Montag that it is possible to work out in life all one's fantasies - and survive.
by Gore Vidal
MoreScore: 2 white trans-female straight adventure realistic Hollywood, CA Gender Identity 60's Swinger Culture 440 pages
It is a risky (and risque) business becoming 'Woman Triumphant' - exercising total power over men. Such is Rusty Godowski. Rusty just wants to be a Hollywood leading man like everyone else at Buck Loner's academy, but now that Buck's niece, Myra Breckinridge, has arrived, the curriculum is taking a wildly strange turn. Willing to risk all to be superb and unique, Myra means to prove to her old friend Dr. Montag that it is possible to work out in life all one's fantasies - and survive.
by Trenton Lee Stewart
MoreScore: 2 white cis-female undisclosed adventure fantasy Boarding Schools Treasure Hunts Missing Persons 512 pages Lexile: 900L
"Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?" Dozens of children respond to this peculiar ad in the newspaper and are then put through a series of mind-bending tests, which readers take along with them. Only four children--two boys and two girls--succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and inventive children could complete.
by Trenton Lee Stewart
MoreScore: 2 white cis-female undisclosed adventure fantasy Boarding Schools Treasure Hunts Missing Persons 512 pages Lexile: 900L
"Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?" Dozens of children respond to this peculiar ad in the newspaper and are then put through a series of mind-bending tests, which readers take along with them. Only four children--two boys and two girls--succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and inventive children could complete.
by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
MoreScore: 2 non-white cis-male straight adventure magical realism South America Epic Family History Social Conditions 432 pages Lexile: 1410L
The rise and fall of the mythical town of Macondo is told through the history of the Buendía family. It is a rich and brilliant chronicle of life and death, and the tragicomedy of humankind. In the noble, ridiculous, beautiful, and tawdry story of the Buendía family, one sees all of humanity, just as in the history, myths, growth, and decay of Macondo, one sees all of Latin America.
by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
MoreScore: 2 non-white cis-male straight adventure magical realism South America Epic Family History Social Conditions 432 pages Lexile: 1410L
The rise and fall of the mythical town of Macondo is told through the history of the Buendía family. It is a rich and brilliant chronicle of life and death, and the tragicomedy of humankind. In the noble, ridiculous, beautiful, and tawdry story of the Buendía family, one sees all of humanity, just as in the history, myths, growth, and decay of Macondo, one sees all of Latin America.
by Elizabeth Wein
MoreScore: 2 white cis-female undisclosed adventure historical Germany Poetry Holocaust 368 pages Lexile: 950L
While flying an Allied fighter plane from Paris to England, American pilot, Rose Justice, is captured by the Nazis and sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious woman's concentration camp. Trapped in horrific circumstances, Rose finds hope in the impossible through the loyalty, bravery and friendship of her fellow prisoners. But will that be enough to endure the fate that's in store for her?
by Elizabeth Wein
MoreScore: 2 white cis-female undisclosed adventure historical Germany Poetry Holocaust 368 pages Lexile: 950L
While flying an Allied fighter plane from Paris to England, American pilot, Rose Justice, is captured by the Nazis and sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious woman's concentration camp. Trapped in horrific circumstances, Rose finds hope in the impossible through the loyalty, bravery and friendship of her fellow prisoners. But will that be enough to endure the fate that's in store for her?
by Louis Sachar
MoreScore: 2 non-white cis-male straight adventure realistic Life After Prison African American Cerebral Palsy 288 pages Lexile: 690L
Sequel to Holes. Two years after being released from Camp Green Lake, Armpit is home in Austin, Texas, trying to turn his life around. But it's hard when you have a record and everyone expects the worst from you. The only person who believe in him is his friend Ginny, ten-year-old girl with cerebral palsy who lives next door. Together, they are learning to take small steps in the right direction. Then, X-Ray, a buddy from Camp Green Lake, comes up with a get-rich-quick scheme.
by Louis Sachar
MoreScore: 2 non-white cis-male straight adventure realistic Life After Prison African American Cerebral Palsy 288 pages Lexile: 690L
Sequel to Holes. Two years after being released from Camp Green Lake, Armpit is home in Austin, Texas, trying to turn his life around. But it's hard when you have a record and everyone expects the worst from you. The only person who believe in him is his friend Ginny, ten-year-old girl with cerebral palsy who lives next door. Together, they are learning to take small steps in the right direction. Then, X-Ray, a buddy from Camp Green Lake, comes up with a get-rich-quick scheme.
by J. Aaron Sanders
Lambda Literary Award MoreScore: 2 white cis-male non-straight adventure historical New York Murder 320 pages
A young Walt Whitman navigates the seedy underbelly of New York City's body-snatching industry in an attempt to exonerate his friend of a wrongful murder charge. Whitman arrives at the Tombs prison yard where his friend Lena Stowe is scheduled to hang for the murder of her husband, Abraham.
by J. Aaron Sanders
Lambda Literary Award MoreScore: 2 white cis-male non-straight adventure historical New York Murder 320 pages
A young Walt Whitman navigates the seedy underbelly of New York City's body-snatching industry in an attempt to exonerate his friend of a wrongful murder charge. Whitman arrives at the Tombs prison yard where his friend Lena Stowe is scheduled to hang for the murder of her husband, Abraham.
by Christopher Barzak
Stonwall Award MoreScore: 2 white cis-male non-straight adventure magical realism Rural Ohio Family Curses Romance 339 pages Lexile: 980L
Aidan Lockwood lives in a sleepy farming town, day after unremarkable day. But when Jarrod, his former best friend, suddenly moves back home, Aidan begins to see clearly for the first time -- not only to feelings that go beyond mere friendship, but to a world that is haunted by the stories of his past.
by Christopher Barzak
Stonwall Award MoreScore: 2 white cis-male non-straight adventure magical realism Rural Ohio Family Curses Romance 339 pages Lexile: 980L
Aidan Lockwood lives in a sleepy farming town, day after unremarkable day. But when Jarrod, his former best friend, suddenly moves back home, Aidan begins to see clearly for the first time -- not only to feelings that go beyond mere friendship, but to a world that is haunted by the stories of his past.
by Mark Twain
MoreScore: 1 white cis-male undisclosed adventure historical Mississippi Slavery Racism 280 pages Lexile: 850L
In the year of its publication, 1884, Huckleberry Finn was seen by some as unfit for children to read because of its language, grammar, and "uncivilized hero." Twain's satiric treatment of racism, religious excess, and rural simplicity and his accuracy in presenting dialects mark Huck Finn as a classic. His unswerving confidence in Huck's wisdom and maturity, along with the well-rounded and sympathetic portrayal of Jim draw readers into the book, holding them until Huck's last words rejecting all attempts to "sivilize" him.
by Mark Twain
MoreScore: 1 white cis-male undisclosed adventure historical Mississippi Slavery Racism 280 pages Lexile: 850L
In the year of its publication, 1884, Huckleberry Finn was seen by some as unfit for children to read because of its language, grammar, and "uncivilized hero." Twain's satiric treatment of racism, religious excess, and rural simplicity and his accuracy in presenting dialects mark Huck Finn as a classic. His unswerving confidence in Huck's wisdom and maturity, along with the well-rounded and sympathetic portrayal of Jim draw readers into the book, holding them until Huck's last words rejecting all attempts to "sivilize" him.
by Charlie Jane Anders
MoreScore: 1 pending cis-female straight adventure science fiction fantasy magic time travel 320 pages
An ancient society of witches and a hipster technological startup go to war in order to prevent the world from tearing itself apart. To further complicate things, each of the groups’ most promising followers (Patricia, a brilliant witch and Laurence, an engineering “wunderkind”) may just be in love with each other. As the battle between magic and science wages in San Francisco against the backdrop of international chaos, Laurence and Patricia are forced to choose sides. But their choices will determine the fate of the planet and all mankind.
by Charlie Jane Anders
MoreScore: 1 pending cis-female straight adventure science fiction fantasy magic time travel 320 pages
An ancient society of witches and a hipster technological startup go to war in order to prevent the world from tearing itself apart. To further complicate things, each of the groups’ most promising followers (Patricia, a brilliant witch and Laurence, an engineering “wunderkind”) may just be in love with each other. As the battle between magic and science wages in San Francisco against the backdrop of international chaos, Laurence and Patricia are forced to choose sides. But their choices will determine the fate of the planet and all mankind.
by S. J. Watson
MoreScore: 1 white cis-female straight adventure thriller Amnesia Identity 381 pages
Memories define us. So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep? Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love - all forgotten overnight. And the one person you trust may only be telling you half the story. Welcome to Christine's life.
by S. J. Watson
MoreScore: 1 white cis-female straight adventure thriller Amnesia Identity 381 pages
Memories define us. So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep? Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love - all forgotten overnight. And the one person you trust may only be telling you half the story. Welcome to Christine's life.
by Marissa Meyer
MoreScore: 1 white cis-female straight adventure science fiction Cyborgs Aliens Social Classes 390 pages Lexile: 790L
As plague ravages the overcrowded Earth, observed by a ruthless lunar people, Cinder, a gifted mechanic and cyborg, becomes involved with handsome Prince Kai and must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect the world in this futuristic take on the Cinderella story.
by Marissa Meyer
MoreScore: 1 white cis-female straight adventure science fiction Cyborgs Aliens Social Classes 390 pages Lexile: 790L
As plague ravages the overcrowded Earth, observed by a ruthless lunar people, Cinder, a gifted mechanic and cyborg, becomes involved with handsome Prince Kai and must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect the world in this futuristic take on the Cinderella story.
by Aliette de Bodard
MoreScore: 1 white cis-female straight adventure fantasy Paris, France Magic 416 pages
In the late twentieth century, the streets of Paris are lined with haunted ruins, the aftermath of a Great War between arcane powers. The Grand Magasins have been reduced to piles of debris, Notre-Dame is a burnt-out shell, and the Seine has turned black with ashes and rubble and the remnants of the spells that tore the city apart. Within House Silverspires, three very different people must come together: a naive but powerful Fallen angel; an alchemist with a self-destructive addiction; and a resentful young man wielding spells of unknown origin.
by Aliette de Bodard
MoreScore: 1 white cis-female straight adventure fantasy Paris, France Magic 416 pages
In the late twentieth century, the streets of Paris are lined with haunted ruins, the aftermath of a Great War between arcane powers. The Grand Magasins have been reduced to piles of debris, Notre-Dame is a burnt-out shell, and the Seine has turned black with ashes and rubble and the remnants of the spells that tore the city apart. Within House Silverspires, three very different people must come together: a naive but powerful Fallen angel; an alchemist with a self-destructive addiction; and a resentful young man wielding spells of unknown origin.
by Tonke Dragt
MoreScore: 1 white cis-male undisclosed adventure fantasy Knights Quests 528 pages Lexile: 660L
Sixteen-year-old Tiuri must spend hours locked in a chapel in silent contemplation if he is to be knighted the next day. But as he waits by the light of a flickering candle, he hears a knock at the door and a voice desperately asking for help. A secret letter must be delivered to King Unauwen across the Great Mountains--a letter upon which the fate of the entire kingdom depends. Tiuri has a vital role to play, one that might cost him his knighthood. He must trust no one. He must keep his true identity secret. Above all, he must never reveal what is in the letter.
by Tonke Dragt
MoreScore: 1 white cis-male undisclosed adventure fantasy Knights Quests 528 pages Lexile: 660L
Sixteen-year-old Tiuri must spend hours locked in a chapel in silent contemplation if he is to be knighted the next day. But as he waits by the light of a flickering candle, he hears a knock at the door and a voice desperately asking for help. A secret letter must be delivered to King Unauwen across the Great Mountains--a letter upon which the fate of the entire kingdom depends. Tiuri has a vital role to play, one that might cost him his knighthood. He must trust no one. He must keep his true identity secret. Above all, he must never reveal what is in the letter.
by Antoine de Saint Exuprey
MoreScore: 1 white cis-male undisclosed adventure fantasy Sahara Desert Space Travel Social Commentary 83 pages Lexile: 710L
The Little Prince is a poetic tale, with watercolor illustrations by the author, in which a pilot stranded in the desert meets a young prince visiting Earth from a tiny asteroid. The story is philosophical and includes social criticism of the adult world.
by Antoine de Saint Exuprey
MoreScore: 1 white cis-male undisclosed adventure fantasy Sahara Desert Space Travel Social Commentary 83 pages Lexile: 710L
The Little Prince is a poetic tale, with watercolor illustrations by the author, in which a pilot stranded in the desert meets a young prince visiting Earth from a tiny asteroid. The story is philosophical and includes social criticism of the adult world.
by Herman Melville
MoreScore: 1 white cis-male undisclosed adventure realistic whaling 402 pages Lexile: 960L
Ahab's hunt for the white whale drives the narrative at a relentless pace, while Ishmael's mediations on whales and whaling, on the sublime indifference of nature, and on the grimy details of the extraction of oil provide a reflective counterpoint to the headlong idolatrous quest.
by Herman Melville
MoreScore: 1 white cis-male undisclosed adventure realistic whaling 402 pages Lexile: 960L
Ahab's hunt for the white whale drives the narrative at a relentless pace, while Ishmael's mediations on whales and whaling, on the sublime indifference of nature, and on the grimy details of the extraction of oil provide a reflective counterpoint to the headlong idolatrous quest.
by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
MoreScore: 1 white cis-male undisclosed adventure psychological St. Petersberg Existentialism Stream of Conciousness 177 pages Lexile: 1050L
It is framed as an excerpt from a rambling memoir of a bitter, isolated, unnamed narrator who is a retired civil servant living in St. Petersburg. The first part of the story is told in monologue form, and attacks emerging Western philosophy. The second part is called "Àpropos of the Wet Snow", and describes the actual events that are commented on in the first part, namely the narrator deciding to not give way to an officer he often passes on the street while out walking.
by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
MoreScore: 1 white cis-male undisclosed adventure psychological St. Petersberg Existentialism Stream of Conciousness 177 pages Lexile: 1050L
It is framed as an excerpt from a rambling memoir of a bitter, isolated, unnamed narrator who is a retired civil servant living in St. Petersburg. The first part of the story is told in monologue form, and attacks emerging Western philosophy. The second part is called "Àpropos of the Wet Snow", and describes the actual events that are commented on in the first part, namely the narrator deciding to not give way to an officer he often passes on the street while out walking.
by Jane Austen
MoreScore: 1 white cis-female straight adventure romance England Zombies Sisters 320 pages Lexile: 1070L
Complete with romance, heartbreak, swordfights, cannibalism, and thousands of rotting corpses, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is an audacious retelling. This expanded edition featurings all-new scenes of bone-crunching zombie mayhem! Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is determined to wipe out the zombie menace, but she’s soon distracted by the arrival of the haughty and arrogant Mr. Darcy.
by Jane Austen
MoreScore: 1 white cis-female straight adventure romance England Zombies Sisters 320 pages Lexile: 1070L
Complete with romance, heartbreak, swordfights, cannibalism, and thousands of rotting corpses, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is an audacious retelling. This expanded edition featurings all-new scenes of bone-crunching zombie mayhem! Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is determined to wipe out the zombie menace, but she’s soon distracted by the arrival of the haughty and arrogant Mr. Darcy.
by Libba Bray
MoreScore: 1 white cis-female straight adventure fantasy england magic boarding school 576 pages Lexile: 680L
In this thrilling sequel, Gemma continues to pursue her destiny to bind the magic of the Realms and restore it to the Order. Gemma and her friends from Spence use magical power to transport themselves on visits from their corseted world of Victorian London (at the height of the Christmas season), to the visionary country of the Realms, with its strange beauty and menace.
by Libba Bray
MoreScore: 1 white cis-female straight adventure fantasy england magic boarding school 576 pages Lexile: 680L
In this thrilling sequel, Gemma continues to pursue her destiny to bind the magic of the Realms and restore it to the Order. Gemma and her friends from Spence use magical power to transport themselves on visits from their corseted world of Victorian London (at the height of the Christmas season), to the visionary country of the Realms, with its strange beauty and menace.
by Libba Bray
MoreScore: 1 white cis-female straight adventure fantasy england magic boarding school 832 pages Lexile: 640L
It has been a year of change since Gemma Doyle arrived at the foreboding Spence Academy. Having bound the wild, dark magic of the realms to her, Gemma has forged unlikely and unsuspected new alliances both with the headstrong Felicity and timid Ann, Kartik, the exotic young man whose companionship is forbidden, and the fearsome creatures of the realms. Now, as Gemma approaches her London debut, the time has come to test those bonds.
by Libba Bray
MoreScore: 1 white cis-female straight adventure fantasy england magic boarding school 832 pages Lexile: 640L
It has been a year of change since Gemma Doyle arrived at the foreboding Spence Academy. Having bound the wild, dark magic of the realms to her, Gemma has forged unlikely and unsuspected new alliances both with the headstrong Felicity and timid Ann, Kartik, the exotic young man whose companionship is forbidden, and the fearsome creatures of the realms. Now, as Gemma approaches her London debut, the time has come to test those bonds.
by Mark Twain
MoreScore: 1 white cis-male undisclosed adventure historical Mississippi River Runaways Friendship 96 pages Lexile: 560L
Whether forming a pirate gang to search for buried treasure or spending a quiet time at home, sharing his medicine with Aunt Polly’s cat, the irrepressible Tom Sawyer evokes the world of boyhood in nineteenth-century rural America. In this classic story, Mark Twain re-created a long-ago world of freshly whitewashed fences and Sunday school picnics into which sordid characters and violent incidents sometimes intruded.
by Mark Twain
MoreScore: 1 white cis-male undisclosed adventure historical Mississippi River Runaways Friendship 96 pages Lexile: 560L
Whether forming a pirate gang to search for buried treasure or spending a quiet time at home, sharing his medicine with Aunt Polly’s cat, the irrepressible Tom Sawyer evokes the world of boyhood in nineteenth-century rural America. In this classic story, Mark Twain re-created a long-ago world of freshly whitewashed fences and Sunday school picnics into which sordid characters and violent incidents sometimes intruded.