Young Ambassador: Vimala
As a senior at the Bronx High School of Science and a passionate advocate for literature, Vimala brings a unique perspective to her role as both a Bank Street Children’s Book Committee Young Reviewer and Young Ambassador.
When she’s not leading her school’s Speech and Debate team or working with the Student Diversity Committee, you might find her memorizing Latin conjugations or conducting organic chemistry labs—true to her scientific roots.
Outside the classroom, Vimala can often be spotted curled up with a fantasy or sci-fi novel, exploring New York City’s hidden gluten-free bakeries, or daydreaming about her future as a cat owner. In this blog post, she shares some of her favorite books and why they deserve a spot on your reading list.
Key: F fiction, NF non-fiction, SF science fiction, HF historical fiction.
Graphic Novels
Bone by Jeff Smith (F)
The three Bone cousins are chased out of their town and get lost in a mysterious desert. They reunite in a valley where they try to rebuild their lives, but old secrets uncover a centuries-old battle that the Bone cousins find themselves caught up in. This high-fantasy series is full of humor, cool action sequences, and heartfelt moments. The series is published in volumes, but each volume is more akin to a chapter than a standalone book.
Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales by Nathan Hale (NF/HF)
After saying his famous last words, American spy Nathan Hale gets swallowed up by a history book and begins telling history stories to delay his execution. This series explains important events from American history in a very clear, detailed, and humorous manner. The books can be read as standalone novels, but I recommend reading One Dead Spy first for context about the Nathan Hale-storytelling part. My personal favorites are Big Bad Ironclad! Treaties, Trenches, Mud and Blood, The Underground Abductor, and Lafayette!
March by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell (NF)
March is an autobiographical series about Congressman John Lewis and the Civil Rights Movement. Personally, I believe that this book should be taught in every history class. John Lewis and Andrew Aydin describe the Civil Rights Movement emotionally and powerfully and encourage every one of its readers to fight for equality for everyone.
Maus by Art Spiegelman (NF)
Maus tells the story of Vladek Spieglman and his experiences during the Holocaust, as well as the story of Art Spiegelman, who struggles with coming to terms with his father’s experiences. This book is written in the style of Art Spiegelman interviewing his father. This book is very well researched and written–you can feel the emotion leaking out of the pages. I learned a lot about the Holocaust, especially about its intergenerational effects.
Hooky by Míriam Bonastre Tur (F)
This series, originally published digitally, tells the story of two witch children, Dani and Dorian, who miss their bus to magic school and become caught up in a series of adventures to save their kingdom from the hate that divides it. This series is very heart-warming and I love the messages about acceptance.
Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa (F)
This series tells the story of Edward and Alphonse Elric, two brothers who are alchemy prodigies, and their quest to find the Philosopher’s Stone. I would recommend it to any fantasy lover. I really like how it explores social problems (eg. discrimination, war, political greed) and portrays feminism, family, friendship, and morality. I think that this series is more fit for older readers because it deals with mature themes (eg. death) and because the drawings do contain some gore.
Dune: The Graphic Novel by Frank Herbert, Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson, Raúl Allén, Patricia Martín, Bill Sienkiewicz (SF)
A graphic novel adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune, which tells the story of Paul Atreides as his family accepts control of the planet Arrakis and become deeply entangled in the politics of Arrakis and of the galaxy. I love the colors and detailed illustrations of this book and I think it is a faithful adaptation of the original book.
City of Secrets by Victoria Ying (SF/F)
An amazing steampunk adventure with great illustrations.
Favorites
The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani (F)
Similar to: Beasts and Beauty, Strange the Dreamer, The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, Cemetery Boys
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Stewart (F)
Similar to: Mr. Lemoncello’s Very First Game, The Inheritance Games, The Secret Keepers
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak (HF)
Similar to: The Night Diary, The War That Saved My Life
Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa (F)
Similar to: Scythe, The Cruel Prince, The Epic Crush of Genie Lo, Children of Blood and Bone, The Marrow Thieves
Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo (HF)
Similar to: A Scatter of Light, They Both Die at the End, The Magic Fish
Wonder by R.J. Palacio (RF)
Similar to: Kids Like Us, OCDaniel, World Made of Glass
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
Similar to: The Ickabog, The Inquisitor’s Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog, The Wonderling, The Patron Thief of Bread
Mistborn by Brian Sanderson (F)
Similar to: The Many Assassinations of Samir, The Seller of Dreams, The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, Dragon Pearl
Speculative Fiction
Titles in blue are books not specifically written for young adults, but are books that I have read that I think have young adult appeal.
Science Fiction
- The Fifth Season by N.K. Jeminson
- The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin
- Cinder by Marissa Meyers
- Red Rising by Pierce Brown
- A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
- Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
- Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
Supernatural
- The Screaming Staircase by Johnathan Stroud
- Nightbooks by J.A. White
Fantasy
- The Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings
- Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
- The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
- The Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K. LeGuin
- The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani
- Graceling by Kristin Cashore
- Legendborn by Tracy Deon
- Little Thieves by Margaret Owen
- Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
- Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
- The Alchemyst by Michael Scott
Alternate History
- Babel by R.F. Kuang
- The Amulet of Samarkand by Johnathan Stroud
- The Inquisitor’s Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gitwitz
- Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
Dystopian
- Legend by Marie Lu
- Scythe by Neal Shusterman
- Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard