YA nonfiction continues to be one of the underdogs of the literary world. There are few awards dedicated to honoring the work, and as much as some of us have rallied for Goodreads to make it a category for their annual readers’ choice awards, they haven’t (and I suspect they will not). It also doesn’t get the same social media attention as fiction does. All of that is unfortunate, especially because it is both a growing and wonderful arena of books. We know teens are big nonfiction readers, and books written with them as an audience in mind matters. Because I keep track and read YA nonfiction, I find it worthwhile to roundup the upcoming new releases as much as I can to give these books a boost they might not otherwise see in “most anticipated” and similar roundups. That all said, let’s take a look at some of the early 2023 YA nonfiction you’ll want on your radar.

These are all YA nonfiction books hitting shelves between January and the end of April. I’ve pulled descriptions from Amazon. As usual, because it is harder to track down all of the nonfiction being published for young adults, this list is far from comprehensive. It leans more heavily on narrative nonfiction than more of the how-to style nonfiction. If you know of other YA nonfiction hitting shelves in the first few months of the year not included, I’d love to hear about them in the comments. Usual disclaimers apply here that one of the tricky parts of YA nonfiction is that many are published for 10-14 or 12-18, so some of these titles might lean more toward middle grade than YA.

Early 2023 YA Nonfiction

Dark Testament: Blackout Poems by Crystal Simone Smith (1/3)

In this extraordinary collection, the award-winning poet Crystal Simone Smith gives voice to the mournful dead, their lives unjustly lost to violence, and to the grieving chorus of protestors in today’s Black Lives Matter movement, in search of resilience and hope.

With poems found within the text of George Saunders’s Lincoln in the Bardo, Crystal Simone Smith embarks on an uncompromising exploration of collective mourning and crafts a masterwork that resonates far beyond the page. These poems are visually stark, a gathering of gripping verses that unmasks a dialogue of tragic truths―the stories of lives taken unjustly and too soon.

Bold and deeply affecting, Dark Testament is a remarkable reckoning with our present moment, a call to action, and a plea for a more just future.

Along with the poems, Dark Testament includes a stirring introduction by the author that speaks to the content of the poetry, a Q&A with George Saunders, and a full-color photo-insert that commemorates victims of unlawful killings with photographs of memorials that have been created in their honor.

Female, Gifted, and Black: Awesome Art and Literary Pioneers Who Changed the World (Black Historical Figures, Women in Black History) by Becca Anderson and M.J. Fievre  (1/10)

Learn about amazing women in Black history. Whether you learned about these women in school or not, these Black historical figures changed society and inspired future generations. Read all about these powerful women in black history such as Amanda Gorman, Alice Walker, Warsan Shire, Eartha Kitt, Gloria Hendry, Issa Rae, Pearl Bailey, Shonda Rhimes and so many more. From artists to writers, models to dancers, Female, Gifted and Black inspires you to be a trailblazer with these stories of strength, perseverance, and talent.

Dive into this Black history book. Driven by female empowerment, this collection of biographies tells the unique stories of these powerful women in Black history who made a difference. From artists to activists, Female, Gifted and Black showcases a plethora of passions and skills to prove that Black is beautiful. These mighty women in Black history prove that your passions and drive are the most powerful things you have.

Inside Female, Gifted and Black, you’ll learn to:

• Recognize the importance of honoring Black intelligence, willpower, and passion
• Celebrate the strength of these revolutionary women in Black history
• Channel your inner womanhood
• Discover powerful stories of accomplishments achieved by Black historical figures

Doomed: Sacco, Vanzetti, and The End of the American Dream by John Florio, Ouisie Shapiro (1/24)

In the early 1920s, a Red Scare gripped America. Many of those targeted were Italians, Eastern Europeans, and other immigrants.

When an armed robbery resulting in the death of two people broke headlines in Massachusetts, Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti―both Italian immigrants―were quick to be accused.

A heated trial ensued, but through it all, the two men maintained their innocence. The controversial case quickly rippled past borders as it became increasingly clear that Sacco and Vanzetti were fated for a death sentence. Protests sprang up around the world to fight for their lives.

Learn the tragic history we dare not repeat in Doomed: Sacco, Vanzetti, and the End of the American Dream, an action-packed, fast-paced nonfiction book filled with issues that still resonate today.

Colin Kaepernick: Change the Game by Colin Kaepernick, Eve L. Ewing, Orlando Caicedo (Illustrated by) (3/7)

A high school senior at a crossroads in life and heavily scouted by colleges and Major League Baseball (MLB), Colin has a bright future ahead of him as a highly touted prospect. Everyone, from his parents to his teachers and coaches, is in agreement on his future. Everyone but him.

Colin isn’t excited about baseball. In the words of five-time all-star MLB player Adam Jones, “Baseball is a white man’s sport.” He looks up to athletes like Allen Iverson: talented, hyper-competitive, unapologetically Black, and dominating their sports while staying true to themselves. College football looks a lot more fun than sleeping on hotel room floors in the minor leagues of baseball. But Colin doesn’t have a single offer to play football. Yet. This touching YA graphic novel memoir explores the story of how a young change-maker learned to find himself, make his own way, and never compromise.

Nearer My Freedom: The Interesting Life of Olaudah Equiano by Himself by Monica Edinger, Lesley Younge (3/7)

Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day by Dan Nott (3/14)

We use water, electricity, and the internet every day–but how do they actually work? And what’s the plan to keep them running for years to come? This nonfiction science graphic novel takes readers on a journey from how the most essential systems were developed to how they are implemented in our world today and how they will be used in the future.

What was the first message sent over the internet? How much water does a single person use every day? How was the electric light invented?

For every utility we use each day, there’s a hidden history–a story of intrigue, drama, humor, and inequity. This graphic novel provides a guided tour through the science of the past–and reveals how the decisions people made while inventing and constructing early technology still affect the way people use it today.

Full of art, maps, and diagrams, Hidden Systems is a thoughtful, humorous exploration of the history of science and what needs to be done now to change the future.

Share Better and Stress Less by Whitney Phillips, Ryan Milner (3/14)

Rising Class : How Three First-Generation College Students Conquered Their First Year by Jennifer Miller (3/28)

This eye-opening YA narrative nonfiction follows three first-generation college students as they navigate their first year―and ultimately a global pandemic.

Making it through the first year of college is tough. What makes it even tougher is being the first in your family to do so. Who can you turn to when you need advice?

Rising Class follows three first-generation freshmen, Briani, Conner, and Jacklynn, as they not only experience their first semester of college, but the COVID-19 pandemic that turned their Spring semester upside down. From life in the ivy league to classes at a community college, this nonfiction book follows these students’ challenges, successes, and dreams as they tackle their first year of college and juggle responsibilities to their families back home.

Eye-opening and poignant, Jennifer Miller writes a narrative nonfiction story that speaks to new beginnings, coming of age, and perseverance.

¡Ay, Mija! (A Graphic Novel) : My Bilingual Summer in Mexico by Christine Suggs (4/4)

In this bilingual, inventive, and heartfelt debut, graphic novel talent Christine Suggs explores a trip they took to Mexico to visit family, embracing and rebelling against their heritage and finding a sense of belonging.

Sixteen-year-old Christine takes their first solo trip to Mexico to spend a few weeks with their grandparents and tía. At first, Christine struggles to connect with family they don’t yet share a language with. Seeing the places their mom grew up—the school she went to, the café where she had her first date with their father—Christine becomes more and more aware of the generational differences in their family.

Soon Christine settles into life in Mexico, eating pan dulce, drawing what they see, and growing more comfortable with Spanish. But when Mom joins their trip, Christine’s two worlds collide. They feel homesick for Texas, struggle against traditions, and miss being able to speak to their mom without translating. Eventually, through exploring the impacts of colonialism in both Mexico and themselves, they find their place in their family and start to feel comfortable with their mixed identity.

Hédi Fried was nineteen when the Nazis arrested her family and transported them to Auschwitz. While there, apart from enduring the daily horrors at the concentration camp, she and her sister were forced into hard labor before being released at the end of the war.

After settling in Sweden, Hédi devoted her life to educating young people about the Holocaust. In her 90s, she decided to take the most common questions, and her answers, and turn them into a book so that children all over the world could understand what had happened.

This is a deeply human book that urges us never to forget and never to repeat.

Work What You Got by Zion Clark, James S. Hirsch (4/11)