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Early 2019 YA Nonfiction Books To Put On Your TBR

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With the new year comes a new crop of exciting nonfiction for young adults. Find below a list of upcoming nonfiction YA books hitting in the first half(ish) of the year. This isn’t comprehensive, as it’s really challenging to track down nonfiction lists in a way that it’s less so for fiction. YA nonfiction is becoming more focused on teen readers, but in many cases, it’s more accurate to call the category nonfiction for young readers, as many books perfect for YA nonfiction readers are marketed for 10-14 year olds.

As in previous round-ups, these are books that aren’t educational publications/library bound nonfiction titles that are part of a series or intended for research purposes only. The titles absolutely include books perfect for research and reference, but these titles also serve as more recreational nonfiction reading for teens.

If you know of other nonfiction for teen readers hitting shelves before June, drop ’em in the comments. I’ll revisit this in the summer and again in the fall, offering up as wide a picture of the state of upcoming YA nonfiction as possible.

Until then, here are some excellent-sounding titles to kick off your year. Titles are listed alphabetically with publication dates beside them. Descriptions come from Goodreads.

YA nonfiction books hitting shelves in early 2019 for your TBR. book lists | YA books | YA nonfiction books | upcoming YA books | nonfiction books | nonfiction books for young readers | YA Lit | #YALit

2019 YA Nonfiction Books

 

Bad Boys of Fashion: Style Rebels and Renegades Through The Ages by Jennifer Croll, illustrated by Aneta Pacholska (April 1)

A daring and different look at men’s fashion rule-breakers and icons

First came the bad girls. Now Jennifer Croll turns the spotlight on fashion’s bad boys. From Louis XIV to Kanye West, Bad Boys of Fashion takes us on a tour of the iconoclasts, leaders, and mistfits throughout history who have all used fashion to get what they want. Just as she did in her award-winning Bad Girls of Fashion, Croll shows us the power of clothes and the links between fashion and politics, art, social movements, and more. Croll’s lively and engaging prose draws the reader in, providing enough information to satisfy both budding fashionistas and pop-culture junkies alike. Aneta Pacholska’s illustrations are modern and fun, perfectly complementing the text and making the book as exciting to look at as it is to read.

In-depth features include Louis XIV, Oscar Wilde, Marlon Brando, Malcolm X, Andy Warhol, Karl Lagerfeld, Clyde Frazier, Malcolm McLaren, David Bowie, and Kanye West, with a diverse array of shorter biographies on subjects like Che Guevara, Basquiat, and Prince enriching the text.

Brave Face: A Memoir by Shaun David Hutchinson (May 21)

“I wasn’t depressed because I was gay. I was depressed and gay.”

Shaun David Hutchinson was nineteen. Confused. Struggling to find the vocabulary to understand and accept who he was and how he fit into a community in which he couldn’t see himself. The voice of depression told him that he would never be loved or wanted, while powerful and hurtful messages from society told him that being gay meant love and happiness weren’t for him.

A million moments large and small over the years all came together to convince Shaun that he couldn’t keep going, that he had no future. And so he followed through on trying to make that a reality.

Thankfully Shaun survived, and over time, came to embrace how grateful he is and how to find self-acceptance. In this courageous and deeply honest memoir, Shaun takes readers through the journey of what brought him to the edge, and what has helped him truly believe that it does get better.

 

 

Captured: An American Prisoner of War in North Vietnam (March 26)

Naval aviator Jeremiah Denton was shot down and captured in North Vietnam in 1965. As a POW, Jerry Denton led a group of fellow American prisoners in withstanding gruesome conditions behind enemy lines. They developed a system of secret codes and covert communications to keep up their spirits. Later, he would endure torture and long periods of solitary confinement. Always, Jerry told his fellow POWs that they would one day return home together.

Although Jerry spent seven and a half years as a POW, he did finally return home in 1973 after the longest and harshest deployment in US history.

Denton’s story is an extraordinary narrative of human resilience and endurance. Townley grapples with themes of perseverance, leadership, and duty while also deftly portraying the deeply complicated realities of the Vietnam War in this gripping narrative project for YA readers.

 

Dear Ally, How Do You Write a Book by Ally Carter (March 26)

In this book consisting of real writing questions from real teens, in-depth answers in Ally’s voice, and occasional, brief answers from guest authors, Ally Carter gives teens the definitive how-to guide on writing their first novel. From getting started, to creating conflict, all the way through to a guide to the publishing industry, Ally covers it all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dissenter on the Bench: Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Life and Work by Victoria Ortiz (June 4)

Dramatically narrated case histories from Justice Ginsburg’s stellar career are interwoven with an account of RBG’s life—childhood, family, beliefs, education, marriage, legal and judicial career, children, and achievements—and her many-faceted personality is captured. The cases described, many involving young people, demonstrate her passionate concern for gender equality, fairness, and our constitutional rights. Notes, bibliography, index.

 

 

 

 

Eiffel’s Tower for Young People by Jill Jonnes (March 19)

Weaving together the behind-the-scenes history of the Eiffel Tower with an account of the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris for which the tower was built, Jonnes creates a vivid, lively pageant of people and cultures meeting–and competing.
The book opens a window into a piece of the past that, in its passions and politics, feels timelessly modern: art, science, business, entertainment, gossip, royalty, and national pride mingle in an unforgettable portrait of a unique moment in history, when Buffalo Bill and Annie Oakley became the toasts of Paris and Gustave Eiffel, builder of the tower, rose to the pinnacle of fame, only to suffer a tragic fall from grace.
Above all, the 1889 World’s Fair revolved around two nations, whose potent symbols were the twin poles of the fair. France, with its long history of sophistication and cultivation, and with a new republican government eager for the country to take its place at the forefront of the modern world, presented the Eiffel Tower–the world’s tallest structure–as a symbol of national pride and engineering superiority. The United States, with its brash, can-do spirit, full of pride in its frontier and its ingenuity, presented the rollicking Wild West show of Buffalo Bill Cody and the marvelous new phonograph of Thomas Edison.
Eiffel, Cody, Oakley, and Edison are just a few of the characters who populate Jonnes’s dramatic history. There are also squabbling artists, a notorious newspaperman, and a generous sprinkling of royalty from around the world. Some of them emerged from the World’s Fair of 1889 winners, some losers, but neither they nor any among the vast crowds who attended the fair ever forgot it.

 

Feminism Is…by DK Publishing (January 3)

A lively and accessible book for teens on the history, pioneers, theories, questions, arguments, and daily reality of feminism today.

What is feminism? Combining insightful text with graphic illustrations, this engaging book introduces young adult readers to a subject that should matter to everyone. Feminism is… tackles the most intriguing and relevant topics, such as “Are all people equal?”, “Do boys and girls learn the same things?” and “Why do women earn less than men?” Find out what equality for women really means, get a short history of feminism, and take a look at the issues that affect women at work, in the home, and around sex and identity. Meet, too, some great women, such as Gloria Steinem, Frida Kahlo, and Malala Yousafzi, “rebel girls” who refused to accept the status quo of their day and blazed a trail for others to follow.

With more than 50 topics that address key feminist concerns, Feminism is… takes on the issues, is informative, and always thought-provoking.

 

 

Fly Girls Young Readers’ Edition: How Five Daring Women Defied All Odds and Made Aviation History by Keith O’Brien (March 5)

In the years between World War I and World War II, airplane racing was one of the most popular sports in America. Thousands of fans flocked to multiday events, and the pilots who competed in these races were hailed as heroes. Well, the male pilots were hailed. Women who flew planes were often ridiculed by the press, and initially they weren’t invited to race. Yet a group of women were determined to take to the sky—no matter what. With guts and grit, they overcame incredible odds both on the ground and in the air to pursue their dreams of flying and racing planes.

Fly Girls follows the stories of five remarkable women: Florence Klingensmith, a high‑school dropout from North Dakota; Ruth Elder, an Alabama housewife; Amelia Earhart, the most famous, but not necessarily the most skilled; Ruth Nichols, a daughter of Wall Street wealth who longed to live a life of her own; and Louise Thaden, who got her start selling coal in Wichita. Together, they fought for the chance to race against the men—and in 1936 one of them would triumph in the toughest race of all.

Complete with photographs and a glossary, Fly Girls celebrates a little-known slice of history wherein tenacious, trail-blazing women braved all obstacles to achieve greatness.

 

The Great Nijinsky: God of Dance by Lynn Curlee (April 9)

With one grand leap off the stage at the 1909 premiere of the Ballets Russes’s inaugural season, Nijinsky became an overnight sensation and the century’s first superstar, in the days before moving pictures brought popular culture to the masses. Perhaps the greatest dancer of the twentieth century, Nijinsky captured audiences with his sheer animal magnetism and incredible skill.

He was also half of the most famous (and openly gay) couple of the Edwardian era: his relationship with Serge Diaghilev, artistic director and architect of the Ballets Russes, pushed boundaries in a time when homosexuality and bisexuality were rarely discussed. Nijinsky’s life was tumultuous–after marrying a female groupie he hardly knew, he was kicked out of the Ballets Russes and placed under house arrest during World War I. Unable to work as he once did, his mental health deteriorated, and he spent three decades in and out of institutions.

Biographical narrative is interspersed with spotlights on the ballets the dancer popularized: classic masterworks such as Afternoon of a Faun, The Firebird, and of course, the shockingly original Rite of Spring, which caused the audience to riot at its premiere. Illustrated with elegant, intimate portraits as well as archival art and photographs.

 

High: Everything You Want to Know About Drugs, Alcohol, and Addiction by Nic and David Sheff (January 8)

From David Sheff, author of Beautiful Boy (2008), and Nic Sheff, author of Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines (2008), comes the ultimate resource for learning about the realities of drugs and alcohol for middle grade readers.
This book tells it as it is, with testimonials from peers who have been there and families who have lived through the addiction of a loved one, along with the cold, hard facts about what drugs and alcohol do to our bodies. From how to navigate peer pressure to outlets for stress to the potential consequences for experimenting, Nic and David Sheff lay out the facts so that middle grade readers can educate themselves.

 

 

The Lady Is a Spy: Virginia Hall, World War II Hero of the French Resistance by Don Mitchell (March 26)

When Hitler invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, Virginia Hall was traveling in Europe. Which was dangerous enough, but as fighting erupted across the continent, instead of returning home, she headed to France.

In a country divided by freedom and fascism, Virginia was determined to do her part for the Allies. An ordinary woman from Baltimore, MD, she dove into the action, first joining a French ambulance unit and later becoming an undercover agent for the British Office of Strategic Services. Working as part of the intelligence network, she made her way to Vichy, coordinating Resistance movements, sabotaging the Nazis, and rescuing Allied soldiers. She passed in plain sight of the enemy, and soon found herself at the top of their most wanted list. But Virginia cleverly evaded discovery and death, often through bold feats and daring escapes. Her covert operations, capture of Nazi soldiers, and risky work as a wireless telegraph operator greatly contributed to the Allies’ eventual win.

 

Parkland Speaks: Survivors from Marjory Stoneman Douglas Share Their Stories edited by Sarah Lerner (January 22)

Featuring art and writing from the students of the Parkland tragedy, this is a raw look at the events of February 14, and a poignant representation of grief, healing, and hope.

The students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School share their emotional journeys that began on February 14, 2018, and continue today. This revealing and unfiltered look at teens living in the wake of tragedy is a poignant representation of grief, anger, determination, healing, and hope.

The intimate collection includes poetry, eyewitness accounts, letters, speeches, journal entries, drawings, and photographs from the events of February 14 and its aftermath. Full of heartbreaking loss, a rally cry for change, and hope for a safe future, these artistic pieces will inspire readers to reflect on their own lives and the importance of valuing and protecting the ones you love.

 

A Quick & Easy Guide to Queer & Trans Identities (April 23)

In this quick and easy guide to queer and trans identities, cartoonists Mady G and JR Zuckerberg guide you through the basics of the LGBT+ world! Covering essential topics like sexuality, gender identity, coming out, and navigating relationships, this guide explains the spectrum of human experience through informative comics, interviews, worksheets, and imaginative examples. A great starting point for anyone curious about queer and trans life, and helpful for those already on their own journeys!

 

 

 

 

 

Robert E. Lee: The Man, the Soldier, the Myth by Brandon Marie Miller (June 11)

Robert E. Lee’s life was filled with responsibility and loyalty. Born to a Revolutionary War hero, Lee learned a sense of duty and restraint after weathering scandals brought on by his father and eldest brother. He found the perfect way to channel this sense of duty at West Point, where he spent his days under rigorous teachers who taught him the organizational skills and discipline he would apply for the rest of his life. The military became Lee’s life: he was often away from his beloved family, making strides with the Army, forcibly expanding the United States toward the Western coastline, and fighting the Mexican-American War. And ultimately, the military and his defining role therein–General of the Confederate Army–would prove to be Lee’s legacy. Author Brandon Marie Miller separates fact from fiction and reveals the complex truth behind who Lee was as a person, a soldier, a general, and a father. The book includes numerous archival images, as well as original quotations, a timeline, an author’s note, a family tree, source notes, a bibliography, and an index.

 

SHOUT by Laurie Halse Anderson (March 12)

Bestselling author Laurie Halse Anderson is known for the unflinching way she writes about, and advocates for, survivors of sexual assault. Now, inspired by her fans and enraged by how little in our culture has changed since her groundbreaking novel Speak was first published twenty years ago, she has written a poetry memoir that is as vulnerable as it is rallying, as timely as it is timeless. In free verse, Anderson shares reflections, rants, and calls to action woven between deeply personal stories from her life that she’s never written about before. Searing and soul-searching, this important memoir is a denouncement of our society’s failures and a love letter to all the people with the courage to say #metoo and #timesup, whether aloud, online, or only in their own hearts. Shout speaks truth to power in a loud, clear voice– and once you hear it, it is impossible to ignore.

 

 

 

Soaring Earth: A Companion Memoir to Enchanted Air by Margarita Engle (February 26)

Margarita Engle’s childhood straddled two worlds: the lush, welcoming island of Cuba and the lonely, dream-soaked reality of Los Angeles. But the revolution has transformed Cuba into a mystery of impossibility, no longer reachable in real life. Margarita longs to travel the world, yet before she can become independent, she’ll have to start high school.

Then the shock waves of war reach America, rippling Margarita’s plans in their wake. Cast into uncertainty, she must grapple with the philosophies of peace, civil rights, freedom of expression, and environmental protection. Despite overwhelming circumstances, she finds solace and empowerment through her education. Amid the challenges of adolescence and a world steeped in conflict, Margarita finds hope beyond the struggle, and love in the most unexpected of places.

 

Strangers Assume My Girlfriend Is My Nurse by Shane Burcaw (April 30)

With his signature acerbic wit and hilarious voice, twenty-something author, blogger, and entrepreneur Shane Burcaw is back with an essay collection about living a full life in a body that many people perceive as a tragedy. From anecdotes about first introductions where people patted him on the head instead of shaking his hand, to stories of passersby mistaking his able-bodied girlfriend for a nurse, Shane tackles awkward situations and assumptions with humor and grace.

On the surface, these essays are about day-to-day life as a wheelchair user with a degenerative disease, but they are actually about family, love, and coming of age.

 

 

 

A Thousand Sisters: The Heroic Airwomen of the Soviet Union in World War II by Elizabeth Wein (January 22)

In the early years of World War II, Josef Stalin issued an order that made the Soviet Union the first country in the world to allow female pilots to fly in combat. Led by Marina Raskova, these three regiments, including the 588th Night Bomber Regiment—nicknamed the “night witches”—faced intense pressure and obstacles both in the sky and on the ground. Some of these young women perished in flames. Many of them were in their teens when they went to war.

This is the story of Raskova’s three regiments, women who enlisted and were deployed on the front lines of battle as navigators, pilots, and mechanics. It is the story of a thousand young women who wanted to take flight to defend their country, and the woman who brought them together in the sky.

Packed with black-and-white photographs, fascinating sidebars, and thoroughly researched details, A Thousand Sisters is the inspiring true story of a group of women who set out to change the world, and the sisterhood they formed even amid the destruction of war.

 

Trans Mission: My Quest to a Beard by Alex Berti (May 14)

I guess we should start at the beginning. I was born on November 2nd, 1995. The doctors in the hospital took one look at my genitals and slapped an F on my birth certificate. ‘F’ for female, not fail–though that would actually have been kind of appropriate given present circumstances.
 
When I was fifteen, I realized I was a transgender man. That makes it sound like I had some kind of lightbulb moment. In reality, coming to grips with my identity has taken a long time.
 
Over the last six years, I’ve come out to my family and friends, changed my name, battled the healthcare system, started taking male hormones and have had surgery on my chest. My quest to a beard is almost complete. This is my story.
 
Accessible and emotional, Trans Mission fills a gap in nonfiction about and for transgender teens.

VIRAL: The Fight Against AIDS in America by Ann Bausum (June 4)

Thirty-five years ago, it was a modern-day, mysterious plague. Its earliest victims were mostly gay men, some of the most marginalized people in the country; at its peak in America, it killed tens of thousands of people. The losses were staggering, the science frightening, and the government’s inaction unforgivable. The AIDS Crisis fundamentally changed the fabric of the United States.

Viral presents the history of the AIDS crisis through the lens of the brave victims and activists who demanded action and literally fought for their lives. This compassionate but unflinching text explores everything from the disease’s origins and how it spread to the activism it inspired and how the world confronts HIV and AIDS today.

 

 

We Are Displaced:

My Journey and Stories from Refugee Girls Around the World by Malala Yousafzai (January 8)

Nobel Peace Prize winner and New York Times-bestselling author Malala Yousafzai introduces some of the people behind the statistics and news stories we read or hear every day about the millions of people displaced worldwide.

Malala’s experiences visiting refugee camps caused her to reconsider her own displacement – first as an Internally Displaced Person when she was a young child in Pakistan, and then as an international activist who could travel anywhere in the world except to the home she loved. In We Are Displaced, which is part memoir, part communal storytelling, Malala not only explores her own story, but she also shares the personal stories of some of the incredible girls she has met on her journeys – girls who have lost their community, relatives, and often the only world they’ve ever known.

In a time of immigration crises, war, and border conflicts, We Are Displaced is an important reminder from one of the world’s most prominent young activists that every single one of the 68.5 million currently displaced is a person – often a young person – with hopes and dreams.

 

We Are Here to Stay: Voices of Undocumented Young Adults by Susan Kunklin (January 8)

“Maybe next time they hear someone railing about how terrible immigrants are, they’ll think about me. I’m a real person.” 

Meet nine courageous young adults who have lived in the United States with a secret for much of their lives: they are not U.S. citizens. They came from Colombia, Mexico, Ghana, Independent Samoa, and Korea. They came seeking education, fleeing violence, and escaping poverty. All have heartbreaking and hopeful stories about leaving their homelands and starting a new life in America. And all are weary of living in the shadows. We Are Here to Stay is a very different book than it was intended to be when originally slated for a 2017 release, illustrated with Susan Kuklin’s gorgeous full-color portraits. Since the last presidential election and the repeal of DACA, it is no longer safe for these young adults to be identified in photographs or by name. Their photographs have been replaced with empty frames, and their names are represented by first initials. We are honored to publish these enlightening, honest, and brave accounts that encourage open, thoughtful conversation about the complexities of immigration — and the uncertain future of immigrants in America.

 

What Makes Girls Sick and Tired by Lucile de Pesloüan and illustrated by Genevieve Darling (March 18)

What Makes Girls Sick and Tired is a feminist manifesto that denounces the discrimination against and unfairness felt by women from childhood to adulthood. The graphic novel, illustrated in a strikingly minimalist style with images of girls with varied body types and personalities, invites teenagers to question the sexism that surrounds us, in ways that are obvious and hidden, simple and complex.

The book’s beginnings as a fanzine shine through in its honesty and directness, confronting the inequalities faced by young women, everyday. And it ends with a line of hope, that with solidarity, girls will hurt less, as they hold each other up with support and encouragement.

 

Yes She Can: 10 Stories of Hope & Change from Young Female Staffers of the Obama White House by Molly Dillon (April 23)

Meet ten amazing young women who were so inspired by Barack Obama’s inclusive feminist politics that they decided to join his White House. Although they were technically the lowest ranked members—and all in their early to mid-twenties at the time—their high levels of responsibility will surprise you.

There’s Kalisha Dessources, policy advisor to the White House Council on Women and Girls, who recounts the day she brought a group of African American girls (and world-renowned choreographer Debbie Allen) to the White House for Black History Month to dance for Michelle Obama; Molly Dillon, who describes organizing and hosting an event for foster care reform with Vice President Biden, Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz, and a hundred foster kids; Jenna Brayton, one of the members of the first White House digital team, who talks about an Obama initiative to bring together students of all backgrounds and ages from across the country to showcase their vision for the future through cinema; and more.

Full of never-before-told stories, here is an intimate look at Obama’s presidency, as seen through the eyes of the smart, successful young women who (literally) helped rule the world—and they did it right out of college, too.

 

 

This Week at Book Riot

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Over on Book Riot this week…

 

 

  • There’s a brand new episode of Hey YA up. Eric and I talk suggested reading for those of you who want to expand your YA genre knowledge in the new year and we highlight some of our winter TBR. Tune in.

Bookish 2019

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Around the same time I take stock of my past year of reading, I also look forward to the upcoming year. 2019 will see a lot of exciting books and book-related events that excite and intrigue me. Here are a few of them. What are you most looking forward to in your bookish life in 2019?

The His Dark Materials tv series

I’ve been looking forward to this BBC adaptation of all three books in Philip Pullman’s trilogy (my favorite books of all time) since it was announced in 2015. Production moved predictably slowly, with directorial and casting announcements stretching over years, but the end of 2018 brought the news that filming had wrapped on the first series of eight episodes, which includes the entirety of the first book in the trilogy, The Golden Compass (Northern Lights in the UK). Though I can’t find an official air date, I’m assuming (hoping!) that it will air sometime this year. HBO has secured the rights for American audiences.

I have high hopes for the quality of the series, especially as it compares to the very lackluster feature film from 2007. The tv series is produced by Bad Wolf and New Line Cinema, both studios with a good track record, and directed by Tom Hooper, who also directed such films as The King’s Speech and Les Miserables. It’s written by Jack Thorne, a co-writer of the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child stage play (hopefully he chose to include the very important ending of the first book in this first series, instead of surgically removing it for minimal impact as the 2007 film did).

The casting choices are curious to me; I think the ones from 2007 were actually very good, and the choices for this new adaptation deviate pretty strongly. I can’t say I wholly approve, but I’m going to withhold judgment. Lyra is portrayed by Dafne Keen, who did a very good job as the child with Wolverine-like superpowers in Logan. James McAvoy and Ruth Wilson play Lord Asriel and Marisa Coulter, and Lin-Manuel Miranda attempts to fill Sam Elliott’s very big shoes by taking on the role of Texan Lee Scoresby.

Fans have been waiting a long time for a high-quality screen adaptation of these books, and I’m hoping the BBC will do it right. Time will tell.

 

A new Ruth Ware mystery

Ruth Ware burst onto the adult mystery scene in 2015 with In a Dark, Dark Wood and has released one book a year since (and it seems like they just keep getting better!). I love that she writes standalones in a world of neverending mystery series that feel impossible to break into. I also love her complicated, nuanced female protagonists and detailed, twisty plots. Her novel for 2019 is called The Turn of the Key, and it’s about a woman who applies for a nannying gig that pays an impossibly high salary – and later ends up in prison awaiting trial for the murder of a child. While I’m generally not a fan of mysteries featuring murdered children, plot synopses never do a Ruth Ware novel justice, and I anticipate this one will be just as good as her others.

 

A fourth Wayward Children novella by Seanan McGuire

While I think this series of novellas has been uneven (I didn’t care for the third book at all), I can usually count on McGuire to write an intriguing, weird, and unsettling entry in her Wayward Children series each year. In an Absent Dream tells the story of Katherine Lundy, the 80-something woman who looks like an eight year old girl. It follows her time in the goblin market after she discovers her own door, and how she found her way back to Miss Eleanor’s Home for Wayward Children. I’m counting on the fact that this book will be just as strange as the others.

 

A sequel to Mirage by Somaiya Daud

Mirage was one of my favorite reads of 2018, and I’m so happy to see that there will be a sequel, though it doesn’t yet have a more specific release date than 2019. It’s called Court of Lions and will chronicle the further adventures of Amani, the girl forced to serve as the body double for the hated princess Maram, half-Vathek and cruel daughter of the conqueror of Amani’s home moon. While Mirage didn’t exactly end on a cliffhanger, it’s clear there is a lot more to come for Amani and Maram, and I can’t wait to read all about it.

By the way, I’m so pleased that we selected Mirage as one of our Cybils finalists in the Young Adult Speculative Fiction category this year. You can read my brief review from my year-end post here.

YA Book Cover Makeovers: 7 Hardcover-to-Paperback Redesigns To Consider

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I will never grow tired of looking at and talking about YA book covers. Even more specifically, I love looking at redesigned covers and considering what it is that went into the thought process behind changing a book’s initial design into something different for its paperback release. Authors generally have little to no say in these redesigns, but rather, they often come about as a result of marketing direction changes or suggestions.

Let’s take a peek at seven upcoming YA book covers getting a new look in paperback. I’ve included a wide swath of titles here, showcasing some of the good, some of the bad, and some of the really questionable when it comes to YA hardcover-to-paperback redesigns.

Original hardcover designs are on the left, with the refreshed cover on the right.

I Have Lost My Way by Gayle Forman

After the splashy cover reveal for Forman’s latest YA book, it was surprising to me how little this book seemed to be buzzed about. I read it and while it wasn’t my favorite — I tend to find myself unable to really fall into her stories — I know she’s got a legion of fans and admirers, and given the elements present in this particular book, I anticipated more. Part of me wonders if the cover, which is pretty bland and forgettable in a sea of covers that make use of a font-driven design, made people bypass it. It looks like an adult book, rather than a YA book, and the title itself isn’t one that’s easy to remember. Working in favor of this cover, though, is that it looks nice on a screen; it’s easy to read and understand.

That last part is what made me do a triple take on the paperback cover: it doesn’t translate on screen. The white boarder, coupled with the text messaging along the bottom, made me think I was looking at a private text message someone was sending with a pretty confusing image on it. I think that it’s great to see a girl of color on the cover, but where is she walking? The book is set in New York City but it also looks like she’s walking through a dirt pit. Interestingly, the paperback makes the font for the title and the author name the same size, though my eye is more easily drawn to the author’s name because it’s a different color than the girl’s shirt.

Like the hardcover, aside from the confusing framing, the paperback isn’t especially memorable or distinct, either. I’ve seen this cover a few times and immediately thought of the Jessa Halbrook series (one of Saundra Mitchell‘s pen names).

I don’t love either cover but the hardcover is less confusing and less confused over all, with a more cohesive design. I Have Lost My Way comes out in paperback April 16.

 

Illegal by Bettina Restrepo

I’ve always wondered what happened to this book. I read it when it came out as a debut in early 2011, and it’s a book about a family that illegally crosses the Mexican border and heads to Houston for work, security, and pursuit of a better future. The book disappeared not long after it was published, which, given how much immigration has been a major topic prior to that time and after, surprised me. So I’m really pleased to see that it’ll be getting a paperback reissue on August 27.

There’s not a whole lot to say about the original cover except that it really captures the spirit of the story — as well as the spirit of YA book cover design in 2011. It’s a real model and, though we can’t see her face, she appears to be a girl of color. We have the city skyline in the background, with a title font that features a wire fence design within it.

The paperback design is a study of contemporary cover trends. We have a teen of color facing out, and it’s illustrated. The girl looks quite young in the image, which I like, as the book itself features not just a younger teen protagonist but also, it reads as younger YA. Maybe my favorite part of the redesign is one of the smaller pieces: the tag line above the title, “We are all immigrants.” Although the book cover and title certainly make it clear what the book is about in both covers, that small line really makes clear that this is a story for non Native Americans for non Native Americans.

I’m eager to pick up the book with a new forward from the author eight years after its original publication. The paperback redesign here is fresh and I’m suspecting it’ll ignite a lot of new interest.

 

 

Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova

Series redesigns always raise a lot of conversation. Readers who like their series to look cohesive often mention that they become frustrated with changes, while it becomes clear in some instances that the redesign of the series better reflects the way the series progresses or simply looks more interesting on shelves.

Which is why I’m fascinated by the cover changes that have happened with Zoraida Cordova’s Labyrinth Lost.

The hardcover design is one I really dig, in part because it plays homage to the lore within the book itself. The face painting, reminiscent of sugar skulls, is part of the fantasy in the book and something that Cordova digs into a little bit in her author’s note at the end of the book. It’s a very catchy cover, and it’s one that immediately speaks to the fantasy, the magic, and the traces of horror that the story holds. The font works for the title, though Zoraida’s name seems to get a bit buried on the cover. Shoved in between the author name and the title of the book is a blurb from Danielle Paige, but what’s fascinating in the design of those words is how her title and accolades actually take more real estate up on the cover than Zoraida’s name or the blurb itself. It almost feels like a well-thought tag line would be better there to really give a sense of the story’s content to readers.

The original paperback redesign in the center reminds me so much of the redesigned covers for Libba Bray’s “The Diviners” series. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing because I think the two series would make for great read alikes to one another, making the cover similarities work in favor of both. The font for the title remains the same in that redesign, but we’re given something new in terms of an image: the gate which the characters go through during the course of the story. There’s definitely a placement of this book into the fantasy/magical realism realm with the design. Zoraida’s name is a little bigger and more easy to spot on this design, and while the blurb from Paige appears again, it’s been better laid out so that it takes up less real estate on a book that’s not her own.

The final image is the second paperback redesign and it’s wildly different from the previous iterations. The title font is something different, but once again, Zoraida’s name is really small beneath it. However, big points in favor of the redesign are noting Zoraida’s own credentials (“award-winning author” below her name) and the fact that the blurb which took up so much real estate from the cover is now gone. Instead, we get a tag line: “The first lesson of being a Bruja: Magic always has a price.” It’s perfect and captures so much about the story’s genre, about the stakes, and about the cultural the story takes place in. The image and design itself don’t especially stand out to me but those textual elements are knockout.

All three of the covers do a good job, and all of them seem to be angling toward the same audience. It took me longer to pick up this book than I wished, and I wonder if the new look will prompt other readers who held off to give it a chance (it’s a fun read!).

 

 

Royals by Rachel Hawkins

Speaking of books I know are fun reads but that I haven’t picked up yet: Rachel Hawkins’s Royals came out last May and has been a book that I’ve again heard very little about. It’s a romantic comedy and the reviews have all mentioned how funny it is — something I believe, given that Hawkins is known for writing with humor. The original cover was very pink and blingy, which I think shows off a lot of what the contents are meant to do. They’re a little over the top but grounded in a real-life fantasy for readers. Hawkins’s name is big on the cover with a different tone of pink from both the background and from the note that she’s a New York Times bestselling author. The tag line is cute, too: “He’s no prince, but he sure is charming.” Readers who love royal-themed stories will know without question this book is for them.

That said, the redesign hits both the royal-themed story lovers and those who want a more straightforward YA romance read. First thing to note: there’s a title change. No longer is the book called Royals (which always made Lorde’s song get stuck in my head). It’s instead being renamed Prince Charming. True to charm, the font choice is cute, it’s a deep pink or red, depending on your resolution, and the “A” features a sweet little heart inside. The way that the two teens on the cover are standing and slightly overlapping the title is clever, as if they were there first before the title came toward them. It gives the cover some movement, which is important given how stark the two teens look being in sketched grayscale. We have another illustrated cover here, continuing to stay in line with the trend that’s been big in YA for a few years. Check out the chucks on the girl, too: it’s a nice nod to the fact that the heroine might be a little bit more quirky than she lets on.

Both covers are quite good. Readers who aren’t familiar with Hawkins likely would fall into two camps on this one: those who love their books royal-themed knowing that the hardcover is for them and those who think the redesign is super cute, feminine, and romantic and dive right in. Given that this is a series, though, the paperback ekes out slightly for me because the sequel takes a similar design approach. It hits shelves on March 5. Check out the sequel’s cover here, which adds itself to my ever-growing list of YA book covers featuring sunglasses.

 

 

Top Ten by Kate Cotugno

The hardcover for Top Ten is one I’m not a huge fan of, but that’s entirely for personal reasons. It’s a very 1990s style cover, which is way cooler among young people than it is with me. It is also super white in terms of the couples shown, with neon signs, chucks, and lights. The title is almost easy to miss here, since there’s so much going on, though Katie’s name is nice and easy to find. There’s no tagline and no blurb on this so it’s hard to say what the book is about, though the images suggest it’s a summer story about a group of friends.

I’ve mentioned before that illustrated covers are the thing in book cover design and have been since Eleanor & Park. I’m also not a huge fan of them because they tend to blend together so easily. That plays out in Top Ten, as I feel like I’ve seen this same design on about ten other YA books that hit shelves recently or will be hitting shelves soon. While the people are still all white-presenting, there is at least more array in body shape and size, as well as complexion and hair. It’s a bit more representative of today’s teens across a broader spectrum than the hardcover is. The title is much bigger and more obvious, and the font and color of it match the author’s name. Bonus: we get a tagline. “The unlikeliest of friends…or something more.” I like that it gives a sense of the story, but it also makes me a little confused when it comes to who is on the cover. Is it one couple that keeps looking different? Is it a lot of couples who are “something more?”

Neither of these covers really do it for me. Not having read the book yet, I can’t suggest which one is truer to story.

Top Ten comes out in paperback January 15.

 

 

Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson

Spoiler alert on this cover makeover: I love both of these covers very much and think both are excellent.

The hardcover for Anderson’s novel is really different. It takes a lot of the elements that are synonymous with today’s teens: enamel pins and denim jackets. This same trendy style is a throwback to the 90s and girl power culture, which fits in perfectly with the title and story itself. Without question, given the homage to new age beliefs (crystals and tarot cards) and the two zombie hands making the pinkie swear salute, this is clearly a book that’s a little bit horror, a little bit fun, and a whole lot about girls being good to other girls. The title being put into an enamel pin is clever, as is the way that Anderson’s name looks like it’s embroidered on the denim jacket.

The paperback cover also nails it. This is a book with a fat protagonist who has brown skin. That cover model is perfect, and not only is she perfect, but her stance and attitude speak volumes for what the tone of the book is. If you look closely, you’ll not only notice she’s wearing a denim jacket, but the pins that were on the original cover? They’re also on the jacket itself. If it weren’t for the fact that the pins on the hardcover were on one side of the jacket and on the opposite of the jacket in the paperback, you’d think this was simply a zoomed out take from the original design session. The title font is perfect here: it has a 90s clip art feel to it (and specifically, Word Art!). The font for Lily’s name is very modern though and is one I associate with contemporary cover trends, making this a nice mashup of today’s culture and nostalgic. The zombie hands? They’re just plain fun, and the tagline “We’re back, witches,” tells so much story in and of itself.

Both covers rock for different reasons. If pressed to pick one I like more? I’d say paperback, simply because it leans fully into girl power, feminism, and that cover model is just perfect. You can grab the paperback on May 14.

(Interesting to note that two redesigns are very pink covers. A trend to keep an eye on through 2019, maybe?)

 

 

You Bring the Distant Near by Mitali Perkins

Last, but not least, is one I’ll keep short and sweet. I love the original cover for Perkins’s book and I’m also really feeling the redesign for paperback. Not only does the redesign highlight that it’s a National Book Award nominee, but it also brings all of the elements that were inside the dancing woman on the hardcover and brings them to the outside. Look closely: the buildings. The grandeur. The feeling of connection to past and present. The dancers themselves. It still keeps the title the focus, but it also brings even more to the forefront. I’m also a big fan of the fact that the author name is even larger and more prominent in the redesign. My only critique is a tiny one, which is that the blurb on the bottom takes what is a well-thought out busy cover almost a little over the top in terms of putting a lot of things into a small space.

Perkins has a new book coming out this spring, too, and the cover design for that one has the same feeling as the new paperback redesign. You can peep Forward Me Back To You here.

 

So what do you think? Which covers are speaking to you? Which aren’t? Let’s talk in the comments!

This Week at Book Riot & Elsewhere

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Over on Book Riot this week…

 

 

  • 140+ new YA books hitting shelves between January and March. So much great reading!

 

Elsewhere…

 

I’ve made it a goal this year to expand where I’m writing a bit, and my first freelance pitch of the year was accepted at Bustle! I had a huge revelation while on book tour for (Don’t) Call Me Crazy this past fall about my own mental health journey, and I wanted to share it.