30 Best Black Young Adult Novels

Tessa Johnson and her family have moved into a new neighborhood, hoping for a fresh start. Tessa will be attending a high school for the arts where she can have dedicated writing classes and be surrounded by other creative kids. When Tessa attends her first creative writing workshop, she develops a crush on Nic, a guy in her class, as well as a major case of writer’s block mostly due to her severe anxiety around sharing her work with others. All of a sudden, the wonderful experience at her school (where she’s finally not the token Black person) is under strain — until Caroline encourages her to try living out a love story for some inspiration. Elise Bryant’s debut YA novel, Happily Ever Afters is one young Black girl’s quest for a happily ever after. Ages 14+

High-schooler Rico works part-time at a gas station to help her mom with household expenses. In her limited free time, she also takes care of her little brother. But her life is about to change. One day, Rico sells a jackpot-winning lotto ticket but no one comes forward to claim the ticket. Convinced that she knows the buyer of the ticket, Rico convinces her handsome, filthy rich classmate, Zan, to help her hunt down the winner. Along the way, sparks fly between the two, and Rico learns how to take her life into her hands. I love the chemistry between Zan and Rico and the banter these two share effortlessly. Stone includes many insightful musings about race, class, poverty, and standing in your own way. Ages 14+

I adored this swoony romance about a teen who’s a DJ and radio host and the girl he falls in love with. The protagonists have depth as Prince looks after his mom, who has multiple sclerosis, and Dani is reeling from a traumatic sexual harassment incident. Great for teens ages 13+

Nala Robertson is a big Black girl who lives with her cousin Imani and Imani’s parents. Tye is an activist who is immediately drawn to Nala. Nala is eager to impress and starts a series of lies, telling Tye that she is a vegan and pretending to be active in community work at her grandmother’s home for the elderly. The two soon start dating, but the relationship is obviously built on lies. Nala quickly becomes uncomfortable, worrying that Tye only likes her for the fake persona she created. Eventually, with the help of her grandma, Nala has to realize the importance of self-love and being herself. Love Is a Revolution is a thoughtful, sweet ode to embracing and loving oneself. Ages 12+

Rhea’s neighborhood is fading away—the mom-and-pop shops of her childhood forced out to make space for an artisanal kombucha brewery here, a hot yoga studio there. And everywhere, the feeling that this place is no longer meant for her. Because while their little corner of South L.A. isn’t perfect, to Rhea and her two best friends, it’s something even more important—it’s home. And it’s worth protecting. But as more white people flock to their latest edgy, urban paradise for its cheap rent and sparkling new Whole Foods, more of Rhea’s friends and family are pushed out. Until Rhea decides it’s time to push back. Armed with their cellphones and a bag of firecrackers, the friends manipulate social media to create the illusion of gang violence in their neighborhood. All Rhea wanted to do was protect her community. Her friends. Herself. No one was supposed to get hurt. No one was supposed to die.

Emmy is looking for her big sister, who went missing weeks ago. The two girls were separated after their parents got divorced years ago. Although they’ve kept in touch since Emmy moved in with their mother and Rose stayed with their dad, Emmy starts to realize that there’s a lot she doesn’t know about her sister. First, she learns that Rose wasn’t friends with Levi (their childhood friend and neighbor anymore). Then she discovers that Rose had a boyfriend she never knew about, and she starts to find clues Rose left for her around the city. This is a brilliantly plotted, fast-paced story about sisterhood, mental illness, and coming of age and out of a sibling’s shadow. Ages 15+

This story, perfect for fans of Robin Benway’s Far from the Tree, is about Jessi Rumfield, who’s reeling from the consequences of a summer’s mistake that severed her relationship with the two Cohen brothers, both of whom she loved. Now, almost a year later, Jessi is back in town because the Cohen matriarch who pretty much raised her is terminally ill. Her return brings emotional upheaval but also healing. This is a gut-wrenching, beautiful book about regret, love, and grief. Ages 15+

Jay Murphy is just trying to do right by his grandmother, who’s been raising him and his older sister Nic since his father’s death and his mother’s imprisonment for a drug-related offense. But then Nic, who’s been hanging with the wrong crowd, goes missing. It’s up to Jay to follow the clues, question the right people, and find law enforcement officers who will listen to a kid like him — all to find Nic. I was hooked from the first word, and I loved Jay’s character, his friendship with Bowie, and the romance that blossoms between him and Alexis. Good for ages 13 and up.

I read and enjoyed this young adult novel. I Wanna Be Where You Are is a heartwarming contemporary young adult novel about friendship, dance, the power of dreams, and redemption. I loved meeting Chloe and Eli, and while it took a while to warm up to Eli, he ended up being one of my favorite parts of the book. His character growth and determination (followed by action) to change certain parts of his life impressed me. I also enjoyed the entire road trip and all its associated hi-jinks. If you’re looking for a book about road trips, parental pressures, or just one full of heart, you’ll enjoy I Wanna Be Where You Are.

Truly Madly Royally is a charming young adult novel featuring a positive representation of Black teens. There are also strong undercurrents of community outreach, strong female friendships, and being true to oneself. If you’re a sucker for royal romances, this one will steal your heart. Ages 12+

This is a sweet, entertaining, and sometimes hilarious coming-of-age YA novel. The book follows an awkward teen on the path to reclaiming her life from her controlling, overprotective immigrant parents. Featuring strong connections to Haitian culture, a love of New York City, and positive female friendships, this one is perfect for fans of sweet YA with a dash of humor. Ages 13+

Now That I’ve Found You by Kristina Forest is a compulsively readable, action-packed young adult novel set in New York City. This book focuses on chasing dreams, honoring family legacy, and learning to let others in, especially after a betrayal. Readers will enjoy meeting the memorable, diverse cast of characters and the front-row view of life as a new celebrity in show business. Most importantly, however, this book explores what happens when we allow others to dictate our self-value, how we can regain control of our worth, and what matters most to us. I would recommend this contemporary YA to movie lovers looking for a fun, engaging, escapist read.

This companion title focuses on the sassy, seemingly unbothered Lenore Bennett, Tessa’s one of Tessa’s new friends. Lenore has had bad experiences with every guy she’s dated. They’ve either cheated on her or broken up with her at the worst time. So, she decides she’s done looking for love and that the whole true love thing will never work for her. Until her family goes on a Mediterranean cruise, where she meets Alex Lee. is a swoony, multi-layered young adult novel about making room for vulnerability, redefining Black excellence, and finding the courage to be one’s true self. Set aboard a Mediterranean cruise, this sweet romance is a delight for travel lovers and books about summer romances. It also features common teen issues such as figuring out what to do in college, building real friendships, and managing relationships with siblings. If you have a chance to listen to this on audio, DO IT! The narrator is PHENOMENAL!

This story kinda blew my mind. When Claudia returns from summer break to realize that no one has seen her best friend Monday all summer, she starts to worry. Monday and Claudia have been best friends since forever — practically inseparable. Claudia is sure that Monday couldn’t have just abandoned her without a word, so she basically conducts her own investigation. She begins to discover chilling truths about her best friend that she never knew. For a nearly 500-page novel, this story is incredibly fast-paced, and no part of it is unnecessary. Monday and Claudia’s friendship is a celebration of the often intense friendships between young girls and Monday’s absence is like a missing limb. Author Tiffany Jackson doesn’t look away from the difficulties some children have to face, living in squalor and still showing up to life every single day. CHILLING, authentic, and heartbreaking — a real punch in the gut. 100% recommend.

This book about a Black girl from a poor neighborhood attending a prestigious private school on scholarship was my introduction to Renee Watson’s writing. It’s a truly powerful look at racism, community, and the power of art. Good for ages 12+

Henri’s parents are Haitian immigrants. While his dad is their building’s Super, his mom is studying to become a firefighter. He’s popular at his high school and runs a successful dog walking business. The thing is: he tells customers that there’s an entire network of dogwalkers, of which he’s just one. When his neighbor and fellow high schooler Corrine’s mother hires him to walk their dog, Corrine quickly uncovers his sham of a company. Corrine then essentially blackmails Henri into helping her get a social life (to look good on college applications) in exchange for keeping quiet about his fake company. This is a charming (pun intended), realistic young adult novel about finding one’s place in the world. 

Seventeen-year-old Reyna is working at her family’s hotel, The Plumeria — as she has since her mother’s death two years before. Everyone around her seems to be moving forward with their lives. Her best friend, Olivia, is going to art school in England; her first love, Aiden, moved away to the US, where he has become a Grammy-winning singer/songwriter. Even her father seems ready to move on. But Reyna is stuck, and now Aiden is back on a surprise trip to Tobago — where Reyna lives — to celebrate his birthday. Things get even more complicated when Reyna’s father asks her to be a tour guide for Aiden and his friends — Eliza, Fish, Hayley, and Leonardo. As we follow their adventures in Tobago, Dass also takes us up to five years back — alternating between past and present until two years before — as we see how Aiden and Reyna met, how their friendship and love blossomed, and exactly how things fell apart. Where the Rhythm Takes You is an alluring, immersive, and swoony YA coming-of-age story with a heartwarming second-chance romance.

Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry follows list-making high-schooler Quinn whose journal full of *very* private lists and confession is stolen. The thief then blackmails her into completing the items on one of her lists, one of which is telling her parents that she did not actually get into Columbia, the university she already told them she was accepted into. Quinn is convinced that her blackmailer is Carter Bennett, the last person to have had her journal. But when a page of her journal is posted on Instagram, Quinn is desperate enough to join forces with Carter to find the blackmailer. This is a multi-faceted debut YA novel for fans of To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, about living life in the real world vs in one’s head, expanding one’s view of their community, and fighting back when things don’t go as planned.

At a singing audition, 17-year-old Enchanted Jones catches the eye of superstar musician Korey Fields, who is 28. Korey promises her a future in music, but the starstruck teen is quickly swept into an illicit relationship with drugs and abuse. That is until Korey Fields is found dead with Enchanted on the scene and all fingers pointing at her. This is a powerful addition to a growing list of books about sexual misconduct inspired by the events of the R. Kelly case. This mature young adult novel (seriously, best for older teens and young adults) is timely and important and would have saved many young women a lot of heartache if they had a book like it as teens.

Adanna, or Sophie as she’s known at school, is the 17-year-old daughter of Nigerian immigrants whose main goal is that she excel at school and become a lawyer. Ada is fairly content with her life until the wedding of her cousin Genny to a popular Afrobeats musician, and her new poetry elective brings her back in contact with her older estranged brother, whom her parents effectively disowned a few years ago. As Ada tries to figure out how things went wrong with her parents and brother, she starts experiencing doubts about her pre-charted career plans until things explode in her face. Twice As Perfect is a relatable, heartrending young adult novel about choosing one’s own path despite immigrant parental expectations.

This is an exciting and heartwarming story about Blade, the son of a rockstar who receives shattering family news that leads him to take a life-changing trip. The audiobook is lovely and even features singing. I’d recommend this classic for teens ages 13 and up who love verse novels. And yes, even though this is 463 pages long, it’s a sparse-paged verse novel. I liked this one, and because I didn’t read the blurb, I was shocked to see that parts of it were actually set in Ghana! If you get the chance to do audio, take it — there’s REAL MUSIC.

Matt is a teenager dealing with the loss of his mother to breast cancer and his father’s relapse into alcoholism. He begins working as a funeral home attendant and finds himself attending strangers’ funerals as a way to cope with his grief. My favorite things about this book are Matt’s vulnerability, his friendship with Chris, Lovey (as a character), and all the wonderful subplots, from his parents’ history to Mr. Ray’s. This is a wonderful books for teens ages 13+

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter straddles the two worlds she’s in seamlessly (her rich private school and her poor neighborhood) until her best friend is killed by local police leading to community-wide protests and putting Starr in a precarious position as the crime’s only witness. Thomas explores friendship (between Starr, Maya, Kenya), family ties (between Starr, Carlos, Seven, Pam and Starr’s parents) and the impact of community support (Tim, Lewis, Devante) and those things are my favorite parts of this story. I enjoyed every single moment of this book. Totally gripping, engrossing, and un-putdownable! Good for ages 14+

Twins Nikki and Maya (named after the poets) are watching things change both in their lives and in their neighborhood. They’ve always had the same friends, the boys they both date are friends with each other, and they even go on triple dates with their best friend, Essence and her boyfriend. But now, their neighborhood is gentrifying. This Side of Home is a celebration of culture, Portland, and the importance of love and respect despite racial differences. 

After popular teen DJ, Paris Secord is murdered, two of her friends (who are not on speaking terms) come under public suspicion. Both girls are forced to band together against a group of darkly fanatic supporters, uncooperative police staff, and other hindrances to their efforts. This novel is captivating, and I finished the 10-hour audiobook in two days. It addresses the use of social media, music fandom, and police response to Black homicide. No language at all — good for kids ages 13 and up.

Ramona is a shy 16-year-old who loves cosplay. After she leaves a picture of her cosplay character with a poem in her crush’s locker, the two start communicating via email. In class, though, she can’t seem to work up the courage to talk to that same crush, Caleb. But when Caleb suddenly starts working at the same restaurant she does, the two form a friendship that forces Ramona to re-evaluate their internet relationship. NerdCrush is a sweet young YA romance about finding the courage to be oneself, especially on the journey toward finding true love.

This book is FANTASTIC — and the audiobook is even better (a top-class full cast audiobook that feels like a movie). When the principal of the Urban Promise Prep school is murdered in his office, three boys are high on the suspect list: J.B., Trey, and Ramon. They were either in the wrong place or have the wrong reputation or affiliation. Now they must join forces, along with their loved ones to find the real killer. I’d hand this to readers ages 14 and up, especially if they loved One of Us Is Lying.

I always enjoy Elise Bryant’s love stories and I loved Reggie and Delilah’s story. Delilah pretends to be a go-with-the-flow girl unaffected by everything while Reggie is a sensitive nerd who loves to play Dungeons and Dragons with his friends. After a first meeting on New Year’s Eve, the two continue to meet over the course of several holidays. As they grow in their personal lives, they finally find their way to each other too. The main characters deal with several health challenges including migraines, anxiety, and dyslexia, which makes this relatable for teens dealing with similar conditions and of course, for music and video game fans. Great for readers ages 14+

This is a very sweet young adult romance that feels written FOR TEENS! I loved the message of putting yourself out there instead of living in your head. I also liked that while we’re in Darren’s head, we learn enough about his love interest that she’s not just a manic pixie dream girl. There are lovely teen-parent relationships, male friendships, humor, and main characters who attend church without it being a preachy book. It’s really fun and perfect for younger teens ages 12+ with nearly no language! Plus, bonus points for a male lead narrator in a romance.

Don’t Hate the Player opens with two kids Emilia and Jack meeting at a game arcade while attending another kid’s birthday party. Jack is entranced by Emilia’s gaming ability, and the two become fast friends meeting up every year at that same kid’s birthday until Jack moves and they’re separated. Emilia is now an overachieving teen, on the hockey team, running for class VP and with a cute guy vying to be her boyfriend. But she’s also secretly a gamer by night, as part of a team of online gamers. Her real life and online world come close to meshing when she gets the chance to play in a gaming competition. She also realizes soon that Jack is on one of the opposing teams. The story is told mainly from Emilia’s perspective, but we hear Jack’s side occasionally in third person, and by reading his team’s group chat. What happens, though, when both their teams find out that they’re fraternizing with the enemy. And what happens when Emilia’s online life collides with her real life? Don’t Hate the Player is a unique, immersive, and entertaining young adult novel about gaming, identity, and pursuing your dreams.

Ross Quest and her family are known for their stealing prowess. But when her mom is kidnapped on one of their missions, Ross is forced to enter the Thieves’ Gambit, a stealing contest, to pay the ransom. There, she encounters old frenemies, new first loves, and shocking revelations. This is a propulsive story that feels more like a thriller with just a touch of mystery but is enjoyable regardless. Good for ages 15 and up for some gun violence and mature content.

Sasha Johnson-Sun and Ezra Davis-Goldberg became besties in third grade but lost their friendship after an explosive fight. Now they’re in the same high school and tied for valedictorian just months before their graduation. Sasha and Ezra decide to settle things by a best-of-three, winner-take-all academic bet. This book is a truly swoon-worthy romance with an enemies-to-lovers plot that is actually enjoyable. I loved all the family and friend connections in the story and the core theme about redefining what matters most. Hand these to teen overachievers who need a dash of fun in their lives. Heads up for infrequent profanity. Ages 14+