The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon

There is plenty for Caleb Franklin and his older brother Bobby Gene to do during summertime in Sutton, Indiana. However, Caleb longs for adventure outside their small town. Bobby Gene is content to stay where their dad insists life is safer. Then Caleb and Bobby meet Styx Malone. Styx is a little older and brimming with ideas that lead to the adventure Caleb wants. He promises the boys can pull of a Great Escalator Trade--trading smaller things to reach a bigger prize. But each trade leads to more trouble.

The Season of Styx Malone is a light-hearted tale of small town adventure. However, it also delves into the deeper subjects of friendship, family, loyalty, and growing up. The characters are enjoyable and tweens will make easy connections in their coming of age journey.

Recommended ages--10-13 years old

Swing by Kwame Alexander

Noah and Walt are two seventeen-year-old boys looking for cool. Noah has been in love with his best friend for years, but doesn’t know how to tell her. Walt dreams of playing baseball, but has been cut from the high school team three years in a row. Their search leads the boys through motivational podcasts, trips to the thrift store, immersion in Jazz music, and hours in the batting cages. And for a while things are looking good, but life has a way of sending curve balls and Noah and Walt are no exception.

This story plays out in beautifully written verse. The characters are wonderful with real struggles that will ring true with most high school readers. Swing is a powerful celebration of determination, young love, friendship, and life. Most is joyful, but some of the harsh realities it also reveals would have me recommend this for 14 and older readers.

Recommended ages--14 and up

The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by F.C. Yee

Take a quirky high schooler turned superhero, throw in some Chinese folklore and evil demons and you’ve got The Epic Crush of Genie Lo. This book is girl power to the extreme with legends of the Monkey King set in modern day. It is a perfect read for superhero lovers and graduates of Rick Riordon’s Percy Jackson series. I especially enjoyed the Chinese folklore aspect, because they were stories with which I was unfamiliar. It is definitely geared for older teens, but good for fantasy and science fiction readers.

Recommended ages--13 and up