Can’t decide what to read next? Librarians at the Iowa City Public Library have some ideas. Browse the ICPL’s collection of print books and audiobooks online.

Teens are notoriously difficult to buy for, and with the holiday season just around the corner, don’t overlook a book! There should be at least one title below that appeals to the young reader on your list. (Books recommended for ages 14+ unless indicated otherwise.)

For the cold-blooded horror lover, give Man Made Monsters by Andrea L. Rogers. Part fantasy and part horror, these short stories are told through a Cherokee lens and follow an extended family tree over two centuries. There are classic hybrid horror elements and fascinating Cherokee symbols.

For the sassy rom-com lover, get Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert. This may seem like a classic friend-to-enemy-to-something-more love story, but it’s novel and fresh. Reading a Hibbert book is like having a cup of coffee with your bestie, and she captures high-school England in a very real way. This is pithy, relatable, funny and even comes with a glossary of terms for “translatability” in the beginning.

For time travel fiction fans, check out The Eternal Return of Clara Hart by Louise Finch. Trigger warning: this book tackles heavy subject matter including sexual assault, toxic masculinity and the tragic loss of a loved one. Rest assured, Finch handles them all with tact and grace. The characters are so believable and the prose is never preachy — Finch gives us space to do our own processing.

For fairytale fans who love books in verse, try We Are All So Good at Smiling by Amber McBride, where folklore meets meditations on mental illness. The protagonist, Whimsy, is a character you root for. Trigger warning: this book addresses clinical depression and suicidal ideation. The text is sparse but so vivid and beautifully written. There is real darkness and honesty in this book, but there is light in the weight of her truth.

Finally, for a reluctant reader age 13 or older, give the Sheets graphic novel series by Brenna Thummler. Sheets, Delicates and Lights are wonderful underdog tales and well-loved by middle-schoolers. You will fall in love with Wendell, the dead boy dressed in a sheet longing for a friend (and to be freshly pressed), and Marjorie, the girl trying to piece her life back together and find herself. This book will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions, but you’ll be so glad you took the ride!

This article was originally published in Little Village’s November 2023 issue.