See more Summer Reading 2021 selections

From Rome to Tokyo and summer camp to private school, these YA reads are as hilarious as they are heartfelt.

How It All Blew Up by Arvin Ahmadi. Viking. ISBN 9780593202876. 

When Amir is blackmailed with being outed to his Iranian Muslim family, he hops on a plane to Rome and falls in with a group of friends who help him discover what it means to be a gay man. With realistic characters, a lovely setting, and an innovative narrative style (Amir and his family tell the story while being questioned at the airport), this book exists at the intersections of sexuality and culture, as well as humor and pain.

XL by Scott Brown. Knopf. ISBN 9781524766245.

Will Daughtry is under five feet tall and very bitter about it. His height infiltrates his every thought and is obviously why he's never had a girlfriend. Then Will starts growing…and keeps growing.

Please Send Help by Gaby Dunn & Allison Raskin. St. Martin's/Wednesday. ISBN 9781250216533.

Duo Dunn and Raskin are back in this sequel to I Hate Everyone But You, with a laugh-out-loud funny, heartfelt, and deep look at what it’s like to stumble along your first “real world” job after college.

My Life Gone Viral by Rae Earl. Imprint. ISBN 9781250133809.

The sequel to My Life Uploaded features Millie (and her cat, Dave) trying to maintain their viral vlog success.

Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean. Flatiron. ISBN 9781250766601.

Izumi, a Japanese American high school student, has a pretty average life…until she learns that her father is the Crown Prince of Japan. 

We Are the Perfect Girl by Ariel Kaplan. Knopf. ISBN 9780525647119.

Aphra Brown has the gift of conversation; her best friend Bethany is drop-dead gorgeous but lacks her friend's articulation. What if these two friends could combine their strengths to snag the perfect guy, Greg D'Agostino?

It Sounded Better in My Head by Nina Kenwood. Flatiron. ISBN 9781250219268.

Natalie’s world is turned upside-down when her parents announce on Christmas day that they are separating, and she’s pulled even further outside her comfort zone when she begins a tentative romance with someone unexpected.

Unscripted by Nicole Kronzer. Abrams/Amulet. ISBN 9781419740848.

At the Rocky Mountain Theatre Arts Camp, Zelda Bailey-Cho is offered a spot on the Varsity improv team, which has the chance to perform in front of industry professionals and elite camp alumni at the end of the summer. But soon after rehearsals start, Zelda starts to see the misogynistic atmosphere of camp.

Camp Spirit by Axelle Lenoir. illus. by author. Top Shelf. ISBN 9781603094658.

A dire fate awaits Elodie after she graduates from high school: working at Camp Bear Lake, at the behest of her mother, to earn money to pay for college. When she has nightmares and sees blue lights in the forest, she fears that a dark forest spirit is after them all.

There's Something about Sweetie by Sandhya Menon. S. & S./Simon Pulse. ISBN 9781534416789.

When Ashish Patel’s girlfriend dumps him, he asks his parents to arrange a suitable date for him.

Charming as a Verb by Ben Philippe. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray. ISBN 9780062824141.
Haitian American Henri will do just about anything to achieve his dream of going to Columbia, even if it means betraying the girl he loves. A diverse cast of characters, racial tensions, and ethical dilemmas make this so much more than just a simple romance.

Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds. HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen. ISBN 9780062748379.

After meeting at a party, Jake bonds with Kate and is heartbroken when she dies of sickle cell anemia. Now his life cyclically reboots to the moment they met, as he attempts to save her.

Camp by L.C Rosen. Little, Brown. ISBN 9780316537759.

Every year at Camp Outland, a sleepaway camp for queer teens, Randy lets his femme flag fly. But this year Randy has a plan to woo Hudson, the hottest boy at camp, who only dates masculine boys.

Crying Laughing by Lance Rubin. Knopf. ISBN 9780525644675.

Winnie—the funniest girl in her class—struggles with finding her voice in an improv troupe as well as in her first romantic relationship, while her family struggles with the realities of her father’s failing health.

Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass by Mariko Tamaki. illus. by Steve Pugh. DC Ink. ISBN 9781401283292.

A reimagining of Harley Quinn’s origin as a teenager deeply embedded in countercultural movements.

Not My Problem by Ciara Smyth. HarperTeen. ISBN 9780062957146.

When Aideen makes a snap decision to help the principal’s overachieving, overscheduled, and generally disliked daughter, she begins doing secret favors for classmates in return for them owing her their help.

Super Fake Love Song by David Yoon. Putnam. ISBN 9781984812230.

Live action role-play aficionado Sunny maintains a case of mistaken identity so that the beautiful new girl Cirrus will think that he is a rock star. Sunny studies and imitates his big brother in an attempt to woo Cirrus, but ultimately has to figure out who he really is and what he values. This romantic comedy explores identity, familial relationships, high school politics, and first loves with wit and emotional honesty.