June’s New YA Nonfiction and YA Comic Releases

This work of nonfiction looks at the children of four abolitionists before and during the Civil War, including Frederick Douglas and William Lloyd Garrison. What emerges are coming-of-age stories that sound familiar and contemporary, despite the generations separating these young activists from today’s. Readers will learn how activism is passed through families, as well as where and how the four young people in this book worked to separate themselves from their parents.

Readers who love extreme sports and/or who love sports memoirs by and about women, look no further. This is a compelling and engaging read by pro surfer Maya Gabeira. It follows her journey from being a teenager to earning a Guinness World Record for highest wave conquered.

Repeat after me: tarot-inspired fantasy.

James, Daphne, Koko, and Sonny all grew up in the Arcana, a group of witches who protect the magic in the world. Its leaders are secretive and mysterious themselves.

Eli Jones wasn’t lucky enough to grow up here or even know that the Arcana existed. But when he runs into James and learns about them, he’s brought into the friend group (and finds some Big Feelings with James).

But as the five begin to build their friendship, they realize something sinister is going on and it relates to the leaders of the Arcana. How did those Majors rise to power, anyway, and what did it have to do with the untimely deaths of their parents?

It turns out that a curse may be haunting the five of them.

Dan Stewart-Álvarez has always lived on the road with his mother, who is a free spirit. As much as he has craved a more stable home life, being dropped off to live with his grandparents, who he has never met, was not what he meant. Now he’s in rural, conservative Tennessee trying to make a life with strangers while being queer in a community that wouldn’t tolerate that.

But as he grows into himself and his new life, Dan might come to understand what family looks like–and it might not look like what he imagined.

This is a spin on Anne of Green Gables, featuring a queer Latino main character.

If you’re looking for an intergenerational road trip, here’s one for your TBR.

Mom Audrey is eager to spend time with Misha, and this is a rare opportunity because Audrey isn’t around much. But Misha feels a way about it, since they’re nonbinary and Audrey still insists Misha is her daughter. Things aren’t going well with Audrey accepting Misha as they are.

But the duo takes a wrong turn and ends up in a forest where they’re sucked into another realm. Their lives are at stake and they have no way of knowing how to get back to their reality.

To get there–and to save their lives–they have to figure out how they can communicate openly, freely, and honestly with one another.

Tabitha Laurie found solace every summer at Sommerland, where she was able to step into a magical world and escape the reality of her life at home. She’s stoked to be at the age where she can now audition for a job at the park and help make other young people experience the magic like she did.

The problem is that Tabi is fat and she’s sure that she’ll never get one of the princess roles she so desperately wants because she’s not thin.

So when she gets a gig at a nacho stand, it’s far from what she dreamed or hoped, even if it was kind of what she thought could happen. Now she’s bound and determined to make her own happily ever after, and she’ll do it through the help of new friends and a new crush.