Discover the best new books for young readers with Philly author Eric Smith

On the surface, it’s a novel about two teens working in rival cheesesteak trucks who are in love. But if you dig a little deeper, it’s about being honest with one another, choosing your own path, and just how much I love this city I’ve come to call my home.

I’m madly grateful for the honor, but I still want to take every opportunity to shout about other astonishing reads from authors in the region, especially with the summer upon us and the new school year coming. Maybe you’re a teacher, eager to stock those classroom shelves and your school libraries with local authors. Or perhaps you want to inspire a kiddo in your life to dream big with their art by showing them locals who have done it too—like Jess Callans and Erin Entrada Kelly, who went to Rosemont, and Diana Rodriquez Wallach, a teacher who became a celebrated writer.

Let’s dive in!

Middle grade books (ages 8-12)

Ollie in Between by Jess Callans: This gorgeous debut from a Philly writer is a moving, beautiful coming-of-age novel about Ollie Thompson, a 13-year-old, neurodiverse, queer kiddo trying to find their voice as things quickly change around them. Callans is a writer to watch.

The Princess Protection Program by Alex London: London is one of my favorite children’s book writers of all time, and the second book in his Princess Protection series just came out. Set in a world where princesses can leave their story to find their own happy ending, it’s a delightful send-up of fairy tales, from one of the best writers in kid-lit.

The Haunting of Bellington Cottage by Laura Parnum: This is me encouraging you to pre-order, as this one isn’t quite out yet. Publishing at the end of July, Parnum’s latest digs into what readers of her novel Peril at Price Manor love about her books…haunted houses and supernatural vibes all written with a big heart.

The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly: Honestly, you can point to any book by Kelly as a perfect read to give to the young readers in your life. But her recent Newbery Medal-winning time-travel novel about friendship and family is perhaps my favorite. Set in 1999, the story follows one kid who discovers how hard it is to focus on seemingly simple things, when the potential of knowing the future is right there in front of you.

Farrah Noorzad and the Ring of Fate by Deeba Zargarpur: First of all, if you spot this book in your local bookstore, look at the sprayed edges. This is the kind of book kids want to carry around with them everywhere. And the story is just as gorgeous as the book. What happens when a kiddo discovers her jinn heritage, and has to go on a mission to save her father? Magical hijinks, for sure.

Young adult books (ages 12-18)

Salt the Water by Candice Iloh: When a teen has plans to live off the grid after high school and abruptly finds themselves dropping out, the crushing reality of having to take care of family threatens to upend all of their dreams. There’s a reason this one took home so many accolades, as Iloh is known for writing beautifully complicated stories of family and identity.

If You’re Not the One by Farah Naz Rishi: If your young readers have ever picked up a book from Farah Naz Rishi, they know that no novel is ever the same. Jumping from sci-fi to rom-com, they’re a boundary-defying writer whose prose is regularly a gift. This laugh-out-loud novel about a teen who has planned the perfect life, only to fall for a not-so-perfect guy when things come crashing down, will have your young readers in stitches.

Divining the Leaves by Shveta Thakrar: Lyrical and lush, to read a Thakrar novel is to find yourself transported somewhere awe-inspiring. In her latest, two former friends have to come together when they become trapped in a magical forest, surrounded by spirits and complex histories.

This Book Might Be About Zinnia by Brittney Morris: A shifting timeline and POV novel about an adopted teen and the mother who had to give her up, Morris’s latest is an awe-inspiring book that expertly weaves together two stories for an emotional ride that I adored. And for your young readers who love video games, a bonus! Morris worked on the recent Spider-Man and Wolverine games.

Hatchet Girls By Diana Rodriguez Wallach: For your horror-loving teens, Wallach has emerged as one of the kid-lit horror masters in our town. Her latest just recently came out in paperback, and is a supernatural thriller taking place 100 years after the Lizzie Borden murders, when a young girl accuses her boyfriend or murdering her parents with an axe… only nothing is as it seems as the boy’s sister fights to prove his innocence.