Embedded Files
Becoming a Queen
Becoming a Queen
by Dan Clay
Gay teen Mark Davis turns toward love, self-expression, and the power of drag to overcome grief when the unthinkable happens.
Bright Red Fruit
Bright Red Fruit
by Safia Elhillo
A novel in verse about Samira's journey into the slam poetry scene and the dangerous new relationship that could threaten all her dreams.
Call Me Iggy
Call Me Iggy
by Jorge Aguirre & Rafael Rosado
Colombian American teen Iggy searches for his place in his family, his school, his community, and ultimately, his country - with a little help from the ghost of his abuelito.
The Color of a Lie
The Color of a Lie
by Kim Johnson
In 1955, a Black family passes for white and moves to a “Whites Only” town in the suburbs, but Calvin puts his family at risk as he uncovers the town’s racist secrets.
A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants
A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants
by Rebecca E. Hirsch
This entertaining compendium delves into nature's deadliest plants and their fascinating histories as implements of medicine, warfare, and foul play.
Everything We Never Had
Everything We Never Had
by Randy Ribay
In this emotionally charged, moving novel, four generations of Filipino American boys grapple with identity, masculinity, and their fraught father-son relationships.
Full Shift
Full Shift
by Jennifer Dugan & Kit Seaton
Equal parts action-packed and full of laughs, this graphic novel explores found family, the charm and intensity of first crushes, and what it means to truly embrace who you are.
Gather
Gather
by Kenneth M. Cadow
A resourceful teenager in rural Vermont struggles to hold on to the family home while his mom recovers from addiction in this striking debut novel.
The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky
The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky
by Josh Galarza
Ever since cancer invaded his adoptive mother’s life, Brett feels like he’s losing everything, most of all control.
Greymist Fair
Greymist Fair
by Francesca Zappia
This suspenseful and inventive murder mystery is infused with magic and inspired by the lesser-known fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm.
Homebody
Homebody
by Theo Parish
Theo tells the heartwarming story of discovering how to live life on their own terms through beautiful illustrations and lyrical text.
Icarus
Icarus
by K. Ancrum
Seventeen year old Icarus breaks into an art collector's home to steal valuable artworks and replace them with forgeries created by his father in this reimagined myth.
The Invocations
The Invocations
by Krystal Sutherland
A darkly seductive witchy thriller where, though both men and demons lurk in shadows, girls refuse to go quietly into the night.
I Shall Never Fall in Love
I Shall Never Fall in Love
by Hari Conner
A romantic graphic novel mash-up of Jane Austen novels—where two friends discover their feelings for each other and find a space in their world for their love and identity.
Looking for Smoke
Looking for Smoke
by K.A. Cobell
Four teens are suspects in their friend’s murder on the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana in this thriller told through all four points of view.
The Maid and the Crocodile
The Maid and the Crocodile
by Jordan Ifueko
Orphaned Small Sade, a curse-eater, fights to make a home for herself while contending with a cursed god in this novel set in the same world as the Raybearer series.
Shadowed
Shadowed
by Carl Deuker
Nate forges a tentative relationship with outcast neighbor, Lucas, through one on one basketball games before they join a team and Nate learns that life is about more than just getting ready for the next game.
Six Truths and a Lie
Six Truths and a Lie
by Ream Shukairy
Six Muslim teens are falsely accused of a deadly attack in this timely and harrowing examination of America’s justice system.
Twenty-four Seconds from Now...
Twenty-four Seconds from Now...
by Jason Reynolds
Neon and Aria are ready to take their relationship to the next level, if Neon can just get out of his own head (and the bathroom he has locked himself in).
The Wilderness of Girls
The Wilderness of Girls
by Madeline Claire Franklin
Rhi discovers a pack of feral girls in the woods and is swept up in the ensuing mystery in this exploration of trauma, found family and the possibility of magic.
Announcing the 2025 RITBA Winner and the 2026 Nominees
Announcing the 2025 RITBA Winner and the 2026 Nominees
7 April 2025--High school students from across Rhode Island have voted! We are thrilled to announce the winner of the 2025 Rhode Island Teen Book Award: Promise Boys by Nick Brooks
Our Honor Books are Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross and Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy by Erin Faith Hicks.
The book with the most readers was The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz, followed by The Infinity Particle by Wendy Xu.
These were 3 of 20 young adult books nominated by school librarians, teachers, and public librarians from throughout Rhode Island. The nominees were selected on the basis of literary quality and their appeal to those in grades 9 and up. Throughout the past year, young adults could find copies of the books available to read at their school and public libraries and area stores.
We would also like to thank all the schools and libraries that served as voting locations and supported the Rhode Island Teen Book Award. Portsmouth High School collected the most votes, and the runners up were Providence Career & Technical Academy and Toll Gate High School. The Rhode Island Teen Book Award Committee would like to thank all the teens who voted this year and read from the list as well as the teachers and librarians who helped promote these titles.
In addition, the committee is proud to announce the list of 20 nominees for the 2026 award.
Becoming a Queen by Dan Clay
Bright Red Fruit by Safia Elhillo
Call Me Iggy by Jorge Aguirre and Rafael Rosado
The Color of a Lie by Kim Johnson
A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants by Rebecca Hirsch
Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribay
Full Shift by Jennifer Dugan
Gather by Kenneth M Cadow
The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky by Josh Glarza
Greymist Fair by Francesca Zappia
Homebody by Theo Parish
I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Conner
Icarus by K Ancrum
The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland
Looking for Smoke by K.A. Cobell
The Maid and the Crocodile by Jordan Ifueko
Shadowed by Carl Deuker
Six Truths and a Lie by Ream Shukairy
Twenty-Four Seconds from Now: A LOVE Story by Jason Reynolds
The Wilderness of Girls by Madeline Claire Franklin
You can find promotional materials including bookmarks, flyers, and posters for the 2026 nominees here. Student voting for the new list will begin on July 1. Details to follow in June.
For more information about the RI Teen Book award please visit riteenbookaward.org. Please direct any questions to riteenbookaward@gmail.com
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