All the Noise at Once
by DeAndra Davis
Aiden, a Black, autistic teenager must navigate racism, ableism, and a high-stakes investigation to clear his brother's name after a wrongful arrest.
Brownstone
by Samuel Teer; illus. Julia Mar
Almost-fifteen-year-old Almudena is sent to spend the summer in New York City with the Guatemalan father she's never met.
The Dead of Summer
by Ryan LaSala
Teenager Ollie Veltman returns to his quaint Maine island home only to face an unknown condition, forcing him and his friends to navigate a terrifying eco-horror mystery while fighting for survival.
Death in the Jungle: Murder, Betrayal, and the Lost Dream of Jonestown
by Candace Fleming
Non-fiction account detailing how Jim Jones transformed from a charismatic preacher into a cult leader, ultimately orchestrating the 1978 mass murder-suicide of over 900 followers in Guyana.
Everything Is Tuberculosis
by John Green
Non-fiction exploration that weaves the personal story of a young patient in Sierra Leone with the global history of the world's deadliest infectious disease.
Fake Skating
by Lynn Painter
Two former childhood friends enter a fake-dating arrangement in high school to help each other achieve personal goals, only to find real feelings resurfacing.
Falling Like Leaves
by Misty Wilson
New Yorker Ellis Mitchell is forced to spend her senior year in Bramble Falls, where she rekindles a complicated relationship with her childhood best friend and first kiss, Cooper Barnett.
I Am the Swarm
by Haley Chewins
15-year-old Nell Strand navigates her family's inherited "cursed" magic, which manifests her suppressed emotions as physical swarms of insects.
Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories
edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Seventeen interconnected stories that center on a magical, time-traveling drive-in serving as a sanctuary where Native teens find healing, connection, and cultural pride.
Made Glorious
by Lindsay Eagar
Rory, a ruthless and manipulative scholarship student will stop at nothing to secure the lead role in her high school’s senior musical.
One of the Boys
by Victoria Zeller
Grace, a talented football kicker, returns to her team after transitioning as a trans girl, navigating the challenges of identity and teammate solidarity.
Pretty Girl County
by Lakita Wilson
Two estranged best friends from different socioeconomic backgrounds reunite in high school to help each other achieve their college dreams while navigating family and class tensions.
Rebel Girls of Rome
by Jordyn Taylor
Interwoven dual-timeline story of Lilah’s search to uncover her Italian grandfather’s history as a Holocaust survivor and the secrets of his family.
Skipshock
by Caroline O'Donoghue
Irish teen Margo slips into an alternate dimension where time is a deadly currency and must team up with a mysterious salesman named Moon to join a revolution and find her way home.
Solis
by Paola Mendoza and Abby Sher
In a near-future America, four teens lead a revolution against a corrupt government that enslaves undocumented immigrants to mine climate-control minerals.
The Story of My Anger
by Jasminne Mendez
Yulieta, a Dominican teen in Texas, uses guerrilla theater to fight racism and book bans in her school district.
The Thrashers
by Julie Soto
Members of an elite high school clique face a deadly investigation and apparent haunting after a classmate’s tragic suicide.
Top Heavy
by Rhonda DeChambeau
15-year-old Esme, a talented dancer, works to reclaim her body and confidence after a traumatic experience leaves her struggling with body image.
Under the Same Stars
by Libba Bray
Multi-timeline mystery linking teen resistance fighters across 1940s Nazi Germany, 1980s Berlin, and 2020 New York through the secrets of a legendary oak tree.
When We Ride
by Rex Ogle
Studious teen, Diego "Benny" Benevides’, loyalty is pushed to the limit as he gets dangerously entangled in his best friend’s spiraling drug deals.
6 April 2026--High school students from across Rhode Island have voted! We are thrilled to announce the winner of the 2025 Rhode Island Teen Book Award: Six Truths and a Lie by Ream Shukairy
Our Honor Books are Becoming a Queen by Dan Clay and Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribay.
Those were also among our most well-read books. Other books with a large number of readers were Homebody by Theo Parish, and Icarus by K Ancrum.
These were three 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. Providence Career & Technical Academy collected the most votes, and the runners up were East Providence High School and Barrington 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 2027 award.
All the Noise at Once by DeAndra Davis
Brownstone by Samuel Teer & Julia Mar
Death in the Jungle by Candace Fleming
Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green
Fake Skating by Lynn Painter
Falling Like Leaves by Misty Wilson
I Am the Swarm by Hayley Chewins
Legendary Fry Bread Drive-In by Cynthia Leitich Smith, et al
Made Glorious by Lindsay Eagar
One of the Boys by Victoria Zeller
Pretty Girl County by Lakita Wilson
Rebel Girls of Rome by Jordyn Taylor
Skipshock by Carolyn O'Donoghue,
Solis by Abby Sher & Paola Mendoza
Story of My Anger, The by Jasminne Mendez
Dead of Summer, The by Ryan La Sala
Thrashers, The by Julie Soto
Top Heavy by Rhonda DeChambeau
Under the Same Stars by Libba Bray
When We Ride by Rex Ogle
You can find promotional materials including bookmarks, flyers, and posters for the 2027 nominees here. Student voting for the new list begins immediately and lasts through March 15. Please visit www.riteenbookaward.org for voting procedures information.
For more information about the RI Teen Book award please visit riteenbookaward.org. Please direct any questions to riteenbookaward@gmail.com.