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New Book Releases April 2020 – Young Adult Fiction

New Book Releases for April 2020 – Young Adult Fiction

Isolating? Need something new to read? Look no further than the new releases of April 2020. Support your local bookstore and authors in this difficult time. What’s on your reading list? Click on covers for more details.

Children’s Fiction/Non-fiction

The Boreal Forest: A Year in the World’s Largest Land Biome – L.E. Carmichael and Josee Bisaillon (ill) – Kids Can Press – Published 7 April 2020

The vast boreal forest spans a dozen countries in the northern regions like “a scarf around the neck of the world,” making it the planet’s largest land biome. Besides providing homes for a diversity of species, this spectacular forest is also vitally important to the planet: its trees clean our air, its wetlands clean our water and its existence plays an important role in slowing global climate change. In this beautifully written book, award-winning author L. E. Carmichael explores this special wilderness on a tour of the forest throughout the four seasons, from one country to another. Evocative watercolor and collage artwork by award-winning illustrator Josée Bisaillon provides a rare glimpse of one of the world’s most magnificent places.

Children’s non-fiction – Animals, environment


A Stopwatch from Grampa – Loretta Garbutt and Carmen Mok (ill.) – Hachette Book Group – Published 7 April 2020

“When summer started, I got Grampa’s stopwatch,” a small child says. “I don’t want his stopwatch. I want him.” Grampa used to time everything. A race to the end of the street and back: 24 seconds. Eating bubblegum ice cream: 1 minute, 58 seconds. But now, Grampa’s gone. “There are no more Grampa minutes, Grampa seconds,” the child says. “Time just stops.” As the seasons come and go, the stopwatch becomes a cherished symbol of remembrance, and the child uses it to carry on Grampa’s favorite pastimes and traditions.

Children’s fiction – Family


What Grew in Larry’s Garden – Laura Alary and Kass Reich (ill.) – Hachette Book Group – Published 7 April 2020

Grace thinks Larry’s garden is one of the wonders of the world. In his tiny backyard next door to hers, Larry grows the most extraordinary vegetables. Grace loves helping him – watering and weeding, planting and pruning, hoeing and harvesting. And whenever there’s a problem – like bugs burrowing into the carrots or slugs chewing the lettuce – Grace and Larry solve it together. Grace soon learns that Larry has big plans for the vegetables in his special garden. And when that garden faces its biggest problem yet, Grace follows Larry’s example to find the perfect solution.

Children’s fiction – Gardening


Young Adult Fiction

The Truth About Keeping Secrets – Savannah Brown – Sourcebooks Fire – Published 7 April 2020

Sydney’s dad is the only psychiatrist for miles in their small Ohio town. He knows everybody’s secrets. He is also dead.

Grief-stricken Sydney can’t understand why the police have no explanation for what happened the night of her dad’s car crash. And when June Copeland, the homecoming queen whose life seems perfect, shows up at the funeral, Sydney’s confusion grows.

Sydney and June grow closer in the wake of the accident, but it’s clear that not everyone is happy about their new friendship.

Young adult fiction: Thriller.


The Perfect Escape – Suzanne Park – The Perfect Escape #1 – Sourcebooks Fire – Published 7 April 2020

Nate Jae-Woo Kim wants to be rich. When one of his classmates offers Nate a ridiculous amount of money to commit grade fraud, he knows that taking the windfall would help support his prideful Korean family, but is compromising his integrity worth it?

Luck comes in the form of Kate Anderson, Nate’s colleague at the zombie-themed escape room where he works. She approaches Nate with a plan: a local tech company is hosting a weekend-long survivalist competition with a huge cash prize. It could solve all of Nate’s problems, and Kate needs the money too.

Young adult fiction: Contemporary


What I Like About You – Marisa Kanter – Simon and Schuster – Published 7 April 2020

There are a million things that Halle Levitt likes about her online best friend, Nash.

He’s an incredibly talented graphic novelist. He loves books almost as much as she does. And she never has to deal with the awkwardness of seeing him in real life. They can talk about anything… Except who she really is.

Because online, Halle isn’t Halle—she’s Kels, the enigmatically cool creator of One True Pastry, a YA book blog that pairs epic custom cupcakes with covers and reviews. Kels has everything Halle doesn’t: friends, a growing platform, tons of confidence, and Nash.

Young adult fiction: Contemporary


Goodbye From Nowhere – Sara Zarr – Balzer+Bray – Published 7 April 2020

Kyle Baker thought his family was happy. Happy enough, anyway. That’s why, when Kyle learns that his mother has been having an affair and his father has been living with the secret, his reality is altered. He quits baseball, ghosts his girlfriend, and generally checks out of life as he’s known it. With his older sisters out of the house and friends who don’t get it, the only person he can talk to is his cousin Emily—who is always there on the other end of his texts but still has her own life, hours away.

Young adult fiction: Contemporary


Meet Me At Midnight – Jessica Pennington – Tor Teen – Published 7 April 2020

Sidney and Asher should have clicked. Two star swimmers forced to spend their summers on a lake together sounds like the perfect match. But it’s the same every year—in between cookouts and boat rides and family-imposed bonfires, Sidney and Asher spend the dog days of summer finding the ultimate ways to prank each other. And now, after their senior year, they’re determined to make it the most epic summer yet.

Young adult fiction – Contemporary


This is My Brain in Love – I.W. Gregorio – Little, Brown Books for Young Readers – Published 14 April 2020

Jocelyn Wu has just three wishes for her junior year: To make it through without dying of boredom, to direct a short film with her BFF Priya Venkatram, and to get at least two months into the year without being compared to or confused with Peggy Chang, the only other Chinese girl in her grade.

Will Domenici has two goals: to find a paying summer internship, and to prove he has what it takes to become an editor on his school paper.

Young adult fiction: Contemporary


The Lightness of Hands – Jeff Garvin – Balzer+Bray – Published 14 April 2020

Sixteen-year-old Ellie Dante is desperate for something in her life to finally go right. Her father was a famous stage magician until he attempted an epic illusion on live TV—and failed. Now Ellie lives with her dad in a beat-up RV, attending high school online and performing with him at birthday parties and bars across the Midwest to make ends meet.

But when the gigs dry up, their insurance lapses, leaving Dad’s heart condition unchecked and forcing Ellie to battle her bipolar II disorder without medication.

Then Ellie receives a call from a famous magic duo, who offer fifteen thousand dollars and a shot at redemption

Young adult fiction: Contemporary.


All We Could Have Been – T.E. Carter – Square Fish – Published 21 April 2020

Five years ago, Lexi witnessed something that shattered her very core. To cope, she moves from town to town, desperate to hide the darkest of family secrets. In every location, she assumes a new name and flies under the radar as long as she can before anyone figures out who she is–who she’s related to.

Lexie now lives with her aunt, has minimal interaction with her parents, and has no communication with her brother. But the pain is always there.

Young adult fiction – Contemporary

Don’t Call the Wolf – Aleksandra Ross – HarperTeen – Published 28 April 2020

Ren is Queen of the Forest. With her lynx family and wolf friends, she tries to stave off the ever encroaching press of monsters and darkness that seeks to suck the life out of the forest. They must also avoid humans, who don’t understand them and who cause more harm than good. Lukasz, the youngest of ten brothers is now alone, the last of the Wolf-Lords to traverse the world, fighting monsters and evil. The brothers were exiled from their homeland after the Golden Dragon arrived and over the years, each of the brothers has felt the call to return and try and take their home back from the dragon. Now Lukasz must also return. But as he and Ren reluctantly join forces, they realise their goals are not so different from the other’s.

Young adult fiction: Fantasy

6 Comments

  1. Karla - Reads and Thoughts

    Great list! I’m excited for almost all of the YA books. 🤗💚

    • Madison's Library

      So many good pens to chose from, right? What’s first on your list?

      • Karla - Reads and Thoughts

        Most likely Melissa Kanter’s book. Been hearing and reading a lot of good things about it. 🤗

        • Madison's Library

          Marisa Kanter’s What I Like About You is a great read. Fun and those cupcakes-yummmm.

  2. Sofii @ A Book. A Thought.

    I have an ARC of Meet Me At Midnight so I hope to enjoy it, I’ll be reading it this month! *fingers crossed* 🥰

    • Madison's Library

      Ooh, enjoy. I’d love to know what you think about it.

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