This year I read a lot of young adult fiction, and I was struck by how much these books engaged social justice issues in a complex and nuanced way. Fair warning, though: when teenage protagonists struggle with issues of equity and difficult moral decisions, they sometimes use vulgar language. While such language is quite common in today’s world, some parents may take issue with this language being used in a Christian school. I suggest you read the book you are thinking of using in class before you make your decision. If you decide to use it in your curriculum, you might want to prepare both parents and students with a frank letter of introduction that details both the problematic language and scenes in the book and the important themes and ideas that the book gets across. If you intend to add the book to your classroom library, I suggest that you read it fully and consider labeling the book in some way so that your students will know what they are getting into if they choose to read it.

The books I review here did not all come out in 2017. Some are books from earlier years that I finally got around to reviewing this year. In any case, I am sure you will enjoy them.

Scythe and Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman

The story begun in Scythe continues in this long-awaited sequel that has, if possible, more twists and turns than the original. The characters from Scythe are back. Citra (alias Scythe Anastasia) is working with Scythe Curie to attack the injustices of the Scythedom from within. Rowan has become Scythe Lucifer, donning an illegal black robe and killing scythes who are abusing their powers—gleaning them in such a way that they cannot be restored. And the Thunderhead, the artificial intelligence that serves humanity, has taken a young man named Greyson and used him to save Scythe Curie and Scythe Anastasia from an attempted assassination. The Thunderhead designates Greyson as Unsavory, takes him off the grid, gives him a new identity, and uses him as an agent. When Greyson’s human handler is gleaned, Greyson must figure out the right thing to do. The book comes to an amazing climax on an artificial island where the scythes are meeting and where the villain shows his hand.

This book is breathtakingly thrilling, partly because we are so connected to the characters and partly because of the theme that runs through the series (which my student Molly first identified for me): the protagonists tend to be caught between two mentors and their ideals but must still make important moral decisions for themselves. Thunderhead plays with this theme as Rowan and Greyson are deprived of their mentors, and Citra is increasingly learning to think without her mentor’s advice.

Nothing is offensive in this book. Strong middle school readers could certainly read it, but it is probably best for high school students. It would be great for teaching worldview. Both these books are phenomenally good. Read them!

Backfield Boys: A Football Mystery in Black and White by John Feinstein

Tom “Bull’s Eye” Jefferson and Jason “White Lightning” Roddin have grown up in New York City and been friends since their early grades, partly because of their common love of football. Tom is an excellent quarterback and Jason is a remarkably fast wide receiver. When they both get recruited to attend a prep school in the South that is known for its alumni who go on to play pro ball, they leap at the chance. But when they get to the school, they find it much different than they imagined. The trouble starts when Tom is assigned to be a wide receiver and Jason is assigned to train with the quarterbacks. When they bring up the mistake with the coaches, they are met with stubborn belligerence and punishment for questioning authority. Based on some of the comments from their coaches, they begin to wonder whether the problem might be that Tom is African-American and Jason is Jewish.

While John Feinstein is known for skillfully weaving together sports and mystery, this book proves he can also tackle social justice issues in realistic and inspiring ways. This book models critical questioning and engages readers in thinking about social justice issues ranging from the prevalence of concussions in football to racist responses, interracial dating, and systemic discrimination and how to combat it. Feinstein includes a bit of history about civil rights, religious discrimination, and presidential politics as well. The final product is a highly engaging sports mystery that will get readers thinking about civil disobedience and working for justice.

Yvain: The Knight of the Lion by M. T. Anderson

For English teachers, this is an excellent graphic novel to introduce anything that touches on King Arthur. Though Arthur only makes a cameo or two in the book, it captures the excitement of a knight with a pet lion fighting against evil magic, a dragon, and enemies. But it also concerns itself with the relationship between Sir Yvain and the queen whose husband he killed in battle. Theirs is a relationship filled with intense hate and, eventually, deep love as well. This book is ideal for late middle school and high school students.

Ghost by Jason Reynolds

Castle Crenshaw’s voice sounds upbeat and sarcastic in the first chapter, but then we find out that one night, years ago, Castle’s dad had been drinking, and when Castle’s mom fought back against the usual physical abuse, Castle’s dad grabbed a pistol. Castle and his mom ran for it, and Castle’s dad was arrested and taken to jail. The story, however, takes place years later and opens with Castle looking through a chain-link fence at tryouts for an all-city track team. On a whim, he walks over and challenges one of the kids to a race. Though the coach is angry about the interruption, he gives Castle one chance. When Castle ties the kid, the coach convinces Castle to give the team a try, though Castle isn’t very enthusiastic about it. And, of course, it doesn’t go smoothly. Castle, who takes on the nickname Ghost, is fast but insecure. He can be a hard worker but is inconsistent and is also embarrassed by his tennis shoes, so he shoplifts a better pair. He is nearly kicked off the team several times, and yet it is clear to the reader that Ghost has found a home.

What I love most about this book is Coach Brody’s character. He is a tough guy who cares about the kids on his team and is willing to push, encourage, cajole, and challenge them to get them to commit to something and experience what being excellent at something can do for them. The book also shows the value of community. As Ghost finds out that his fellow team members, who he initially doesn’t think much of, have their own stories, they eventually become people he cares for.

Sometimes seen as an upper elementary book, Ghost has a wide appeal for older students too. My eighth-grade daughter is a runner and loved this book. I am not a runner, and I loved this book. I think you and your students will love this book too.

Deadline by Chris Crutcher

As Ben is about to begin his senior year, he finds out that he has an illness that will kill him in a year unless he immediately starts a course of treatment that will be painful and leave him in a hospital bed for the remainder of his year, with only a small chance of being effective. So Ben refuses treatment, swears the doctor to secrecy, and decides to make the most of his remaining year. He goes out for football and makes the team because of his speed and daring. He asks the girl he likes if she will go out with him and eventually ends up with a girlfriend. He decides to help the town drunk get sober. He takes on his narrow-minded history teacher by proposing a project where he will try to get one of the streets in his hometown renamed as Martin Luther King Drive, despite the community’s extreme lack of interest in such a change. All along he keeps his secret from his parents, his girlfriend, his brother, school authorities, and everyone else.

As his relationship with his girlfriend grows, though, and as his teamwork with his brother on the football field seems to be leading them to double scholarships, Ben feels more and more like he wants to tell someone, but now so much time has passed that if he does tell anyone, they will feel betrayed. And here is the most interesting part of this gripping novel: Ben has dreams in which he talks to someone he calls Hey Soos (think Hispanic pronunciation of “Jesus”). Hey Soos appears in his dreams, and they talk about right and wrong. Hey Soos seems a lot more real than Ben’s biblical image of Jesus, and at first Ben assumes Hey Soos is his own subconscious. Later he isn’t so sure. Yet because the question is not settled and because Hey Soos doesn’t seem to be a religious figure, Crutcher is able to bring in some religious and moral perspective without the baggage that usually accompanies it. Because Ben is facing his own death, he listens to that advice in a different way from how most high school students might listen.

Crutcher’s work is frequently challenged and occasionally banned. I am not sure why. There are some vulgar words from time to time and a character in the book has had a child outside of marriage, but the book combines authenticity with the very real and complicated ethical dilemmas that high school students need to deal with. If you teach English, language arts, or phys. ed. for that matter, you need this for your classroom library. Seriously. You might also think about using it for literature circles or incorporating it in a unit.

The Inquisitor’s Tale; Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz

This book is hard to describe. It is wonderful, but any summary will make it seem less than wonderful. I am tempted to avoid summarizing it, but you need to understand what it is like. My apologies for not doing this splendid book the justice it deserves.

We hear the story as travelers tell it to each other in the dining room of an inn in France in 1242. At first, the story seems like it might be exaggerated, but gradually it becomes clearer and clearer. Jeanne is a peasant girl whose life is saved by her dog, who is then martyred but returns as a mysterious ghostly hound. Jeanne herself has visions of the future. Jacob is a Jewish boy whose entire community was destroyed by the king’s soldiers. He discovers that he can heal any wound. William is a moor from Africa who was raised by monks and has remarkable physical strength. The three kids find themselves traveling together and soon draw the ire of the king by trying to prevent a public burning of books. In the story, the three kids grow closer together, the king unleashes his army, and the kids work several miracles in the service of justice and mercy.

I know nobody reads a book because it contains important themes, but this one looks at making space for differing religious perspectives, contains a serious exploration of why God lets bad things happen, and also addresses themes of redemption and forgiveness.

This book contains an excellent story that will make you think. While this is sometimes thought of as a book for fifth grade through middle school, it would be an excellent choice for high school as well. Regardless, you need to read it right away. No sense in waiting any longer. Go get ahold of it.

The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner

Dill’s dad is a former snake-handling preacher who is in jail for distributing pornography. Because of this, Dill is an outcast among his fellow students. Fortunately, he has two friends who are also outcasts. Lydia plans to be a fashion designer in New York, and because of this, her fellow students in Forrestville High look down on her for not being like them. Dill’s other friend is named Travis. He loves fantasy novels and wears a cloak and carries a staff with him. Each of these students has dreams, secrets, and fears, and they all care for one another.

One reason I love this story is for its excellent depiction of what real, healthy friendship looks like. (Of course you will also encounter bullying, injustice, physical abuse, intolerance, horrible parents, awesome parents, and all the stuff that goes along with being a teenager.) This story slowly grabs hold of you and then becomes irresistible. Parts of it make you want to yell at the book. Other parts will leave you smiling to yourself.

This book is for high school students. There is some vulgar language here, a reference to masturbation, and some senseless violence. There is also real love, transformation, and redemption. There is hopelessness and hope. There is a lot to engage high school students. If you read this to the end, you will be glad you did.

Dreamland Burning by Jennifer Latham

Rowan is about to begin her summer internship. When the workers renovating her family’s carriage house discover a body, Rowan is the one who calls the police and starts to wonder whose body it is and how it came to be hidden in her carriage house. From there this excellent novel splits. We follow one story concerning Will Tillman, a white teenager growing up in Tusa in 1921 who inadvertently sets in motion a chain of events, leading to a race riot he will try desperately to prevent. Rowan’s story continues as she finds out more about the body and navigates race relations in today’s world as a mixed-race daughter of professional, upper-middle-class parents. After Rowan witnesses a car versus pedestrian accident that seems racially motivated, the two stories come together in a powerful conclusion.

This story has enough going on thematically and is well-written enough that it would be a good book for a high school English class to pair with something like To Kill a Mockingbird. It would also make a fine addition to a classroom library. And you will really enjoy reading this one. At the very least, put it on your summer reading list.

Hold Fast by Blue Balliett

Warning: This is a really good book, but you are going to have to be patient. There is a long wait for the second part of the story to get going. Things get desperate quickly, but then for a long time the characters make little progress on solving the mystery. I found that frustrating when I first read the book. But once you get to the final third of the book, things start to come together, and when they do, it is worth it. And totally satisfying.

The story is about a family. Summer and Dash are the parents, and Early (a girl) and Jubilation (a boy) are the kids. Dash disappears abruptly from his life, gone without a trace. Thugs break into the family’s house, threaten them, and ransack the place. Summer, Early, and Jubilee go on the run and soon find themselves in a homeless shelter. The FBI is looking for their dad, and Early believes she may hold the key to finding him. This is not just a mystery involving a missing dad and an unknown crime—the book also explores the second mystery of why there are thousands of homeless people suffering lives of crushing desperation and, at the same time, thousands of foreclosed buildings sitting empty.

This one is probably best suited to high school students, though advanced middle school readers could also read it. It would work as a read-aloud, but I think it is best as part of your classroom library.

If I Ever Get Out of Here by Eric Gansworth

Lewis Blake has grown up on the reservation. High school has been torture to him so far. Nobody ever talks to him. Kids bully him, and his family is so poor that they have a gaping hole in the roof of their kitchen. Then he meets George Haddonfield, a new kid who lives on the local military base. They hit it off, bonding mostly over music, especially the Beatles and Paul McCartney and Wings. George invites Lewis over and Lewis is impressed with how nice George’s family is, but Lewis can never reciprocate. He lives in a ramshackle dwelling on the reservation; his mom works long hours cleaning other people’s houses and never has any energy to clean her own; and his Uncle Albert who Lewis shares a bedroom with is a little, well, off. And on top of all that, Lewis gets bullied constantly by Evan Rediger, whose father is so rich and powerful that no one will listen to Lewis when he tells authorities and the principal what he is going through.

This book is remarkably real to some kids’ high school experience. It has some vulgar words in it and some honest conversations about difficult topics. It shows what real friendship is like, and it is the kind of book where the bullies and the corrupt do not always win in the end. It says a lot about poverty and what it is like to be an outcast because of your culture. This would be an excellent book for your classroom library (though you would want to read it first). It could also be a fantastic read-aloud or better still, a book to be studied in class.

Enjoy your reading!

Bill Boerman-Cornell is professor of education at Trinity Christian College. He blogs about graphic novels and YA literature at bookcommercial.blogspot.com.