SJPL Picks: YA Books with Male ProtagonistsLike this list

37 items

• Breath of the Dragon

  Breathmarked, Book 1

  Lee, Shannon, 1969-

  Add Breath of the Dragon to your for later shelf

  Sixteen-year-old Jun, determined to restore his father's honor despite not being breathmarked--born with a patch of dragon scales and special abilities--secretly enters in the elite Guardian's Tournament, where he discovers he is fighting for not…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• When We Ride

  a Novel

  Ogle, Rex,

  Add When We Ride to your for later shelf

  Diego Benevides works hard. His single mother encourages him to stay focused on school, on getting into college, on getting out of their crumbling neighborhood. That’s why she gave him her car. Diego’s best friend, Lawson, needs a ride—because…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Dear Manny

  Stone, Nic,

  Add Dear Manny to your for later shelf

  While running for junior class president at his university, Jared falls for his opponent who has a similar platform based on equity and inclusion, and processes his feelings by writing letters to his deceased friend Manny.

• All Better Now

  Shusterman, Neal,

  Add All Better Now to your for later shelf

  In a world where happiness becomes contagious, two teens are caught in the conspiracy by the powers that be to bring back discontent

• Among Ghosts

  Hartman, Rachel, 1972-

  Add Among Ghosts to your for later shelf

  On the run from a mercenary dragon, among other dangers, thirteen-year-old Charl seeks refuge in an abandoned abbey haunted by an assemblage of ghosts.

• Twenty-four Seconds From Now...

  a LOVE Story

  Reynolds, Jason,

  Add Twenty-four Seconds From Now... to your for later shelf

  New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds tackles it—you know…it—from the guy’s perspective in this unfiltered and undeniably sweet stream of consciousness story of a teen boy about to experience a huge first. Twenty-four months Neon gets…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Compound Fracture

  White, Andrew Joseph,

  Add Compound Fracture to your for later shelf

  After being nearly beaten to death for evidence he holds against the corrupt sheriff, sixteen-year-old transgender Miles joins his fellow townsfolk to end the blood feud and oppressive politics that plague his town.

• HappyHead

  Silver, Josh, 1989-

  Add HappyHead to your for later shelf

  When Seb is offered a place on a radical retreat designed to solve the national crisis of teenage unhappiness, he is determined to change how people see him and make his parents proud. But as he finds himself drawn to the enigmatic Finn, Seb starts…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Sky's End

  Gregson, Marc J.,

  Add Sky's End to your for later shelf

  Exiled to live as a Low, sixteen-year-old Conrad refuses to become heir to his murderous uncle. But Meritocracy is a harsh and unforgiving rule on the floating island of Holmstead, and when his ailing mother is killed by monstrous gorgantauns,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Everything We Never Had

  Ribay, Randy,

  Add Everything We Never Had to your for later shelf

  Set in the 1930s to today, four generations of Filipino American boys grapple with identity, masculinity, and father-son relationships. Told in multiple perspectives, Everything We Never Had unfolds like a beautifully crafted nesting doll, where…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Blood at the Root

  Williams, Ladarrion,

  Add Blood at the Root to your for later shelf

  Ten years ago, Malik's life changed forever the night his mother mysteriously vanished and he discovered he had uncontrollable powers. Since then, he has kept his abilities hidden, looking out for himself and his younger foster brother, Taye. Now,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry

  Riggs, Ransom,

  Add The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry to your for later shelf

  After years of grief-fueled visions of creatures from his favorite television show, seventeen-year-old Leopold Berry discovers that magic is real, and he might be the chosen one after all.

• Invisible Son

  Johnson, Kim, 1979-

  Add Invisible Son to your for later shelf

  Life can change in an instant. When you're wrongfully accused of a crime. When a virus shuts everything down. When the girl you love moves on. Andre Jackson is determined to reclaim his identity. But returning from juvie doesn't feel like coming…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Chasing Pacquiao

  Pulido, Rod,

  Add Chasing Pacquiao to your for later shelf

  When Bobby is unwillingly outed he turns to boxing, finding a hero in Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao, but when Pacquiao publicly denounces homosexuality, Bobby must discover a hero within himself.

• Wren Martin Ruins It All

  DeWitt, Amanda,

  Add Wren Martin Ruins It All to your for later shelf

  Wren Martin, the asexual student council president, plans to eliminate the school's annual Valentine's Day Dance, until his rival Leo sabotages Wren's plan by securing a sponsorship from a dating app, which leads to unexpected feelings and…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Beholder

  La Sala, Ryan,

  Add Beholder to your for later shelf

  No one survived the party at the penthouse. Except Athan. Athanasios "Athan" Bakirtzis has made it far in life relying on his charm and good looks, even securing an invitation to a mysterious penthouse soiree for New York City's artsy elite. But…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Promise Boys

  Brooks, Nick, 1989-

  Add Promise Boys to your for later shelf

  J.B., Ramón, and Trey, students of the Urban Promise Prep School, are forced to follow the prestigious school's strict rules, but when their principal is murdered, the three boys must band together to track down the real killer before they are…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Rez Ball

  Graves, Byron,

  Add Rez Ball to your for later shelf

  This compelling debut novel by new talent Byron Graves tells the relatable, high-stakes story of a young athlete determined to play like the hero his Ojibwe community needs him to be.

• Survive the Dome

  Jackson, Kosoko,

  Add Survive the Dome to your for later shelf

  Jamal Lawson just wanted to be a part of something. As an aspiring journalist, he packs up his camera and heads to Baltimore to document a rally protesting police brutality after another Black man is murdered. But before the protest even begins, the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Getaway

  Giles, Lamar, 1979-

  Add The Getaway to your for later shelf

  Jay discovers that the mountain resort where he lives and works with his friends and family is also a doomsday oasis for the rich and powerful who expect top-notch customer service even as the world outside the resort's walls disintegrates, causing…Read moreRead more of this annotation