All of the books on my Summer 2015 list have five things in common:

• Friendship!
• Diversity!
• Strong Female Characters!
• Multiple starred reviews!
• They're out now!

And a sixth, I guess:  I'm very proud of them! Here are brief descriptions, and a list of some of their other distinct and shared traits.



The author of Openly Straight returns with an epic road trip involving family history, gay history, the girlfriend our hero can't have, the grandfather he never knew, and the veyr prickly Porcupine of Truth.

The friends:  Carson Smith, Aisha Stinson

Shared traits with other books on this list:  Young adult; wildlife (symbolic); road trip; mystery; Internet searches; city setting (Billings, Salt Lake, and San Francisco); family

Distinct traits:  Contemplation of religion and God; improv comedy


Best friends, big fans, a mysterious webcomic, and a long-lost girl collide in this riveting mystery, perfect for fans of both Cory Doctorow and Sarah Dessen, and illustrated throughout with comic art.

The friends: May (a writer in glasses), Libby (a glamorous artist, until she drowns ... and then maybe after)

Shared traits:  Young adult; mystery; Internet searching; street art; chase scene; fight scene; city setting (Seattle); fairy tale elements; YA debut of an adult author; ghosts; interior art; biracial main character

Distinct traits:  Hackers; printed in purple



You know the hair, the tower, and the witch. But in the land of Tyme, that's just the start of the story . . .

The friends:  Rapunzel, of the tower, and Jack, of beanstalk fame

Shared traits:  wildlife (actual -- a frog); royalty; road trip; a chase scene; a fight scene; fairy tale elements; magic; over-the-transom submission (of sorts); big hair

Distinct traits:  Middle grade; debut novel


The friends:  See title . . . if they can work it out.

Shared traits: wildlife (actual); fight scene; biracial main character; interior art

Distinct traits:  Picture book; castles; sweaters; farting



Paint a mural. Start a battle. Change the world.

The friends: Sierra has an awesome group at her back: Bennie, Izzy, Tee, and Big Jerome

Shared traits:  Young adult; street art; chase scene; city setting (Brooklyn); mystery; Internet searching; family; fight scenes; magic; YA debut of an adult author; ghosts; over-the-transom submission; big hair

Distinct traits:  A completely heretofore-unseen form of magic in fantasy, deeply connected to its heroine's culture and imagination; a sweet and hot romance; tattoos

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