Special Collections
Sequoyah Book Awards Masterlist 2026
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A Place for Vanishing
by Ann FraistatA teen girl and her family return to her mother's childhood home, only to discover that the house's strange beauty may disguise a sinister past, in this contemporary gothic horror from the author of What We Harvest.The house was supposed to be a fresh start. That's what Libby's mom said. And after Libby&’s recent bipolar III diagnosis and the tragedy that preceded it, Libby knows she and her family need to find a new normal.But Libby&’s new home turns out to be anything but normal. Scores of bugs haunt its winding halls, towering stained-glass windows feature strange, insectile designs, and the garden teems with impossibly blue roses. And then there are the rumors. The locals, including the mysterious boy next door, tell stories about disappearances tied to the house, stretching back over a century to its first owners. Owners who supposedly hosted legendary masked séances on its grounds.Libby&’s mom refuses to hear anything that could derail their family&’s perfect new beginning, but Libby knows better. The house is keeping secrets from her, and something tells her that the key to unlocking them lies in the eerie, bug-shaped masks hidden throughout the property.We all wear masks—to hide our imperfections, to make us stronger and braver. But if Libby keeps hers on for too long, she might just lose herself—and everyone she loves.
Ruin Road
by Lamar Giles"My twin, Lamar, is a phenomenal innovative storyteller... A true king!" -- Tiffany D. Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of Grown and The Weight of BloodSometimes a little fear is a good thing...Cade Webster lives between worlds. He's a standout football star at the right school but lives in the wrong neighborhood--if you let his classmates tell it. Everywhere but home, people are afraid of him for one reason or another. Afraid he's too big, too fast, too ambitious, too Black.Then one fateful night, to avoid a dangerous encounter with the police, he ducks into a pawn shop. An impulse purchase and misspoken desire change everything when Cade tells the shopkeeper he wishes people would stop acting so scared around him, and the wish is granted...At first, it feels like things have taken a turn for the better. But it's not just Cade that people no longer fear--it's everything. With Cade spreading this newfound "courage" wherever he goes, anything can happen. Fearless acts of violence begin to escalate in both his neighborhood and at school. With the right moves, and brave friends, Cade might have one -- and only one -- chance to save all he loves. But at what cost? After all, the devil's in the details.
Snowglobe
by Soyoung ParkNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The groundbreaking Korean phenomenon that Entertainment Weekly called &“The Hunger Games meets Squid Game&”—now in English for the first time!A COSMOPOLITAN BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK OF THE YEAR • A KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR&“An immersive and utterly addictive dark dystopian thriller . . . with the eerie, desperate, and exhilarating vibes of Snowpiercer and The Hunger Games.&” —Susan Lee, author of SeoulmatesIn a world of constant winter, only the citizens of the climate-controlled city of Snowglobe can escape the bitter cold—but this perfect society is hiding dark and dangerous secrets within its frozen heart.Enclosed under a vast dome, Snowglobe is the last place on Earth that&’s warm. Outside Snowglobe is a frozen wasteland, and every day, citizens face the icy world to get to their jobs at the power plant, where they produce the energy Snowglobe needs. Their only solace comes in the form of twenty-four-hour television programming streamed directly from the domed city.The residents of Snowglobe have everything: fame, fortune, and above all, safety from the desolation outside their walls. In exchange, their lives are broadcast to the less fortunate outside, who watch eagerly, hoping for the chance to one day become actors themselves.Chobahm lives for the time she spends watching the shows produced inside Snowglobe. Her favorite? Goh Around, starring Goh Haeri, Snowglobe&’s biggest star—and, it turns out, the key to getting Chobahm her dream life.Because Haeri is dead, and Chobahm has been chosen to take her place. Only, life inside Snowglobe is nothing like what you see on television. Reality is a lie, and truth seems to be forever out of reach.Translated for the first time into English from the original Korean, Snowglobe is a groundbreaking exploration of personal identity, and the future of the world as we know it. It is the winner of the Changbi X Kakaopage Young Adult Novel Award.
A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall
by Jasmine WargaFrom the author of A Rover's Story and Other Words for Home comes an extraordinary story about two friends, a ghost, a missing painting, and a turtle named Agatha. The perfect next read for fans of The Swifts, Kate DiCamillo, and Erin Entrada Kelly.
A painting has been stolen…!
When Rami sees a floating girl in the museum, he knows he has seen her somewhere before. Then he realizes: She looks just like the girl in the painting that has gone missing. But how does her appearance connect to the theft?
Agatha the turtle knows—she has been watching from the garden. But she can’t exactly tell anyone…can she?
Will Rami, with the help of his classmate, Veda, be able to solve the mystery? The clues are all around them, but they’ll have to be brave enough to really look.
This is a whimsical, moving story about the universal desire to be seen and understood and how art can help us find connection, even when we are at our loneliest.
New York Times Bestseller
The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman
by Gennifer CholdenkoReaders will be rooting for a happy ending for Hank in Newbery-Honor-winner Gennifer Choldenko&’s gripping story of a boy struggling to hold his family together when his mom doesn't come home.When eleven-year-old Hank&’s mom doesn&’t come home, he takes care of his toddler sister, Boo, like he always does. But it&’s been a week now. They are out of food and mom has never stayed away this long… Hank knows he needs help, so he and Boo seek out the stranger listed as their emergency contact.But asking for help has consequences. It means social workers, and a new school, and having to answer questions about his mom that he's been trying to keep secret. And if they can't find his mom soon, Hank and Boo may end up in different foster homes--he could lose everything. Gennifer Choldenko has written a heart-wrenching, healing, and ultimately hopeful story about how complicated family can be. About how you can love someone, even when you can&’t rely on them. And about the transformative power of second chances.
Twenty-Four Seconds from Now . . .
by Jason ReynoldsA Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner A New York Times Bestseller Seven starred reviews! &“Jason Reynolds has done it again!...Fresh from start to finish…This is what it could be, should be, if only we were all as lucky as Aria. Girls (and everyone) wait for your Neon!&” —Judy Blume, New York Times bestselling author of Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. and Forever... #1 New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds tackles it—you know…it—from the guy&’s perspective in this stream of consciousness story of a teen boy about to experience a huge first. &“Reynolds&’s foray into romance is as spectacular as expected…Undoubtedly, a story for everyone&” (Booklist, starred review).Twenty-four months ago: Neon gets chased by a dog all around the parking lot of a church. Not his finest moment. And definitely one he would have loved to forget if it weren&’t for the dog&’s owner: Aria. Dressed in sweats, a t-shirt, hair in a ponytail. Aria. Way more than fine. Twenty-four weeks ago: Neon&’s dad insists on talking to him about tenderness and intimacy. Neon and Aria are definitely in love, and while they haven&’t taken that next big step…yet, they&’ve starting talking about…that. Twenty-four days ago: Neon&’s mom finds her—gulp—bra in his room. Hey! No judging! Those hook thingies are complicated! So he&’d figured he&’d better practice, what with the big day only a month away. Twenty-four minutes ago: Neon leaves his shift at work at his dad&’s bingo hall, making sure to bring some chicken tenders for Aria. They&’re not candlelight and they definitely aren&’t caviar, but they are her favorite. And right this second? Neon is locked in Aria&’s bathroom, completely freaking out because twenty-four seconds from now he and Aria are about to…about to… Well, they won&’t do anything if he can&’t get out of his own head (all the advice, insecurities, and what ifs) and out of this bathroom!
Weirdo
by Tony Weaver Jr.From rising star Tony Weaver, Jr. comes a middle-grade graphic novel memoir about an awkward preteen who loves all things geeky but struggles with mental health issues and self-doubt, perfect for fans of Jerry Craft's New Kid.Eleven-year-old Tony Weaver, Jr. loves comic books, anime, and video games, and idolizes the heroic, larger-than-life characters he finds there. But his new classmates all think he’s a weirdo. Bullied by his peers, Tony struggles with the hurt of not being accepted and tries to conform to other people's expectations. After a traumatic event shakes him to his core, he embarks on a journey of self love that will require him to become the hero of his own story. Weirdo is a triumphant, witty, and comedic story for any kid who's ever felt awkward, left out, or like they don't belong. An adolescence survival guide that will give every reader the confidence to make it to the other side.Praise for Weirdo:"I've been singing the praises of Tony Weaver Jr. for years, and here, I'm proud to say, he's given me one more reason to do so. Weirdo is more than a graphic novel about bullying or misfits. It's a blinding light of a tale about a boy who fights to become himself. About an oddball who finds wonder in his own weirdness. It's a reminder that we all have a place. And people. And some of us have a particular point of view on the world. I'm so happy Tony is using his to bring such palpable joy, love, and imagination to it." —Jason Reynolds, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Look Both Ways"Tony’s Heartfelt story reminds us Why Embracing Individuality Radically Defies Obstacles." —Jerry Craft, 2020 Newbery and Coretta Scott King Book Award winner for New Kid"Weirdo empowers readers to celebrate their own identities and offers hope to find the crew that will love you for all of your magnificent quirks!" —Jarrett J. Krosoczka, National Book Award finalist for Hey, Kiddo"Weirdo is a powerful story filled with empathy about the effects of bullying and how we can attempt to cope with it." —Dan Santat, 2023 National Book Award Winner for A First Time for Everything
Where Wolves Don't Die
by Anton TreuerEzra Cloud hates living in Northeast Minneapolis. His father is a professor of their language, Ojibwe, at a local college, so they have to be there. But Ezra hates the dirty, polluted snow around them. He hates being away from the rez at Nigigoonsiminikaaning First Nation. And he hates the local bully in his neighborhood, Matt Schroeder, who terrorizes Ezra and his friend Nora George. Ezra gets into a terrible fight with Matt at school defending Nora, and that same night, Matt’s house burns down. Instantly, Ezra becomes a prime suspect. Knowing he won’t get a fair deal, and knowing his innocence, Ezra’s family sends him away to run traplines with his grandfather in a remote part of Canada, while the investigation is ongoing. But the Schroeders are looking for him… From acclaimed author Anton Treuer comes a novel that’s both taut thriller and a raw, tender coming-of-age story, about one Ojibwe boy learning to love himself through the love of his family around him. P R A I S E "Where Wolves Don't Die will lift you up and not let you down. Anton Treuer knows how to tell a gripping story and the suspense doesn't let up for a single page. Along the way you'll learn about Ojibwe lifeways, languages, sharp jokes, gentle humor, and how to keep romantic love alive from youth to old age. I couldn't put this book down until I'd finished it, and then, I could not forget it." —Louise Erdrich, Pulitzer Prize Winner and owner of Birchbark Books "I am in awe, crying and smiling at the same time. Where Wolves Don’t Die is a love letter to our Ancestors. This beautiful story is full of cultural teachings and characters so familiar that I'm pretty sure we're related." —Angeline Boulley, #1 NYT bestselling author of Firekeeper’s Daughter "It is quite likely that I will never stop reading Where Wolves Don’t Die. First of all, it’s an excellent piece of writing, and second of all, each time that I would read through one section I would want to go back and read that section or another one over again. I enjoyed the writing so much because the author’s thoughts reflected mine in terms of what I knew my life to be and what I had hoped could have been. I think it is one of the best pieces of writing I have ever read." —The Hon. Senator Murray Sinclair, Chair of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission "A nuanced adventure centering family and growth." —Kirkus "Where Wolves Don’t Die gives voice to all of us who survived residential boarding school, visibility to all of us who love and live our language and culture, and hope to all good humans who quest for healing, connection, and love. Everyone should read this." —Dennis Jones, Nigigoonsiminikaaning First Nation Elder and Retired Instructor of Ojibwe, University of Minnesota and residential school survivor "Where Wolves Don’t Die will immerse you in the northern wilderness more completely than Hatchet, rivet you to a storyline faster than a Harry Potter book, and transport you into Indigenous culture more authentically and compellingly than anything in print. This is the best book I have ever read." —Charles Grolla, author of Binesi-dibaajimowinan: Ojibwe Bird Stories and Makazinataagewin: Ojibwe Style Moccasin Game "I have never read a book that so authentically portrayed the yearning we all feel for our culture, ancestors, families, and communities. Where Wolves Don’t Die had me laughing out loud, staying up late to absorb one chapter after another, and crying buckets of unrestrained joy. It left me proud to be Indian and so happy to be alive." —Chrissy Downwind, Vice President of American Indian Student Success & Campus Diversity Officer, American Indian Resource Center, Bemidji State University
The Witching Wind
by Natalie LloydFrom Natalie Lloyd, bestselling author of A Snicker of Magic and Hummingbird, comes a heart-expanding adventure about the magic of family, friendship, and the lengths we go for the people we love.Eleven-year-old Roxie was excited to start sixth grade... until a mortifying incident at a pool party turns her into a middle school laughingstock. Roxie can't imagine enduring a full year of bullying and body shaming, so when her country music star Granny invites Roxie to join her on tour, she jumps at the chance to leave her troubles behind. But then Granny--who's been struggling with memory loss--goes missing, leaving Roxie without an escape plan... and without her best friend.Grayson doesn't mind being sent to yet another foster home. Her older sister, Beanie, is about to turn eighteen, which means she'll be able to become Grayson's guardian. It won't be long until they live in the same house again. It won't be long until they get to be a real family. But when Beanie's birthday finally arrives, she doesn't show up to collect Grayson. She doesn't respond to calls or texts. It's almost like she's just... vanished.Roxie knows Granny would never leave without saying goodbye. And Grayson is certain Beanie would never abandon her. So when the new friends learn about the Witching Wind that "steals" what people love most, Roxie and Grayson are certain they've discovered the truth. Granny and Beanie didn't just disappear--they were taken. And it's up to Roxie and Grayson to outwit the Witching Wind before it's too late.