Recent novels for teens

The Fountains of Silence

Ruta Sepetys
(Philomel Books 2019)

Daniel, the son of a wealthy U.S. oil tycoon, travels with his parents to visit his mother’s homeland of Spain. The city of Madrid enchants Daniel, an aspiring photographer who uses his camera to document everything he sees. His perceptions of the country shift, though, after he befriends Ana and her extended family of Republicans who have suffered greatly under Gen. Francisco Franco’s dictatorship. Daniel discovers that behind its tourist façade, Spain is hiding a dark secret. Although romance factors heavily in this historical fiction novel, Sepetys has crafted a riveting and well-researched account that will hopefully inspire teens to read more about Spain’s heartbreaking history under Franco. Ages 15 & up

The Arrow and the Crown

Emma C. Fox
(Independently published 2019)

In this wholesome retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Anna is an orphan who lives with her uncle on the outskirts of town. After years of seeming peace and safety, a monstrous beast has reemerged, sending the village into panic as the creature kills at random. When Anna’s beloved horse runs away, she must put aside her fears to search for him in the mysterious Grünwald Forest. There she stumbles upon a secluded cottage and meets the kindhearted but troubled Warren and the menacing Gram. As a relationship blossoms between Anna and Warren, secrets and lies are exposed and Anna helps Warren uncover the truth to put an end to the beast’s reign of terror. Ages 13 & up

Dragonfly Eyes

Cao Wenxuan
(Candlewick 2022)

Ah-Mei lives in Shanghai with her parents and her wealthy Chinese grandfather and French grandmother, Nainai, with whom she shares a deep bond. When political winds shift, the family faces hard times and the threat of attack due to Nainai’s European looks that label her a “foreign devil.” Amid the chaos, however, familial love remains strong. Although the book’s intended audience of middle graders probably won’t find the book’s slower pace engaging, it may appeal to teens who are able to ponder the deep human cost of China’s Cultural Revolution. Note: At the end of the story Nainai dies, but it’s not clear whether from natural causes or suicide from the intense pressure she has endured. Ages 13 & up

Topping the Willow

Lori Closter
(Independently published 2022)

After an accident leaves 15-year-old Brittany’s mother in a coma, Brittany’s dad sends her to stay with strangers on a horse farm. As Brittany struggles with guilt and anger and her life spirals out of control, she resists the help her new friends offer until the light of Christ finally breaks through. This book will not be suited for every teen: It deals with deep brokenness that plays out in drug and alcohol use, a sleazy photo shoot, and near rape. But for teens who have wrestled with such brokenness or witnessed it among peers, Closter’s redemptive story may resonate as it showcases how God’s love can powerfully transform lives. An ­invitation to salvation follows the conclusion. Ages 16 & up