Summer break is well under way. Whether you’re using some of your free time to travel, or your vacation will be spent closer to home, this list of books set all around the world can provide you with a little worldly adventure. Broaden your horizons with a variety of genres and settings, and get ready to explore!
AFRICA:
Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor (6th & up/Fantasy)
YA F OKORAFOR
Nigeria: Fans of Harry Potter style fantasy adventures who are ready for a bit of a darker tale will enjoy this story of a girl who discovers that she has magical powers, and with the help of three similarly gifted friends, uses her talents to attempt to track down a serial killer.
When Morning Comes by Arushi Raina (8th & up/Historical Fiction)
YA F RAINA
South Africa: Set in 1976, this is the story of four young people with different lives and varied reactions to the existence of racial segregation in Johannesburg coming together. Tense and illuminating- not one to miss.
ANTARCTICA:
Maximum Ride: The FInal Warning by James Patterson (7th & up/Adventure)
YA F PATTERSON
Antarctica: Max, a genetically altered teen with the ability to fly, travels to Antarctica with her friends to try and save the world from global warming- while also attempting to steer clear of the evil conglomerate that wants to capture the unique band of children and sell them to the highest bidder.
ASIA:
Love From A to Z by S. K. Ali (8th & up/Romance)
YA F ALI
Qatar: A young man who is trying to hide a medical diagnosis from his recently widowed father and a young woman who has recently been suspended for standing up to a racist teacher meet on their way to spring break in Qatar, and love comes along for the ride.
The Library of Fates by Aditi Khorana (9th & up/Fantasy)
YA F KHORANA
India: In this well written fantasy inspired by Indian folklore, a princess reluctantly offers her hand in marriage to an invading ruler in order to save her people. When she is betrayed, and her kingdom is destroyed, she embarks on a quest to find the Library of Fates, a mythical library which supposedly gives visitors the power to change their past.
AUSTRALIA:
Tomorrow When the War Began by John Marsden (8th & up/Dystopian)
YA PB F MARSDEN
Australia: When a group of teenagers return from a camping trip to find their country has been invaded and their family and friends are missing, they have a decision to make- hide, surrender, or fight.
EUROPE:
Alex Rider: Point Blank by Anthony Horowitz (6th & up/Adventure)
YA PB F HOROWITZ
France: Alex Rider is a teen working as a spy for the British M16, and his latest mission brings him to an exclusive boarding school in the French Alps where he is meant to covertly investigate a series of mysterious deaths. The story contains plenty of action and adventure, and makes for a perfect beach read.
The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys (7th & up/Historical Fiction)
YA F SEPETYS
Spain: In Madrid, in 1957, an eighteen-year-old photographer forms a connection with a young woman who opens his eyes to the dark secrets that exist under the fascist dictatorship of General Francisco Franco. From the best selling author of Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Gray.
NORTH AMERICA:
Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline (8th & up/Science Fiction)
YA F DIMALINE
Canada: In a world nearly destroyed by global warming, most people have lost the ability to dream- which puts Indigenous teen Frenchie Dusome and other First Nation people at risk, as they are hunted down for the marrow in their bones, which scientists believe holds the key to restoring dreaming. This is an exciting, high stakes survival story with a lot of thought provoking themes that will keep readers highly engaged.
SOUTH AMERICA:
The Tenth Girl by Sara Faring (10th & up/Horror)
YA F DIMALINE
Patagonia: This gothic style horror story features a young woman named Mavi, who in an attempt to escape a current danger, takes a position as an English instructor at a remote boarding school that is reputed to be haunted. Spirits, curses, secrets, and more, make this atmospheric tale a chilling delight.