2025-26 Edition

We are grateful to the Young Adult Librarians from the Los Angeles Public Library’s Teen’Scape department who helped curate this year’s teen list and to members of the Southland Council of Teachers of English and L.A. Conservancy Volunteers who designed reading guides to accompany the books.

Barrio Rising: The Protest That Built Chicano Park 
Written by María Dolores Águila
Illustrated by Magdalena Mora
Reading Guide
A community’s fight for its neighborhood becomes a landmark moment in Chicano history—showing how everyday people can transform public space.

Cactus Queen: Minerva Hoyt Establishes Joshua Tree National Park Williams 
Written by Lori Alexander
Illustrated by Jenn Ely
Reading Guide 
The story of how a Southern California woman protected the desert she loved, preserving a landscape that continues to shape the region.

Simone 
Written by Viet Thanh Nguyen
Illustrated by Minnie Phan
Reading Guide
A heartfelt portrait of a girl growing up in Los Angeles, exploring identity, family, and the communities that help us become who we are. 

Toypurina: Japchivit Leader, Medicine Woman, Tongva Rebel 
Written by Cheyenne M. Stone
Illustrated by Katie Dorame
Reading Guide
A powerful introduction to Tongva history through the story of Toypurina, whose resistance and leadership shaped the land we now call Los Angeles.

Hummingbird Season 
Written and Illustrated by Stephen V.W. Lucianovic
Reading Guide
A tender story of home, change, and resilience that reflects the many ways families build community in Los Angeles.

Taco Tuesdays 
Written by Mónica Mancillas
Reading Guide
A celebration of L.A.’s food culture and the traditions that bring families and neighborhoods together across the city.

The Aves
Written by Ryane Nicole Granados
Reading Guide
A coming-of-age story rooted in a South L.A. neighborhood, highlighting the strength, creativity, and pride of community life.

The Circuit: Graphic Novel 
Written by Francisco Jiménez
Illustrated by Celia Jacobs
Reading Guide
A visual journey through the lives of migrant farmworkers whose experiences have long been part of California’s—and L.A.’s—story. 

Kill Her Twice 
Written by Stacey Lee
Reading Guide
A gripping mystery set in 1930s Chinatown that uncovers hidden histories and gives voice to communities often missing from the city’s past.

Rising from the Ashes: Los Angeles, 1992
Written by Paula Yoo
Reading Guide
A powerful exploration of the people and events that defined the 1992 uprising, offering critical context for understanding L.A.’s past and present.

The Red Car to Hollywood
Written and illustrated by Jennie Liu
Reading Guide
A journey through Los Angeles’ historic Red Car system, connecting young readers to the city’s past and the places shaped by its transit history.

With Love, Echo Park
Written by Laura Taylor Namey
Reading Guide
A tribute to one of L.A.’s most iconic neighborhoods, capturing the people, culture, and change that make Echo Park’s story uniquely Angeleno. 

Major funding for the Los Angeles Conservancy’s educational programs is provided by the LaFetra Foundation and the Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation.