Find the Perfect Fit for Your Young Adult Readers

In this time of abundance, it’s sometimes difficult to wade through the infinite options for your young adult reader. So how do you find the best book for gifting or even for yourself? Luckily, Lerner Publishing Group has a wide variety of titles every season. Peruse our new young adult fiction, nonfiction, and graphic novels to find your perfect fit!

by Megan Ciskowski, Associate Publicist

In 2013, Milkweed editions published Braiding Sweetgrass by Indigenous botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer. Since that time, the book has become a New York Times Bestseller and continues to earn recognition in both the literary and science fields.

This November, Zest Books ™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group, will release the new YA adaptation of this breathtaking nonfiction titled Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer and Monique Gray Smith, illustrated by Nicole Neidhardt.

In November 1939, George Gibbs Jr. set out on an expedition to Antarctica aboard the USS Bear and became the first person of African descent to go to Antarctica. Eighty-two years later Leilani Raashida Henry, daughter of this brave explorer, takes readers on a journey to the rugged Antarctic landscape in The Call of Antarctica: Exploring and Protecting Earth’s Coldest Continent. Filled with diary entries from Gibbs’ expedition, she recounts her father’s expedition while educating readers on the incredible geography, biodiversity, and history of the continent.

Today we asked Leilani Raashida Henry a few questions about her experiences writing the book, her research process, and more! Read on to discover why Antarctica is one of the coolest places in the world and why it’s so important to protect this unique wilderness.

While many scientists believed influenza would cause the next great pandemic, no one was prepared for the new strain of coronavirus that appeared in 2019. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has infiltrated every country and put global public health and the economy at risk. Health-care systems have been pushed to the limit as protective gear, life-saving equipment, tests, and vaccines are scarce and in high demand. From the initial infection to the widespread impact on daily life, Understanding Coronaviruses: SARS, MERS, and the COVID-19 Pandemic examines the intricacies of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 and how they compare to previous viruses and pandemics.

Read on to hear from author Connie Goldsmith who shares how she tackled this research-driven project and how she hopes this title will help YA readers make informed decisions.