YA Booklist - Epistolary, Text, and Journal

Given that we’re all cooped up in our homes, away from most face-to-face communication, here is a list of e-books and e-audiobooks available from the library that make use of other forms of communication -- letters, text, and journals
 

EBOOKS

 
Thomas’ debut, a finalist for the Morris Award, incorporates sci-fi into this story told through the letters of Ollie and Moritz, two friends who can never meet. Ollie has a life-threatening allergy to electricity, while Moritz’s weak heart requires a pacemaker. The young men forge a friendship, sharing the struggles they both encounter in high school. But when Moritz shares the dark moment of their shared past, their friendship faces new challenges.
 
Letters to the Lost Brigid Kemmerer
Juliet, a star student, has always written letters to her mother, who was a galivanting photojournalist, and continues after her mother is killed in a car accident. Declan, an auto-shop student sentenced to cleaning up the cemetery after a drunk-driving charge, comes across one of Juliet’s letters and writes back, hoping to begin a better part of his life. Declan and Juliet begin to correspond (letters, then emails and texts, concealing their real identities), and a powerful relationship forms. But in real life, when they cross paths, their interactions are harsh and negative, reflecting their different positions in high school. Can their romance progress despite high school social norms?
 
While Albertalli’s book is not entirely epistolary, a key part of the novel is. Simon is a 16 yr-old fellow with good friends and a great family, but he is nonetheless in the closet. Simon is thrilled to begin an email correspondence with another closeted young man at his school, who is known only as “Blue.” The emails are helpful and inspiring for both Blue and Jacques (Simon), and increasingly romantic. However, when a somewhat irritating classmate gets ahold of Simon’s emails and blackmails him, Simon’s life becomes ever more complicated…
 
Ttyl Lauren Myracle
A series told entirely in the form of IMs between best friends Maddie, Zoe, and Angela. Each character has her own personality, quirks, strengths, and weaknesses. The series begins as they are sophomores and ends in their first year of college, as they deal with the highs, lows, excitement, and embarrassment of being teenagers.
 
Miles Away from You A.B. Rutledge
Told through a series of instant messages. Miles, son of two moms, fell in love with Vivian, a trans-girl who lacked the support of her family, three years ago. But at present, Vivian has been in a permanent coma following a suicide attempt eighteen months ago, and Miles is struggling with grief and guilt. Miles travels to Iceland, hoping space and novelty will help him figure out how to live without her. Once he finally manages to leave his room, he takes photographs of her beloved Docs in beautiful landscapes, gradually managing to start letting her go.
 
Why we broke up Daniel Handler, illustrated by Maira Kalman
Told in the form of a letter from Min to Ed, dropped on his porch with a box. They are breaking up, and the box, as she explains, contains tokens that represent their love, their experiences in love, and their eventual break-up. This book won the ALA Printz Honor for best book written for young adults.
 
In her 17 years, Maddie has never left her home – she is literally allergic to the outside world. Her companions? Her mother and her nurse. That is, until Olly moves in next door and figures out how to communicate with her. Maddie’s relationship with Olly transforms her life, and ultimately threatens to end it. Told through diary, illustrations, and vignettes of narrative.
 
Gabi, A Girl in Pieces Isabel Quintero
This funny, brutally honest, and powerful book is the journal of Gabi, a bicultural teenage girl who lives in constant struggle with absurd expectations, including what it means to be a Mexican-American girl in a Catholic family, what it means to be big when society wants its women slim, what is expected of Latina girls vs. Latino boys, and more.
 
A series of entertaining romances that begin when all of Lara Jean’s love letters to boys she’s crushed on are delivered, thanks to her little sister. Lara Jean scrambles to manage the responses of multiple boys and figure out her true feelings for each. Each sequel takes the story further.
 
 
 
The journal, with great comics, of a teenage Spokane boy – Junior (Arnold) who, born with water on the brain, suffers from the results of that early bad luck by being bullied and mocked on the reservation, except when protected by his best friend Rowdy. Junior wants to have dreams beyond poverty on the reservation and decides to leave the reservation school and go to the white school, where the only other Native figure is the mascot. As Junior finds himself an outcast at his new school, serious trouble plagues his family at home. But Junior persists.
 
A romance between a girl suffering through high school with ADHD (Lily) and a boy who would be diagnosed as high-functioning on the autism spectrum. They meet in detention, and then engage in a text message correspondence which Abelard peppers with wondrous quotes from literature. While their future is unclear, their connection is enchanting!
 
Attachments Rainbow Rowell
Not YA, but Rainbow Rowell! The comedic story of friends and co-workers Beth and Jennifer, who though they know their work email is being monitored, cannot contain themselves from writing each other hilarious messages about every aspect of their personal lives. Lincoln, whose title is a misleading “internet security officer” is actually tasked with monitoring the work email. He should be reporting them, but he finds their banter far too enjoyable, and is falling for Beth. Is there any way he can express this?
 

AUDIOBOOKS

 

In her 17 years, Maddie has never left her home – she is literally allergic to the outside world. Her companions? Her mother and her nurse. That is, until Olly moves in next door and figures out how to communicate with her. Maddie’s relationship with Olly transforms her life, and ultimately threatens to end it. Told through diary, illustrations, and vignettes of narrative.
 
Gabi, A Girl in Pieces Isabel Quintero
This funny, brutally honest, and powerful book is the journal of Gabi, a bicultural teenage girl who lives in constant struggle with absurd expectations, including what it means to be a Mexican-American girl in a Catholic family, what it means to be big when society wants its women slim, what is expected of Latina girls vs. Latino boys, and more.
 
A series of entertaining romances that begin when all of Lara Jean’s love letters to boys she’s crushed on are delivered, thanks to her little sister. Lara Jean scrambles to manage the responses of multiple boys and figure out her true feelings for each. Each sequel takes the story further.
 
 
 
The journal, with great comics, of a teenage Spokane boy – Junior (Arnold) who, born with water on the brain, suffers from the results of that early bad luck by being bullied and mocked on the reservation, except when protected by his best friend Rowdy. Junior wants to have dreams beyond poverty on the reservation and decides to leave the reservation school and go to the white school, where the only other Native figure is the mascot. As Junior finds himself an outcast at his new school, serious trouble plagues his family at home. But Junior persists.
 
A romance between a girl suffering through high school with ADHD (Lily) and a boy who would be diagnosed as high-functioning on the autism spectrum. They meet in detention, and then engage in a text message correspondence which Abelard peppers with wondrous quotes from literature. While their future is unclear, their connection is enchanting!
 
Attachments Rainbow Rowell
Not YA, but Rainbow Rowell! The comedic story of friends and co-workers Beth and Jennifer, who though they know their work email is being monitored, cannot contain themselves from writing each other hilarious messages about every aspect of their personal lives. Lincoln, whose title is a misleading “internet security officer” is actually tasked with monitoring the work email. He should be reporting them, but he finds their banter far too enjoyable, and is falling for Beth. Is there any way he can express this?
 
Dear Rachel Maddow Adrienne Kisner
After writing to Rachel Maddow for a school project, Brynn keeps writing, but not sending emails to the TV personality who makes her feel less alone and misunderstood. Her emails detail the problems she faces – from breaking up with her first girlfriend, to her brother Nick’s death, to her difficulties in remedial classes in school (and her urge to drop out), to her distant, unavailable mother. An opportunity arises for Brynn to run for the student position that will impact who will be the next superintendent. Her rivals? Her ex-girlfriend and the most popular boy at school…
 
Set in 1977 San Francisco. There is nowhere in her life that Tammy can be herself. Forced to stay deep in the closet by her Christian school, her conservative church, and her anti-gay family, Tammy finds an outlet in writing letters to Harvey Milk in her journal. Then she gets matched with a real pen-pal – Sharon – and they connect over punk music and some delicately shared secrets. Soon, Tammy finds herself able to be honest with Sharon as she has never been honest with anyone, just as anti-gay fervor is reaching a hilt in her town. Their letters, despite the distance that separates them, allow Tammy to figure out who she is and what she wants to stand for.
 
We'll Fly Away Brian Bliss
Long listed for the National Book Award, this book tells the story of two young men who have been friends for life. Born into poverty and abuse, Luke and Toby dream of escaping their current lives and finding something better. The story weaves together their senior year of high school and letters written later from Luke, in prison on death row, to Toby. A gritty, honest, but nonetheless hopeful look at lives lived with little opportunity.