Nic Stone is a Spellman graduate, young adult mentor, and a New York Times bestselling author and is easily identifiable by her signature dark green, blue, or purple lipstick color. Her writing voice is unique, breezy, raw, and engaging as she easily tackles controversial Gen Z topics like racism, mental health, re-examining gender roles, and teenage sexuality. She is a strong voice and advocate for the concerns of the newest young adult generation. Nic Stone is a literary force to be reckoned with. Here are 8 ½ of her books to start reading now — because her books are not to be missed.
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Middle Grade
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Clean Getaway
Available from:Stone’s debut middle grade novel makes social justice and racism respectful and age-appropriate topics for tween readers (8 - 12 years old). When William “Scoob” Lamar’s G’ma pulls up at his house in a brand-new Winnebago, he doesn’t hesitate to leave a note for his strict single dad and follow his grandmother on a spring break road trip across the American South.
Readers describe it as: “a firecracker,” “heartwarming,” and “rich in history.”
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Fast Pitch
Available from:Strong and focused, Shenice “Lighting” Lockwood comes from a long line of ball players. As the captain of the Fulton Firebirds, the only all-Black softball team in her division, she is determined to lead them to victory in the regional championship. However, her focus gets thrown a major curve ball when her great-uncle Jack tells her the crime that got her grandfather kicked out of the Negro Leagues may have been a setup. Can Shenice prove her grandfather’s innocence and still show up for her softball team?
Readers describe it as: “a grand slam” and “Black girl magic.”
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Young Adult
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Dear Martin
Available from:If you’re going to read Nic Stone’s work, then you must start at the beginning with her debut novel. Dear Martin was written as a reaction to the murder of Jordan Davis. It tells the story of Justyce, a Black teenager who’s an honor roll student on scholarship at a prestigious, predominantly White school and looks to the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for inspiration. Justyce is doing all the “right” things to escape his rough neighborhood, but a misinterpreted good deed lands him in jail. He starts a journal, writing letters to Dr. King, his “homie,” to make sense of the injustice and explore whether Dr. King’s teachings hold up anymore. This New York Times bestseller has been recommended on every YA social justice book roundup I’ve seen in the past 5 years.
Readers describe it as: “gut-wrenching,” “raw,” and a “must-read.”
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Odd One Out
Available from:Coop likes Jupiter, Jupiter likes the new girl, Rae, and Rae wants to kiss Coop and maybe Jupiter too — but she’s not sure. Told in their three distinct voices, this teen love triangle story explores the complex emotions of first love, gender roles, and teenage sexuality with a diverse cast of characters.
Readers describe it as: “essential,” “necessary,” and “challenging stereotypes."
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Jackpot
Available from:If you’re looking for a Nic Stone novel about class, poverty, luck, and love, Jackpot is the winner. Rico’s family lives paycheck to paycheck, and, to help with cash flow, she works almost full time at the local Gas N’ Go while attending high school. An elderly woman buys a winning lottery ticket at the gas station but doesn’t claim it. Rico calls on a classmate, a rich, pretty boy named Zan, to help track the woman down. What happens next is fortune or fortitude — you decide.
Readers describe it as: “thoughtful,” “polished,” and “hard to put down.”
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How to Be a (Young) Antiracist
Available from:New York Times bestseller, How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, becomes accessible for young readers 12 and older with Nic Stone’s help. Stone becomes the narrator of Kendi’s original text on racism by offering informative quotes, a history of faux pas, and definitions. Her voice gives the feeling of a fun aunt explaining the complexities and nuances of racism in America. She challenges readers to think critically and encourages them to act.
Readers describe it as: “effective” and “incredibly accessible.”
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Dear Justyce
Available from:In this sequel to Dear Martin, Quan, a boy in juvie, writes letters to Justyce, who is attending Yale. The two teens grew up a block apart, but while Justyce’s mother fought for better educational opportunities, Quan’s circumstances led him down a different path. He turned to petty crime when keeping himself safe, maintaining good grades, and putting food on the table for his younger siblings proved to be too much. This book explores the victimization of Black boys, the broken American juvenile justice system, and a wake-up call on how to get it right.
Readers describe it as: “beautifully written” and “a call to action.”
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New Release
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Chaos Theory
Available from:Teenage romance is always complicated, but when you add a diagnosed mental disorder, grief, alcohol, and secrets, you get emotional chaos. One night, 18-year-old Andi’s latest drunken episode has him texting a stranger who implores him not to drive drunk. He ignores the warning and ends up with a DUI. His court-ordered community service project is to work at a soup kitchen where he meets 16-year-old Shelbi, who takes AP physics, thinks car crashes are interesting, and just so happens to be the stranger he texted that night. This is a new, beautiful love story about grief, healing, and mental health.
Readers describe it as: “an exploration of neurodivergence,” “honest,” and “important.”
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