[CASL-L] All CT READS for Teens Ages 13-18

[Potter, Catherine]

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Teen readers are at the height of discovering who they are or are on the path to who they might become. Even more reason to make books available to them that represent a variety of lived experiences and reflections of their interests. Allow me to introduce you to the All CT Reads<https://sites.google.com/view/allctreads/home> Teen lists. This annual list consists of four titles, one primary and three short list, geared towards teens ages 13-18 and all published within three years prior to the award year. The titles are suggested and read by librarians across the state and focus on inclusivity, addressing universal social issues, and striking a balance between literary merit and appeal.

This year is the fifth-year anniversary of the inception of All CT Reads which means that there is a total of 20 unique titles. As with the titles for kids, if you’re not sure your patrons know about this list, let me assure you that they do-especially for libraries that include the lanes created by Brad Bullis for eGo and the Palace Project app<https://egoct.org/>. In comparing overall checkouts for teens in both Palace and MLSC book sets, the percentage of checkouts on Palace have matched or exceeded the percentage of readers of MLSC book sets. Why not take advantage of the interest and connect readers to programming and the rest of your collection? Some MLSC book sets have wide availability! Especially if a title made it onto a Nutmeg award list, there are most likely multiple book sets to borrow. [View the MLSC Equipment Catalog<https://cslib.libcal.com/reserve/equipment/mlsc>]

2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
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One of the Good Ones<https://sites.google.com/view/allctreads/archived-pages/2022/one-of-the-good-ones>
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Hollow Fires<https://sites.google.com/view/allctreads/archived-pages/2023/hollow-fires>
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Promise Boys<https://sites.google.com/view/allctreads/archived-pages/2024/promise-boys>
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Thieves’ Gambit<https://sites.google.com/view/allctreads/archived-pages/2025/thieves-gambit>
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Looking for Smoke<https://sites.google.com/view/allctreads/home/looking-for-smoke>
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Black Brother, Black Brother<https://sites.google.com/view/allctreads/archived-pages/2022/black-brother-black-brother>
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All My Rage<https://sites.google.com/view/allctreads/archived-pages/2023/all-my-rage>
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In the Key of Us<https://sites.google.com/view/allctreads/archived-pages/2024/in-the-key-of-us>
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Simon Sort of Says<https://sites.google.com/view/allctreads/archived-pages/2025/simon-sort-of-says>
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In Limbo<https://sites.google.com/view/allctreads/home/in-limbo>
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Cemetery Boys<https://sites.google.com/view/allctreads/archived-pages/2022/cemetery-boys>
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In the Wild Light<https://sites.google.com/view/allctreads/archived-pages/2023/in-the-wild-light>
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A Face for Picasso<https://sites.google.com/view/allctreads/archived-pages/2024/a-face-for-picasso>
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Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute<https://sites.google.com/view/allctreads/archived-pages/2025/highly-suspicious-and-unfairly-cute-by-talia-hibbert>
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Ruin Road<https://sites.google.com/view/allctreads/home/ruin-road>
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Firekeeper’s Daughter<https://sites.google.com/view/allctreads/archived-pages/2022/firekeepers-daughter>
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I Must Betray You<https://sites.google.com/view/allctreads/archived-pages/2023/i-must-betray-you>
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Fat Chance Charlie Vega<https://sites.google.com/view/allctreads/archived-pages/2024/fat-chance-charlie-vega>
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Welcome to St. Hell<https://sites.google.com/view/allctreads/archived-pages/2025/welcome-to-st-hell>
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The Summer I Remembered Everything<https://sites.google.com/view/allctreads/home/the-summer-i-remembered-everything>

Connecting books with readers and readers with books is one of the fun parts of teen librarianship. Here are a few ideas to inspire displays and conversations:


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Books to movies and TV displays are always fun and there are a few on this list that have been optioned: Thieves’ Gambit, Promise Boys, All My Rage, Black Brother, Black Brother, Cemetery Boys, and Firekeeper’s Daughter-stay tuned, there will most likely be more. Invite teens to read the book before their release date!
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Celebrate the countdown to the release of the 2027 titles. Several authors have healthy backlists, sequels, or soon to be published standalone titles to draw readers to their other works too. Create bookmarks with the author’s books or with read-a-likes to entice readers to dive deeply and widely into works, genres, and topics.
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How about sharing fun facts about the authors? Nick Brooks is a writer on Grand Theft Auto VI. Samira Ahmed is a writer on Ms. Marvel: Beyond the Limit. TikToker Lewis Hancox gave his book a cheeky title that’s short for his hometown of St Helens. What other fun facts can you discover? See what your readers find!
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Borrow sets from MLSC and display them bookstore style in stacks. This supports and encourages buddy reading for those teens that like to read the same book together but don’t want to wait until a friend finishes a copy.


Watch for the 2027 list when it’s announced via YouTube on November 12, soon to be followed by the date for the virtual author launch in January. During the launch, authors of the primary titles will be invited to speak in conversation with a member of the selection committee for each age bracket. Questions are solicited from committee members and the audience. Collect questions from your teens and submit them prior to, or during, the virtual author launch. Join the live virtual author launch by hosting a livestream event party for teens at your library or in the classroom. Afterwards the full recording is posted to the All CT Reads Playlist on YouTube<https://www.youtube.com/@ctstatelibrarydivisionofli5215/playlists> and curated recordings are made available for specific audiences. If you missed recordings from prior years, they’re all there for the viewing!

MLSC book sets will be available for booking in January. Each set includes 12 copies of the same title and circulates for 45 days. Bookings can be made 365 days in advance. The All CT Reads site includes a description of the book, borrowing and purchasing options, an author spotlight, and resources to use for engagement. Digital titles will be added to the Palace Project App for the official announcement in November.

Planning an event or book club around an All CT Read title? We’d love to hear about it! Share details with us by completing the All CT Reads participation form<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfeSVW7fSn_i5Ua68ppBaJZfU8TEu-49Hb4zA8fPvfKDwH1Bw/viewform>.

Happy Reading!
Questions about borrowing? Reach out! Cathy Potter at catherine.potter at ct.gov<mailto:catherine.potter at ct.gov>.



Cathy Potter

Librarian I

Connecticut State Library | Division of Library Development (DLD)

Middletown Library Service Center | 786 South Main Street, Middletown, CT 06457

Office: (860) 704-2208 | Fax: (860) 704-2228

catherine.potter at ct.gov | <http://libguides.ctstatelibrary.org/dld> DLD Homepage<http://libguides.ctstatelibrary.org/dld>

[Connecticut State Library Division of Library Development Logo]

A 2025-2026 participant in Educators’ Neighborhood, a professional learning community that is a project of the Fred Rogers Institute


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