Leading With Your Heart: Romance for Teens

All's Fair in Love, War, and High School, by Janette Rallison (YAP RAL)

When head cheerleader Samantha Taylor does poorly on the SAT exam, she determines that her only hope for college admission is to win the election for student body president, but her razor wit and acid tongue make her better suited to dishing out insults than winning votes.

Appointment with a Stranger, by Jean Thesman (MS T413A)
Self-conscious about her asthma attacks, Keller Parrish finds solace in the company of an attractive but mysterious young man at a remote pond, unaware that he is the insubstantial echo of a long-ago tragedy.

Dancing with an Alien, by Mary Logue (YAP LOG)

A teenage boy from outer space travels to earth on a mission to help save his planet, and ultimately he falls in love, causing his mission to fail.

Enter Three Witches, by Kate Gilmore (MS G488E)
Like every teenager, Bren is nervous about bringing his girlfriend home to meet his family. In Bren's case, the nervousness is understandable--his mother, grandmother, and their tenant are all witches.

Extreme Elvin, by Chris Lynch (MS L9873EX)

Among Elvin's problems are hemorrhoids, a scare with an STD, a wise-cracking mother, and oh yes...first love. A wildly funny book for those with a slightly strange sense of humor.

The Girl Who Invented Romance, by Caroline B. Cooney (MS C7752G)

While waiting for her first big romance and observing the sometimes rocky love affairs of her parents and brother, sixteen-year-old Kelly develops a board game called Romance.

Honey, Baby, Sweetheart, by Deb Caletti (YA C1497HO)

In the summer of her junior year, sixteen-year-old Ruby McQueen and her mother, both nursing broken hearts, set out on a journey to reunite an elderly woman with her long-lost love and in the process learn many things about "the real ties that bind" people to one another.

Is Kissing a Girl Who Smokes Like Kissing an Ashtray?, by Randy Powell (MS P8853IS)

An eighteen-year-old pinball addict and a smart-mouthed girl who don't quite fit in with anyone else develop a special relationship.

If You Come Softly, by Jacqueline Woodson (MS W8983IF)
After meeting at their private school in New York, fifteen-year-old Jeremiah, who is black and whose parents are separated, and Ellie, who is white and whose mother has twice abandoned her, fall in love and then try to cope with people's reactions.

Jason and Kyra, by Dana Davidson (YA D2524JA)

Handsome and popular Jason tries to come to terms with his irascible, often absent father and his growing attraction to the quiet, studious Kyra.

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan (YA C67886NI)

High school student Nick O'Leary, member of a rock band, meets college-bound Norah Silverberg and asks her to be his girlfriend for five minutes in order to avoid his ex-sweetheart.

There's a Girl in my Hammerlock, by Jerry Spinelli (MS S7572T)
Maisie tries out for the wrestling team as part of her plan to win the affections of the team captain, but runs into opposition from other students, her teammates and even her best friend.

The Raging Quiet, by Sherryl Jordan (YA J8286RA)

Suspicious of sixteen-year-old Marnie, a newcomer to their village, the residents accuse her of witchcraft when she discovers that the village madman is not crazy but deaf and she begins to communicate with him through hand gestures.

Seven Daughters and Seven Sons, by Barbara Cohen and Bahija Lovejoy (MS C6781SD)

A retelling of a traditional Arabic tale in which a young woman disguises herself as a man and opens up a shop in a distant city in order to help her impoverished family.

Someone Like You, by Sarah Dessen (YA D4754SO)

Halley's junior year of high school includes the death of her best friend Scarlett's boyfriend, the discovery that Scarlett is pregnant, and Halley's own first serious relationship.

Stargirl, by Jerry Spinelli (MS S7572ST)

In this story about the perils of popularity, the courage of nonconformity, and the thrill of first love, an eccentric student named Stargirl changes Mica High School forever.

Thwonk, by Joan Bauer (MS B3445TH)
A cupid doll comes to life and offers assistance in romance to A.J., a teen photographer suffering from unrequited love.

Weetzie Bat, by Francesca Lia Block (YA B65146WE)
Follow the wild adventures of Weetzie Bat and her best friend, Dirk, as they go looking for true love in LA.

The Wind Blows Backward, by Mary Downing Hahn (YA H148WI)

Although they share a love of poetry and problems with their parents, a shy high school senior's attraction to a popular classmate is tempered by her fear of his moody, self-destructive side.

The Year My Life Went Down the Loo, by Katie Maxwell (YAP MAX)

Sixteen-year-old Emily's attempts to deal with her family's move to England are detailed in this story told in emails to her friend back in Seattle. Adjusting to life in England (including a private school, complete with uniforms and a ban on makeup, cell phones, and PDA's) has its ups and downs, as does her crush on the handsomest boy in school.

Updated 12-22-2007