Welcome to month five of the 2021 RPL Teen Writing Challenge. How’s it been going?? If you’re completing the challenge in order, this month you’ll be focusing on prompt #5 — “Read something by or about a teen who shares one of your talents.” Well, let me tell you, this was a hard post to write! That is because you teens are so stinking talented. I did a quick survey on our Teen Discord Server to see which talents you’d like me to cover, and there were a lot! I’ve tried to combine as many as I could into a few broad categories but this is by no means an exhaustive list. If you get to the end of it and don’t see one of your talents, I encourage you read and tag us #rvalibrary and #2021rplteenreadingchallenge so that we know what it is! Or, if you need help finding something to read about a talent I haven’t covered, shoot me an email at jennifer.deuell@richmondgov.com and I’d be happy to help! 

Now, on to the megalist of teen talents!

Visual Arts –

If you express yourself for art, then this list is for you!

• Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu (zines)
• Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older (murals)
• Draw the Line by Laurent Linn (comics)
• The Fire Never Goes Out: A Memoir in Pictures by Noelle Stevenson (comics)
• An Enchantment of Ravens  by Margaret Rogerson (painting)
• Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough (painting)
• From Twinkle, With Love by Sandhya Menon (filmmaking) 
• To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han (scrapbooking)

Performing Arts –

Do you shine in the spotlight?  Then check out this list!

• This Train is Being Held by Ismée Williams (dance)
• I Have Lost My Way by Gayle Forman (singing)
• Spin by Lamar Giles (DJ)
• Passenger by Alexandra Bracken (violin)
• Let Me Hear a Rhyme by Tiffany Jackson (rap)
• You in Five Acts by Una LaMarche (various performing arts)
• Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith (theater/acting)
• Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli (drums/percussion)

Sports –

Are you an athlete? Are sports your life? Check out these books!

• Furia by Yamile Saied Mendez (soccer)
• Check, Please! Book 1 by Ngozi Ukazu (hockey)
• Peak by Roland Smith (rock climbing)
• He Said, She Said by Kwame Alexander (football)
• Tumbling by Caela Carter (gymnastics)
• They Better Call Me Sugar : My Journey from the Hood to the Hardwood by Sugar Rodgers (basketball)
• The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen (running)
• We are the Wildcats by Siobhan Vivian (field hockey)

Cooking & Baking – 

If you’re a whiz in the kitchen, you’ll want to check out these awesome books with MCs just like you!

• Somewhere Betwee’n Bitter and Sweet Laekan Zea Kemp (cooking)
• The Keeper of the Mist by Rachel Neumeier (baking)
• A Taste for Love by Jennifer Yen (baking)
• Bloom by Kevin Panetta (baking)
• What I Like About You by Marisa Kanter (food blogging)
• Notes From a Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwuachi (cooking)
• More Than Just a Pretty Face by Syed Masood (cooking)
• Heartless by Marissa Meyer (baking)

STEM –

Where are all my science, technology, engineering, and math geniuses? Satisfy your inner nerd with these books!

• Slay by Brittney Morris (video game design)
• Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson (science & math)
• A Conspiracy of Stars by Olivia A. Cole (biology)
• The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali by Sabina Khan (engineering)
• Genius: The Game by Leopoldo Gout (science and technology)
• Girl Code: Gaming, Going Viral, and Getting it Done by Andrea Gonzales & Sophie Houser (video game design)
• An Abundance of Katherines by John Green (math)
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer (mechanics)

Words –

Do you have a way with words — spoken or written? Then get wordy with these reads!

• Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman (song writing)
• The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo (poetry)
• Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld (fiction writing)
• Charming as a Verb by Ben Philippe (debate)
• Love in English by Maria E. Andreu (poetry)
• A Pho Love Story Loan Le (journalism)
• Happily Ever Afters by Elise Bryant (writing romance)
• How I Discovered Poetry by Marilyn Nelson (poetry)

Fashion & Beauty –

If you are talented in sewing, fashion, or other beauty-related fields, read on!

• Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim (sewing)
• Crystal by Walter Dean Myers (modeling)
• Geekerella by Ashley Poston (cosplay)
• The Power of Style by Christian Allaire (fashion design)
• The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang (fashion design)
• Be Dazzled by Ryan La Sala (sewing)
• The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton (all things beauty)
• I Love You So Mochi by Sarah Kuhn (sewing)

I hope you find one or more resources on this list that are of interest.  If you are a teen, you can join the conversation taking place on our Discord server. We have a designated channel for readers to chat all month.  Not a member of the server yet?  Fill out this form and we’ll send you an invite.  Also, feel free to tag us on social media and share what you’re reading #2021rplteenreadingchallenge

Happy reading!

To visit (or revisit) my previous posts on the 2021 RPL Reading Challenge, follow these links:

The original post with info on how the challenge works.

Prompt 1 – Immigration in the U.S.

Prompt 2 – Teen Activism

Prompt 3 – Body Positivity

Prompt 4 – Protecting Our Environment

Check back next month for suggestions to fulfill Prompt 6 “Read something about Juneteenth or the legacy of slavery in the United States.”