Up All Night: 13 Stories Between Sunset and Sunrise

Gr 9 Up–This collection of stories, all set in the nighttime, seamlessly brings together some of the biggest names in YA fiction. While most stories fall into the genres of realistic fiction or romance, the collection also includes a thrilling tale of a party game gone wrong (“Never Have I Ever” by Karen M. McManus), a bone-chilling haunted house horror (“Missing” by Kathleen Glasgow), and a genre-defying superhero story (“Under Our Masks” by Julian Winters). The mix of genres and diverse casts allows the collection to address many issues plaguing teens: first love, self-acceptance, growing apart from friends, and navigating new experiences; many of the entries center around graduating high school and leaving one’s hometown and friends behind. Each author shares their own unique voice, yet nothing here feels disjointed or out of place. The volume includes representation of characters with disabilities, characters who are LGBTQIA+, nonbinary characters, and many BIPOC characters without making their identities the central plot point. Similarly, tough topics such as racism, mental illness, and sexuality are included and discussed frankly without seeming preachy. It should be noted that one story (Marieke Nijkamp’s “Con Nights, Parallel Hearts”) centers abuse and may be triggering for some.