Summer and the City by Candace Bushnell. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray. 2011.
Gr 10 Up–With the revival of Sex and the City as And Just Like That... , some teens may want to revisit this YA book that documents Carrie Bradshaw’s first-ever summer in New York City. It’s a prequel to the show, so there will be discussions of sex, and it is appropriate for older teens.

Blackout: A Novel by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon. HarperCollins/Quill Tree. 2021.
Gr 9 Up–A summer heat wave, a total New York City blackout, and six short stories written by six of young adult’s finest authors. Each tale highlights life in the city when everything goes dark, but everything is still, somehow, illuminated. A scintillating, expertly woven together book.

Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson. S. & S. 2010.
Gr 9 Up–Amy is tasked with driving the family car across the country with Roger, a boy she barely knows. Traveling from California to Connecticut, they make many detours, and Amy must deal with the grief she is trying to run from. Matson’s other YA set during summer often takes place in rural or lakeside settings. For another cross-country summer trip with city and country stops, check out I’ll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios (Holt, 2015).

Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen. HarperTeen. 2020.
Gr 9 Up–Ever Wong is sent to an immersion program in Taipei, where she learns to love her culture and makes lasting connections while discovering that the world is far bigger than she could have ever imagined. This is the first in a series including Loveboat Reunion and Loveboat Forever . Recently adapted for the screen.