Scholastic Press is preparing for a fall filled with unforgettable characters, powerful emotions, and stories that remind us why young adult books continue to matter.

Libba Bray turns up the volume in Radio Free Texas, arriving October 6. Set in a small Texas town during the 1980s, the novel follows Bowie, a slightly lost teenager who finds romance, purpose, and his own voice while completing community service at an unconventional local radio station. With rock ’n’ roll, humor, and plenty of heart, this coming-of-age story feels ready-made for readers who love music and beautifully complicated characters.

Also arriving October 6 is It’s Only Dancing, the highly anticipated YA debut from bestselling romance author Jasmine Guillory. Inspired by Dirty Dancing, the story follows Kat, a former ballet dancer spending an unwanted month at a California desert camp. A magnetic hip-hop instructor named Jordan may help her rediscover not only dance, but also freedom, confidence, and perhaps first love.

Sharon Cameron’s Up from the Ashes, out October 6, offers a much more harrowing but deeply moving reading experience. Based on the true story of Selma Wijnberg and Chaim Engel, the novel follows two Jewish prisoners who fall in love while fighting to survive, and ultimately escape, the Sobibor death camp. It is a story of resistance, courage, and hope in the face of unimaginable horror.

Holiday romance arrives October 20 with Kasie West’s Light Up My Life. When two neighboring families compete to create the town’s best-decorated Christmas house, Jasmine Costa unexpectedly begins falling for Ryan Moreno, the supposedly unbearable boy next door. Think Romeo and Juliet with twinkle lights, family rivalry, secret kisses, and a much cozier ending.

Also out October 20, Max Fischer’s debut novel-in-verse, The Unpoetic Life of August Grey, explores grief, queer identity, creativity, and first love. After losing his best friend, August attends a prestigious New York writing program, where he must confront his past and decide whether he is ready to embrace the joy of becoming who he truly is.

Finally, Elizabeth Ese’s debut A Drop of Color, arriving November 3, follows Gabrielle, a Nigerian American teenager navigating racism, cultural expectations, and the pressure to belong. When a racist incident changes her carefully constructed social life, Gabrielle must decide whether returning to “normal” is worth silencing parts of herself. Timely, honest, and emotionally layered, this is a story about finding power in every part of one’s identity.

From radio stations and dance floors to holiday lights and courageous acts of resistance, Scholastic’s upcoming list offers something for nearly every kind of reader. Clear some room on those fall bookshelves, and, as always, happy reading!