This month’s YA nonfiction list is small but includes a standout history of St. Nick; YA comics offer a broader mix, from an ADHD-centered coming-of-age comic to campy slasher and pop‑culture paranormal stories.
YA nonfiction is limited this month but includes Stealing Saint Nick by M. T. Anderson and a hand‑lettering craft title useful for teen readers.
Several graphic novels retell or adapt familiar forms: a novel adaptation appears among the month’s comics, and many titles fuse genre elements (horror, romance, slice-of-life) to target teen readers.
Editor notes that this month’s selections show less diversity in authorship compared with previous months.
# What's new in YA nonfiction and comics for September
This month's YA slate leans heavier on graphic novels than on nonfiction. If you want a quick, practical view of the new releases: nonfiction has a few notable entries that may appeal to teen readers, while YA comics cover a wider range of moods and genres—coming-of-age, horror, romance, and supernatural pop culture.
Stealing Saint Nick by M. T. Anderson traces the transformation of Nicholas of Myra into a modern cultural icon. The book looks at how story and legend interact with historical fact and how those narratives shape broader cultural and economic patterns. Groovy Hand Lettering by Linda Scott is an approachable craft title that, while not exclusively marketed to teens, works well for teens interested in hand lettering and creative design.
ADHD Alien (Pina Varnel) follows Kiki, a younger-teen protagonist who discovers she has ADHD. The story uses fiction grounded in research and the author's experiences to show practical tools and emotional understanding that can help readers who recognize themselves in Kiki's experience.
Dead Girls (Beck Kubrick) positions itself as a campy feminist slasher. In the town of Clossdale, a string of murders has everyone suspecting Ash Hargreeves—the daughter of a notorious killer. Ash and two friends set out to clear her name and stop the killings.
President of the Anime Club (Stephanie Evangelista Fukuda and Daigo Fukuda) is a high-school story about friendship and emerging romance. Cherie bonds with Naomi over anime on her first day of high school, then navigates expanding relationships when she and new friends join the school's anime club.
Other entries include a novel adaptation among the month's releases and titles that mix familiar YA themes with genre twists.
If you're building a September YA TBR: prioritize based on reader needs. Choose ADHD Alien for neurodiversity representation and relatable coping strategies. Choose Dead Girls or Pretty Evil if you prefer horror with social stakes. Pick President of the Anime Club for lighter, relationship-driven drama. Add Stealing Saint Nick if you want historical nonfiction that interrogates legend and cultural meaning, and Groovy Hand Lettering if you're shopping for a teen interested in craft and design.
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