5 Books to Read When You’re the New Kid in Town

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
If you’ve even been torn between the desire to fit in and to stand out, this is the perfect book for you. The book follows Junior, a Spokane teen who desperately wants to escape the harsh realities of life on the Spokane Indian Reservation—like alcoholism and self-destructive behaviors—without losing his own cultural identity. Singled out for his academic gifts, he transfers to a rich, mostly white public school, where the only other Native American is the team mascot. He faces the stereotypes thrust upon him by his new classmates and teachers, along with the disappointment of those he left behind. Both heartbreaking and uplifting, Alexie’s novel is especially fitting for those who aren’t sure of their place in the world.

Every Day, by David Levithan
This beautifully written high-concept novel explores what it might be like to never belong. The story revolves around A, a genderless being forced to wake up in a new body every day. While A might not always look like the new kid, A always feels like it. Every day A must go to a new school, meet new friends, and live a whole new life, and as A starts to make more connections—particularly with a lonely girl named Rhiannon—the constant moving on becomes increasingly painful. A understands feeling alone and overwhelmed by your environment, so if you’re struggling to find a place in your new home, let A keep you company.

Saint Anything, by Sarah Dessen
Sometimes you’re forced to be the new kid, and sometimes you choose to be the new kid. The latter is the case for Sydney Stanford, who switches schools after her brother is sent to jail following a drunk driving accident. Having spent years living in her popular brother’s shadow at their expensive prep school, Sydney wants the opportunity to be where no one knows anything about her or her family. In this touching story about family and the price we can pay for other people’s mistakes, we’re reminded that sometimes we have to get out of our comfort zone to find out who we truly are.

Hex Hall, by Rachel Hawkins
Sophie Mercer is a witch, which makes life hard enough as it is. But after she attracts too much unwanted human attention, she gets punished by being sent to a reform school—and as the new girl, she racks up an impressive amount of enemies within hours of arriving on campus. Sophie is a laugh-out-loud funny narrator who deals with her new school admirably, even in the face of some serious paranormal baddies. And the best part? It’s a three-book series, and there’s a spin-off novel—School Spirits—which, incidentally, is also about a new girl.

Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass, by Meg Medina
Bullies are vicious, especially if you’re the new kid in school, which is a lesson Piddy Sanchez learns the hard way. For reasons unknown to Piddy, she has attracted the wrong sort of attention from Yaqui Delgado, a girl she has never met but who nonetheless believes Piddy is stuck up and after Yaqui’s boyfriend. It doesn’t matter that it’s not true, because soon Piddy feels hated and under constant threat in her new environment. It’s an honest and sometimes brutal look at some of the worst torment a new kid might suffer through, but Piddy’s strength will resonate with you.