The SPOT Reading Program hopes to encourage a greater understanding of what it means to be a Texan, and to develop an appreciation for the literary works of and about Texas and Texans. SPOT is a recommended reading list developed by public and school librarians from the Texas Library Association’s (TLA) Young Adult Round Table (YART). The purpose of the list is to encourage youths in grades six through twelve to explore a variety of current, quality books from Texas authors and illustrators, develop critical reading skills, and to encourage greater interaction between Texas authors and illustrators, Texas librarians, and Texas youth.

According to the TLA’s website, the SPOT high school list is intended for recreational reading, not to support a specific curriculum. Due to the diversity of this age range, TLA recommends that Texas librarians purchase titles on this list according to their individual collection policies. Each author featured on the list has had at least one book favorably reviewed for grades nine through twelve in a professional review source.

Your 2020 SPOT books and authors are:

Recommended for high school

After the Fire (Sourcebooks Fire) by Will Hill

Butterfly Yellow (HarperCollins) by Thanhhà Lai              

The Last Wish of Sasha Cade (Kids Can Press) by Cheyanne Young     

Recommended for both middle school and high school

Path to the Stars: My Journey from Girl Scout to Rocket Scientist (Clarion Books) by Sylvia Acevedo         

The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan (Tu Books) by Sherry Thomas

Recommended for middle school

The Other Half of Happy (Chronicle Books) by Rebecca Balcárcel

Song for a Whale (Delacorte Books for Young Readers) by Lynne Kelly

Free Lunch (Norton Young Readers) by Rex Ogle