Pick a Hamilton Song and Get a YA Book Rec!

This is not a drill! Hamilton is coming to Disney+, and we couldn’t be more excited. After obsessing over the Broadway musical and listening to the soundtrack on repeat, you can now watch the show from the comfort of your couch. Us all weekend:

via GIPHY

Like any true Book Nerd who loves Broadway, you need a TBR stack to go along with the movie release. These book and song pairings will feed your Hamilton obsession and keep you well-read, too.

Call Me American by Abdi Nor Iftin and “Alexander Hamilton”

Call Me American (Adapted for Young Adults)

Call Me American (Adapted for Young Adults)

By Abdi Nor Iftin

If you love the opening song “Alexander Hamilton,” Call Me American is a must-read. Adapted from the adult memoir, this is gripping story follows one boy’s journey into young adulthood and offers an intimate account of modern immigration. Abdi shares every part of his journey, and his courageous account reminds readers that everyone deserves the chance to build a brighter future for themselves.

Gravity by Sarah Deming and “My Shot”

Gravity

Gravity

By Sarah Deming

We know this song gets you pumped up and ready to take a shot at greatness, which makes it the perfect match for Gravity. This book will get you feeling “young, scrappy, and hungry,” and ready to make your mark on the world.

This Is My America by Kim Johnson and “The Story of Tonight”

This Is My America

This Is My America

By Kim Johnson

This Is My America is about the search for truth when it matters most. Both this book and the song “The Story of Tonight” deal with themes of freedom from oppression, joining forces, and making change.

Wilder Girls by Rory Power and “The Schuyler Sisters”

Wilder Girls

Wilder Girls

By Rory Power

When it comes to sisterhood and feminist stories, it doesn’t get better than Wilder Girls. Even though the girls in the story aren’t related by blood, they rely on each other through everything—and that’s what sisterhood is all about.

Rebel Spy by Veronica Rossi and “Right Hand Man”

Rebel Spy

Rebel Spy

By Veronica Rossi

This list wouldn’t be complete without Rebel Spy on it. Spies, history, war, and helping the cause—it’s all in this historical novel set during the American Revolutionary War. And once you read it, you’ll get why we paired it with “Right Hand Man.”

The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon and “Helpless”

The Sun Is Also a Star

The Sun Is Also a Star

By Nicola Yoon

If you’re in the mood for a fast and furious romance, The Sun Is Also a Star is the book for you. You’ll be “helpless” as Natasha and Daniel experience love at first sight and fall for each other . . . and you fall for them.

Odd One Out by Nic Stone and “Satisfied”

Odd One Out

Odd One Out

By Nic Stone

Whether you adore or despise a love triangle, we know you can’t get enough of the Eliza-Angelica-Hamilton…thing. If “Satisfied” is your favorite song on the sountrack, you need to try Odd One Out by Nic Stone, a touching novel about three friends, with three different sides to the story.

No One Here Is Lonely by Sarah Everett and “That Would Be Enough”

No One Here Is Lonely

No One Here Is Lonely

By Sarah Everett

It’s hard to get through this love ballad without shedding a tear, and that’s also how we feel about reading No One Here Is Lonely by Sarah Everett. This story about loss, friendship, and finding love in the most unlikely place, will definitely be enough to give you all the feels.

American Royals by Katharine McGee and “History Has Its Eyes on You”

American Royals

American Royals

By Katharine McGee

What if George Washington decided to become King George I instead of the first president? Two centuries later in American Royals the House of Washington is still on the throne. This juicy and fun novel reimagines American history as a monarchy, full of scandal, betrayals, and of course romance.

 Pet by Akwaeke Emezi and “The Battle of Yorktown”

Pet

Pet

By Akwaeke Emezi

If you’re anything like Jam in the highly acclaimed novel Pet, then you are ready to fight for what you believe in, and this battle song is here to pump you up. Jam grows up in a town that is supposed to be perfect and free from monsters. When a mysterious creature named Pet emerges ready to hunt a monster, Jam discovers that in order to save her friend, she must face the truth and fight an enemy she never thought could exist.

Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian and “Dear Theodosia”

Ash Princess

Ash Princess

By Laura Sebastian

You may be thinking that this is an odd pairing, but hear us out. It just so happens that Theodosia is the name of the main character in Ash Princess AND the title of the song. Plus, both the book and song have themes of courage, legacy, and making the world a better place. Coincidence? We think not.

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson and “Non-Stop”

Just Mercy (Movie Tie-In Edition, Adapted for Young Adults)

Just Mercy (Movie Tie-In Edition, Adapted for Young Adults)

By Bryan Stevenson

In the show, Alexander Hamilton “practiced the law and practically perfected it” and that makes us think of the inspiring true story of lawyer and social justice advocate Bryan Stevenson, who has worked tirelessly (and non-stop) to fight for the rights and freedom of the wrongfully imprisoned. Don’t miss the YA adaptation of his powerful story Just Mercy.

When You Were Everything by Ashley Woodfolk and “Burn”

When You Were Everything

When You Were Everything

By Ashley Woodfolk

Okay, so When You Were Everything is about a friend breakup, but anyone who’s been through a friend breakup can tell you that they’re just as rough as the romantic kind, if not more so. When you’re on the hunt for a breakup anthem, this book and song pairing have you covered.

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez and “Blow Us All Away”

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter

By Erika L. Sánchez

Philip is “a Hamilton with pride” but also his own person paving his own way in the world. This makes us think of I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, which is a poignant and laugh-out-loud funny novel all about growing up and moving on, in spite of other people’s expectations of you.

The Beauty That Remains by Ashley Woodfolk and “It’s Quiet Uptown”

The Beauty That Remains

The Beauty That Remains

By Ashley Woodfolk

Want a heartfelt story about healing from grief and finding forgiveness? The Beauty That Remains is the book you need. And the fact that the characters find healing through music makes the story that much sweeter. Keep your tissues close as you read this one—you’ll need them!

Nevertheless We Persisted and “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story”

Nevertheless, We Persisted

Nevertheless, We Persisted

By Array

This powerful collection of essays from actors, activists, athletes, politicians, musicians, writers, and teens, each tells the story about a time in their youth when they were held back because of their race, gender, or sexual identity—but persisted. While we never want the Hamilton soundtrack to end, this last song and whole show leave us with a sense of hope and the feeling that every one of us can help make a difference. The personal essays in Nevertheless We Persisted do the same, sharing powerful themes of resilience, faith, love, and persistence.

Listen to the soundtrack now, watch the show on repeat, and happy reading!

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