The seven years you experience as a teenager are among the most fundamental, challenging, and important years of a human’s life. As a teenager, new experiences are popping up around every corner. While parents and guardians would love to guide their teens through this time in their lives and steer them through each challenge they face, sometimes, teens find answers and direction in less conventional ways, such as life-changing books. Not a reader or not sure where to start? We’ve got you covered with some of our favorite books that teens around the country love!
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Benefits of Reading
Teens, reading books, can only equal good things. The obvious benefit of reading is that it’s a great way to sharpen students’ critical thinking, comprehension, and vocabulary.
In the Journal of Psychology Medicine, Researchers in the U.K and China studied and analyzed data on over 10,000 adolescents, finding an evident correlation between these individuals reading for pleasure and performing better on exams. This study also analyzed the brain scans of these children, finding that those who read for fun had a slightly larger brain area/volume, specifically in areas carrying out cognitive function, than those who did not.
But, aside from educational benefits, reading can serve as a figurative escape into a world of fantasy, or a shoulder to cry on within a relatable, young adult novel. The benefits of reading for teenagers are seemingly limitless, from improving academics to enhancing lifestyle and everything in between. Good books can truly change a teen’s life, without them even knowing it!
Where to Look
- Your local library. It’s not only free, but you can get books if the format you prefer. You can even download books right to your phone through the affiliated Hoopla or Libby app.
- Barnes & Noble’s website. It’s well organized with an abundance of categories so teens can find exactly what they’re looking for. Categories include BookTok, YA, Bestsellers, Black Voices, Best Books of the Year, and the list goes on.
- GoodReads. A great resource that sort of acts as a social media platform for reading — perfect for teens!
- TikTok. TikTok acts as an online book club. It’s BookTok community lets users post videos using #booktok to share their love of books, review recent reads, post hauls of books they’ve recently purchased, and recommend books to followers.
- YouTube. Home to a variety of book influencers such as Haley Pham Vlogs, EmilyReadsBooks, Mina Reads, Jack Edwards, and more. These influencers post a variety of high quality reading-related content reviewing and recommending various books.
A Retired Teen’s Must Read List:
Just days ago, I entered a new period of my life, exiting my teens and beginning my twenties. My teenage years were a monumental time for me. A period where I grew and evolved, partially with the help of some of my favorite books. This list encompasses a wide variety of books I’ve read as a teen and loved, books my friends have recommended to me, and classics that have withstood the test of time.
Check out this list and add them to your own TBR (to be read) list!
27 Good Books Teens Love
1. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
– Taylor Jenkins Reid (All-Time Favorite!).
A historical drama recounting the exhilaratingly scandalous life of retired Hollywood Star, Evelyn Hugo, 79, who surprisingly agrees to be interviewed by an unknown journalist.
2. Six of Crows
– Leigh Bardugo.
A fantasy series where six outcasts from Ketterdam join together to pull off an impossible heist in search of riches, revenge, and redemption.
3. The Hunger Games
– Suzanne Collins (All-Time Favorite!).
A dystopian series set in a futuristic, post-apocalyptic world where each year, two adolescent tributes from each district of Panem are randomly selected to fight to the death on live television in The Hunger Games.
4. Hey Kiddo
– Jarrett J. Krosoczka.
A powerful memoir on experiencing childhood while dealing with family addiction and finding an escape through art.
5. Little Women – Louisa May Alcott.
A classic coming-of-age novel written in 1868 that follows the evolution of the four March sisters: Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy as they grow up.
6. Everything, Everything
– Nicola Yoon (All-Time Favorite!).
A young adult novel following 18-year-old Madeline Whittier, a half-Japanese, half-African-American girl, living with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), stopping her from leaving her house, but soon begins to desire more than what’s within her four walls.
7. The Outsiders
– S.E. Hinton.
A classic coming-of-age novel that follows a 14-year-old boy, Ponyboy Curtis, a member of a poor gang known as The Greasers, who fight against their wealthy rival gang, the Socs.
8. One of Us is Lying
– Karen M. McManus.
A suspenseful mystery/thriller telling the story of a high school student’s death during school detention, told from multiple teenage perspectives.
9. Homegoing
– Yaa Gyasi.
A historical fiction novel following the stories of two bloodlines through generations. The family line traces back to one woman in West Africa, where both daughters have entirely different experiences, one remaining in Africa and one being enslaved and taken to America.
10. You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life
– Jen Sincero.
A comedic self help book guiding readers on how to improve their lives in easy and manageable ways.
11. A Court of Thorns and Roses
– Sarah J. Maas.
A fantasy romance series following the experiences of 19-year-old huntress, Feyre Archeron, who is taken to the faerie land of Prythian.
12. Divergent
– Veronica Roth.
A dystopian series telling the story of Beatrice Prior, a teenager in post-apocalyptic Chicago where society is divided into five factions: Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless, and Erudite.
13. The Giver
– Lois Lowry (All-Time Favorite!).
A young adult dystopian novel following Jonah, a boy living in a society without sadness and crime, that appears utopian, yet lacks color, emotion, and individuality.
14. Beartown
– Fredrik Backman.
A novel about a small hockey-centric town that faces a violent incident involving two teenagers and the consequences they must face.
15. Red, White, and Royal Blue
– Casey McQuiston.
An LGBTQ romance novel following the romantic relationship between a first son of the United States and a British Prince.
16. Harry Potter
– J.K. Rowling.
A fantasy series following a young wizard, Harry Potter, and his friends who all study at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
17. Uglies
– Scott Westerfield.
A young adult dystopian series set in a futuristic society where the entire population is split into two groups: the uglies and the pretties.
18. Lord of the Flies
– William Golding.
A classic young adult novel where a group of British boys are stranded on a deserted island and forced to establish a society where they govern themselves.
19. Percy Jackson & the Olympians
– Rick Riordan.
A fantasy series following Percy Jackson, a young demigod who is sent to Camp Half-Blood after the death of his mother and embarks on a dangerous quest.
20. The Fault in our Stars – John Green.
A romance novel following the relationship of a sixteen-year-old cancer patient, Hazel Lancaster, who meets her love interest, Augustus Waters in a support group.
21. The Cruel Prince
– Holly Black.
A fantasy series that follows the story of a mortal girl, Jude, who lives in the world of Faerie.
22. Everything I Know About Love
– Dolly Alderton.
An insightful memoir about growing up and figuring out how to deal with relationships, love, jobs, friendship, successes, and challenges.
23. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
– Ransom Riggs.
A fantasy novel telling the story of a very strange home for a particular group of children.
24. The Summer I Turned Pretty
– Jenny Han.
A romance series telling the adventures of Belly Conklin, a teenager who lives in the beach town of Cousins every summer with her family and friends, including the two boys she’s known and loved since childhood.
25. Turtles All The Way Down
– John Green.
A fictional young adult novel telling the story of 16-year-old Aza Holmes, a teenager with OCD and anxiety grieving the loss of her father while searching for a fugitive billionaire.
26. Girl in Pieces
– Kathleen Glasgow.
A fictional novel about teenager Charlotte Davis who wakes up in a psych ward, and having lost more than most people can imagine, is forced to put the pieces of herself back together.
27. The Sun is Also a Star
– Nicola Yoon.
A young adult novel that follows the relationship between two characters: Natasha and Daniel, as Natasha’s family is on the brink of deportation, and explores the interconnections between all kinds of people.
Genres Teens Love
If you aren’t sure if one of these books is a good fit for you, consider different genres available. Books come in many genres, but here are some of the more popular genres among teens.
Fantasy
Ever feel like you want to escape to another world? Fantasy might be the genre for you. Books within this genre focus on magical or supernatural elements that unfortunately don’t exist here on Earth. This could range from dragons to magic to fairies and any other fantastical creatures and elements in between.
As we know, teenage life is tough, and sometimes, these kids need a break. Fantasy books provide an easily accessible approach to achieving that goal, allowing these teens to leave their problems and stress alone for a while and dive into a magical world where they’re free to explore for as long as they please.
Romance
The teenage years are typically the first time most individuals delve into the world of romance. Crushes, relationships, and other romantic experiences can be difficult to navigate at this stage in life, and especially hard to talk about with family members or friends. Instead, many teens turn to romance novels to safely explore these romantic themes and have the chance to read about their favorite characters going through the same experiences and emotions as them.
Dystopian
Taking a darker turn, dystopian novels depict society suffering from oppression, fear, power, and control in an overall broken state. Some common themes referenced in dystopian books include societies dealing with poverty, political oppression, bureaucracy, technology, religion, inhumane treatment, restriction of information, injustice, and fear.
In these novels, the protagonist is typically determined to survive and/or fight for change, and teens feel empowered reading about these characters showcasing strength and courage, while being part of something bigger than themselves.
Historical Fiction
Ever felt like you were born in the wrong era or feel as though you have an old soul? Historical Fiction could be the genre for you. This genre sends readers 50+ years back in time, allowing them to time travel to different historical time periods. These kinds of books are set in a real location and time, but the characters can be fabricated, however are often based off of real people.
Memoirs, Biographies, and Autobiographies
Memoirs, biographies, and autobiographies all tell non-fictional, real-life stories, but in varying ways.
- A memoir is a collection of memories telling the story of an individual’s life.
- Biographies account of an individual’s life as told by someone else.
- An autobiography is the story of someone’s life told in first person, written by the same individual who experienced it.
These are all non-fictional accounts of real stories, about real people, and real lives.
Thrillers and Mysteries
Suspense, conflict, fear and tension. Thrillers and Mysteries share many of the same plot features, including plot twists and action-packed scenes that keep you on the edge of your seat. Although they share similarities, thrillers typically tell the story of a character trying to survive a tough situation, while mysteries focus on exploring and trying to solve various crimes.
Growth and Self Help
Growth and Self Help books do exactly as they sound: help the reader improve themselves and solve personal problems. Self-help books can help guide teens who are experiencing a difficult situations, friendships, relationships, school, sports, and more.
Young Adult (YA)
The young adult genre offers literature meant specifically for readers roughly between the ages of 12 and 18. Themes center on identity, coming-of-age, self-discovery, and the transition from childhood into adulthood. The subgenres within the young adult category can be limitless, with fantasy, romance, dystopian, thriller, historical, sci-fi, drama, the list goes on.
Teens gravitate towards books in the YA genre because it directly represents the experiences, challenges, and emotions they’re currently going through. They can easily relate to the characters they’re reading about. This genre also tackles complex, important themes such as mental health, bullying, love, social justice, and sexuality, with engaging narratives and plotlines that both educate and entertain these young readers.
The Power of the Novel
The importance of reading as a teenager cannot be overstated. It’s easy for teens to view reading as a chore, a homework assignment, or overall just plain boring. That’s why it’s important to try to ready for fun! Pick a genre you love. Hopefully this diverse list gives you a good starting off point.
By reading good books that encapsulates the experiences you’re going through, teens can feel validated, heard, and capable of handling the challenges and difficulties they face. Whether you read to escape, seek comfort, or relate to a character, reading can truly change a teenager’s life in more ways than one.
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