I have been an avid reader for forever (a trait inherited from and encouraged by both of my parents), and I have a degree in English and Creative Writing. I LOVE a well-written story. Good books are dynamic and poignant and character-driven, and the combination of those elements creates an enduring story for both young and old, regardless of the originally intended audience. I have a passion for young adult (YA) literature because it proves that stories can be brilliant without being crude or sexual or raunchy, as much adult literature is.
If you have kids, recommend these books or read them out loud to them. If you're in college, read these on your summer vacation. If you're in middle school or high school, a few of these may be required reading, and I envy you the bliss of a first read. And if you're an adult, step into the shoes of another person (a lesson learned from To Kill a Mockingbird, which is going to be my bonus book suggestion, because I just remembered it as I wrote that sentence, and it's SO good), and enjoy a great book.
l know life is busy, so while I love a physical book with real tree pages, I have also come to adore a good audiobook. I can immerse myself in wonderful worlds while I commute or clean or paint. I use the Libby app to borrow books for free from my local library, but my in-laws also have an Audible account (with nearly 1200 books 😱😱😱) and the convenience of being able to read a book immediately, without waiting for a copy to become available, is really great. Click here to start a free trial!
Also, I was against e-readers for a very long time. I was so committed to physical pages that I missed out on the incredible convenience of a Kindle paperwhite until just last year. (Hint they're significantly cheaper during Black Friday or other sales events, which is when I got mine.) I finally gave in because my baby was so grabby and distracted by rustling pages, and I couldn't read physical books while nursing her in the dark. And oh my goodness, I love this thing. The screen is anti-glare, and it's so light and easy to hold. I can also load library books onto it for free from my Libby app, so I can have a free public reading experience, without the fear of bed bugs nesting in my borrowed, communal paperbacks 😬
The list below is not exhaustive obviously; they're just the first 5 books that came to mind as my favorites. Now, without further ado, here are my top 5(ish) must-read YA novels.
Please note, as an Amazon associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.
5. Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary D. Schmidt. Historical fiction inspired by true events, this book tells the story of a white pastor's son befriending a black girl, whose community is about to be razed to make way for a resort. This is a short, brilliant book, written for middle schoolers but relevant for all. I wrote my college capstone paper on this book and studied it for a year, without getting sick of it. It is a beautiful and heartbreaking commentary on racism and defiled religion in America.
4. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Narrated by the character of Death and following the story of an orphaned girl in World War 2 Germany, this novel celebrates light in dark, life among death, and words under fire. It is poetic but attainable for both high schoolers and their parents.
3. Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer (and the spin-off series The Fowl Twins). An evil boy genius discovers an underground fairy community and hatches a plot to steal their gold. It sounds fantastical, but it comes across so real and wonderful. I didn't read this book until I was a full-blown adult, but it's so well written, I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end, even though it's marketed toward young teenagers. The audiobook version of this series is also BRILLIANTLY narrated.
2. The Giver by Lois Lowry. A must-read for every human, The Giver is the dystopian novel that paved the way for (underwhelming, soapy, and stale) dystopian teen drama book series of the 2010s. This one though, is brilliant. It shows how the world could truly look and the damage and horror that could ensue in certain futuristic communities. It follows the story of Jonas, as he learns how the world is supposed to look and how people are supposed to behave. It's short and it's stunning. Read it. Think about it.
(Bonus suggestion: If you want a book with similar themes and context as The Book Thief but that's shorter and a little less tragic, Number the Stars is another wonderful story by Lois Lowry.)
1. Harry Potter series by JK Rowling. It's not a complete or accurate list of YA novels, unless Harry Potter is at the top. It's a best seller for a reason, and the reason is not boppy teen drama but an incredible, character-driven story of magical proportions. No one is too old for Harry Potter. I have read or listened through the series literally 15 times, and I will continue to do so and be enchanted every time. This is another series that has an incredible audiobook version, and the illustrated books are a fun collectible!
Okay, a note about the movie versions of these: READ THE BOOKS FIRST. That's the main thing. The second thing is that the movie versions of Artemis Fowl and The Giver (with all due respect) are garbage. Don't watch them. And don't base your opinion of the books off the movies because the stories are completely different. The Harry Potter and The Book Thief movies are decent though. Enjoy them for what they are, but please I beg you, read the books first.
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