| Best Books for Young Adults |
The Young Adult Library Services Association of the American Library Association presents an annual list of books that are recommended reading for young adults 12 to 18. The following titles are selections from that list, which the library owns.
Non-Fiction
The Great and Only Barnum: The Tremendous, Stupendous Life of Showman P.T. Barnum by Candace Fleming
The amazing and thrilling life of the great P.T. Barnum is laid bare in this stupendous biography. Come one, come all and learn about this truly American icon.
Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman
This lively biography of Charles Darwin focuses on the family life of one of the world's most famous scientists, including the impact differing religious beliefs had on the family's relationships.
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip M. Hoose
As a teen, Claudette Colvin sparked the protest that led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott and desegregation of public facilities by refusing to relinquish her seat to a white woman.
Before Columbus: The Americas of 1491 by Charles C. Mann
Well before the arrival of Columbus, there were highly advanced civilizations in the Americas. More native people died from their germs than at the hands of the Europeans.
Truce: The Day the Soldiers Stopped Fighting by Jim Murphy
Bored and miserable after months in the trenches along Europe's Western Front during WWI, German and Allied soldiers brought fighting to a halt to celebrate Christmas together in 1914.
Marching for Freedom: Walk Together, Children, and Don't You Grow Weary by Elizabeth Partridge
In a tense, day-by-day account of the Freedom March of 1965, teen voices are crucial to the spirit and drive of the march.
Stitches: A Memoir by David Small
In stunning graphic memoir format, Caldecott-winning artist David Small tells the story of his difficult childhood and his journey into adolescence and adulthood.
Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream by Tanya Lee Stone
The story of the “Mercury 13” women who paved the way for females in space and aeronautics by challenging the political and social culture behind NASA's unwritten rule that astronauts must be male.
Chasing Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson
Much more than just Lincoln's killing went on that night of the Ford Theater assassination, this book will inform and entertain you with the gory details.
Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland by Sally M. Walker
This book offers an incredible look at how ancient bones can reveal the details about the daily lives of colonial Americans.
Fiction
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Lia is haunted by her best friend's death from bulimia, as she struggles with her own eating disorder.
Tales of the Madman Underground by John Barnes
In an attempt to distance himself from the rest of the students in the school's therapy group known as the Madman Underground, Karl launches his senior year with “Operation Be Fucking Normal.”
The Unnameables by Ellen Booraem
In a place where everything has a name and every name has a meaning, outsider Medford Runyuin struggles in vain to follow the rules of his adopted home.
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
Flavia de Luce is delighted with the discovery of a dead snipe on her doorstep and considers it a bonus when a human body is found in her cucumber patch.
Going Bovine by Libba Bray
Cameron knew there was something wrong when he started seeing pillars of fire and angels, but he never imagined he had mad cow disease.
Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan
Sixteen-year-old Nick and his older brother Alan are always on the run. Now, Alan has been marked by a demon and to save him, the boys must become the hunters.
Hate List by Jennifer Brown
In the year following the devastating shootings at her high school orchestrated by her boyfriend Nick, Valerie must come to terms with grief and guilt in order to move on with her life.
All the Broken Pieces by Anne E. Burg
12-year-old Matt struggles to cope with his memories of family left behind in war-torn Vietnam with the help of his adoptive parents, his music teacher, and his baseball coach.
Fire by Kristin Cashore
In a world full of monsters so beautiful they lure people into their doom, how can people protect themselves from human monsters?
Because I Am Furniture by Talia Chaltas
Anke watches her siblings and mother suffer at the hands of her abusive father until she finds enough strength, through involvement in volleyball, to demonstrate her needs.
Highway to Hell by Rosemary Clement-Moore
Maggie and Lisa find their spring break road trip interrupted by a cow's carcass which launches them into a hunt for an evil demon terrorizing a remote desert.
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
After winning the Hunger Games, Katniss is preoccupied with the government's expectations for her romantic life. She soon has more important worries—including revolts in the Districts and new Game rules.
A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper
Not even a small island nation populated mostly by royalty can keep neutral in the events leading up to the Second World War.
The Stolen One by Suzanne Carlisle Crowley
In searching for her identity, Spirit finds that she is the daughter of a former queen and realizes who she truly loves, at the court of Queen Elizabeth I.
Lost by Jacqueline Davies
Essie, 16, sews all day for pennies at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory to help feed her fatherless family and now to forget her little sister's death. Then the fire happens.
Mare's War by Tanita Davis
Sisters Octavia and Tali embarks on a road trip woth their grandmother over the summer. During this road trip, Octavia and Tali learn that there's more to their grandmother than what they have seen.
Along For the Ride by Sarah Dessen
Auden's summer becomes one of second chances, not just for her but for her family and friends as well. The more chances she takes, the more she discovers about herself.
Solace of the Road by Siobhan Dowd
Holly Hogan had had enough. She dons a blonde wig, hits the road, and becomes Solace, a street smart, tough teen ready to take on the world.
After by Amy Efaw
Soccer star Devon never admitted to herself that she was pregnant. Now she's in detention, facing charges of attempted murder after delivering a baby and dumping it in the trash.
If I Stay by Gayle Froman
While in a coma after her family is killed in a car accident, Mia struggles to decide whether to live or die.
Crossing Stones by Helen Frost
Muriel's itching for a life outside her family's Vermont farm, but bigger changes await her in 1917 as first her neighbor and then her brother enlist to fight in Europe.
Say the Word by Jeannine Garsee
After her estranged mother dies, Shawna Gallagher refuses to accept her dysfunctional home life and attempts to make peace with her mother's lesbian lover.
Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
When the decade long war ends, professional solider Galen finds work as a gardener in the king's garden, only to help solve the puzzle involving twelve dancing princesses.
Soul Enchilada by David Macinnis Gill
When a repo demon comes for her Cadillac, Bug Smoot finds that her deceased grandfather pledged both her soul and her car as collateral on a deal.
Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman
Sixteen-year-old Eon is the unlikeliest candidate for Dragoneye, but she holds great power and a dangerous secret that just might make her the greatest Dragoneye for centuries.
The Orange Houses by Paul Griffin
Despite poverty, gang violence, and lack of appropriate supports, three inner-city teens come together and try to beat the odds and succeed in life.
Into the Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern
Feeling used by her two best friends, high school sophomore Jessie decides to go in search of new friends. But will she be able to survive being branded a nerd?
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
At the beach house where she has spent every summer since childhood, sixteen-year-old Belly finds that this is the summer of many changes.
The Lost Conspiracy by Frances Hardinge
Hathin is unremarkable compared to her mind wandering sister, but when push comes to shove, Hathin must save herself, her sister, and her whole island.
The Great Wide Sea by M.H. Herlong
His mother is dead and his father is missing at sea. With a horrific storm brewing, can sixteen-year-old Ben and his younger brothers survive?
No More Us for You by David Hernandez
Carlos has a cheating girlfriend, a mystery man urinating on the floor at work, and a friend in a coma. Can Isabel—still grieving her dead boyfriend—help him cope?
The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks
Nina Harrison, now and forever a teenage vampire, leads her dysfunctional crew of bloodsuckers on a mission to halt vampire persecution and rescue a vicious werewolf.
Muchacho by Louanne Johnson
Eddie Corazon, an angry juvenile delinquent in an alternative school, is influenced by love, a special teacher, books, and a criminal cousin as he tries to find his true self.
Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher
An intriguing new student gets Logan out of his post-breakup slump, but as Sage reveals her past, Logan isn't sure he's confident enough to handle her MTF gender identity.
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
In 1899, eleven-year-old Calpurnia bonds over science and nature with her grandfather even as she becomes increasingly aware that she may not be able to pursue those interests as an adult.
The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King
After being cursed to live the lives of 100 dogs before being reborn as a human, former pirate Emer Morrisey returns to Jamaica to reclaim treasure buried centuries before.
Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles
Ellie is pregnant after looking for love in the wrong places with one too many boys. Corrine, Caleb and Josh all deal with the emotions, consequences and difficult decisions ahead.
Hold Still by Nina LaCour
Devastated by her best friend's suicide, Caitlin tries to rebuild her own life and relationships while finding the courage to read the journal that Ingrid left behind.
Liar by Justine Larbalestier
For years Micah has been a liar, and after her boyfriend's brutal murder, will anyone...will you... believe what she has to say?
The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had by Kristine Levine
1917 Alabama, 12-year-old Dit's life in rural Moundville becomes complicated and tragic by his friendship with Emma, the African American daughter of the new postman.
The Treasure Map of Boys: Noel, Jackson, Finn, Hutch--And Me, Ruby Oliver by E. Lockhart
Ruby Oliver's neurotic mind continues to struggle with having boys as friends while being backstabbed by her female classmates at Seattle's Tate Prep School.
Flash Burnout by L.K. Madigan
Blake Hewson discovers there's a big difference between lust and love, a tough lesson of a fifteen-year-old involved with a girlfriend and another girl as a friend.
The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon
In 1968 Chicago, Sam struggles to decide whether to support his father's nonviolent approach to civil rights or his brother, who has joined the Black Panther Party.
Purple Heart by Patricia McCormick
Private Matt Duffy receives the Purple Heart, but he cannot remember the incident that left him with a traumatic brain injury and an image of an Iraqi boy's death.
The Devil's Paintbox by Victoria McKernan
Orphaned siblings Aiden and Maddy have survived Kansas, barely, setting out on the Oregon Trail just to have regular meals. But the trip is more than they expected...
Fire: Tales of Elemental Spirits by Robin McKinley and Peter Dickinson
Fire in different and subtle interpretations: a phoenix hatched from an egg forgotten in an old museum, a dragon that can't go into Firespace, a hellhound/dog that finds a family.
Gringolandia by Lyn Miller-Lachmann
After surviving years of torture as a political prisoner in Chile in the 1980s, Daniel's father rejoins his family in the United States, but his fight for justice isn't over.
Alligator Bayou by Donna Jo Napoli
Fourteen-year-old Calogero emigrates to Louisiana in 1899, where his tiny Sicilian community faces discrimination and worse in a small town where they're considered neither black nor white.
Why I Fight by J. Adams Oaks
For five years, Wyatt travels the country with his drifter Uncle Spade, first as a companion, then as a money-making bare-fisted fighter, until realizing Spade doesn't exactly have Wyatt's best interests at heart.
The Miles Between by Mary E. Pearson
October 19th never turns out well, but this year is different as Destiny takes off on a road trip with three classmates in a convertible left by a mysterious stranger.
We Were Here by Matt de la Pena
Miguel, sentenced to a group home for a horrible crime, must overcome his self-hatred while on the run with two other criminals.
Punkzilla by Adam Rapp
Jamie has run away from his family, military school, and his troubled past. He sets out via bus to visit his dying brother, writing letters along the way.
Surface Tension: A Novel in Four Summers by Brent Runyon
Every summer Luke spends two weeks vacationing at a lake, and every year things are just slightly different.
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
Mary's village is protected by a fence keeping out the Unconsecrated-who are undead craving human flesh-until a massive breach launches the teenage girl into a fight for survival.
Love You, Hate You, Miss You by Elizabeth Scott
Seventy-five days after the car crash that killed her best friend Julia, Amy leaves rehab and begins writing a series of letters to her in a journal.
In the Path of Falling Objects by Andrew Smith
When their mother abandons them, brothers Jonah and Simon hit the road and make one fatal mistake: they accept a ride from a pretty girl and a dangerous man.
Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith
During WWII, Ida Mae Jones must go against her family and heritage to join the Army's WASP program and fulfill her dream of being a pilot.
How to Say Goodbye in Robot by Natalie Standiford
Fringe dwellers Jonas (Ghost Boy) and Beatrice (Robot Girl) use their adopted alter egos to help navigate the difficulties of fractured families and impending adulthood during their senior year.
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
The year they are twelve, Sal begins to ignore Miranda and breaks her heart. But Miranda's attention is diverted when she begins to receive urgent, anonymous notes in unexpected places.
Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception by Maggie Stiefvater
Shy and ordinary Deirdre finds herself caught up in an ancient struggle in the faerie world when she meets Luke, a sexy musician with a very dark past.
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Grace has spent years watching the wolves in the woods behind her house. She has been particularly drawn to one – a yellow-eyed wolf who, in turn has been watching her intensely.
Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork
Marcelo—a teen who exhibits Asperger-like behaviors—is forced to leave his job caring for horses to work in his father's law firm and experience “the real world.”
Heroes of the Valley by Jonathan Stroud
Halli lives in the shadow of his brother and the ancient heroes of his homeland, but when his family is threatened, he is unafraid to face enemies - whether human or not.
Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan
Giant floating poetry balls, living stick figures, strange creatures from the sea and an all-knowing water buffalo are some of the wonders found in this lushly illustrated collection of stories.
Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor
Three novellas explore the power of a kiss, and its possible hazards or thrills, especially if the kiss pulls humans and demons together in a lusty embrace.
Creature of the Night by Kate Thompson
Juvenile delinquent Bobby resists his mother's plan to move to the countryside, but his anger becomes fear as he learns about local history and the creatures who rule the fields.
Broken Soup by Jenny Valentine
Since Rowan's brother died, her mother's been depressed, and she's been caring for her sister alone. When a stranger insists that a photo negative belongs to her, Rowan's life changes.
Same Difference by Siobhan Vivian
Emily commutes between a suburb where everyone tries to fit in and Philadelphia where everyone wants to be unique. Between these two "worlds" Emily tries to navigate between two sets of friends and struggle to find out who she really is.
Breathless by Jessica Warman
When her schizophrenic brother's behavior grows violent, Katie parents send her off to boarding school, where she quickly becomes part of the in crowd while harboring a dark secret.
Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
Steampunk novel that is a strange mixture of Victorian times with mechanical inventions. Bio-society countries are at war with mechanical countries in this extremely fresh novel.
The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams
When the Prophet commands thirteen-year-old Kyra to marry her aging uncle, her family is shaken. Desperate to escape, Kyra knows that running away puts them all at risk.
Jumped by Rita Williams-Garcia
When Trina unknowingly insults Dominique in the hallway, she's in danger of being jumped after school. Leticia could warn her, but she's reluctant to get involved.
Funny How Things Change by Melissa Wyatt
In this coming-of-age novel, Remy must choose between the girl of his dreams and the mountain his family has called home for generations.
The Uninvited by Tim Wynne-Jones
When Mimi decides she has to get out of town, she retreats to her father's cabin in the Canadian wilderness. Unease, mystery, and spookiness decide to follow.
The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey
Will Henry, orphan and assistant to a monstrumologist, races against time to save his town (and himself) from the anthropophagi, a pod of monstrous creatures who prey on humans.
The Eternal Smile by Gene Luen Yang
Three tales in one graphic novel show the paper-thin margin that separates fantasy from reality for a warrior, a frog and a girl.
Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr
Samara's faith is tested as struggles to uphold their perfect family image her father. a pastor, must portray while her mother drinks herself into rehab and a friend goes missing.
An Off Year by Claire Zulkey
Cecily decides to take a gap year before college and embarks on a journey of self-discovery with wry humor and professional help.
Non-Fiction
What It Is by Lynda Barry
Questions, images, story, comic illustrations and workbook pages guide and push readers to break down barriers, experiment and grow through writing or drawing.
The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba 's Struggle for Freedom by Margarita Engle
Caves and hidden huts serve as secret hospitals for Rosa as she risks her life nursing the sick and wounded during three wars for Cuba's independence from 1850-1899.
The Trouble Begins at 8: A Life of Mark Twain in the Wild, Wild West by Sid Fleischman
Meet the young Samuel Clemens and the coast-to-coast experiences that molded America 's most famed humorist and social commentator.
What the World Eats by Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio
This book examines the meals of 25 different families from all around the world using lush photographs and health statistics.
Ain't Nothing But a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry by Scott Reynolds Nelson
Historian Scott Reynolds Nelson chronicles his journeys, both on land and in historical records, to find the truth about the man behind the myth of "John Henry."
Thoreau at Walden by John Porcellino
Simply but beautifully illustrated, this adaptation of "Walden" introduces new readers to Thoreau's work while providing a fresh perspective for those already familiar with the text.
Fiction
Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
Slaves Isabel and younger sister Ruthie are sold to harsh Loyalists at the beginning of the Revolutionary War. Isabel must decide to be loyal or spy for the American patriots.
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation: Vol. II: The Kingdom on the Waves by M.T. Anderson
Having escaped from his captors, Octavian joins the Royal Ethiopian Regiment of the British Army in 1775 Boston when they promise freedom to any slave who fights the rebel forces.
Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway
Audrey's ex-boyfriend records a hit song about their breakup, and suddenly all eyes (and cameras) are on Audrey. Fans, Facebook, and tabloids - it's all too much for Audrey.
What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell
When Evie's father returns from the war, she expects life to return to normal but a mysterious trip to Florida, secrets, deceptions, and a first forbidden love complicates things.
Kendra by Coe Booth
Kendra is thrilled her mom, Renee, has completed her Ph.D. program—now they can finally be a real family. But is Renee excited for their future together, too?
Shift by Jennifer Bradbury
Chris and Win take a bicycle trip across America after graduation, but only one returns and that person is pressured to reveal what happened.
A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth Bunce
When young Charlotte Miller takes over the family's woolen mill after her father's death, she is faced with unexpected debts, catastrophes, and a hidden curse that threatens her family's future.
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Katsa was born with ability to kill men with her bare hands but can she find moral courage to stand up to evil rulers and fight for what is right?
Airman by Eoin Colfer
Conor Broekhart spends his days dreaming of flying hot air balloons and inventing flying machines until murder and court intrigue sends him to prison and labor in the diamond mines.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Katniss has been providing for her family since her father died, but is she strong enough to win the Hunger Games, a deadly competition that can have only one winner?
Waiting for Normal by Leslie Conner
Left to live in an old trailer under the overhead train track with Mommers, Addie is the child that has to learn to take care of herself. She almost succeeds.
Mexican WhiteBoy by Matt de la Pena
Half white, half Mexican and 100% confused, Danny struggles with baseball, his absent father and first love while spending the summer with his familia in San Diego .
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
There's been another major terrorist attack and the Department of Homeland Security has clamped down big time. It's up to Marcus, computer geek, to save everyone from this police state.
Bog Child by Siobhan Dowd
When Fergus and his uncle find the body of a girl buried in the peat bog near their home, all sorts of troubles comes to light.
The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd
When their cousin Salim disappears into thin air during a ride on the London Eye ferris wheel, Ted and his sister Kat try to solve.
The Entertainer and the Dybbuk by Sid Fleischman
The Great Freddie, a second-rate ventriloquist, is inhabited by the spirit of a 12-year-old Jewish boy killed in the Holocaust.
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
This often chilling story describes the life of a boy growing up in a graveyard as he is looked after by ghosts and a mysterious guardian.
The Red Necklace: A Story of the French Revolution by Sally Gardner
During the French Revolution, Yann a 14-year-old magician's assistant, witnesses the death of his employer and the evil that ensues.
Looks by Madeleine George
Meghan, the invisible fat girl, and Aimee, overlooked and anorexic, form an uneasy alliance to get revenge on a mutual enemy.
Paper Towns by John Green
Quentin idolizes next door neighbor, Margo Roth Spiegelman. When she includes him in a wild night of revenge and then disappears, Q must follow the clues to find her.
The Last Exit to Normal by Michael Harmon
To get him on the right track, Ben Campbell's dad and stepdad accompany him to Montana, where he encounters small town life, homophobia, an abused boy, and a special girl.
Another Kind of Cowboy by Susan Juby
When horse-crazy Alex finally gets a chance to switch from western pleasure to dressage, he feels more in tune with both his riding and his overall identity.
Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan
Liga has suffered unspeakable assaults and creates a magic, safe haven for herself and her two daughters, but the real world intrudes and they cope with beauty mixed with brutality.
Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link
From straight fantasy to magic realism to horror, this collection includes tales of magic libraries, wizards, and dead girls getting tattoos.
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
Taylor Markham was abandoned by her mother when she was eleven and is finally ready to discover the reason why.
The Missing Girl by Norma Fox Mazer
The five Herbert sisters find their innocent lives exploding in emotional turmoil when one of the sisters is abducted and held captive by a truly creepy child predator.
When I Crossed No-Bob by Margaret McMullan
Twelve-year-old Addy McDonnell struggles to come to terms with her family's unpleasant legacy and the events happening around her in post-Civil War Mississippi.
The Host by Stephenie Meyer
Set in a believable futuristic time when Earth and other worlds have been taken over by the "souls”, this is a story of love, betrayal and compassion.
Baby by Joseph Monniger
Fifteen-year-old Baby leaves the middle-aged Potters, her last chance at foster care, to be with her old boyfriend while she figures out her own needs and wants.
The Wild Girls by Pat Murphy
Twelve year old Joan hates her new life in California until she meets the Queen of the Foxes and becomes one of the Wild Girls.
Hush: An Irish Princess' Tale by Donna Jo Napoli
Melkorka, a 10th century Irish princess, must adapt to a harsh new life after she is stolen from her home by Russian slavers.
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
Jenna Fox wakes from a year-long coma. As her memory begins to return, she has more questions than answers about who she was, and who she is now.
Nation by Terry Pratchett
Mau is caught in the tidal wave that destroyed his island and Daphne is the only survivor from her ship. Together on the devastated island they form a new Nation.
Here Lies Arthur by Philip Reeve
A fresh look at the Arthur legend told through the eyes of a young girl who pretends to be a boy to survive.
How to Build a House by Dana Reinhardt
Devastated by her parent's divorce Harper Evans spends the summer with 11 other students building a house for a family in Tennessee and finds herself healing while making new friends.
Trouble by Gary D. Schmidt
Henry's father said Trouble would not find this family. But it did one horrific night, setting off tensions in Blythbury-by-the-Sea. Maybe it had it been there always, just waiting.
Black Box by Julie Schumacher
Fourteen-year-old Elena struggles to hold steady ground and help her sister Dora, who has been admitted to a psychiatric ward after swallowing an entire bottle of antidepressants.
Antsy Does Time by Neal Shusterman
One simple act – offering dying classmate Gunnar Umlaut a month of his life – takes hold with the entire student body and turns Anthony “Antsy” Bonano's life upside down.
Ghost Medicine by Andrew Smith
The summer that cowboy Troy Stotts turns 17, he and his two best friends band together to fight the trouble that surrounds them by creating a medicine all their own.
Skim by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki
Friendship, love, identity, and a general feeling of isolation in an all-girls private school contribute to Kim Cameron (Skim)'s growing depression.
The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp
Sutter Keely glides through his senior year's final days soaked with heavy amounts of booze but his joy ride is detracted by love issues and an unclear future.
Climbing the Stairs by Padma Venkatraman
When Vidya's father is seriously injured, her family moves from their progressive home to the household of her conservative relatives, where she must adjust to a new set of expectations.
The Brothers Torres by Coert Voorhees
Frankie Torres (or Towers depending which side his heritage is viewed) narrates his coming-of-age story of falling for a girl as his idolized brother runs with a group of cholos.
Into the Volcano by Don Wood
Duffy and Sumo set off on an adventure into the belly of an ancient volcano without knowing exactly what they're looking for. Their discoveries shock and then nearly kill them.
After Tupac and D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson
The friendship of three girls from very different families fills the emptiness of uncertainty as they struggle with Tupac Shakur's troubles as well as their own.
Sweethearts by Sara Zarr
High school senior Jenna has successfully remade her life, but has to confront long-suppressed memories of a traumatic childhood when her only friend from childhood, Cameron, suddenly reappears.
Non-Fiction
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah
In A Long Way Gone , Beah, now twenty-five years old, tells a riveting story: how at the age of twelve, he fled attacking rebels and wandered a land rendered unrecognizable by violence. By thirteen, he'd been picked up by the government army, and Beah, at heart a gentle boy, found that he was capable of truly terrible acts.
Tough Boy Sonatas by Curtis L. Crisler
A collection of poems depicts the lives of poverty, crime, despair, and lost innocence of African American teenagers growing up in Gary , Indiana .
Jane Addams: Champion of Democracy by Judith Bloom Fradin & Dennis Brindell Fradin
Drawn from historical documents and archival photographs, a biography of the Nobel Prize-winning social worker and civil rights activist documents her life, achievements, and contributions, revealing why she is considered an American icon.
Town Boy by Lat
Malaysian teenager Lat makes a life-changing move from the quiet kampung where he was born to Ipoh, the rapidly industrializing nearby town. Living far from his rural roots at a boarding school, he discovers bustling streets, modern music, heady literature, budding romance, and through it all his growing passion for art.
The Great Adventure: Theodore Roosevelt and the Rise of Modern America by Albert Marrin
Theodore Roosevelt is one of America 's liveliest and most influential figures. He was a scholar, cowboy, war hero, explorer, and a brilliant politician. As president, Roosevelt 's far-reaching policies abroad and at home forever changed both our nation's place in the world and the life of every modern American.
e.e. cummings: A Poet's Life by Catherine Reef
Reef provides a well-rounded portrait of Cummings while examining the culture in which he lived as he developed his craft. This comprehensive biography includes Cummings's original sketches and paintings, quotes from friends and family, photographs, and the poetry of Cummings and his peers.
The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sis
Through annotated illustrations, journals, maps, and dreamscapes, Peter Sís shows what life was like for a child who loved to draw, proudly wore the red scarf of a Young Pioneer, stood guard at the giant statue of Stalin, and believed whatever he was told to believe. But adolescence brought questions.
Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant by Daniel Tammet
Fascinating and inspiring, Born on a Blue Day explores what it's like to be special and gives us an insight into what makes us all human -- our minds.
Fiction
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Budding cartoonist Junior leaves his troubled school on the Spokane Indian Reservation to attend an all-white farm town school where the only other Indian is the school mascot.
Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande
Following her conscience leads high school freshman Mena to clash with her parents and former friends from their conservative Christian church, but might result in better things when she stands up for a teacher who refuses to include "Intelligent Design" in lessons on evolution.
Mistik Lake by Martha Brooks
After Odella's mother leaves her, her sisters, and their father in Manitoba and moves to Iceland with another man, she then dies there, and the family finally learns some of the many secrets that have haunted them for two generations.
Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You by Peter Cameron
Eighteen-year-old James, who lives in New York City with his older sister and divorced mother, struggles to find a direction for his life.
Dragon's Keep by Janet Lee Carey
In 1145 A.D., as foretold by Merlin, fourteen-year-old Rosalind, who will be the twenty-first Pendragon Queen of Wilde Island, has much to accomplish to fulfill her destiny, while hiding from her people the dragon's claw she was born with that reflects only one of her mother's dark secrets.
Looking for JJ by Anne Cassidy
Seventeen-year-old Alice , released from prison with a new identity after serving six years for murdering a child, tries to keep her anonymity from the British tabloids, while haunted by memories of her past trauma.
Beige by Cecil Castellucci
Katy, a quiet French Canadian teenager, reluctantly leaves Montréal to spend time with her estranged father, an aging Los Angeles punk rock legend.
Revolution is Not a Dinner Party by Ying Chang
Starting in 1972 when she is nine years old, Ling, the daughter of two doctors, struggles to make sense of the communists' Cultural Revolution, which empties stores of food, homes of appliances deemed "bourgeois," and people of laughter.
One Whole and Perfect Day by Judith Clarke
As her irritating family prepares to celebrate her grandfather's eightieth birthday, sixteen-year-old Lily yearns for just one whole perfect day together.
I Am Rembrandt's Daughter by Lynn Cullen
In Amsterdam in the mid-1600s, Cornelia's life as the illegitimate child of renowned painter Rembrandt is marked by plague, poverty, and despair at ever earning her father's love, until she sees hope for a better future in the eyes of a wealthy suitor.
A Swift Pure Cry by Siobhan Dowd
Coolbar , Ireland , is a village of secrets and Shell, caretaker to her younger brother and sister after the death of their mother and with the absence of their father, is not about to reveal hers until suspicion falls on the wrong person.
This is What I Did by Anne Dee Ellis
Bullied because of an incident in his past, eighth-grader Logan is unhappy at his new school and has difficulty relating to others until he meets a quirky girl and a counselor who believe in him.
Touching Snow by M. Sindy Felin
After her stepfather is arrested for child abuse, thirteen-year-old Karina's home life improves but while the severity of her older sister's injuries and the urging of her younger sister, their uncle, and a friend tempt her to testify against him, her mother and other well-meaning adults pursuade her to claim responsibility.
Notes for a War Story by Gipi
Three young drifters in a war-torn nation meet Felix, an older thug who soon takes over the group and forms them into an organized gang that performs acts that they never would have in a civilized world.
Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
Fifteen-year-old Dashti, sworn to obey her sixteen-year-old mistress, the Lady Saren, shares Saren's years of punishment locked in a tower, then brings her safely to the lands of her true love, where both must hide who they are as they work as kitchen maids.
Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath by Stephanie Hemphill
The author interprets the people, events, influences and art that made up the brief life of Sylvia Plath.
Slam by Nick Hornby
At the age of fifteen, Sam Jones's girlfriend gets pregnant and Sam's life of skateboarding and daydreaming about Tony Hawk changes drastically.
Repossessed by A.M. Jenkins
A fallen angel, tired of being unappreciated while doing his pointless, demeaning job, leaves Hell, enters the body of a seventeen-year-old boy, and tries to experience the full range of human feelings before being caught and punished, while the boy's family and friends puzzle over his changed behavior.
How it Happened in Peach Hill by Marthe Jocelyn
When fifteen-year-old Annie Grey and her "clairvoyant" mother arrive in Peach Hill, New York, in 1924, each finds a reason for wanting to finally settle down, but to reach their goals they will have to do some serious lying and Annie will have to stand up for herself.
Firestorm by David Klass
After learning that he has been sent from the future for a special purpose, eighteen-year-old Jack receives help from an unusual dog and a shape-shifting female fighter.
Dreamquake: Book Two of the Dreamhunter Duet by Elizabeth Knox
Aided by her family and her creation, Nown, Laura investigates the powerful Regulatory Body's involvement in mysterious disappearances and activities and learns, in the process, the true nature of the Place in which dreams are found.
Strays by Ron Koertge
After his parents are killed in a car accident, high school senior Ted wonders whether he will ever feel again or if he will remain numbed by grief.
Red Spikes by Margo Lanagan
The meaning of life and the definition of what it means to be human is captured in a collection of intense short stories set in distant worlds.
Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy
When twelve-year-old Stephanie inherits her weird uncle's estate, she must join forces with Skulduggery Pleasant, a skeleton mage, to save the world from the Faceless Ones.
Dramarama by E. Lockhart
Spending their summer at Wildewood Academy , an elite boarding school for the performing arts, tests the bond between teens Sadye and her best friend Demi.
The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl by Barry Lyga
A fifteen-year-old "geek" who keeps a list of the high school jocks and others who torment him, and pours his energy into creating a great graphic novel, encounters Kyra, Goth Girl, who helps change his outlook on almost everything, including himself.
Boy Toy by Barry Lyga
After five years of fighting his way past flickers of memory about the teacher who molested him and the incident that brought the crime to light, eighteen-year-old Josh gets help in coping with his molestor's release from prison when he finally tells his best friends the whole truth .
The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean
Taken to Antarctica by the man she thinks of as her uncle for what she believes to be a vacation, Symone--a troubled fourteen year old--discovers that he is dangerously obsessed with seeking Symme's Hole, an opening that supposedly leads into the center of a hollow Earth.
Un Lun Dun by China Mieville
Stumbling into an alternate funhouse version of her home city, twelve-year-old Londoner Deeba finds herself trapped in a world of killer giraffes, animated umbrellas, and ghost children, and must take on the role of savior to prevent utter destruction.
What They Found: Love on 145th Street by Walter Dean Myers
Fifteen interrelated stories explore different aspects of love, such as a dying father's determination to help start a family business--a beauty salon--and the relationship of two teens who plan to remain celibate until they marry.
The Restless Dead: Ten Original Stories of the Supernatural edited by Deborah Noyes
Vampire romantics, grave stalkers, prankster devil worshippers, and others in the world of the undead are featured in a collection of ten spooky tales for young adults written by diverse authors, including Holly Black and Marcus Sedgwick.
Coal Black Horse by Robert Olmstead
When Robey Childs's mother has a premonition about her husband, a soldier fighting in the Civil War, she does the unthinkable: she instructs her only child to find his father on the battlefield and bring him home.
Tamar: A Novel of Espionage, Passion, and Betrayal by Mal Peet
In England in 1995, fifteen-year-old Tamar, grief-stricken by the puzzling death of her beloved grandfather, slowly begins to uncover the secrets of his life in the Dutch resistance during the last year of the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands , and the climactic events that forever cast a shadow on his life and that of his family.
Red Glass by Laura Resau
Sixteen-year-old Sophie has been frail and delicate since her premature birth, but discovers her true strength during a journey through Mexico , where the six-year-old orphan her family hopes to adopt was born, and to Guatemala , where her would-be boyfriend hopes to find his mother and plans to remain.
What the Moon Saw by Laura Resau
Fourteen-year-old Clara Luna spends the summer with her grandparents in the tiny, remote village of Yucuyoo , Mexico , learning about her grandmother's life as a healer, her father's decision to leave home for the United States, and her own place in the world.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
The seventh and final book in the series about a school that teaches magic to those who go there.
The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
During the 1967 school year, on Wednesday afternoons when all his classmates go to either Catechism or Hebrew school, seventh-grader Holling Hoodhood stays in Mrs. Baker's classroom where they read the plays of William Shakespeare and Holling learns much of value about the world he lives in.
My Mother the Cheerleader by Robert Sharenow
Thirteen-year-old Louise uncovers secrets about her family and her neighborhood during the violent protests over school desegregation in 1960 New Orleans .
Peak by Roland Smith
A fourteen-year-old boy attempts to be the youngest person to reach the top of Mount Everest .
Notes from the Midnight Driver by Jordan Sonnenblick
After being assigned to perform community service at a nursing home, sixteen-year-old Alex befriends a cantankerous old man who has some lessons to impart about jazz guitar playing, love, and forgiveness.
Freak Show by James St. James
Having faced teasing that turned into a brutal attack, Christianity expressed as persecution, and the loss of his only real friend when he could no longer keep his crush under wraps, seventeen-year-old Billy Bloom, a drag queen, decides the only way to become fabulous again is to run for Homecoming Queen at his elite, private school near Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The Arrival by Shaun Tan
In this wordless graphic novel, a man leaves his homeland and sets off for a new country, where he must build a new life for himself and his family.
The New Policeman by Kate Thompson
Irish teenager JJ Liddy discovers that time is leaking from his world into Tír na n'Óg, the land of the fairies, and when he attempts to stop the leak he finds out a lot about his family history, the music that he loves, and a crime his great-grandfather may or may not have committed.
Converting Kate by Beckie Weinheimer
After moving from Arizona to Maine, sixteen-year-old Kate tries to recover from her father's death as she resists her mother's dogmatic religious beliefs and attempts to find a new direction to her life.
Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr
In the three years since her father caught her in the back seat of a car with an older boy, sixteen-year-old Deanna's life at home and school has been a nightmare, but while dreaming of escaping with her brother and his family, she discovers the power of forgiveness.
Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin
After a nasty fall, Naomi realizes that she has no memory of the last four years and finds herself reassessing every aspect of her life.
| Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers |
The Young Adult Library Services Association, a division of the American Library Association, annually selects books that teens will pick up on their own and read for pleasure. The list is geared to the teenager who, for whatever reason, does not like to read. The following titles are selections from that list, which the library owns.
Fiction
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Dying to be thin.
We Were Here by Matt de la Pena
Miguel did something awful.
Drama High # 6: Courtin' Jayd by L. Divine
Boys, babies and hair.
Drama High #7: Hustlin' by L. Divine
Jayd's ups and downs.
Dirty Jersey by Phillip Thomas Duck
Fame is fickle and can have a price.
After by Amy Efaw
Baby in the dumpster – why?
Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
Gang member and cheerleader: it's not exactly love at first sight.
If I Stay by Gail Forman
This life or the afterlife?
Brutal by Michael Harmon
Taking down the status quo.
Muchacho by LouAnne Johnson
In Alt Ed and angry, can he keep his promise to mom?
Gifted: Out of Sight, Out of Mind by Marilyn Kaye
Queen of Mean trapped in the life of unpopular Tracey.
Gifted: Better Late Than Never by Marilyn Kaye
Jenna's dad finally shows up. Too good to be true?
Gifted: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow by Marilyn Kaye
Kidnapped to commit crimes, can super powers save them?
Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles
One pregnancy seen through the eyes of four friends.
Breathless by Lurlene McDaniel
Four friends face the toughest decision ever — life or death.
Jaded by Monica McKayhan
Can Jade handle her boyfriend's secrets?
Dope Sick by Walter Dean Myers
Life on the streets with a supernatural twist.
Shrink to Fit by Dona Sarkar
Leah's "Thinspirations" will make all her dreams come true. Won't they?
Dead Girl Walking by Linda Joy Singleton
Racing against time to save her brain-dead body from being unplugged.
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Girl + Werewolf = True Love.
The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams
Can thirteen-year-old Kyra save herself from becoming her sixty-year-old uncle's seventh wife?
Non-Fiction
How to Be a Vampire: A Fangs-on Guide for the Newly Undead by Amy Gray
Thinking outside the coffin.
Twilight Director's Notebook: The Story of How We Made the Movie by Catherine Hardwicke
Behind the scenes.
Are You Afraid Yet? The Science Behind Scary Stuff by Stephen James O'Meara
Uncover the scientific truth about the strange and unusual.
The Vampire Book by Sally Regan
All you ever wanted to know in full dead and living color.
High Voltage Tattoo by Kat Von D.
Famed L.A. tattoo artist talks ink and rock-n-roll.
Fiction
Kendra by Coe Booth
Looking for love in all the wrong places.
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
A survivor game, gone deadly.
Identical by Ellen Hopkins
Taboo, which twin has it worse?
Hotlanta by Denene Milner and Mitzi Miller
Atlanta just got hotter.
Black Box by Julie Schumacher
Depression, close to home.
Kaput and Zosky by Lewis Trondheim
Two rotten aliens coming to a planet near you.
Non-Fiction
Do Not Open: An Encyclopedia of the World's Best-Kept Secrets by John Fardon
South Park meets World Book.
Falling Hard: 100 Love Poems by Teenagers by Betsy Franco (Ed.)
Love in their words.
Body Drama by Nancy Amanda Redd
Real girls, real bodies, real issues, real answers.
Eat This, Not That! by David Zinczeko
Look at a pie chart in a whole new way.
Fiction
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
When high school student Clay Jenkins receives a box in the mail containing thirteen cassette tapes recorded by his classmate Hannah, who committed suicide, he spends a bewildering and heartbreaking night crisscrossing their town, listening to Hannah's voice recounting the events leading up to her death.
Beige by Cecil Castellucci
Katy, a quiet French Canadian teenager, reluctantly leaves Montréal to spend time with her estranged father, an aging Los Angeles punk rock legend.
Diamonds in the Shadow by Caroline B. Cooney
The Finches, a Connecticut family, sponsor an African refugee family of four, all of whom have been scarred by the horrors of civil war, and who inadvertently put their benefactors in harm's way.
Deadline by Chris Crutcher
Given the medical diagnosis of one year to live, high school senior Ben Wolf decides to fulfill his greatest fantasies, ponders his life's purpose and legacy, and converses through dreams with a spiritual guide known as "Hey-Soos."
Blokhedz: Book 1 of Genesis by Mark Davis, Mike Davis and Brandon Schultz
Seventeen-year-old Blak, an aspiring rapper whose rhymes shape reality, struggles to cope with the violence and temptations of the street, the machinations of underworld boss Bloko, his nemesis Vulture, and fierce gang rivalries.
Quaking by Kathryn Erskine
In a Pennsylvania town where anti-war sentiments are treated with contempt and violence, Matt, a fourteen-year-old girl living with a Quaker family, deals with the demons of her past as she battles bullies of the present, eventually learning to trust in others as well as herself.
Beastly by Alex Flinn
A modern retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" from the point of view of the Beast, a vain Manhattan private school student who is turned into a monster and must find true love before he can return to his human form.
Blood Brothers by S. A. Harazin
With his best friend on life-support after taking drugs at a party, seventeen-year-old Clay, a medical technician, recalls their long friendship, future plans, and recent disagreement, and tries to figure out who is responsible for the accidental overdose.
Choices by Deborah Lynn Jacobs
Overcome with guilt over her brother's death, a teenaged girl shifts between multiple universes in an attempt to find one in which he is alive.
Strays by Ron Koertge
After his parents are killed in a car accident, high school senior Ted wonders whether he will ever feel again or if he will remain numbed by grief.
What They Found: Love on 145th Street by Walter Dean Myers
Fifteen interrelated stories explore different aspects of love, such as a dying father's determination to help start a family business--a beauty salon--and the relationship of two teens who plan to remain celibate until they marry.
Captives by Tom Pow
When two families are kidnapped while vacationing in the Caribbean , they come to understand something of the island's political backdrop and the events that fuel their captors' actions.
Safe by Susan Shaw
When thirteen-year-old Tracy, whose mother died when she was three years old, is raped and beaten on the last day of school, all her feelings of security disappear and she does not know how to cope with the fear and dread that engulf her.
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
In a future world where those between the ages of thirteen and eighteen can have their lives "unwound" and their body parts harvested for use by others, three teens go to extreme lengths to uphold their beliefs--and, perhaps, save their own lives.
Peak by Roland Smith
A fourteen-year-old boy attempts to be the youngest person to reach the top of Mount Everest.
Freak Show by James St. James
Having faced teasing that turned into a brutal attack, Christianity expressed as persecution, and the loss of his only real friend when he could no longer keep his crush under wraps, seventeen-year-old Billy Bloom, a drag queen, decides the only way to become fabulous again is to run for Homecoming Queen at his elite, private school near Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Rucker Park Setup by Paul Volponi
While playing in a crucial basketball game on the very court where his best friend was murdered, Mackey tries to come to terms with his own part in that murder and decide whether to maintain his silence or tell J.R.'s father and the police what really happened.
Sight by Adrienne Maria Vrettos
Sixteen-year-old Dylan uses her psychic abilities to help police solve crimes against children, but keeps her extracurricular activities secret from her friends at school.
Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr
In the three years since her father caught her in the back seat of a car with an older boy, sixteen-year-old Deanna's life at home and school has been a nightmare, but while dreaming of escaping with her brother and his family, she discovers the power of forgiveness.
Non-Fiction
Blue Lipstick: Concrete Poems by John Grandits
Presents a collection of poems in which fifteen-year-old Jessie voices such teenage concerns as making new friends, getting along with an annoying younger brother, finding the right makeup and hairstyle, playing volleyball, and attending school prep rallies.
Doing It Right: Making Smart, Safe and Satisfying Choices about Sex by Bronwen Pardes
Great factual information. What most kids are not going to ask about - but should know.
Grace After Midnight : A Memoir by Felicia Pearson and David Ritz
While Felicia is a brilliant actor in a truly chilling role in The Wire, what's most remarkable about "Snoop" is what she has overcome in her life. Snoop was born a three-pound cross-eyed crack baby in East Baltimore . Those streets are among the toughest in the world, but Snoop was tougher.
Inside Out: Portrait of an Eating Disorder by Nadia Shivack
The author tells the story of her eating disorder using cartoons to illustrate her internal feelings and battle with bulimia.
Reader's Corner for Adults
Reader's Corner for Children
Still looking for further reading suggestions?
Call the Reference Desk at 877-475-6321 or email us at reference@warrenlib.org.
Last Updated: 2/23/10
Last Reviewed: 12/19/09 |
