Good Books for Young Adults

On this page, I am going to list some books that are good for kids that are between the ages of 12-18.

1. The first book I am going to talk about is The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. Alexie, S. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time indian. Little, Brown and Company. Summary: This is a book about an Indian (Native American) named Arnold Spirit who goes by Junior. He struggles to navigate his teen years living on a reservation. When he begins to realize that he doesn’t feel happy at the school on the reservation, he decides to switch to the all-white school that is close by. Although this change causes strife between he and his best friend and brings on bad feelings from other Indians on the reservation, Junior gains a new confidence, and he is able to accomplish some big goals. Strengths: This would be a good book for a student who feels like he/she doesn’t fit in. Additionally, it allows a glimpse into what it is like to be a Native American.

2. Second, I am going to talk about Monster by Walter Dean Myers. This is a graphic novel. Myers, W. D. (2015). Monster. HarperCollins Publishers. Summary: This book is about a young man named Steve Harmon who was falsely accused of being involved in a robbery and homicide. He stood trial and was eventually found “not guilty,” but the entire experience truly affected his life. He decided to make a movie about his story. Although this books seems as though it is a biography, it is just a work of fiction. Strengths: This book might be good for reluctant readers as it is a graphic novel. It might also be good to talk through different themes such as “It is important to believe in yourself,” or “Things are not always what they seem.”

3. Next, I am going to talk about Looking for Alaska by John Green. This is a fiction novel. Green, J. (2005). Looking for alaska. Penguin Group. Summary: This is a story about a teen named Miles who is sent to a boarding school. When he arrives, he quickly becomes part of a group of friends including a girl named Alaska. The five friends spend all of their time together and Miles quickly develops feelings for Alaska. Although she has a boyfriend, she often flirts with Miles, making their relationship complicated. One night, when they are both heavily drunk, Alaska kisses him, thus setting off a chain of events that leaves the entire group reeling. Strengths: This book is deeply moving and is a great read for anyone who has gone through the loss of a loved one. Additionally, it would be useful to talk about the perspective of Miles, who narrates the story. He goes through many changes throughout the book.

4. Next, I am going to talk about Guts by Raina Telgemeier. This is a graphic novel and was on the 2020 list of Great Graphic Novels for Teens put out by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). Telgemeier, R. (2019). Guts. Scholastic . Summary: This is a nonfiction, autobiographical account of a girl named Raina who experiences lots of problems with her stomach, She gets nervous and anxious about eating different foods which might upset her stomach so she doesn’t eat a lot. Then, she gets very hungry and has to eat, but worries that she will get sick or throw up. It is a vicious cycle, and Raina ends up going to therapy to learn how to deal with her anxieties. Through talking with her doctor, she realizes that she can learn to control some of her feelings, and this allows her to make some positive changes in her life. Strengths: This is a good read for any student that has anxiety. The character of Raina proves that things can and do get better. Additionally, it is a graphic novel, which may make it a bit of an easier read.

5. The fifth book on my list is The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. This is a realistic fiction novel. Thomas, A. (2017). The hate u give. Walker Books. Summary: This story is about a girl named Starr Carter. Although she lives in a tough African American neighborhood, she goes to school at a fancy prep school. Basically, Starr lives two lives. One where she acts really proper at school so that none of the other students will suspect where she lives, and one where she spends time with her pals from the neighborhood and is free to act normal. When she runs into her childhood best friend, Khalil, at a party one night, she hangs out with him. Not having seen him in a while, she is unaware that he has become involved with selling drugs. When he offers her a ride home, and they get stopped by the police, something horrible happens, and Starr is left to pick up the pieces. Strengths: This is a good book for anyone to read amidst what is happening in today’s world. It covers many themes including racism, friendship, loyalty, and bravery, and is a powerful read.

6. Next, I am going to discuss Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth Behar. This is a narrative nonfiction book based on the author’s life when she was a girl. It won the Pura Belpre’ Award. Behar, R. (2017). Lucky broken girl. Puffin Books. Summary: This novel is about the author’s life when she was young. The story surrounds Ruthie, who has immigrated from Cuba and is trying to fit in at school. She is having a hard time because she is in what she calls “the dumb class.” This is because she can’t speak English. However, she makes a friend, and they both progress enough to be moved into a different class. Before her first day though, Ruthie and her family are involved in a terrible car accident. Ruthie’s leg is injured quite badly and she has to not only undergo surgery but must stay in bed for several months. It is during this period that Ruthie makes some new friends, suffers some losses, and gains a new talent. Through it all, Ruthie learns that she is capable of anything. Strengths: This book is great for any student who has had to overcome a physical challenge. It would be good to use in a lesson about conflict being that there is conflict between Ruthie and her mom, between Ruthie and her friends, and between Ruthie and herself.

7. Next up is Annie On My Mind by Nancy Garden. This is a fiction novel. Garden, N. (2007). Annie on my mind. Farrar Straus Giroux. Summary: This is a novel about a girl named Liza who meets a girl named Annie one day while visiting an art museum. They become fast friends, and soon Liza realizes that she is thinking about Annie when she is not with her and is always excited to see her. As the two spend more and more time together, it becomes obvious that they have romantic feelings for each other. After their first kiss, the two girls admit that they might be gay but choose to keep it a secret. Then, while housesitting for two of Liza’s school teachers one weekend, everything comes to a head. The girls are in trouble and soon things start to spiral out of control not only for them but for others that care about them. Strengths: This book is a good read for students from the LGBTQ community and is great to have in a middle school or high school library. It is also good to use to touch on different themes such as “It is okay to be different,” or “Love comes in many different packages.”

8. The next book in this list is #Murdertrending by Gretchen McNeil. This is a fiction book but sort of falls under a modern type of fantasy. It is also a book that is on YALSA’s Quick Pick List for Young Adults. McNeil, G. (2018). #Murdertrending. Freeform Books. Summary: This story is about a 17 year-old girl named Dee who is falsely convicted of murdering her stepsister. After she is found guilty, she is sent to Alcatraz 2.0, which is the same island and prison that everyone remembers. The big difference is that once prisoners are sent here in today’s society, they are executed over a live feed that streams to all the people in the world. A man named The Postman is in charge of the “show,” and Dee has to determine how to stay alive on the island. When she surprisingly kills the first “Painiac” that is supposed to execute her, she realizes that she may have just put a target on her back. This story is interesting, scary, unbelievable, and hooks the reader right from the start. Strengths: This book has such a strange plot that it will probably be of interest to many older students, especially those who are into social media and gaming. It would also be great to use to talk about different themes or the changes that Dee undergoes.

9. The next book I am going to talk about is Period 8 by Chris Crutcher. This is a realistic fiction with some very strong subject matter. Crutcher, C. (2013). Period 8. Greenwillow Books. Summary: Paul Baum(aka Paulie the Bomb) is a high school senior at Heller H.S. and is also a distance swimmer. His mentor and fellow swimming practice mate, Bruce Logston (aka Logs) leads a lunchtime Period 8 class with no grades or credit given, where students can hang out, talk, discuss, or just listen to what’s being said. The rules are keep it real, and nobody gets hurts, at least physically. Paulie has just confessed to cheating on his girlfriend, Hannah, and this becomes a topic for Period 8. Paulie’s dad and mom are currently separated due to his dad’s reoccurring infidelity. Paulie had told Hannah the truth because he doesn’t want to end up like his dad. About the same time as Paulie’s confession, Logs expresses concern in Period 8 about the unexplained absence of Mary Wells, an excellent student , whom some students refer to as “Virgin Mary”. It also turns out that Mary is the girl that Paulie cheated with. Hannah finds Mary a few nights later as she is driving home, and is shocked to see that she is disoriented and pretty much out of it. Hannah takes her to her house and puts her to bed. After all this, one of Paulie’s friends named Arney starts to hang out with Hannah. She, along with several other people have noticed that Arney is lying and doing some pretty sick things. A few days after Mary returns to school, she shows up in Period 8. She answers questions and apologizes for worrying them. However, she disappears again a few days later. Everything starts to come to a head and it is obvious that Arney is involved somehow with her disappearance. This book will keep the reader in suspense until the very end, when the author delivers a shocking turn of events. Strengths: This book would be good to use to discuss the various characters and their development throughout the story.

10. Next, I am going to talk about In the Middle of the Night by Robert Cormier. He is an author that likes to write mysteries for young adults. Cormier, R. (1995). In the middle of the night. Laurel-Leaf Books. Summary: This fiction novel is about a boy named Denny whose dad was involved with a terrible accident before he was born. When his dad, John, was young, he worked at a theater and accidentally started a fire that killed 22 children. It happened on Halloween, and now, every year on the same date, Denny’s dad gets a mysterious phone call where the speaker recalls the horrible tragedy. Not wanting him to know about what happened years ago, Denny’s parents tell him never to answer the phone, but one day he does. Things then start to get really weird as he begins to develop a friendship with the unknown caller. Strengths: This is a good book for students who like mysteries and things that are little bit creepy. Additionally, it might be good to use in a lesson talking about plot and characterization.

11. Next up for discussion is Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. This is an autobiographical graphic novel. Satrapi, M. (2003). Persepolis. Pantheon. Summary: This book is based upon the author’s life when she was growing up in Iran. The novel takes the reader through what was happening in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s when there was an Islamic Revolution going on in Iran. The main character experiences many things during this period including changes in what she can wear, seeing adults that she knows go to prison, participating in protests, and much more. Strengths: This book is interesting because it is written as a graphic novel and will appeal to students who like comics. Additionally, the author takes a serious, somewhat hard to understand subject, and expresses it with pictures and humor.

12. Next up is Stick by Andrew Smith. This is a realistic fiction novel. Smith, A. (2015). Stick. Square Fish. Summary: This story is about 14 year-old Stick, Stark McClellan, who was born with one ear. He is called Stick because he’s tall and thin. He has been bullied for his whole life in his Oregon hometown. His older brother, Bosten, always is there to stand up for him. Their abusive parents don’t do much other than smoke and drink, enforce rigid rules, and beat their sons when infractions occur. Bosten is discovered in a gay relationship with his best friend, Paul. When Paul’s mother reports this to Bosten’s dad, Bosten is verbally abused and physically beaten. The next morning Stick finds that Bosten has run away. A few days later, Stick leaves to find him, taking his father’s Toyota. The journey ends up being perilous, filled with strangers, car and money problems, drugs, murder, and finally a kind truck driver who takes Stick to his Aunt Dahlia’s house in California. From that point on, Stick’s goal is to find his brother. Strengths: This would be a good book for students who might have disabilities or have experienced bullying. Additionally, it would be good to use in a lesson where they plot is being pulled apart to examine the different parts.

13. The next book up for discussion is Celebrate Your Body 2 by Dr. Lisa Klein and Dr. Carrie Leff. This is a nonfiction informational book specifically targeted towards preteen and teen girls. Klein, D. L., & Leff, D. C. (2019). Celebrate your body 2. Rockridge Press. Summary: This book is a sort of handbook for girls going through puberty. Both of the authors are pediatric doctors and wrote this to help girls understand what is happening to their bodies as they grow up. The topics in the book include loving oneself, an explanation about menstruation, the different parts of a relationship, and sex. Although the information in the book is serious, there are illustrations and light colors to make the reader more comfortable with what she is reading. Strengths: This is a great book for parents, school nurses, and librarians to have on hand. The topics are discussed honestly and simply.

14. Next, I am going to discuss Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson. This is an autobiographical account written in the format of poetry. Anderson, L. H. (2019). Shout. Viking. Summary: This book of poetry takes the reader through the life of Laurie Halse Anserson. More specifically, the book is broken into three sections. The first lets the reader become familiar with Ms. Anderson as she is a child but then experiences a sexual assault at the age of 13. She struggles to deal with it, but goes on the best she can. The second part of the book details her life as an adult and describes her writing the novel Speak, which is about her sexual assault. She travels the world to discuss her book and hears from many teens who also experienced some sort of assault. The third part of the book is kind of a closing and Ms. Anderson discusses the death of her mother and how she is currently doing. Strengths: This books is interesting because it is told through poetry. It would be a good read for any student who might have gone through some sort of sexual trauma. Additionally, it would be good to use in a lesson to break about poetry and figurative language.