We pick some of our favourite books for teens and young adults that have come out in 2022, and scan this year's prestigious book awards - such as the Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature - to keep abreast of all the excellent books for teens. 2022 has been a great year for historical fiction for teens. This year we have also included a dyslexia-friendly book which could be enjoyed by younger readers but is aimed at teenagers. It's a slightly tricky age, as kids become more aware of specific types of book they like or don't like, but there are lots of good books out there so it's just a question of finding the right one. Our list of new books in popular series also contains plenty of great books for teens, and you can see our full selection of books for teens here.
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Part of our best books of 2022 series.
Ironhead or, Once a Young Lady
by Jean-Claude van Rijckeghem & translated by Kristen Gehrman
An action-packed and often funny historical novel. The chapters are alternately narrated by 18 year old Constance and her younger brother Pier. As the oldest daughter of a downwardly mobile family in Ghent, Constance has no option but to marry a wealthy, much older man, right? Well, she chooses to dress as a man and join Napoleon’s army. Meanwhile, Pier needs to escape the clutches of a crooked customs officer and get their father out of debtor’s prison. Squeamish readers might disagree, but the historical details - especially of life in the army, battle (Aspern-Essling in 1809) and treatment of the wounded in the Napoleonic wars - are absolutely fascinating.
The Red Palace
by June Hur
It is 1758 in Joseon dynasty Korea, and after years of gruelling study 18 year old Hyeon has qualified as a nae-uinyeo, a nurse handpicked to serve in the palace. Born a girl, and to a concubine rather than a wife, this is her one and only opportunity in life and she has no intention of making any errors. But when four young women are massacred at the hospital where Hyeon trained and her beloved mentor is arrested for the murder, she teams up with a young police inspector to investigate. When evidence points to the dark world of court conspiracy, what are the odds that they can both uncover the truth and stay alive? A compelling historical mystery novel.
I Must Betray You
by Ruta Sepetys
A gripping historical novel set in Bucharest in 1989. With hindsight readers know that the Ceaușescu regime will fall by Christmas, but at the start of the book Cristian – a 17 year old schoolboy – is blackmailed to become one of the many civilian informers for the regime. The author clearly takes her background research seriously, using interviews to get a feel for the human story in addition to a very wide range of written sources. I Must Betray You vividly brings to life the atmosphere of constant suspicion and fear, what it is like to grow up without any private space to be yourself, and the damage that the inability to trust anyone does to friendships and family relationships.
The Bones of Me
by Kel Duckhouse
15 year old Molly, who is growing up on an East London housing estate, is determined to be a boxer. Molly’s brother Denny has agreed to train her, but on the day of her first match he suddenly goes missing, the main suspect in a brutal assault case. She is certain Denny is innocent, but how can she help him prove it? Molly is a very relatable character who readers care about, and the writing style is a dynamic mixture of verse and prose. This is a fresh story of overcoming adversity to follow your dream, combined with a mystery.
Concrete Rose
by Angie Thomas
***2022 Michael L. Printz Honor Book (for Young Adult Literature)***
Readers in the United States will know what to expect: set in the late 1990s this is the prequel to Thomas’ bestselling The Hate U Give. For people elsewhere it might take a bit of effort to get into the style, which is written as the narrator speaks, with slang and pop culture references. It is well worth it. Thomas is an excellent writer and readers will come to care about the 17 year old protagonist and the difficult choices he has to make when he finds out that he is a father. Everyone tells Maverick that he has to man up, but in his situation what does that really mean?
All My Rage
Sabaa Tahir, narrated by Deepti Gupta, Kamran R. Khan and Kausar Mohammed
***National Book Award for Young People’s Literature (USA)***
“Of the three different characters, two are best friends who are in a difficult spot with each other. And the third is the mother, whose voice is telling her story in the past leading up to the present. It gets into some heavier topics, where the three of them are facing a lot of hardship. At the same time, there are beautiful relationships that you’re discovering. While there’s a lot of anger and grief, there’s also a lot of joy that’s found.” Read more...
The Best Audiobooks for Kids of 2022
Emily Connelly, Journalist
Twin Crowns
by Catherine Doyle & Katherine Webber
Princess Rose has grown up in fear of the witches that killed her parents when she was born. Wren is her secret twin sister, plotting to usurp the throne and restore power to the witches who raised her. As Rose comes to realise that she is not so much a princess as a puppet, is there a chance that the twins can become allies? A fantasy novel written by two best-selling and award-winning authors of young adult literature, Twin Crowns expertly combines adventure and romance with a healthy dose of humour.
Shuna's Journey
by Hayao Miyazaki & translated by Alex Dudok de Wit
Shuna’s Journey – published in 1983, before the launch of Studio Ghibli – is finally available in English. There are seeds of themes and characters which fans will recognise from more famous later works, and similarities with Nausicaä in particular. But Shuna’s Journey is unique, a stand-alone graphic novel based on a Tibetan folk tale called The Prince Who Turned into a Dog. Shuna travels through a breathtaking variety of landscapes and the watercolour art makes it a visual feast. Much of the scenery is inspired by Tibet but there are also ocean and primeval forest. The traditional folk tale is about the people’s gratitude towards barley, their staple crop; Miyazaki envelops it in a narrative about slavery and people consumed by greed and estranged from nature.
Kemosha of the Caribbean
by Alex Wheatle
Historical fiction set in 1668, shortly after the buccaneers of the Caribbean were rebranded as privateers for the English crown. Kemosha is a teenage slave who gains her freedom and signs up as cook on board Henry Morgan’s ship for a raid on Porto Bello (in today’s Panama). On the whole Wheatle skilfully balances a modern heroine whom contemporary readers can relate to with a narrator who is convincingly grounded in her own time. The story also vividly brings to life 17th century Jamaica.
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow
by Zoulfa Katouh
This novel is set in the Syrian civil war, specifically Homs when it was a rebel stronghold under siege. 18 year old Salama is supposed be a pharmacy student, but by force of circumstance spends her days treating people - many of them children - with severe injuries from shelling, bombardment and sniper fire. Katouh skilfully shows that although Salama is traumatised and starving, she is not defined by her suffering. There are moments of beauty, there is tender romance, and there are dreams of a future. As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow is a heartfelt novel that doesn’t shy away from depicting the horrors of a war waged with merciless disregard for civilian life, but which very much celebrates love, survival and hope.
Queen of the Tiles
by Hanna Alkaf
This novel is set during the course of a weekend at a Scrabble tournament in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Most of the competitors play a game of probabilities where words are just points to be scored, but 16 year old Najwa is fascinated by the words themselves. The author does a wonderful job of exploring Najwa’s way of thinking, her love of words and their definitions. Najwa has spent the last year trying to come to terms with the sudden death of her best friend, Trina, at the previous year’s tournament. This time she encounters an unsettling mystery: who is posting from Trina’s instagram account, and could she have been murdered? A thoughtful novel about the many ways we cope with loss and grief.
The Ghost of Shadow Vale
by Jonathan Stroud & Siku (illustrator)
This is a new dyslexia-friendly edition of a retelling of part of Grettir’s Saga (the part with the epic fight between Grettir and Glam) by a multi-award winning and bestselling author. Glam slays the monster of Shadow Vale, but turns into a ghost that haunts the icy valley. Can the famous hero Grettir defeat Glam, and what will be the consequences? A slim volume for reluctant or dyslexic teen readers, or a quick read for anyone wanting a horror fix or for kids who are interested in the old Icelandic sagas and stories like Beowulf. Siku’s dark and dramatic comic-like illustrations complement the story very well.
The Cats We Meet along the Way
by Nadia Mikail & Nate Ng (illustrator)
The world is ending in a few months (giant asteroid). Together with her mother, boyfriend and her boyfriend’s parents, 17 year old Aisha sets off on a road trip through peninsular Malaysia to look for Aisha’s estranged sister. Along with everybody else, Aisha is trying to come to terms with not having the future she thought was hers. At the same time there are issues from the past to put to rest. A quirky novel infused with love and clarity about what is important in life.
Last Night at the Telegraph Club
by Malinda Lo
***2022 Stonewall Young Adult Book Award Winner***
***2022 Michael L. Printz Honor Book (for Young Adult Literature)***
In 1950s San Francisco, 17 year old Lily is a Chinese American who dresses conservatively and does her homework. When she realises that there is such a thing as lesbian romantic love, she feels as if she has “finally cracked the last part of a code she had been puzzling over for so long that she couldn’t remember when she had started deciphering it”. A relationship develops with her classmate Kath who shares Lily’s interest in mathematics. But in the face of the police’s drive against so-called “sex deviates” and the country’s campaign against people who are suspected of communist sympathies (pretty much anyone in Chinatown), can it survive?
Be Dazzled
by Ryan La Sala
***2022 Audie Awards Best Audiobook for Young Adults***
Raffy pours all his dreams and effort into his hobby: designing and crafting costumes based on anime and game characters. He is ready to participate in the world of competitive cosplay, but there is a complicating factor: his ex-boyfriend, Luca. Both boys are keeping their creative arts and crafts secret from their families; Raffy because his art gallerist mother looks down on it, Luca because his parents think boys should stick to soccer. Alternate chapters of the novel sensitively trace the development of their relationship and breakup. In the present, as the competition gets underway, can Raffy learn to be a team player, and can broken hearts be put back together?
Ambushed! The Assassination Plot against President Garfield
by Gail Jarrow
***Winner 2022 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults***
This is a book about the assassination plot against President James Garfield. But more than that, it is a fascinating – if gory – read for anyone interested in the history of medicine, with a focus on 19th century USA. Garfield wrote to his wife during the Civil War that the fight with disease “is infinitely more horrible than battle”. When Garfield was shot it need not have been fatal; indeed it took over two months for him to die. This book is a powerful reminder that we need to take antibiotic resistance seriously. Similarly, today we are seeing a rise in cases of illnesses such as diphtheria, polio and whooping cough, and this book helps us reflect on what it was like to live without vaccines against them (the Garfields lost a daughter to diphtheria and a son to whooping cough). Ambushed! is part of a series about medical fiascoes.
Revolution in Our Time: The Black Panther Party’s Promise to the People
by Kekla Magoon
***2022 Michael L. Printz Honor Book (for Young Adult Literature)***
Revolution in Our Time is a well researched history book by an award-winning author. It places the Black Panther Party in context, from slavery and segregation through the Civil Rights Movement to today’s Black Lives Matter. Many people are familiar with the image of Black men with guns and berets, but Magoon provides a much more complete account of the Panthers - most of whom were women - and their community activism. Plenty of period photos and other illustrations help make this non-fiction book accessible to teenagers, who are the target readership, but it will appeal more broadly to anyone with an interest in US history.
Firekeeper's Daughter
Angeline Boulley, narrated by Isabella Star LaBlanc
***Winner 2022 Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature***
“It’s a great combination of a young adult thriller and a love story… It’s a story of a community, the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians on reservation in Michigan. The story takes place on and off the reservation. The main character, whose name is Daunis, has grown up between those two cultures. She gets caught up in an investigation into a new street drug that has very devastatingly been impacting their communities… There’s a lot about understanding yourself and your family as well. It’s an engrossing story.” Read more...
The Best Audiobooks for Kids of 2021
Emily Connelly, Journalist
The Words in My Hands
by Asphyxia
***Winner 2022 Schneider Family Book Award for teens***
Deaf 16-year-old Piper is trying to figure out how to survive in a near-future Australia in chaos due to high inflation and fuel shortages. Learning to sign opens Piper’s world (until now she has been expected to fit in by lipreading and speaking) but complicates her relationship with her mother. Exploring how best to respond in a hearing world as she develops her identity, Piper expresses herself in a mixed media art journal. The result is this unique book, which was first published in Australia as Future Girl.
A Snake Falls to Earth
by Darcie Little Badger
***2022 Newbery Honor Book***
This is a delightful and imaginative novel with alternating protagonists. One is Nina, a teenager trying to translate a story told by her great-great-grandmother in her native Athabaskan language, Lipan. The other is Oli, a cottonmouth snake with the ability to shapeshift, who is learning to find his way after being pushed from the nest. Climate change features, informed by the author’s geoscience degree and PhD in oceanography. Another theme is linguistic diversity and the crucial role of storytelling in keeping cultures alive. A Snake Falls to Earth is also very much a story of friendship.
This book is aimed at ages 12-17 but will appeal to older and younger readers as well.
Geo-Graphics
Regina Giménez, translated by Alexis Romay and Valerie Block
A non-fiction book which presents information about our planet with an emphasis on the visual. Ages 8-14: read more about this book in our selection of best books of 2022 for kids.
The Last Cuentista
by Donna Barba Higuera
***Winner of the 2022 Newbery Medal**
A novel that blends science fiction and Mexican folklore. Ages 10-14: read more about this book in our selection of best books of 2022 for kids.
Starfish
by Lisa Fipps
***2022 Michael L. Printz Honor Book (for Young Adult Literature)***
11-year-old Ellie is constantly bullied for being fat. Can she gain the confidence to be unapologetically herself? Ages 10-13 but the themes and verse novel format make this book appealing to older teens as well. Read more about it in our selection of best books of 2022 for kids.
Red, White, and Whole
by Rajani LaRocca
***2022 Newbery Honor Book***
An intimate novel in verse about 13 year old Reha who is growing up in 1980s USA when her mother is diagnosed with leukemia. Ages 9-14: read more about this book in our selection of best books of 2022 for kids.
