Books for Teens and Young Adults
recommended by librarians, teachers, novelists and teenagers
Last updated: March 28, 2025
The Best Art History Books for Teenagers, recommended by John Harrison
Which are the best books to get a teenager excited about art history? We turned to veteran art history teacher John Harrison, formerly head of the art history department at Eton College, for his top five picks of the most illuminating and accessible books for getting a broad overview of the history of art.
Best West African Fantasy Books for Teenagers, recommended by Efua Traoré
Fantasy inspired by West Africa is taking the literary scene for teens and young adults by storm. These books have strong world-building and all the usual fantasy ingredients. At the same time, drawing on rich seams of mythology and magical traditions such as juju, they bring something fresh to the genre. Author Efua Traoré talks us through her pick of West African fantasy novels for teenagers.
Books Drawn From Myth and Fairy Tale, recommended by Alan Lee
Alan Lee, illustrator of such classics as The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, talks to Five Books about his favourite stories drawn from myth and fairy tale, what they mean to him, and how important it is for young readers today to experience these ancient stories.
The Best Classics Books for Teenagers, recommended by Olly Murphy (Wycombe Abbey School)
Caesar, Cicero, Achilles, Socrates, Plato: millennia later, we still talk about them. Olly Murphy, classics teacher at Wycombe Abbey, one of England’s top girls’ schools, recommends books and explains why classics remains one of the most exciting subjects for teenagers to study.
The Best Economics Novels for Young Teenagers, recommended by Yana van der Meulen Rodgers
Economics need not be dry or didactic. Here’s a suggested reading list of novels with economic themes to appeal to young teenagers.
Rachel Hickman recommends the best Novels Set in Wild Places
Rachel Hickman, co-founder of Chicken House Publishing and author of One Silver Summer, selects books with wild settings that have appeal to older children. She discusses how a strong use of nature adds drama and meaning to a narrative, and the way that setting can become another character in a story.
The Best LGBT Novels for Young Adults, recommended by Cassie Kemp
Good books for teens and young adults are often about identity and figuring out who you are. Novels with LGBTQ+ characters are some of the best examples of (fictional) young people learning to be themselves while navigating the world. Here, librarian Cassie Kemp shares her top picks of LGBT novels for teens and young adults.
Best Science Fiction and Fantasy for Young Adults, recommended by Philip Reeve
Award-winning author Philip Reeve talks us through the science fiction and fantasy books that shaped him and his work in profound ways; among indubitable classics are vibrant lesser-known works awaiting discovery.
The best books on Political Engagement For Teens, recommended by Adrienne Kisner
Are you a teenager who is furious about the way the world seems to be going? Do you feel powerless and overwhelmed? Author Adrienne Kisner recommends five really good books that will inspire and inform teens and young adults, giving them the tools to get involved in activism, to understand politics—and to change the world.
-
1
Wild Song
by Candy Gourlay -
2
Victory. Stand! Raising My Fist for Justice
Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes, Dawud Anyabwile (illustrator) -
3
The Undying of Obedience Wellrest
by Nicholas Bowling -
4
I Kick and I Fly
by Ruchira Gupta -
5
Warrior Girl Unearthed
by Angeline Boulley & Isabella Star LaBlanc (narrator)
The Best Books for Teens of 2023, recommended by Our Children's Editor
The Best Books for Teens of 2023, recommended by Our Children's Editor
From history to historical fiction, from Romania to the Philippines, here’s our list of the best books for teenagers of 2023. We’ve included award-winning books as well as books for young adults handpicked by Tuva Kahrs, our children’s editor.