Books for Teens and Young Adults
recommended by librarians, teachers, novelists and teenagers
Last updated: November 02, 2024
Reading can play an important role in helping young people navigate the world or provide welcome escapism. We have fiction recommendations, including interviews with teenagers who discuss their favourite reads, from fantasy to manga.
We also have great nonfiction recommendations for teens. Although they are aimed at readers age 13-18 these books can make good reading for adults as well. Popular interviews include chess books, economics and general nonfiction.
For the latest titles our children's editor recommends the best books for teens of 2024, with new books added through the year.
The Best Books for Teens of 2024 (so far), recommended by Our Children's Editor
From thrillers to historical fiction, from graphic novels to romance, our Children’s Editor Tuva Kahrs handpicks the best new books for teens and Young Adults to enjoy over the summer of 2024.
The Best Teen Fantasy Books Set in Britain, recommended by Sylvia Bishop
Britain offers rich pickings to writers: wild and windswept locations, peculiar folklore, a treasure trove of odd histories and even odder place names. Taking Britain as a starting point, many fantasy authors have produced stories that are at once wonderfully strange and hauntingly plausible. Our fantasy interviewer Sylvia Bishop picks out her top five fantasy books set in Britain for teen readers.
The Best Thrillers for Teens, recommended by Kathryn Foxfield
Thrillers for teens have to be fast paced, exciting and entertaining, argues Kathryn Foxfield, author of YA thriller Good Girls Die First. She recommends some of her favourite teen thrillers, from books published this year to classics of the genre.
The Best History Books for Teenagers, recommended by Alex (age 16)
It’s tricky finding history books for teenagers at an age when they are too old for children’s books, but not yet ready to read long, weighty tomes with lots of footnotes. Alex, a UK-based history fan who previously chose books for us age 10, returns to Five Books to recommend his selection of the best history books for teenagers.
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1
Winning Chess Strategy (for Kids)
Jeff Coakley, Antoine Duff (illustrator) -
2
Steps Method chess workbooks
by Rob Brunia and Cor van Wijgerden -
3
Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess
Bobby Fischer, Stuart Margulies, Donn Mosenfelder -
4
Chess for Tigers
Simon Webb, Edward McLachlan (illustrator) -
5
The Chess Player's Bible
James Eade, Al Lawrence, Carol & John Woodcock (illustrators)
Best Chess Books for Beginners, recommended by Andrew Green
Best Chess Books for Beginners, recommended by Andrew Green
Chess is one of the most enduringly popular games in the world, transcending language barriers and teaching valuable life skills. Chess teacher and master Andrew Green recommends books (plus a few websites) to help beginners of all ages learn the game.
Realistic Fiction
Realistic fiction depicts situations that could happen in real life, with authentic characters who react in a believable way.
The best books on Third Culture Kids, recommended by Elizabeth Wein
At its core, every young adult book is about figuring out who you are and what your place in the world is, argues Elizabeth Wein, author of numerous books for children and young adults. She introduces the concept of ‘third culture kids’—children who are at home both everywhere and nowhere.
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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.
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1
The Silmarillion
J R R Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (editor) -
2
The Children of Húrin
J R R Tolkien, Alan Lee (illustrator), Christopher Tolkien (editor) -
3
Beren and Lúthien
J R R Tolkien, Alan Lee (illustrator), Christopher Tolkien (editor) -
4
The Fall of Gondolin
J R R Tolkien, Alan Lee (illustrator), Christopher Tolkien (editor) -
5
The Fall of Númenor
J R R Tolkien, Alan Lee (illustrator), Brian Sibley (editor)
If You Liked The Lord of the Rings: Other Books in Tolkien’s World, recommended by Valentin
If You Liked The Lord of the Rings: Other Books in Tolkien’s World, recommended by Valentin
In recent years there has been a steady flow of JRR Tolkien books published posthumously. If you liked The Lord of the Rings and are wondering what to read next, 16 year old Valentin guides you through some of his other favourite books set in the vast world that Tolkien created.
The Best Finance Books for Teens and Young Adults, recommended by Darren Collins
Financial literacy is an essential life skill, but it is not routinely taught at school and not everybody has good role models to look to for financial behaviour. Reading can certainly help. Finance teacher Darren Collins recommends his top books for teens and young adults to learn the fundamentals for making sound personal finance decisions in life.
