The young adult genre is one of the most important genres of literature because many issues that teenagers face are covered in young adult books, which can help them feel not so alone. While there are many amazing YA books out there, these 10 really standout.
1. The House On Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
Esperanza Cordero is a young Latina girl growing up in Chicago. The House On Mango Street is all about her journey of discovering who and what she wants to be in a world that can easily, and unfortunately, decide that for you.
Source: Amazon
2. The Giver by Lois Lowry
Jonas lives in a world filled with conformity and contentment. When he’s given his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory, he finally begins to understand the dark secrets behind his community.
Source: Amazon
3. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Thanks to Melinda calling the cops at the end-of-summer party, she’s now an outcast during her freshman year of high school. Over the year, she becomes more and more isolated to the point where she practically stops talking altogether. Melinda then finds solace through her artwork, which also helps her face what happened to her the night of the big party.
Source: Amazon
4. Written In The Stars by Aisha Saeed
Written In The Stars explores what it’s like to be thrown into an unwanted, arranged marriage. Nalia has always been able to choose what she studies, her hairstyle, and whatever she wants to be when she grows up. However, thanks to her conservative immigrant parents, Nalia is forbidden to date or even have a friendship with a boy, other than the boy her parents arrange for her to marry. After Nalia falls in love with Saif, her parents travel to Pakistan for her to explore her roots, except once they arrive, Nalia discovers the real reason for the trip.
Source: Amazon
5. Monster by Walter Dean Myers
Steve Harmon, a teenage boy in juvenile detention is in the middle of a controversial trial. Monster is told as a screenplay along with detailed journal entries. This is a phenomenal story about how one single decision can change the fate of an entire life.
Source: Amazon
6. More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera
Aaron Soto is trying to find happiness again after his father’s suicide. With the help of his girlfriend and mother, he’s starting to believe he might be remembering what happiness used to feel like. When his girlfriend leaves for a few weeks, Aaron starts spending all of his time with Thomas, who brings Aaron the happiness he’s been searching for all along.
Source: Amazon
7. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
A soc has money and can get away with anything, while a greaser needs to watch his back. Ponyboy is a proud greaser and is always ready to rumble, until one night his friend Johnny kills a soc. After the murder, Ponyboy’s world begins to crumble and he begins to learn that pain feels the same no matter which side of the tracks you grew up on.
Source: Amazon
8. The Diary Of A Young Girl by Anne Frank
It’s 1942, the Nazi’s are occupying Holland, and a Jewish family has fled their home in Amsterdam and gone into hiding. For two years, they stayed hidden in the “Secret Annexe” of an old office building, until they’re whereabouts were discovered. Read all about Anne Frank and her family’s experiences in her real life diary, that was found in an attic, where she spent the last years of her life.
Source: Amazon
9. Ash by Malinda Lo
In this retelling of Cinderella, Ash is left to live with her cruel stepmother after her father’s death. Ash finds joy in rereading the fairy tales her mother once told her. Ash then meets Kaisa, the King’s Huntress, who begins to teach her how to hunt for fairies. Through her friendship with Kaisa, Ash is able to find love and a desire to live once again.
Source: Amazon
10. All American Boys by Jason Reynolds
Rashad is absent from school, again. One day, while he was at the store, a lady tripped over him and made him drop a bag of chips. Even though it was an accident, people believed he was stealing, including the cop who kept pounding him into the pavement of a sidewalk, leaving him stuck in a hospital room. Quinn, a witness at the store, isn’t sure if he should tell anyone about what he saw especially since the entire incident was caught on camera. However, once word of Rashad’s condition spreads, the nation becomes divided as blame is put on racism and police brutality. Once Quinn realizes the severity of the incident, he knows that he must tell the truth about what happened that day.
Source: Amazon
What are some of your favorite Young Adult books?
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