15 Young Adult Novels Everyone Should Read

Eleanor and Park meet on the school bus and forge an unlikely bond that leads to a love story that is all-consuming in a way that only young love can be. Through their relationship, Rowell explores difficult themes like body image and domestic abuse, showing us just how tumultuous the teenage years can be.

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16-year-old Starr learns the importance of being a voice for her community when she is the only witness to her friend Khalil being shot by a police officer. Thomas reveals the harsh truth of police brutality towards young Black men in America, through the perspective of a girl struggling to come to terms with own identity.

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Theodore and Violet meet when they are at their lowest and become each other's reason to hold on to life a little longer. Together, they explore their small town and learn more about each other than they bargained for. Niven captures the nuances of teenage behaviour perfectly and creates a novel that you will not be able to put down.

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Struggling to deal with his mother's illness a young boy starts encountering a monster in his nightmares every night and a terrifying game begins. Ness weaves a fantasy of fear, truth, grief, and courage in this beautiful tale that is bound to move you to tears.

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In this unique war novel a young blind French girl and a German orphan boy cross paths when Germany invades France. They unwittingly become the protectors of a cursed stone that brings misfortune. Doerr writes a tale of survival and love in the face of the horrors of war.

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Everyone's favourite YA Author writes about Miles' search for purpose as he enters a new boarding school where he meets the beautiful and mysterious Alaska. In this coming-of-age tale, we see Miles make friends, find love, and learn the importance of every small choice.

P.S. - It was recently adapted for a series on Hulu.

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In the first novel of the hugely successful five-part series, protagonist Mare threatens the power dynamics of the land challenging the reign of the elite Silvers. In this fantasy land, Aveyard weaves a tale of love, betrayal, and politics.

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Levithan writes the quintessential love story, except both his protagonists are teenage boys. Their circumstances are as different as can be, but they both struggle to be as authentic as they can while also seeking the acceptance of their peers and love of their family.

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This novel begins like the film The Breakfast Club, except that one student doesn't survive detention. Was Simon's death an accident or are one of his classmates to blame? McManus' debut novel is told from each surviving student's perspective making it a really intriguing read.

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This is a coming-of-age tale of a girl in Nazi Germany. Books offer her solace in these hard times and she starts stealing the ones that the Nazis seek to destroy. Zusak writes about the Nazi regime from a unique perspective and emphasises the importance of the written word in this brilliant novel.

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Palacio doesn't shy away from difficult conversations like bullying and lack of self esteem. She tells an inspiring tale about a young boy who has a facial abnormality and has to fight extra hard to fit in at his middle school. Auggie, her protagonist has a deadpan sense of humour that both shocks and thrills in equal measure. This novel is heartbreaking and unforgettable in every way.

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Libby Strout is used to being stared at and is fat shamed on the regular, but she is determined to have herself an authentic high school experience. She refuses to miss out just because of her weight. On the other hand, Jack Maslin, the popular boy, is keeping a secret – he can't recognise any faces. He lives in constant fear of being exposed. Circumstances force the two together and they see that maybe they are more similar than they thought.

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In this collection of revealing poetry, Levithan tells us about the students of a high school and their myriad feelings of love. He interconnects the poems beautifully, weaving a storyline that is subtle yet highly effective.

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