8 Young Adult Books More People Should Know About

Contemporary, fantasy, paranormal (oh my!)

1. Geektastic: Stories From The Nerd Herd by various authors

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Various young adult authors like John Green and Cassandra Clare tell geeky fictional short stories. Examples of things featured include Star Wars, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and live action role playing. Besides the stories, there are also short comic strips by Brian Lee O' Malley (of Scott Pilgrim fame) and Hope Larson.

2. Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

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Thoughts of suicide in teens can sometimes result from being overwhelmed by dysfunctional lives. Using verse and the point of view of three suicidal teens in a mental facility, this fictional work explains how hard it is to fight and conquer your demons. After reading this book, read...

3. Perfect by Ellen Hopkins

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This fictional companion novel to Impulse uses verse and the point of view of four teens to show how being forced to strive for perfection can be damaging and how going against this ideal can be freedom.

4. Shrapnel by Stephanie Lawton

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A paranormal story featuring three teens with different physic powers and emotional baggage, ghosts, and a battle for Confederate gold. There is also something that is rarely seen in YA fiction: a teen character with two moms.

5. If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson

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Taking its title from a poem by Audre Lorde, this novel shows the beauty and the pain of being an interracial couple as well as the price of ignorance.

6. Rogue by Lyn- Miller Lachmann

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Kiara is a Hispanic X-Men geek who is treated like an outsider because she has a disorder called Asperger's Syndrome. With some help from new friends, Kiara discovers her true potential. The coolest thing about this book is that certain characters have personality traits inspired by the X-Men.

7. Kojiki by Keith Yatsuhashi

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This anime inspired fantasy novel follows Keiko Yamada as she is summoned to Japan by her father's death to help solve a conflict between spirits and beasts. There's action, adventure, and great characters.

8. Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes

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While this book came out more than a decade ago, the words in this novel will resonate with young people today. Using the style of a poetry slam, the novel explores the hidden identities of eighteen students from different backgrounds.