Top 8 Books Every Teenager Should Read
Teachers are causing students to hate reading. Everybody on the same page, during the same questions, doing the same text from 100 years ago. It’s tedious and absolutely no one wants to do it, including me. So here are eight books for teens, I feel, everyone should read.
1. Stalking Jack the Ripper – Kerri Maniscalco
This my number one favorite book series, but we’re sticking with the first one because otherwise half this list of books for teens will be filled with the other three. It’s a fictional take on a real event, that has you on your feet the entire time.
Parents need to know that, as the title suggests, gore, corpses, and suspense abound in Stalking Jack the Ripper, a series debut that also launches James Patterson‘s imprint.
“Fans of creepy scenes and Victorian London’s dark underbelly will love this gory page-turner and its theory about a famously unsolved murder spree — but it’s not for the squeamish…” says Common Sense Media. “But along with the relentless gore and gross-outs, there’s a suspenseful plot, lots of (sometimes accurate) period detail, and a spirited heroine with lots of appeals as she dodges Victorian propriety to pursue her true calling.”
This #1 New York Times bestseller and deliciously creepy horror novel has a storyline inspired by the Ripper murders and an unexpected, blood-chilling conclusion.
2. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone – J.K. Rowling
This is a fantasy book series I’m a complete sucker for. But again, I’m only talking about the first one here because half the list would end up Harry Potter related. I see all around the internet about how some people didn’t read the books before the movies, which irritates me all on its own because the book was first, but that’s not what these books for teens list is about.
Harry Potter’s life is miserable. His parents are dead and he’s stuck with his heartless relatives, who force him to live in a tiny closet under the stairs. But his fortune changes when he receives a letter that tells him the truth about himself: he’s a wizard. A mysterious visitor rescues him from his relatives and takes him to his new home, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
After a lifetime of bottling up his magical powers, Harry finally feels like a normal kid. But even within the Wizarding community, he is special. He is the boy who lived: the only person to have ever survived a killing curse inflicted by the evil Lord Voldemort, who launched a brutal takeover of the Wizarding world, only to vanish after failing to kill Harry.
Every website I looked at for research has great reviews of the book, despite that, they were meant for a younger audience. Even if you haven’t read it, or seen the movies, the name Harry Potter has popped up within your lifespan at least once. That’s why the series are perfect books for teens, children, and adults alike.
3. Heartless – Marissa Meyer
“With equal parts doomed-to-fail romance and the reimagined magic of Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland, this Queen of Hearts origin story satisfies but doesn’t dig too deep. In Heartless, Meyer spends more time entertaining us with her take on Carroll’s world, and the tension doesn’t build as smoothly,” says Common Sense Media.
That said, the way this story entertains will make readers grin like the Cheshire Cat. The tea party scene, the description of Hatta’s wild hats, and the turtle-and-lobster dance are all big fun… so much fun you almost forget where the story is all headed.
My mother actually recommended this to me, and I was quite skeptical of it for a while. As her recommendations were not my favorites by any stretch of the imagination. But, reluctantly, I gave the books for teens a shot. I was pleasantly surprised by how entertaining it was. That’s why it made it onto my list of books for teens.
Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the yet-unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend and supply the Kingdom of Hearts with delectable pastries and confections. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next Queen.
4. Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
Austen gives you brave and good heroes and heroines, despicable villains, a decent dose of comic relief, a great and complex plot, and plenty of suspense of the mostly restrained, emotional variety. Austen’s clever observations and dialogue contribute to her brilliance in developing fully formed characters, despite the polite manners throughout. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy are two of the most romantic and memorable characters in the whole of English literature, and their story never fails to entertain.
The five single Bennet girls of Longbourne have somewhat dubious prospects for marriage, because their father, though a gentleman, has no male heir and his estate is “entailed” away to his next male relation. So, Mrs. Bennet is extremely eager to find rich husbands for her daughters. When the Bennets become acquainted with a new neighbor, the wealthy Mr. Bingley, and his proud friend Mr. Darcy, first impressions lead to some hard feelings as well as romantic ones.
Bingley becomes quickly attached to one of the girls, whereas Darcy leaves the Bennets and their friends cold. First impressions are not always what they seem, however, and the Bennet girls, particularly Elizabeth and Jane, learn where pride and trust are justified, and where they are not, as the romantic story unfolds.
“Every time I read ‘Pride and Prejudice’ I want to dig [Austen] up and beat her over the skull with her own shin-bone,” Mark Twain wrote.
This wasn’t necessarily my favorite book, but my sister and a good chunk of my friends really enjoyed it. Which is why I placed it in my list of books for teens. It’s been around for roughly two hundred years now and continues to be praised for its greatness. Now, the novel sits next to works by Shakespeare, Dickens, and Keats, spawning countless film and television adaptations, fan-fiction stories and Austen societies around the world.
5. The Outsiders – S.E. Hinton
In the battle to get teens to read, The Outsiders is a nuclear missile. Any literary missteps — like some too-easy plot resolutions — are overcome by the power of author S.E. Hinton’s honest teen point of view (she wrote it at age 16), which rings so true to young readers.
Many teens say this is the first book they ever enjoyed reading, even though it’s often required in school. Hinton’s insight into teen angst may explain why adolescents identify with Ponyboy so strongly. Readers find plenty of action and an idyllic view of friendship, a major concern for teens. Teenagers love this book; it teaches them that they can enjoy reading, as Ponyboy already knows.
“The Outsiders captured, as if in amber, the ongoing fight at the heart of the adolescent experience – knowing that the way things stand is wrong, but being unclear how to fix it, and frustrated with older adults for continuing on, obliviously. The differences between the Greasers and the Socs have to do with money, but behind them, Ponyboy realizes, they aren’t so different, if only they could figure that out,” says Rolling Stone
“The teenage years are a bad time,” Hinton wrote in her op-ed. “You’re idealistic. You can see what it should be. Unfortunately, you can see what it is, too.” It’s the same dynamic that drives filmmakers like Manchester by the Sea director Kenneth Lonergan to unpack the world of high school students. “Teenagers have that kind of freshness to the world,” Lonergan said in a recent New Yorker profile. “They just want to wipe out racism, for example. And you are just like ‘You are never going to do that. Just go to a restaurant instead.’ Who is right in that conversation?”
The book is honest and continuously relates to the teenage demographic. Making it a favorite for teens, bookworms, and adults alike and must for this list of books for teens.
6. The Selection – Kiera Cass
For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.
But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she’s made for herself—and realizes that the life she’s always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.
Filled with romance and political intrigue, the book is weak in its creation of a dystopian world, but the story’s strength lies with protagonist America and her relationships. Throughout the novel, America discovers that she might be fit for the crown, and so does Maxon, who’s looking more for an ally and friend than a trophy wife.
That said, while Maxon is charismatic, his characterization often feels wooden and unrealistic. The romance between America and Aspen is more believable. America must decide which of the two boys really has her best interest at heart, and it’s a tough decision.
“The Selection is a quick read. And I was right to think the whole Bachelor’s idea would provide something refreshing to the YA dystopian genre. Unfortunately, it does follow the same formula that many other YA books have…” says The Young Folks. It’s a must for this list of books for teens.
The author doesn’t go into depth about Illéa and the government. I mean, we’re given adequate information to understand why particular things are happening, but it doesn’t delve much further than that. I think this world can be pretty fascinating if we knew more about it. Throughout the story, the palace deals with rebel attacks.
7. The Tempest – William Shakespeare
Anything of William Shakespeare is incredibly hard to read, especially with his older English. I completely understand not wanting to read his works because of that. But, there are translations of his old English, enabling you to read in with ease and making it much easier to understand. I’ve also seen some comic book-esce (or graphic novels) adaptations floating around the internet. You know, if that’s a way of reading that you would be interested in.
The tempest is the story of Prospero who has been trapped on a magical island with his daughter Miranda. He used to be the Duke of Milan but he was usurped by his brother Antonio and sent out to sea in a boat to a far off Island where he lives with his daughter Miranda, and his two servants: Caliban; the son of the witch Sycorax and Ariel; an airy spirit.
Such an easy read, complex characters, and an interesting play, yet profound, reflecting upon the context of postcolonial. In Shakespearean times the world was still under European colonization. In this regard, Shakespeare provides us with an in-depth discussion of the morality of colonialism, including Gonzalo’s Utopia, Prospero’s enslavement of Caliban. Caliban is also shown as one of the most natural characters in the play, being very much in touch with the natural world.
The Tempest is not as thoughtful or dramatic as Macbeth or Hamlet, it touches on two major themes; REVENGE: Prospero wants to get revenge on his usurping brother and the Royal Court, Ferdinand wants to woo the girl he met, Stephano and Trinculo want to get roaring drunk, and Caliban and Ariel want to be free.
The Tempest is undoubtedly a piece of theatrical artifice. The use of imagery to emphasize the natural scene of action and the enchanted island have taken my breath. The use of imagery serves a much larger role than creating an atmosphere. It is a play situated between ocean and land, between dream and reality, between magic and realism, between the New World and the Old, thus making it onto this list of books for teens.
8. Animal Farm – George Orwell
After years of oppression by Farmer Jones, the animals on his farm rise up and chase him away. They plan to run the farm themselves, for their own benefit. At first, the animals are able to work together and support each other. Gradually, however, the pigs begin making helpful suggestions about how the farm should be run. Before long, the pigs are at the top of the social ladder and the rest of the livestock are wondering what happened.
The story and language are very simple, but Orwell is unnervingly precise in the way he depicts each step on the road from revolution to tyranny. Animal Farm has been popular and highly acclaimed since its publication in 1945. In 2005, Time magazine chose it as one of the 100 best English-language novels, and the book ranks at 31 on the Modern Library List of Best 20th Century Novels.
Parents need to know that Animal Farm is a biting satire of totalitarianism, written in the wake of World War II and published amid the rise of Soviet Russia. Although it tells a fairly simple story of barnyard animals trying to manage themselves after rebelling against their masters, the novel demonstrates how easily good intentions can be subverted into tyranny.
Animal Farm serves as both a social critique and a warning. It is an allegory of the Russian communist revolution and the corruption of the movement’s original ideals by dictator Joseph Stalin. Thus making it a must-have for this list of books for teens.
