Young Adult

Stephen King says the author that had the greatest influence on his life was Richard Matheson, so I encourage you to “load up” on Matheson’s books (which have been turned into countless movies, including Duel, What Dreams May Come and the recent Will Smith-version of I Am Legend). Teens are going ga-ga over graphic novels right now, and this is a very good graphic novel that stays true to Matheson’s original book.

This book made me yearn to return to Madrid, as this series is hugely popular in Spain. Funny first-person narrative with magnificent illustrations by Emilio Urberuaga that bring to mind cartoonist Jules Feiffer and Roald Dahl’s illustrator, Quentin Blake.

Why are so many young adult books depressing? No wonder teenagers have so many problems! They need to read more stories of inspiration. Start here, as this memoir chronicles Asgedom’s journey from an Ethiopian refugee camp to Harvard.

When Reed Walton goes from dork to ladykiller in terms of appearance over a summer, he turns to his two best friends to help him deal with his new world of dating. Reminded me of old Patrick Dempsey movies.

I have had the privilege to watch Graham speak twice and meet him, and I truly believe that everybody – especially teenagers – should listen to his positive and powerful message about coming to grips with who you are and what your purpose is.

Speaking of geeks, this high school journal from a self-described geek makes for fun reading enjoyed by teen boys and girls.

What if God were a sulky, hormonal teenage boy? This is the question that Rosoff asks in what some may call controversial but I found to be both funny and moving work. Meg Rosoff continues to impress me as one of the finest young adult authors in the business.

Smart, witty story of a girl entering her senior year with high hopes, only to find herself in the middle of a terrorist plot. Teen girls go through this book faster than a pack of soft-chew chocolate chip cookies.

I included this one in honor of Yom Kippur, the most sacred holiday on the Jewish calendar (October 2nd). Just when I thought that all of the original stories of the Holocaust had been exhausted, a student handed me this gem. This tale chronicles a wealthy German boy’s move to Poland where his father has a new “job” (his father is an SS commander). The boy befriends a Jewish boy who lives “on the other side of the fence,” and the two strike up an innocent childhood friendship. This book gave me shivers. Excellent writing.

Very rarely do I read teen thrillers as intriguing as this one. Your boys will find themselves turning the pages effortlessly to find out what happens next.

A gripping account of how a teen copes with an unexpected death. Beautifully written by three-time Coretta Scott King award winner Angela Johnson.

An angry reader insisted I include more nonfiction titles for young adults. Let me say that whenever you have a genre you are interested in and want to see more picks, please drop me a note (it does not have to be angry, though). I want to make sure this list offers something for everybody. This is a lovely book that chronicles the Ivory-billed woodpecker, the first modern endangered species (last spotted in 1987). Every time I read books like this I feel ashamed to be a human, and I guess that is why we need to read more books like this. It will influence your desire for more nature conservation, that’s for sure.

Reading this book, I felt like Steve Jobs was using Scott Westerfield as a pen name. There are some really interesting anti-consumerism messages embedded in this book that should spark some interesting conversations in plenty of middle school classrooms.

The award-winning author of The Chocolate War delivers a touching account of a son reminiscing about times with his father.

It seems like every month I have to include a classic that I have failed to mention on prior lists. Whenever I ask audiences what there favorite book was as a child, this book is ALWAYS mentioned. I would be surprised if this book were not the single-most read book by teenage girls. I believe Judy Blume is one of our most important authors. This is absolutely a must-read.