Need summer reading ideas for your teenage readers? This list is meant for all teenagers, 8th grade through 12th grade. However, I’ve marked just a few books with an asterisk that may be better for more mature readers. After all, there’s a big range of development between 13 and 18 as you well know.
The books listed are excellent ranging from life-changing to pure entertainment. I’m excited for your teens to find their favorites.
Find more books that I recommend for teens or to see reviews for most of the books on this list, visit my YA BOOKS FOR TEENS list.
You might also like to read all summer reading lists by grade level.
Teen Summer Reading List (Ages 13+)
Fantasy, Paranormal, & Sci-Fi YA Books
- Red Rising by Pierce Brown
- Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
- Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
- Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas*
- Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
- Warcross by Marie Lu
- Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
- Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
- Sabriel by Garth Nix
- Maximum Ride by James Patterson
Adventure & Mystery YA Booklist
- One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus*
- Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter
- Heist Society by Ally Carter
- Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
- Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin
- The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
- Fire Storm (Sherlock Holmes: The Legend Begins) by Andrew Lane
- Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
Realistic Summer Reading for Teens
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas*
- If I Stay by Gayle Forman
- A Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
- Solo by Kwame Alexander
- The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner
- Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
- I Will Always Write Back by Martin Ganda and Caitlin Alifirenka
- Mosquitoland by David Arnold
Historical Fiction & History Summer Reading for Teens
- Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gatz
- Orphan Monster Spy by Matt Killeen*
- Undefeated: Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team by Steve Sheinkin
- Bomb: The Race to Build and Steal the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin
- A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen
- Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac
- Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
- Bonnie and Clyde: The Making of a Legend by Karen Blumenthal
- Hidden Figures (Young Readers’ Edition) by Margot Lee Shetterly
Romance Summer Reading for Teens
- Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
- Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon*
- The Fault in Our Stars by John Green*
- Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
- Matched by Ally Condie
- The Selection by Kiera Cass
- Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
- To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
Dystopian Summer Reading for Teens
- Ashfall by Mike Mullin**
- Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks
- Scythe by Neal Shusterman
- The Program by Suzanne Young
- Legend by Marie Lu
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
- The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton
- Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
Jennifer says
Hi, I just thought I’d toss a book list suggestion at you. I’m looking for books that would be great as read-alouds for a mixed age group. Books that would be engaging for younger listeners but that older kids/young teens might find interesting to listen to as well. Road Trip Reads/Family Read-Alouds? For example, I have 6 kids ages 4 to 16 and we just finished reading The Adventures of Nanny Piggins and every one of them enjoyed it and laughed out loud. When my 16-year-old son said, “Hey, don’t finish that pig book without me,” I knew I’d stumbled upon a great book! Just a thought. Thanks for all of the great recommendations. 🙂
Melissa Taylor says
Thank you for this great idea, Jennifer!
Diana McCarthy says
Hi Melissa, I’m Diana and I do all writing and public relations for an Automotive (antique) Car Museum in Phoenix, AZ. In an attempt to garner more visitors (families & kids) through the summer, we decided to support a Summer Reading Incentive with prizes donated by the Museum. Would it be all right with you if I used your reading lists? They are wonderful, you’ve thought of everything – I used to be a librarian in a private school and still miss it. Of course, I will re-type all suggestions and offer them in the age appropriate category if you find this acceptable. Many thanks
Melissa Taylor says
Of course but please give me credit. Thanks.
Jody Hall says
My son is a 15 years old freshmen in high school. He is on the Autism Spectrum and in his case has difficulty relating to abstract concepts. I think biographies, stories that take place in his native New York City- he identifies with landmarks such as Times Square etc. , historical fiction, current events such as movies that are soon to be released and the process of who produced them, the actors and voice overs.. I need help to find books like this for him to read. So many of the books for his age group focus on ethnic, racial and sexual tensions. He simply does not relate to this underlying themes. Can you help me to find resources for books he can read and relate to?
Melissa Taylor says
I have a lot of ideas, yes — they’re all here: https://imaginationsoup.net/best-ya-books-teens/ with reviews. But, right off the top of my head I would suggest:
The Great Trouble: A Mystery of London, the Blue Death, and A Boy Called Eel by Deborah Hopkinson
The Boys Who Challenged Hitler: Knud Pedersen and the Churchill Club by Phillip Hoose
Terrible Typhoid Mary: A True Story of the Deadliest Cook in America by Susan Campbell Bartlett
Wild Boy and the Black Terror by Rob Lloyd Jones
anything by Steve Sheinkin