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This summer I'm keen to encourage teachers and all staff to gain knowledge of YA (Young Adult) fiction. There are so many excellent YA authors writing currently why not try something new?

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This summer I'm keen to encourage teachers and all staff to gain knowledge of YA (Young Adult) fiction. There are so many excellent YA authors writing currently why not try something new?

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These books are often quick to read, well written and tackle subjects close to teenagers' hearts. The common bond in YA fiction is they all have teen protagonists. For English teachers they provide a rich source of texts to read and discuss with classes.

Creating  this page I've noticed how many of these books have film adaptations. I think that the book is often better but it could be interesting to encourage a group of students to read the book and then watch the film together afterwards.

Have a browse of these initial suggestions. They are largely my personal choices but some recommended by our students. (all of John Green's YA novels are popular as is the Hunger Games trilogy).

Colour key:
Yellow = Verse novels and quick reads
Purple = fantasy
Green = Historical themes or setting.
Blue = Graphic Novel

More book reviews and recommendations on the library blog.

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Any thing by Sarah Crossan. She writes in free verse - each chapter is effectively a poem. They are super quick to read with beautifully drawn characters and very moving.
Weight of Water - about a Polish girl's experience of coping with school and friendships in a new country.
One - the moving story of conjoined teenage twins going to school for the first time.
Moonrise - the story of a young man on death row in the US and his siblings attempts to clear his name.
We come apart written with Brian Conaghan The story of disaffected teenager Jess and her friendship with Nicu a Romanian immigrant.

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YA Book Prize winner 2018. Despite being quite a long novel this really is un-put-down-able and has been loved by all the teenagers and adults I've recommended it to. We realise there has been a momentous fire and tragedy but the details are slowly and tantalisingly revealed in 'Before' and 'After' chapters consisting of the protagonist Moonbeam's conversations with a psychologist and Agent Carlisle. A memorable and unique book which  provokes much discussion.

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Written by a London teacher, encouraged by his students; this book is a coming of age story of Muzna, a British Muslim. Despite dealing with the tough theme of radicalisation there is humour and realistic teen dialogue in this hopeful book.

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This trilogy is perfect for readers with an interest in science but who like a tense, thrilling adventure at the same time. Follow the adventures of Itch - an element hunter and his sidekick Chloe.

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Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Starr lives in two worlds: the poor neighbourhood where she was born and raised and her posh high school in the suburbs. The uneasy balance between them is shattered when Starr is the only witness to the fatal shooting of her unarmed best friend, Khalil, by a police officer. Now what Starr says could destroy her community. It could also get her killed.

Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, this is a powerful and gripping YA novel about one girl's struggle for justice.

Look out for the film based on this book on November 2018. Thomas was a co-wrote scree the play.

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Where the world ends by Geraldine McCaughrean

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Where the world ends by Geraldine McCaughrean

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This year's Carnegie Book Award winner. A fascinating story of survival, friendship and hardship. The fact that it is based on a true story made it even more compelling. The year is 1727 and a group of boys and three men are dropped on a remote sea stac to go ‘fowling’. They are from an isolated Outer Hebredian island of St. Kilda and have four weeks to harvest birds for food and fuel. Weeks go by and no boat comes to collect them. They endure storms and incredible hardship on the pillar of rock. This haunting story is beautifully written with shades of ‘Lord of the Flies’ as the group react differently to their fate and their grip on reality weakens. I was fascinated by the primitive and simple way of life and the many and varied uses sea birds could be put to to prolong human life!

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Considered the first YA book. Written in 1967 by a 16 year old girl who was tired of the gang violence in her high school. The book is narrated by teenaged protagonist Ponyboy Curtis and is a coming of age story as he get embroiled in the violence between the 'Socs' and the 'Greasers'.

This book still resonates with teenagers today and was popular when we gave it as a summer read to our incoming Y9s a few year's ago.

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This is a YA novel with appeal to adults alike. It tells the story of the wealthy, outwardly perfect Sinclair family. The family spend every summer on their private island but during her 15th summer something happens to Cadence. The story is addictive with an unexpected and brutal twist and explores themes of family morals, flaws, acceptance and potentially serious consequences of mistakes. A short compelling read.

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The perks of being a wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

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The perks of being a wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

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This has been requested and enjoyed by many students. Another book to read before you watch the film. Charlie is a socially awkward teenager and the novel is written as a series of letters chronicling his highs and lows as he goes through his first year of high school.

'The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up.'

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The Absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian by Alexie Sherman

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The Absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian by Alexie Sherman

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This is a unique and very honest book. It tells the story of Arnold Spirit Jr, who is know as Junior and is a 14-year-old Native American living on the Spokane Indian Reservation. He has a disability and is used to being picked on by other kids. The book follows him as he chooses to join an all-white school. This extraordinary book is enhanced by  Junior's cartoon drawings.

More detailed Book Trust review here

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Chaos Walking Trilogy: The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

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Chaos Walking Trilogy: The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

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Book Trust Synopsis: Todd Hewitt, the last boy in the town, is on the brink of manhood. Forced one day to flee through a nearby swamp, he stumbles upon a patch of silence and – surprisingly – the first girl he has ever seen. Despite their initial mistrust of each other, Todd and Viola team up to evade the men who are chasing him. As they flee he discovers much about himself, his family, about friendship and about prejudice.

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Written in 2005, the first book in a YA science fiction series (followed by Pretties, Specials and Extras) Set in a dystopian society where the government controls everything everyone is given a 'pretty' operation on their sixteenth birthday. This ensures they conform to society's idea of beauty. Combining a gripping plot with thought-provoking themes of beauty, identity and humanity.

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A hilarious and honest portrayal of teenage friendship, this novel tells the story of Renee and Flo growing up on Guernsey in the 90s. A poignant and highly readable book which doesn't hold back on the realities of the angst, embarrassment and awkward relationships of teenage years.

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Synopsis: Stanley Yelnats is under a curse. A curse that began with his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather and has since followed generations of Yelnatses. Now Stanley has been unjustly sent to a boys’ detention center, Camp Green Lake, where the boys build character by spending all day, every day digging holes exactly five feet wide and five feet deep. There is no lake at Camp Green Lake. But there are an awful lot of holes.

A very funny book with two excellent story lines. Popular with teens and adults alike. Read the book before watching the film.

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A brilliant historical novel set in World War ll Germany and narrated by death. After the death of Liesel's younger brother on a train to Molching, Liesel arrives at the home of her new foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann, distraught and withdrawn. During her time there, she is exposed to the horrors of the Nazi regime, caught between the innocence of childhood and the maturity demanded by her destructive surroundings. As the political situation in Germany deteriorates, her foster parents conceal a Jewish fist fighter named Max Vandenburg. Hans, who has developed a close relationship with Liesel, teaches her to read, first in her bedroom, then in the basement. Recognizing the power of writing and sharing the written word, Liesel not only begins to steal books that the Nazi party is looking to destroy, but also writes her own story, and shares the power of language with Max.

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Auggie is a boy born with terrible facial deformities. He has coped with 27 operations during his 10 years and as the book opens he is about to attend school for the first time. The novel describes the reactions of cruel classmates and their insensitive parents. This book is very moving and avoids over-sentimentality as Auggie is funny, clever and brave. The chapters narrated by Auggie's sister and parents help to offer different viewpoints.

('Wonder' was made into a film in 2017. Read the book first!

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Carnegie winning novel - this is a book to read in one harrowing sitting!

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Winner of the Carnegie Book Award 2015. This is a brilliant historical novel. Charley, a young African-American slave from the Deep South, is freed at the end of the American Civil War. She is left alone in the world when the plantation, the only place she has ever known, is burnt to the ground by a mob of violent soldiers and every one except her is brutally murdered. Charley disguises herself as a man and joins the army. Trapped in a world of injustice and inequality, it's only when Charley is posted to Apache territory to fight "savage Indians" that she begins to learn about who she is and what it is to be truly free.

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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon

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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon

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Synopsis: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is murder mystery novel like no other. The detective, and narrator, is Christopher Boone. Christopher is fifteen and has Asperger's Syndrome. He knows a  great deal about maths and very little about human beings. He loves lists, patterns and the truth. He hates the colours yellow and brown and being touched. He has never gone further than the end of the road on his own, but when he finds a neighbour's dog murdered he sets out on a terrifying journey which will turn his whole world upside down.

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His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman

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His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman

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The first book in the trilogy was written in 1995. In 2017 the first part of a prequel  'The Book of Dust - La Belle Sauvage' was published. This book lives up to the masterful writing, characterisation and imagination shown in the earlier fantasy sequence. Lyra Belacqua, the protagonist and Will Parry journey through parallel universes encountering witches, amoured bears, angels and wheeled animals. T

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The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier (2001)

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The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier (2001)

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Synopsis: The bestselling controversial novel about corruption and misuse of power in an American boys' school.
The headmaster of Trinity College asks Archie Costello, the leader of the Vigils, a secret society that rules the school, to help with the selling of 20,000 boxes of chocolates in the annual fund-raising effort. Archie sees the chance of adding to his power - he is the Assigner, handing out to the boys tasks to be performed if they are to survive in the school. Freshman, Jerry Renault, a newcomer to the corrupt regime, refuses to sell chocolates. Enormous mental and physical pressure is put on him but he will not give in - the result is an inevitable, explosive tragedy.

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Shortlisted for the Carnegie Book Award in 2010. We gave this short novel to our incoming 3rd form a few years ago. 15 year old Sig is alone in a remote cabin in the Arctic circle with the corpse of his father. He is all alone when a threatening stranger Wolff arrives. The plot is intriguing and Sedgwick evokes the inhospitable snow and icy landscape brilliantly.

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A haunting verse novel to read at one compelling sitting.

Synopsis: After Will's brother is shot in a gang crime, he knows the next steps. Don't cry. Don't snitch. Get revenge. So he gets in the lift with Shawn's gun, determined to follow The Rules. Only when the lift door opens, Buck walks in, Will's friend who died years ago. And Dani, who was shot years before that.
As more people from his past arrive, Will has to ask himself if he really knows what he's doing.

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Brown girl dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

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Brown girl dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

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A beautiful moving memoir written in free verse, recounting a life growing up in the 1960s and 1970s in Brooklyn and South Carolina. Jacqueline learns about the civil rights movement, and discovering a passion for writing stories. A quick but captivating read - I can't recommend this highly enough

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This book was recommended to me by several 6th formers and they also loved the film based on the book.  It's a beautiful coming of age love story.
Synopsis: This is the story of a sudden and powerful romance that blossoms between an adolescent boy and a summer guest at his parents' cliffside mansion on the Italian Riviera.

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Simon vs. the homoSapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

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Simon vs. the homoSapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

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Published in 2012 this historical YA novel was incredibly popular with 3rd and 4th form girls, moving many of them to tears.
Synopsis: This novel is set during World War ll and tells of the suffering of one Lithuanian family. One night fifteen-year-old Lina, her mother and young brother are hauled from their home by Soviet guards, thrown into cattle cars and sent away. They are being deported to Siberia. An unimaginable and harrowing journey has begun. Lina doesn't know if she'll ever see her father or her friends again. But she refuses to give up hope.  Set in 1941, Between Shades of Gray is an extraordinary and haunting story based on first-hand family accounts and memories from survivors.

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I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore (The Lorien Legacy Series)

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I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore (The Lorien Legacy Series)

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These books have proved very popular with boys of all ages including 6th form but generally the younger years.

Read Book Trust review here

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Incredibly moving graphic novel based on the true story of a charity worker who was kidnapped and kept as a hostage in solitary confinement for three months. The pictures put the reader into the heart of this traumatic situation and make us contemplate what we would do to survive and stay sane

All of Delisle's graphic non-fiction travelogue/biographical books are well worth a read but this one is truly memorable.

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Set in a dystopian 20140s this sci-fi debut novel 'follows protagonist Wade Watts on his search for an Easter egg in a worldwide virtual reality game, the discovery of which will lead him to inherit the game creator's fortune'.

Popular with boys who don't generally enjoy reading. Thank you to the teachers who've already encouraged tutees to try it because you love it yourselves. Good for gamers.

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Another book with a film tie-in. Popular with reluctant boy readers.

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This  trilogy of short novels set in a dystopian  near-future society has been very well received by the 3rd form. Sarah gave a great talk to our 3rd form this year.
Book Trust review here

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Optimists Die First by Susin Nielsen (2017)

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Optimists Die First by Susin Nielsen (2017)

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I have yet to read this myself but have heard very good feedback - it's a funny, poignant story.
Here's a review from Book Trust

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(the students have also loved Killing Woods by this author)
Lucy was our visiting author last year for the 3rd form and a group of students did a great creative writing workshop with her.

Book Trust review

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The eagerly anticipated film of the book is coming out  on 14th December 2018
The series is set in a post-apocalyptic world where London has become a 'Traction City' with wheels and engines so it can eat other smaller cities for resources. This sci-fi fantasy is a wonderfully inventive creation of a steam-punk world. Perfect for fans of 'His Dark Materials'.

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Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch

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Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch

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Not actually a Young Adult series but a set of novels which have been popular with both adults and teens.

These are unusual, imaginative and often funny books. A weird mix of police procedural with magic, ghosts and supernatural. Protagonist, Peter Grant is a young Met Police Officer. After encountering a ghost he is recruited into the branch dealing with the supernatural.

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This is a moving story of the journey of a young refugee in search of a better life in Europe in graphic novel form.
FT review:
Twelve-year-old Ebo leaves his sub-Saharan village, following in the footsteps of his brother Kwame and sister Sisi, both of whom have headed north. The narrative cuts back and forth between the sea voyage Ebo undertakes in a leaky, overburdened dinghy and his trek across the desert to Tripoli, from where he catches the boat. His story is strewn with tragedy, treachery and small triumphs.

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The reason I jump by Naoki Higashida (2013)

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The reason I jump by Naoki Higashida (2013)

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Higashida was diagnosed with severe non-verbal autism when he was five. He wrote this short book at the age of 13. It is a highly readable and moving insight into the world of autism. In March 2018 his second book was published 'Fall down seven times, get up eight'. In this book he shares his thoughts and feeling about a wide range of situations and events in daily life.