Modern books about teenagers: list, ranking of the best, authors and reviews

• October 29, 2018
• Psychology of thinking
• Ulyana Orekhova

Modern works for young people are focused not only on the specific age of the young reader, but also on the level of his psychological maturity and readiness to accept information. The bestselling authors take into account the complexity of the transition period of yesterday's child and his need to find answers to all questions without resorting to the help of his parents. What are the best modern books for teenagers?

"Looking for Alaska" by John Green

The book begins with Miles Halter moving to a private high school from his home in Los Angeles to find the Great Maybe. Soon after Miles arrives at school, he meets his roommate, the Colonel, who turns out to be a funny and charming guy. There he meets the beautiful, mysterious Alaska Young.

The reader is drawn in by the interestingly described moments of teenage life, such as jokes, bets and disastrous parties. The beauty of the book is that it doesn't hide anything. She demonstrates what teenagers love and how they really grow, tough but honest.

Rosemary Sutcliffe "Song of the Sword"

Photo: e-book.in.ua: UGC
Historical prose also deserves the attention of teenagers. The young Viking Bjarni accidentally kills a man. For this he is expelled from the tribe. With Bjarni there was only a sword that led the guy through all the adventures.

During his wanderings, Bjarni not only grew stronger physically, he became restrained and learned to keep his word. The young Viking found a family and years later returned to his original tribe to start his life anew.

"The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky

This is a truly touching story about Charlie, a freshman in high school who is not at all popular. He's very shy, but it all comes down to a psychological problem that stemmed from something that happened when he was younger, which you learn about later in the book. Charlie writes letters to an anonymous reader known as "Friend". He tells this person everything he does and feels, who he meets and loves.

Charlie will show you that you can still enjoy a carefree and fulfilling life in high school if you have the right friends, and that being a modern teenager is not as scary as you think.

Works for girls and about girls

Even adult girls do not refuse to immerse themselves in the fantasy universe from time to time, and among girls 12-14 years old this genre remains invariably popular. Belief in fairy-tale countries and creatures that strangely influence our world excites minds and makes us see the surrounding reality in a colorful, mysterious light.

Melodramatic modern books about teenagers whose ordinary lives are invaded by evil, teach young readers not to give up, to move forward in spite of adversity. As a rule, the first love experiences or friendly feelings of the heroes, which they need to defend, are closely woven into this genre.

What works will be useful for a teenage girl:

1. "The Book Thief" The novel by M. Zusak, written from the perspective of Death itself, tells the story of the difficult fate of the girl Liesel, who survived the death of her little brother and difficult adaptation in a foster family during the Second World War. Having learned to read, Liesel discovers the incredible world of literature and carries this love through a long life full of difficulties.
2. "Twilight". A series of ultra-popular books from writer Stephenie Meyers describes the story of one great and forbidden love between a simple girl and a charming vampire. Each volume of the series immerses the reader in the complexities of relationships between people and twilight creatures, in the existence of which no one believes.
3. "City of bones". Cassandra Clare's twisted novel about a girl named Clary tells the reader about a mysterious dimension inhabited by incredible creatures and dangerous Hunters. The book pays a lot of attention to the heroine’s love experiences, so it will definitely appeal to girls who have already encountered similar feelings.

Walking with the young heroes through all their adventures, young readers learn to communicate with their peers and can draw their own conclusions about the correctness of certain of their actions.

"Tread of Chaos. The Chaos Trilogy by Patrick Ness

The first book of the Chaos trilogy. It tells the story of Todd, the last boy in Prentisstown to become a man on his 13th birthday. Prentisstown is a town where everyone can hear each other's thoughts (they call it "noise"). This is a novel with fantastic phenomena and characters that will certainly interest a dreamer.

It raises quite topical topics: what will happen if a person can no longer hide from strangers even in his own thoughts? Already now the lives of most of us are visible, everything can be controlled and monitored. But in this universe the process has gone further: you are never alone, Noise always follows you. Noise cannot be a lie, but that doesn't mean you can't lie in Noise.

About first love (from foreign authors)

List of modern books for teenagers about love, presented by foreign authors:

1. "Hopelessness". Colleen Hoover's story is about a girl who, on the verge of coming of age, falls in love with a young man with a bad reputation in the city.
2. "Take the final step." The story of Abbie Glines is about young Blair, in whose life two tragedies happen at once - the death of her mother and her moving with her father to the house of her stepmother, who has her own, rather wayward, adult son.
3. "My beautiful misfortune." A fascinating story by Jamie McGuire about a popular guy in his circle who unexpectedly falls in love with a girl who does not share the same views on the young man.

It seems to every teenager who falls in love that his feeling is unique, but when he gets acquainted with stories where his peers face the same problems and difficulties, it will be easier for him to get used to unfamiliar sensations.

"This Whole World" by Nicola Yoon

Madeline Witter spends her entire life in a bubble, with her mother, who is broken due to an accident that killed both her husband and son. History shows that life is a precious gift that many take for granted and therefore do not appreciate. Shortly after Madeline's 18th birthday, the new family of a handsome guy, Ollie, moves in next door. This is not a stupid love story written using clichés. There are several thematic overlaps with Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series (intimacy equals death) and, of course, John Green's The Fault in Our Stars (love in the context of a fatal teenage illness). In addition, it is written in a rather unusual style - the text is mixed with medical records, kisses and illustrations from Yuna’s husband.

Books that answer questions (16+)

By the age of 16, a teenager is already experiencing his first disappointments, he has his own experience of failures and a list of unfulfilled needs. To avoid irreparable mistakes that come from the thirst for knowledge characteristic of this age, books that maximally expose the negative of blindly following one’s desires will help a teenager.

Rating of the best modern books about teenagers 15-16 years old, based on reviews of young readers:

1. "Me, my friends and heroin." Christiane Felsherinow's story is about a girl named Christina, whose childhood curiosity and inability to say no leads her into the horrors of heroin addiction and prostitution.
2. "The Fault in Our Stars" John Green's psychologically complex story about two teenagers with cancer, but at the same time trying not to limit their lives to doctor's orders and the expectation of imminent death.
3. "The perks of Being a Wallflower". Stephen Chbosky's story, written in the first person, takes a young reader through the difficult life of a boy who experiences the suicide of his best friend.

When inviting a teenager to read this or that book from the list, adults need to be prepared for the teenager to ask questions that were raised in the work and directly affected his life. Psychologists recommend answering honestly even the child’s “inconvenient” questions and at the same time remembering that through the answers he receives, he will form real ideas about the world in which he lives.

"Fan" by Rowell Rainbow

Every girl should read this book before heading off to college. This is the story of two twins who grew up in the world of Internet fandom. Often people think that "growing up" means growing out of childhood things and leaving parts of ourselves behind, but there is always a way to balance the things that are important to us now with what is important to our future. The meaning of life is to find this balance.

The book is written with ease and grace, but most importantly, it is dedicated to what really matters to young people. The focus is on the realities that surround us today, so it is “Fan” that can break teenage stereotypes that literature is “rotty.”

"Mad Men's Ball" Victoria Mas

Young Louise ends up in a mental hospital after being abused by her aunt's husband. The girl needed the understanding and support of her relative, but instead she was made to blame for what happened. The victim of violence was unable to cope with the psychological pressure alone, as a result of which Louise began to have seizures. So she found herself a victim of the head doctor of the psychiatric hospital, Charcot, who does not hesitate to conduct public hypnosis sessions. Social receptions are commonplace here, and the honorable public gets an unforgettable experience watching a girl convulse from the manipulations of the “doctor.”

The Catcher in the Rye, Jerome D. Salinger

It's a gripping and compelling read, with gallons of brutal reality infused along with humor to contrast the moments of depression. The book begins with Holden speaking directly to you, the reader, as he begins to retell the events that happened over three days in December last year. His story begins in Pencey, a prestigious boarding school filled with “scammers,” as Holden likes to call them. Almost the entire narrative is one long flashback of three days with references to the present. The characters are immediately engaging, as are the things that happen to them.

This book can be a beacon of hope for teenagers who believe that difficult situations are the end of the world. A short journey through the mind of one flawed but interesting character makes readers realize that after wandering alone, returning home is one of the essential ingredients of human growth and the law of life that all prodigals obey.

Love stories from domestic authors

Modern books about teenage love can also be found by domestic authors:

1. "An amulet for lovers." The story by Svetlana Lubenets was written specifically for high school girls experiencing the time of their first strong feeling. Together with the main character of the story, Marina, who fell in love with 4 popular guys at once, readers will experience the tragedy of the first disappointment and timid hope for reciprocal emotions.
2. “They don’t fall in love with people like that.” Having met her first love, Anna Oduvalova’s heroine Irina decides to radically change her life and become the ideal girl for the young man she likes.
3. "Loyalty of the Heart." Alina Kuskova's story presents the reader with an example of a classic triangle between two friends and a guy who is the object of adoration of both girls.

In the books of Russian writers, in addition to serious experiences, the reader will also encounter many funny moments that will not allow negative emotions to take over.

"The Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs

Consists of 3 books. The story begins with Jacob, the main character, tired of his normal life - a slightly abnormal life because he is rich. In a short time we are told about his entire family. But suddenly Jacob gets a call from his grandfather, and a conversation takes place that goes out of the ordinary. Yes, of course, the grandson wanted a different life, but clearly not like this. The young man experiences more than a little adventure. He finds himself in a place unknown to the ordinary world.

This story is uniquely illustrated: there are photographs of real people and objects, but these pictures are extraordinary, and it is better for you to see for yourself.

"Long Way Down" Jason Reynolds

This is the story of one minute in the life of a teenager who wants to avenge the death of his brother Sean, who was shot. Will finds himself in an elevator, where he unexpectedly has to go through a difficult path and experience a meeting with the ghosts of the past. He meets his brother's friend, uncle, father, brother himself, who stumbled once and are now gone. He also meets his brother's killer, who also turns out to be Sean's victim. Will these ghosts help him change his mind and make the right choice?

"The Host" Stephenie Meyer

The Earth has been invaded by aliens who call themselves Souls. Souls "install" into a person's brain, become people, retain their memories and use their bodies. Melanie Strider was a member of a group of Earth rebels until she was captured by the Seekers.

This book fully corresponds to the style of S. Mayer: a lot of pain, darkness and mental suffering, but where without hope. The novel explores friendship as well as romantic love in likely and unlikely places.

Works category 12+

Modern books for teenagers 12 years old do not differ in philosophical trends and assume a stable dynamics of changing events. At this age, the child learns to relate what he reads to his personality, and he is interested in works where he can imagine himself as the main character.

A sample list of such books:

1. "Walking castle". This novel by Diane W. Jones was made into an animated film that broke viewing records.
2. "Monster High". Lizzie Harrison's book has it all - the personal drama of the strange girl Melody, terrible monsters, and friendship that can destroy any obstacles.
3. "Chasodei". The domestic story from the author Natalya Shcherba talks about the need to value your time, as well as to go towards your goal, despite the apparent complexity of the obstacles.

Such works, with their accessible presentation, will help the young reader better understand himself and come to terms with the injustice that he is already beginning to notice in the world around him.

Lord of the Flies, William Golding

At the height of the war, a group of British boys find themselves stranded on a tropical island without adult supervision. The group is conventionally divided into “little ones,” boys aged about six, and “seniors,” aged ten to twelve. They are trying to be civilized, they have elected their leaders, and also divided their responsibilities. Things turned bad when a power struggle began between the group's leaders, exacerbated by the monster's various "appearances" on the island. This book is very similar to what is happening in the world today. When people try to control themselves, but are blinded by selfishness and lust for power. Tragedies and destruction are inevitable in such a society.

Mystical stories and adventures

At any age, a teenager will be interested in books about mysterious worlds or mysteries that require non-standard solutions.

Books that any teenager should read:

1. Night School by Christy Doherty. Ellie, a difficult girl, is sent by her parents to a special school, where she initially really likes it. However, soon the murder of one of the members of a closed society turns her whole life upside down.
2. "13 Reasons Why" by Jay Asher. The boring life of an ordinary teenager is suddenly shaken by a package he finds on his doorstep, containing strange audio recordings. From the tape, the voice of a certain Hannah, a girl who has already died, tells him stories, each of which is a path to nowhere.
3. “The Mystery of the Abandoned Chapel” by Anton Ivanov. Even today, there are mysterious Brotherhoods and strange rituals, and in the age of modern technology, calling an ancient ghost may be the only way to find out the truth.

The value of such modern books for teenagers 16 years of age and younger lies in the masterfully composed plot, where mysticism is subtly intertwined with real life, and solving mysteries always occurs through self-knowledge of the characters.

"Paper Towns" by John Green

The main character, Q Jacobsen, lived an ordinary life until the stunning Margot Roth Spiegelman, an adventure girl, moves into the neighboring house. One night, after sneaking into Q's bedroom, Margo invites him to be her partner in her mission of revenge. But the next day she disappears, leaving only mysterious clues on how to find her. A trail of clues gives the book a driving force that keeps you reading further. The plot focuses on each character's different ideas about Margot, and ultimately how she is simply a person like them.

"Changing habits"

Author: M.J. Ryan

The main message of this work is that a person carefully and reverently stores all his failures and forbids himself to live happily. An interesting book with many real-life examples, although, unfortunately, there are not as many practical recommendations as we would like. But this book fully helps to understand such mysterious creatures as people.

A small spoiler: there is no magic way in the book that allows you to solve all your problems at once. But the author explains in great detail how we react to negative circumstances, why we react this way, and, most importantly, how to catch happiness at the time of life’s difficulties. Or, in other words, all the bad things that rain down on you are rained down so that you develop positive qualities: patience, kindness and self-control. Read “Changing Habits” and work on yourself.

"Little Women", Louisa Alcott

This is the stunning classic story of the four March sisters: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. When their father went to war, they were left with only their mother to teach them to be the best version of themselves. As they go through love and loss, they truly become "little women." Alcott writes with elegance and wit. The sisters' personalities are intricately described throughout the book. This gives an idea of ​​what a typical family looked like in the 1800s.

Author: Maria Zemtsova
Interesting? Save it on your wall!

Tony Maguire "Don't tell Mom. The story of one betrayal"

Photo: Elle Girl: UGC
The book reveals a pressing problem faced by teenagers. Domestic violence is a hot topic. It was about her that the author wrote, setting out her own story on the pages.

Young Toni was abused by her father. This behavior of a loved one negates all ideas about family idyll and respect for parents. After reading the book, teenagers will have more courage to discuss problems and solve them.

Teenage literature is not only books about transition-age schoolchildren themselves. These are works that teach life, help you find the strength to face difficulties, and motivate you. Read good books and learn useful lessons from them.

"Miss Charity", Murail Marie-Aude

Age: 14-15 years.

Plot: Young Charity Tiddler doesn't fit in with her surroundings. It’s the end of the 19th century, London is outside the window, which means that Miss Charity, like any decent Victorian young lady, must try on dresses, dream about marriage and learn to embroider with satin stitch. But Charity is more interested in a huge world full of adventures and mysteries.

Charity is based on the very real writer and artist Beatrix Potter, who abandoned the role of decorating the living room to become an individual and live her own destiny.

Murail Marie-Aude has written more than 90 books for children and teenagers, and in 2017 she received the Legion of Honor medal for her contribution to French literature. And it’s great that in recent years many of Marie-Aude’s books have begun to be translated into Russian. Start with “Miss Charity” - this is one of the kindest and sweetest books by the writer.

Dee Snider "Survival Course for Teens"

The thing that teenagers of the early nineties were engrossed in when it was published in “Rovesnik”. Since then, of course, the progress of all sorts of dirty tricks that can happen to a schoolchild has not stood still. And yet there are eternal things in the world. “At home I didn’t get along with my parents. My parents didn’t know about this...” It’s relevant, right? Well, the tone is somehow correct, without fawning, but cheerful. “We vile types can be very perspicacious,” the shaggy-haired Snyder smiles, and somehow my soul becomes less lonely.

"Furies" by Lowe Katie

After a terrible accident, the main character Violet moves to the outskirts of a small town on the seashore and enters a private school for girls. It would seem that everything is behind us: fears and worries, difficult memories. But here, too, surprises await the girl: for example, a lesson where they study Celtic legends, the history of witch trials and ancient rituals. It turns out that the founder of this school was burned at the stake for witchcraft!

Despite the strict prohibitions of the teacher, the girl and her friends cannot refuse to try witchcraft experiments in practice. And it doesn't seem to bode well for them.

"Jump" Redgrain Lebowski

One of the worst fears of a person is to find out from the doctor that you are terminally ill and hear the time that you have left. The heroine of this book, a young girl Helga, learned about her incurable illness

Helga and Oliver were best friends since childhood, and then, as adults, they practiced parkour together and worked in a small Italian restaurant. Life always brought them together, but not this time. The news of Helga's terminal illness changes everything. She has a year to fit her whole life into. He wants to turn this year into an unforgettable adventure for them together.

Kerstin Geer “Timeless”

Fantastic in genre and very girly in mood and spirit of the book. The main character, sixteen-year-old Gwendolyn, did not have enough ordinary, girlish, heartfelt problems - it also turned out that she also received a powerful gift, which was not actually intended for her, and for which she was completely unprepared! Both it and its consequences now need to be dealt with somehow. It’s easy to read and delights with humor, although a picky reader will certainly find something to complain about in the plot and its intrigues.

"The Queen's Move" Walter Tevis

Small and defenseless Beth had to grow up very early; at the age of eight she lost her parents and was sent to an orphanage. Here, it is difficult for a quiet, modest girl to find a loved one, especially since adults constantly drug children with tranquilizers so that they are quiet and obedient. But thanks to a lucky coincidence, Beth discovers a talent for chess. After a few years, the teenager’s passion for the game takes her to a new level, moving her from the category of amateurs to real professionals. The girl begins to participate in tournaments. So the life of the main character turns into a daily battle on the chessboard and a struggle with addiction, which can ruin her promising career.

Sue Townsend “The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole”

This is how you tell me to live if (curl your fingers): your parents are stupid, they can’t earn a decent living or get along; and an inhuman pimple popped up; and the girl she loves doesn’t take her seriously; and problems with studying; and for some reason your talents are not appreciated? In general, everything is awry. It is written very funny, but without excesses or mockery. And the inimitable tone with which this whole mess is described (and who hasn’t had a similar mess happen in their life?) makes you raise your nose and straighten your shoulders.

"Bad Roads" by Eli Frey

The main character is a desperate rebel who once committed a terrible crime. A crime that will change her whole life and force her to give up love if anyone finds out about it. She needs to correct her mistakes and find the right path, but fate leads her along bad roads. How many more rash actions awaits the young girl, complete nonsense, disappointments and regrets...

This book is the life journey of a teenager: about finding yourself, true friendship and the tragedies of growing up. A story where the realization that the price of freedom is human life comes too late...

Fight with Leo

The lion was resting in the shade of a large tree after a hearty lunch. It was midday. Heat. The Jackal approached the Lion. He looked at the resting Leo and timidly said:

- A lion! Let's fight!

But the answer was only silence.

The jackal began to speak louder:

- A lion! Let's fight! Let's have a battle in this clearing. You are against me!

Leo didn't pay any attention to him.

Then the Jackal threatened:

- Let's fight! Otherwise I’ll go and tell everyone that you, Leo, scared me terribly.

Leo yawned, stretched lazily and said:

- And who will believe you? Just think! Even if someone condemns me for cowardice, it is still much more pleasant than the fact that they will despise me. Despised for fighting with some Jackal...

Laziness, Mistrust A wise parable for children and teenagers

Once upon a time, a wise man lived in the East, and one day five young, strong men came to him. They were all different, but they were connected by one single dream - to find their Happiness in this life. They asked the sage for advice on how to achieve Happiness, to which the sage gave them a map, which marked the path to the cherished Happiness. And this long, difficult path lay through beautiful places, picturesque countries, mysterious caves and lands.

The travelers set off on the road... they walked for a long time, but after going a fifth of the way, one of them said that he was tired of walking along the road and returned back, not finding happiness. After some time, when two-fifths of the entire journey was left behind, the second young man said: “The old man deceived us, there is no happiness,” and returned back. A lot of time passed before more than half the road was left behind, and then the third young man could not stand it and turned back with the words: “I believe in Happiness, but I cannot find it.”

The last two young men continued their journey. They continued to walk, strictly following the map... one of them was cheerful, talked with people he met along the road, enjoyed the singing of birds in the mysterious forests, greeted the dawn with a smile, and the second walked gloomily, not paying attention to anyone, grumbling about it When will this journey finally end? And so! The long-awaited day came, the travelers turned the last corner and now... they found themselves in front of the gates of their hometown, where the map led them. A cheerful, cheerful young man rushed into the arms of his family and friends, who had been waiting for him for so long; over time, he found a girl in his city, fell in love with her, got married and became happy. And the second, gloomy traveler, disappointedly returned to his ordinary life, having never found Happiness.

After some time, the young men met and decided to ask the sage why he deceived them by giving them a map that actually led not to Happiness, but back to home. After listening to the young men’s complaint, the wise old man replied: “In fact, I did not deceive you, the card that you received really led to happiness. But only three of you turned away from your path, some earlier, some later... one because of laziness, the other because of distrust, the third because of insufficient self-confidence. It doesn’t matter for what reason you turned away from this path, it also doesn’t matter at what point it happened, since the result was the same - you didn’t find your Happiness.”

To this, the gloomy young man, who had reached the end of the path, said: “What about me, old man? I reached my goal, but why didn’t I find Happiness?” The sage replied: “You walked without discerning the path, rejecting the beauties that surrounded you, you didn’t see people, you didn’t hear birds singing... your goal was not Happiness, but only the end of the path... that’s why you didn’t find Happiness.” And then the last young man said: “Tell me, sage, why did you send me on such a long journey? Yes, I walked through it with a smile and in the end found my Happiness, but I could have found it without going all this way.” The sage shook his head and said: “I gave you the map so that you understand that Happiness is not always as far away as we think. And the long path is not always the only true one; perhaps happiness is very close. But would you understand this if you didn’t have to go through so many roads on the way to him?”

This is how, to this day, Laziness, Mistrust, Insufficient self-confidence and Wrongly set goals prevent us from getting to our Happiness, which is actually not as far away as we think.

Jeff Kinney "Diary of a Wimpy Kid"

Having described the troubles of his adolescence and published a book about them, Kinney became rich and famous. Because everyone read and recognized themselves. When girls don't like you. When they don't give you the gifts you want. When you are tormented with stupid propaganda and cheerfulness, but you want to give up on everything. His hero Greg is a typical, archetypal boy! Yes, he has a lot of shortcomings. And you are all angels here, right? Well, then, he has a clear chance to somehow cope with them.

"When We Meet" by Rebecca Stead

Age: 12-13 years.
Plot: 12-year-old Miranda is not very happy: she is embarrassed by her mother, who dresses up as if she is Miranda’s age, cannot make friends with classmates who have changed recently, and loses an old friend.

In short, there are enough problems as is. In addition, Miranda suddenly begins to receive mysterious notes that predict the future. The author of these messages says exactly what Miranda must do to bring about specific events or avoid them. Here you will find melodrama, fantasy, and the unique atmosphere of New York.

Since 2009, Rebecca Stead's novel has been on the children's bestseller lists in the United States, and a year after its publication it received the prestigious Newbery literary award.