Books for Older Teens
Eleanor and Park
By Rainbow Rowell
(Teen Fiction)
This is a story about first love. Two misfit teens, Eleanor and Park, find themselves sitting together on the bus, and over the course of time overcome their shyness to find bittersweet romance.
No Safety in Numbers
By Dayna Lorentz
(Teen Fiction)
A bio-toxin bomb has gone off in a mall, and we learn the story of what’s going on through the voices of four teens who are among the thousands trapped inside. Information is scarce, but the pages will keep turning as the claustrophobia and desperation grow. Perfect for the reluctant reader who prefers a good thriller.
The Brimstone Journals
By Ron Koertge
(Teen Fiction)
This book is narrated by 15 fictional teenage characters from the 2001 class of Branston High School; each with their own teenage stereotype, such as the jock, the smart one, the good girl, the fat kid, the anorexic, the rich boy, etc. Boyd, one of the teen boys, who had been neglected by his alcoholic father, decides to make a target list of people from the school, and along with his new friend Mike has devised a plan to take them all out. Hearing this news leads other characters to think of ways to take care of their own problems. The violence aspect makes this book more appropriate for older readers.
Pavement Chalk Artist; the Three-Dimensional Drawings of Julian Beever
By Julian Beever
(Teen Non-fiction)
Teens will spend hours poring over this fascinating book chronicling the unique art of Julian Beever, the creator of three-dimensional street art. Included are images of his best work, his creative process, and the challenges he overcame.
Falling Hard: 100 Love Poems by Teenagers
Betsy Franco, ed.
(Teen Non-fiction; Poetry)
A book compiled of love poems from youth, all of different backgrounds. These poems are written by teens in which only names and ages are given, and they touch on topics such as the intensity of love, breaking up, interracial relationships, being gay, flirting, and even jealousy. No matter which stage or shade is expressed, by reading these poems, you will find that love is exquisitely, excruciatingly, and endlessly fascinating.
Tell the World: Teen Poems from WritersCorps
(Teen Non-fiction; Poetry)
This book shares an astounding collection of poems by teens who have taken part in workshops run by WritersCorps, which is a national alliance of literary arts programs for youth. Their words represent the thoughts, hopes, and dreams of teens everywhere, as they offer both insight and empathy. It describes their lives; how they feel, what they love, how they think, and why they hope.
Partly Cloudy: Poems of Love and Longing
By Gary Soto
(Teen Non-fiction; Poetry)
Love is like the weather: sometimes stormy, sometimes, sunny, sometimes partly cloudy. The excitement of young love is portrayed in these poems through first kisses to heartbreaks; this book has just enough lighthearted romance to appeal to the younger teenage crowd.
Soulbound; the Legacy of Tril
By Heather Brewer
(Teen Fiction)
In a world where the warrior Barrons and Healers are bound to one another, training Healer Kaya wants to be a warrior. Hoping to go against Protocol and learn in secret, she asks two men to train her; the regulation adherent Barron she is bound to and a mysterious man who seems determined to make Kaya’s life difficult. Who will be the one to change her destiny?
The Fault In Our Stars
By John Green; audiobook read by Kate Rudd
(Teen Fiction)
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kids Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten. Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning-author John Greens most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love. Narrator Kate Rudd does a wonderful job of voicing the characters, both teen and adult, so that each one is distinctive, and true. The audiobook won the 2013 Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production.
Black Boy White School
By Brian F. Walker
(Teen Fiction)
When Anthony Jones is sent from his East Cleveland neighborhood to an exclusive boarding school in Maine for high school, he finds himself in unfamiliar territory among the mostly Caucasian, upper class students. Feeling as though he lives in two different worlds but belongs to neither, he learns much about himself and how the world views him. Author Brian Walker grew up in East Cleveland – a good read for teens (and adults) who love realistic, hard-hitting reads.
Days of Blood and Starlight
By Laini Taylor
(Teen Fiction)
Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war. This is not that world. Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is--and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it. In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life. While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope. But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?
