For Older Teens
Here‘s a grab bag of good books that are best for older teens.
Because of Winn-Dixie
by Kate DiCamillo
Juvenile Fiction/J/DiC
India Opal Buloni rescues a dog from the local grocery store and names him Winn-Dixie. Being new in town is hard, especially during the summer, but Winn-Dixie finds India some new and crazy friends.
The Goats
by Brock Cole
Teen Fiction/J/Col
At summer camp, the boy and girl who other campers call “the goats” are dumped on an island, naked and cold.
The Gospel According to Larry
by Janet Tashjian
Teen Fiction/J/Tas
Mix one hyperactive seventeen-year-old searching for the meaning of life with one culture-bashing Web site, a media frenzy, a change-the-world rock concert, and enough celebrity worship to canonize Princess Di. Bake at 350 degrees for an entire senior year. Garnish with one frightening, inevitable choice.
If You Come Softly
by Jacqueline Woodson
Teen Fiction/J/Woo
Jeremiah, who is black, and Ellie, who is white, meet at their private school in New York and fall in love. Each must cope with family problems and people‘s reactions to their relationship.
An Island Like You: Stories of the Barrio
by Judith Ortiz Cofer
Teen Fiction/J/Ort
Meet Rita, Sandra, and Arturo, all teenagers of the Barrio learning to navigate their clashing cultures.
Shizuko's Daughter
by Kyoko Mori
Teen Fiction/J/Mor
After her mother commits suicide, twelve-year-old Yuki has to live with her father who doesn‘t seem to love her and her mean stepmother. Yuki learns to navigate the world alone while she tries to make sense of the tragedy of her mother‘s death.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
by Steven Chbosky
Teen Fiction/J/Chb
Charlie creates a narrative about his freshman year, describing the pluses of being a wallflower while you‘re forced to learn the intricacies of high school.
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
by Ann Brashares
Teen Fiction/J/Bra
Four friends magically fit into the same pair of pants, so the jeans become the magic traveling pants. During their first summer apart, these friends send the pants across the world, from Greece to Mexico to South Carolina and back home as they cling to their friendship and their experiences in the pants.
Stargirl
by Jerry Spinelli.
Teen Fiction/J/Spi
In this story about the perils of popularity, the courage of nonconformity and the thrill of first love, an eccentric student named Stargirl changes Mica High School forever.
Swallowing Stones
by Joyce McDonald
Teen Paperbacks/M
It‘s the summer of Michael‘s life: He‘s about to get his driver‘s license, he‘s popular, and he has a great girlfriend. But when Michael accidentally kills a man, his summer of dreams turns into a crazy nightmare.
Tangerine
Teen Fiction/J/Blo
Though legally blind, Paul‘s eyes still tell him enough: Florida is bad in the summer, and even worse during the rest of the year. Sinkholes, lightening, and constant fires make it hard to play soccer. But his brother, Eric, makes Paul‘s life even more difficult.
Ten Miles from Winnemucca
by Thelma Wyss
Teen Fiction/J/Wys
In this quirky and uplifting tale, Martin finds himself hungry and homeless in Red Rock. Disappointed with his new home situation, Martin heads out for the place he used to call home.
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