Teens Book Lists

Youth Book Suggestions

Book Lists & Recommendations

Personalized Recommendations

If the suggested book lists below do not fulfill your needs, our librarians are happy to make you a personalized Book Bundle. Please allow a minimum of 2 business days to fill these requests. These books will be automatically placed on hold for you to pick up and check out at the library.

 

Teen Book List

6-8th Grade Fiction

6-8th Grade Graphic Novels

Adventure & Survival

Anti-Racism Books for Teens

Dystopias 

Fantasy  

Holocaust Stories

Humor

If You Liked The Summer I Turned Pretty

Iowa High School Award

Iowa Teen Award 

LGBTQ+ 

Mysteries

Novels In Verse 

Plot Twists

Realistic Fiction

Science Fiction

Sports 

6-8th Grade Fiction

Title: Unplugged
Unplugged cover
Title: The science of breakable things
The science of breakable things cover
Title: Wink
Wink cover
Title: Ice wolves
Ice wolves cover
Title: Addison cooke and the treasure of the Incas
Addison Cooke and the Treasure of the Incas book cover
Title: D-39
D-39 cover
Title: Thing about jellyfish
Thing about jellyfish cover
Title: Up for air
Up for air cover
Title: Ghost
Ghost: Track series book cover
Title: Better Nate than ever
Better Nate than ever cover
Title: Epic fail of arturo zamora
Epic fail of arturo zamora cover
Title: Ghost boys
Ghost boys cover
Title: Bridge home
Bridge home cover
Title: The brave
The brave cover
Title: The only black girls in town
The only black girls in town cover
Title: Book of Boy
Book of Boy book cover
Title: Charlie Hernandez
Charlie Hernandez book cover
Title: Kate in between
Kate in between cover
Title: How to train your dad
How to train your dad cover
Title: The many meanings of Meilan
The many meanings of Meilan cover
Title: Turtle boy
Turtle boy cover
Title: The lost year
The lost year cover

6-8th Grade Graphic Novels

Title: A House divided
A House divided cover
Title: the avant-guards
the avant-guards cover
Title: Long way down
Long way down the graphic novel cover
Title: jujutsu kaisen
jujutsu kaisen cover
Title: My hero academia
My hero academia cover
Title: cassandra animal psychic
cassandra animal psychic cover
Title: civil war diary of freeman colby
civil war diary of freeman colby cover
Title: dark matter of mona starr
dark matter of mona starr cover
Title: dogs of war
dogs of war cover
Title: fever year
fever year cover
Title: House of el
House of el cover
Title: Incredible doom
Incredible doom cover
Title: Lumberjanes
Lumberjanes: graphic novel series cover
Title: map to the sun
map to the sun cover
Title: moonstruck
moonstruck cover
Title: navajo code talkers
navajo code talkers cover
Title: nubia
nubia cover
Title: odessa
odessa cover
Title: one punch man
one punch man cover
Title: other side of the wall
other side of the wall cover
Title: primer
primer cover
Title: spy who raised me
spy who raised me cover
Title: witch hat atelier
witch hat atelier cover
Title: wonder cat kyuu-chan
wonder cat kyuu-chan cover
Title: Grand theft horse
Grand theft horse cover
Title: Artie and the wolf moon
Artie and the wolf moon cover
Title: Ghoul next door
Ghoul next door cover
Title: Jukebox
Jukebox cover
Title: Kyle's little sister
Kyle's little sister cover
Title: Bounce Back
Bounce Back cover
Title: Another kind
Another kind cover
Title: Witches of brooklyn
Witches of brooklyn cover
Title: Pretty boy detective club
Pretty boy detective club cover
Title: Runaway's Diary
Runaway's Diary cover
Title: Spill zone
Spill zone cover
Title: Verse
Verse cover
Title: Buzzing
Buzzing cover
Title: Cooking with monsters
Cooking with monsters cover
Title: Dinosaur sanctuary
Dinosaur sanctuary cover

YA Adventure & Survival

Title: The Darkdeep
The Darkdeep book cover
Title: Wilder Boys
Wilder Boys book cover
Title: Be not far from me
Be not far from me book cover
Title: Brian's Saga: The River
Brian's Saga: The River book cover
Title: City spies
City spies book cover
Title: I am still alive
I am still alive book cover
Title: On Edge
On Edge book cover
Title: Ghost Hawk
Ghost Hawk book cover
Title: Skyjacked
Skyjacked book cover
Title: Addison Cooke and the Treasure of the Incas
Addison Cooke and the Treasure of the Incas book cover
Title: Where the World Ends
Where the World Ends book cover
Title: Book of Boy
Book of Boy book cover
Title: City of Gold
City of Gold book cover
Title: Ice dogs
Ice dogs book cover
Title: Falcon's feather
Falcon's feather book cover
Title: Nowhere on earth
Nowhere on earth book cover
Title: Five Survive
Five Survive book cover
Title: Cryptid hunters
Cryptid hunters book cover
Title: Outcasts
Outcasts book cover

Anti-Racism Books for Teens

Title: The Talk
The Talk
Title: Call and Response the Story of Black Lives Matter
Call and Response the Story of Black Lives Matter
Title: Stamped: Antiracism and You
Stamped: Antiracism and You
Title: This Book is Anti-Racist
This Book is Anti-Racist
Title: The Hate U Give
The Hate U Give
Title: Yes No Maybe So
Yes No Maybe So
Title: Color Me In
Color Me In
Title: Things that make white people uncomfortable
Things that make white people uncomfortable
Title: American born Chinese
American born Chinese
Title: Just Mercy
Just Mercy
Title: It's Trevor Noah
It's Trevor Noah
Title: Poet X
Poet X
Title: All American Boys
All American Boys
Title: Ghost Boys
Ghost Boys
Title: Internment
Internment
Title: How I Resist
How I Resist
Title: Backfield Boys
Backfield Boys
Title: Music of What Happens
Music of What Happens
Title: We Are Not Free
We Are Not Free
Title: Kneel
Kneel
Title: Allies
Allies
Title: Uncomfortable Converstions With A Black Boy
Uncomfortable Converstions With A Black Boy
Title: Black Friend
Black Friend

YA Dystopian Series

Title: Arc of the Scythe
Arc of the Scythe book cover
Title: Hunger Games
Hunger Games book cover
Title: The Giver
The Giver book cover
Title: The Giver GN
The Giver GN book cover
Title: The Uglies
The Uglies book cover
Title: Hawk
Hawk book cover
Title: The grace year
The grace year book cover
Title: Maze Runner
Maze Runner book cover
Title: Gone
Gone book cover
Title: Matched
Matched book cover
Title: Among the Hidden: Shadow Children series
Among the Hidden book cover
Title: The Testing
The Testing book cover
Title: House of the Scorpion
House of the Scorpion book cover
Title: Skyward
Skyward book cover
Title: The Selection
The Selection book cover
Title: Legend
Legend book cover
Title: Steelheart: Reckoners trilogy
Steelheart : Reckoners series cover
Title: Darkest Minds
Darkest Minds book cover
Title: The secret runners
The secret runners book cover
Title: Marrow thieves
Marrow thieves book cover

YA Fantasy

Title: Carry On: Simon Snow series
Carry On book cover
Title: Children of Blood and Bone: Legacy of Orisha series
Children of Blood and Bone: Legacy of Orisha series cover
Title: The Raven Boys: Raven Cycle series
The Raven Boys: Raven Cycle series cover
Title: Set fire to the gods
Set fire to the gods
Title: Mark of the Thief series
Mark of the Thief series cover
Title: Legendborn
Legendborn book cover
Title: Revenge of the Witch: Last Apprentice series
Revenge of the Witch: Last Apprentice series cover
Title: Seraphina series
Seraphina series book cover
Title: The Cruel Prince: Folk of the Air series
The Cruel Prince: Folk of the Air series cover
Title: An Ember In the Ashes series
An Ember In the Ashes series cover
Title: Left-handed booksellers of london
Left-handed booksellers of london book cover
Title: Three Dark Crowns series
Three Dark Crowns series cover
Title: The Wrath and the Dawn series
The Wrath and the Dawn series cover
Title: Redwall series
Redwall series book cover
Title: Eragon: Inheritance Cycle series
Eragon: Inheritance Cycle series cover
Title: The False Prince: Ascendance Trilogy
The False Prince: Ascendance Trilogy book cover
Title: Steelheart : Reckoners series
Steelheart : Reckoners series cover
Title: Talon
Talon book cover
Title: Prisoner of cell 25
Prisoner of cell 25 book cover
Title: Mirage
Mirage book cover
Title: Amari and the night brothers
Amari and the night brothers book cover
Title: Charlie Hernandez
Charlie Hernandez book cover
Title: Wake
Wake book cover
Title: Song of silver flame like night
Song of silver flame like night book cover

YA Stories of the Holocaust

Title: Librarian of Auschwitz
Librarian of Auschwitz book cover
Title: Red Stars
Red Stars book cover
Title: Girl in the Blue Coat
Girl in the Blue Coat book cover
Title: The Book Thief
The Book Thief book cover
Title: Prisoner B-3087
Prisoner B-3087 book cover
Title: Projekt 1065
Projekt 1065 book cover
Title: Orphan Monster Spy
Orphan Monster Spy book cover
Title: My Real Name Is Hanna
My Real Name Is Hanna book cover
Title: White Rose
White Rose book cover
Title: The Nazi Hunters
The Nazi Hunters book cover
Title: Survivors Club
Survivors Club book cover
Title: Code Name Verity
Code Name Verity book cover
Title: The Boys Who Challenged Hitler
The Boys Who Challenged Hitler book cover
Title: Between Shades of Gray
Between Shades of Gray book cover
Title: In my hands
In my hands book cover
Title: World was ours
World was ours book cover
Title: Assignment
Assignment book cover
Title: 28 days
28 days book cover
Title: Catherine's war
Catherine's war book cover
Title: Anne Frank's Diary the graphic adaptation
Anne Frank's Diary the graphic adaptation book cover
Title: My survival
My survival book cover
Title: American shoes
American shoes book cover

YA Humor

Title: Slider
Slider book cover
Title: Schooled
Schooled book cover
Title: Huda F are you
Huda F are you book cover
Title: American Panda
American Panda book cover
Title: Funny You Don't Look Autistic
Funny You Don't Look Autistic book cover
Title: Frankly in love
Frankly in love book cover
Title: This will be funny someday
This will be funny someday book cover
Title: An Abundance of Katherines
An Abundance of Katherines book cover
Title: Assassination Classroom: graphic novel series
Assassination Classroom: graphic novel series cover
Title: The Up Side of Unrequited
The Up Side of Unrequited book cover
Title: One-punch Man: graphic novel series
One-punch Man: graphic novel series cover
Title: Lumberjanes: graphic novel series
Lumberjanes: graphic novel series cover
Title: Middle School the Worst Years of My Life series
Middle school worst years of my life book cover
Title: Never Always Sometimes
Never Always Sometimes book cover
Title: The way you make me feel
The way you make me feel book cover
Title: Confessions of a class clown
Confessions of a class clown book cover
Title: Simon vs the homo sapiens agenda
Simon vs the homo sapiens agenda book cover
Title: Captain skidmark dances with destiny
Captain skidmark dances with destiny book cover
Title: Perfectly parvin
Perfectly parvin book cover

If You Like The Summer I Turned Pretty

Title: Hello from here
Hello from here cover
Title: Never saw you coming
Never saw you coming cover
Title: Donuts and other proclamations of love
Donuts and other proclamations of love cover
Title: A cuban girl's guide to tea and tomorrow
A cuban girl's guide to tea and tomorrow cover
Title: Hearts strings and other breakable things
Hearts strings and other breakable things cover
Title: A pho love story
A pho love story cover
Title: You should see me in a crown
you should see me in a crown book cover
Title: Lucky caller
Lucky caller cover
Title: Jackpot
Jackpot cover
Title: Meet cute diary
Meet cute diary cover
Title: American royals
American royals cover
Title: Both sides now
Both Sides Now book cover
Title: Some girls do
Some girls do cover
Title: Big boned
Big boned cover
Title: If you then me
If you then me cover
Title: Don't hate the player
Don't hate the player cover
Title: Hani and Ishu's guide to fake dating
Hani and Ishu's guide to fake dating cover
Title: Hot dog girl
Hot dog girl cover
Title: I wish you all the best
I wish you all the best cover
Title: Now that I've found you
Now that I've found you cover
Title: To all the boys I've loved before
To all the boys i've loved before book cover
Title: The rest of the story
The rest of the story book cover
Title: Anna and the french kiss
Anna and the french kiss cover
Title: Drizzle dreams and lovestruck things
Drizzle dreams and lovestruck things cover

Iowa High School Book Award 2024 - 2025

Title: The Agathas
The Agathas cover
Title: The Davenports
The Davenports cover
Title: Letters to a young athlete
Letters to a young athlete cover
Title: Any sign of life
Any sign of life cover
Title: Hollow fires
Hollow fires cover
Title: The red palace
The red palace cover
Title: If you could see the sun
If you could see the sun cover
Throwback cover
The counselors book cover
Title: The knockout
The knockout cover
Title: The weight of blood
The weight of blood cover

Iowa Teen Award 2024 - 2025

Title: What once was mine
What once was mine cover
Title: A Thousand heartbeats
A Thousand heartbeats cover
seen and unseen cover
Title: Out of my heart
Out of my heart cover
Other boys cover
Omar rising cover
linked book cover
Iceberg cover
Frizzy cover
Title: Fifty-four things wrong with Gwendolyn Rogers
Fifty-four things wrong with Gwendolyn Rogers cover
Title: Deepfake
Deepfake cover
Title: Daughter of the deep
Daughter of the deep cover
Title: Attack of the black rectangles
Attack of the black rectangles cover
Title: Across the desert
Across the desert cover

YA LGBTQ+

Title: They Both Die at the End
They Both Die at the End book cover
Title: The Red Scrolls of Magic
The Red Scrolls of Magic book cover
Title: The Last True Poets of the Sea
The Last True Poets of the Sea book cover
Title: Carry On
Carry On book cover
Title: The Past and Other Things That Should Stay Buried
The Past and Other Things That Should Stay Buried book cover
Title: The Music of What Happens
The Music of What Happens book cover
Title: The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali
The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali book cover
Title: Better Nate Than Ever
Better Nate Than Ever book cover
Title: Kings Queens and In-betweens
Kings Queens and In-betweens book cover
Title: #MurderFunding
#MurderFunding book cover
Title: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda book cover
Title: What If It's Us
What If It's Us book cover
Title: Tomboy
Tomboy book cover
Title: Brave face
Brave face book cover
Title: Both Sides Now
Both Sides Now book cover
Title: I kissed sarah wheeler
I kissed sarah wheeler book cover
Title: Just your local bisexual disaster
Just your local bisexual disaster book cover

YA Mysteries

Title: All fall down
All fall down book cover
Title: The cheerleaders
The cheerleaders book cover
Title: Cousins
Cousins book cover
Title: Deadman's castle
Deadman's castle book cover
Title: Elatsoe
Elatsoe book cover
Title: Haphaven
Haphaven book cover
Title: Inheritance games
Inheritance games book cover
Title: Monday's not coming
Monday's not coming book cover
Title: Sadie
Sadie book cover
Author: Stalking jack the ripper
Stalking jack the ripper book cover
Title: Stormbreaker
Stormbreaker book cover
Title: They wish they were us
They wish they were us book cover
Title: Truly devious
Truly devious book cover
Title: Asadora!
Asadora! book cover
Title: The Counselors
The counselors book cover
Title: All the pretty things
All the pretty things book cover
Title: Body in the woods
Body in the woods book cover
Title: Cold
Cold book cover
Title: Ivory key
Ivory key book cover
Title: Don't breathe a word
Don't breathe a word book cover
Title: Escape from the everglades
Escape from the everglades book cover
Title: Good girl's guide to murder
Good girl's guide to murder book cover
Title: Murder Trending
Murder Trending book cover

Novels in Verse

Title: Flooded
Flooded cover
Title: Clap when you land
Clap when you land book cover
Title: Solo
Author: Kwame Alexander
Solo cover
Title: Long Way Down
Author: Jason Reynold
Long Way Down cover
Title: Shark Girl
Author: Kelly L. Bingham
Shark Girl cver
Title: The Poet X
Author: Elizabeth Acevedo
The Poet X cover
Title: White Rose
Author: Kip Wilson
White Rose book cover
Title: The Sound of Letting Go
Author: Stasia Ward Kehoe
The Sound of Letting Go cover
Title: Alone Together
Alone Together cover
Title: Missing Mike
Missing Mike cover
Title: The Weight of Water
The Weight of Water cover
Title: Black flamingo
Black flamingo cover
Title: Muted
Muted book cover
Title: Worst case collin
Worst case collin cover
Title: Mirror to mirror
Mirror to mirror cover
Title: Ethel's song
Ethel's song cover

Books With a Plot Twist

Title: Scythe
Scythe
Title: Allegedly
Allegedly
Title: Carve the Mark
Carve the Mark
Title: Electric Kingdom
Electric Kingdom
Title: Ember in the Ashes
Ember in the Ashes
Title: Ender's Game
Ender's Game
Title: Everything Everything
Everything Everything
Title: Furyborn
Furyborn
Title: Girl I Used to Be
Girl I Used to Be
Title: Girls of Paper and Fire
Girls of Paper and Fire
Title: The Giver
The GIver
Title: Kiss of Deception
Kiss of Deception
Title: Monday's Not Coming
Monday's Not Coming
Title: Sadie
Sadie
Title: More Happy Than Not
More Happy Than Not
Title: Red Queen
Red Queen
Title: We'll Never Tell
We'll Never Tell
Title: Warrior Girl Unearthed
Warrior Girl Unearthed
Title: Lost Year
Lost Year

YA Realistic Fiction

Title: Turtles all the way down
Turtles all the way down book cover
Title: The rest of the story
The rest of the story book cover
Title: When Dimple met Rishi
When Dimple met Rishi book cover
Title: Keep it together
Keep it together book cover
Title: dumplin
dumplin book cover
Title: Slider
Slider book cover
Title: The eagle tree
The eagle tree book cover
Title: Middle school worst years of my life
Middle school worst years of my life book cover
Title: Ghost
Ghost: Track series book cover
Title: All American boys
All American boys book cover
Title: Hate u give
Hate u give book cover
Title: Surprising power of a good dumpling
Surprising power of a good dumpling book cover
Title: Darius the great is not okay
Darius the great is not okay book cover
Title: Charming as a verb
charming as a verb book cover
Title: Tweet Cute
Tweet Cute book cover
Title: Yes no maybe so
Yes no maybe so book cover
Title: To all the boys i've loved before
To all the boys i've loved before book cover
Title: 99 days
99 days book cover
Title: you should see me in a crown
you should see me in a crown book cover
Title: Henna wars
Henna wars book cover

YA Science Fiction

Title: Light of the jedi
Light of the jedi book cover
Title: Skyhunter
Skyhunter book cover
Title: Bloom
Bloom book cover
Title: Aurora rising
Aurora rising book cover
Title: Ender's game
Ender's game book cover
Title: Rebelwing
Rebelwing book cover
Title: Warcross
Warcross book cover
Title: Last 8
Last 8 book cover
Title: I am number four
I am number four book cover
Title: Angel experiment
Angel experiment book cover
Title: Maximum ride: the manga
Maximum ride: the manga book cover
Title: Hana Hsu and the ghost crab nation
Hana Hsu and the ghost crab nation book cover

YA Sports

Title: Football champ
Football champ book cover
Title: Until Friday Night
Until Friday Night book cover
Title: Gutless
Author: Carl Deuker
Gutless book cover
Title: Ghost: Track series
Author: Jason Reynolds
Ghost: Track series book cover
Title: The Crossover
Author: Kwame Alexander
The Crossover book cover
Title: Change Up: sports beat series
Author: John Feinstein
Change Up: sports beat series book cover
Title: Swagger
Author: Carl Deuker
Swagger book cover
Title: Checked
Checked book cover
Title: The Perfect Shot
The Perfect Shot book cover
Title: Losers Take All
Losers Take All book cover
Title: Boost
Boost book cover
Title: Yellow Flag
Yellow Flag book cover
Title: Gut Check
Gut Check book cover
Title: Curveball the year I lost my grip
Curveball the year I lost my grip book cover
Title: Benchwarmers
Benchwarmers book cover
Title: Kenzie kickstarts a team
Kenzie kickstarts a team book cover
Title: Fierce as the wind
Fierce as the wind book cover
Title: Obie is man enough
Obie is man enough book cover
Title: Lupe wong won't dance
Lupe wong won't dance book cover

Iowa High School Book Award 2025-2026

Title: Accountable
Cover
Title: Artifice
Cover
Title: Brighter Than The Sun
Cover
Title: Dear Medusa
Cover
Title: Divine Rivals
Cover
Title: Invisible Son
Cover
Title: Lunar New Year Love Story
Cover
Title: Rez Ball
Cover
Title: The Reappearance of Rachel Price
Cover
Title: Thieves' Gambit
Cover

Iowa Teen Award 2025-2026

Title: Cross My Heart And Never Lie
Cover
Title: A First Time For Everything
Cover
Title: Free Throws, Friendships, And Other Things We Fouled Up
Cover
Title: Heroes
Cover
Title: Simon Sort Of Says
Cover
Title: Slugfest
Cover
Title: The Encanto's Daughter
Cover
Title: The Lost Year
Cover
Title: The Mona Lisa Vanishes
Cover
Title: Wrecker
Cover
Title: The Love Match
Cover