16 Books for 16-Year-Old Girls: A Redeemed Reader Booklist

16-year-old girls are transitioning rapidly to womanhood, leaving girlhood behind. Eyes fixed ahead, wondering about marriage, college and/or vocation, perhaps even motherhood. And yet, most are still at home and very much a daughter of the house. Some might be driving themselves (and perhaps younger siblings) to and from school or work. Others could be helping care for younger siblings at home. Others may be looking longingly at older siblings who are off studying, preparing to get married, or who may already be married with a child or two.

The 16 books for 16-year-old girls below are each uniquely suited to this transitional time. Some are works for adults that age down nicely. Others are firmly in the “young adult” category. All are recommended for 16 years old and up. Many would make outstanding mother-daughter book club choices because older women will enjoy them as much as younger women. And all are written by women who are professing Christians whose writing demonstrates clear Christian themes and understanding.

Note: If you have a younger daughter who is an advanced reader, please do not assume she is ready for the content in these titles. This is a mature list for mature teens and up. As always, we encourage you to read reviews when possible, exercise discernment, and engage with your children and students over what they read.

16 Books for 16 Year Old Girls: A Redeemed Reader Booklist

Titles are linked to Redeemed Reader reviews, where applicable.

Charis in the World of Wonders by Marly Youmans. A richly satisfying novel of a young Puritan woman who learns much about the world and herself through hardship and perseverance. Historical fiction.

The Red Palace by June Hur. Eighteenth century Korea comes to life in The Red Palace, a gripping—and gritty—historical mystery for teens. Historical fiction/mystery.

Forward Me Back to You by Mitali Perkins. Two conflicted teens travel to India to confront human trafficking and challenges to their Christian faith. Realistic fiction.

An American Immigrant by Johanna Rojas Vann. Twenty-five year old Melanie makes a pilgrimage to Colombia and discovers more about both herself and her mother, who came to American from Colombia when she was a young woman. Realistic fiction.

Embergold by Rachelle Nelson. A thought-provoking fantasy for teens that includes true love, sacrifice, and dragons. Fantasy.

Swift by R. J. Anderson (book 1 of the Flight and Flame series). A young piskey girl searches for truth as danger threatens her home and loved ones. Fantasy.

Christy by Catherine Marshall. A classic coming-of-age story based on the author’s mother’s experience in the Appalachia Mountains. Not reviewed on the site, but discussed in the Love Your Neighbor Issue of the Redeemed Reader Quarterly. Fictionalized biography.

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. A tremendously moving and unforgettable account of one woman’s experience in the Holocaust. Autobiography.

Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss. This semi-autobiographical story follows a young lady from the age of sixteen to her emergence as a woman of substance and spiritual maturity. Memoir.

Gay Girl, Good God by Jackie Hill Perry. In evocative, lyrical prose, Jackie Hill Perry shares her spiritual journey. Memoir.

Ordinary Hazards by Nikki Grimes. Ordinary Hazards is ultimately an inspiring story despite the hard parts, because it shows how this girl with so many strikes against her nonetheless grew in faith and made something beautiful of her life. Memoir.

Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber. A literary memoir of a young feminist who finds faith at Oxford. Memoir.

Carved in Ebony by Jasmine Holmes. Profiles 10 inspiring Black women, looking at their lives, their callings, and their faith. Biography.

Confronting Christianity by Rebecca McLaughlin. Rebecca McLaughlin confronts some of the hardest questions faced by Christians today with thoughtful, engaging responses rooted in Scripture. Nonfiction.

Identity Theft: Reclaiming the Truth of Our Identity in Christ, edited by Melissa Kruger. A collection of essays by different women authors that look, in turn, at different facets of our identity in Christ and how that identity can be “stolen” by the world. Nonfiction.

Christian Women Poets: Consider gifting a young woman a volume of poetry by one of the following poets: Christina Rosetti (perhaps Goblin Market), Anne Bradstreet, Nikki Grimes (we love Glory in the Margins and Glory, Too), Elizabeth Barrett Browning (we’re partial to the volume with poems selected by her husband, Robert Browning, but this is hard to track down), or another favorite of your own.

Related Reading at Redeemed Reader:

• Resource: Got a teen boy in the house? Check out our 13 Books for 13-Year-Old Boys and 15 Books for 15-Year-Old Boys. (Hint: many of these books also appeal to girls, too!)
• Resource: We’ve got a Mother-Daughter book club resource in our shop! Faith, Fiction, and Fortitude is for ages 10 and up, uses the book of Ruth as a solid biblical anchor for all ages, includes fiction choices for several age groups, and includes Closer Than a Sister by Christina Fox as an anchor title for the women.