Teen/YA
15 Books for 15-Year-Old Boys: A Book List
By Betsy Farquhar |
15-year-old boys: learning to drive. Wrestling with heavy high school work (10th grade is usually more intense than 9th, in terms of work load). Taking ...
Read More 2023 Newbery Winner: Freewater by Amina Luqman-Dawson
By Janie Cheaney |
Freewater, this year's Newbery Medal winner, is as much an adventure tale as little-known history. Freewater by Amina Luqman-Dawson. Little, Brown (James Patterson Presents), 2022, ...
Read More The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh
By Janie Cheaney |
The Lost Year uses multiple voices to narrate a sad chapter of history: Stalin’s deliberate starving of Ukraine. The Lost Year: A Survival Story of ...
Read More The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen by Isaac Blum
By Janie Cheaney |
“Hoodie Rosen” introduces teen readers to the Orthodox Jewish world and the reality of antisemitism. The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen by Isaac Blum. ...
Read More Trafficking Books for Teens: A Round-Up
By Betsy Farquhar |
I rarely visit a public restroom these days without seeing a notice for women who are in troubling situations: the text usually reads, "Need Help? ...
Read More The British Are Coming (Young Reader Ed.) by Rick Atkinson
By Janie Cheaney |
The British Are Coming recounts the first 4 years of the American Revolution in an engaging style, capturing substance and detail. The British Are Coming ...
Read More Romantic Reads for Teens: A Book List for Girls and Guys
By Betsy Farquhar |
Enjoy this unapologetic list of romantic reads for teens: great love stories and high romance without LGBTQ elements. For the genre-junkies out there, it's worth ...
Read More 2023 Newbery Buzz #5: I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys
By Betsy Farquhar |
I Must Betray You is one of those novels that straddles the line between Newbery age ranges and Printz age ranges. Will it get some ...
Read More Wintry Stories: A Book List for Middle Grades and Teens
By Betsy Farquhar |
Whether you live in a place with snow or not, January is the perfect month for a cozy snow story (or three). Look for some ...
Read More Belittled Women by Amanda Sellet
By Janie Cheaney |
Belittled Woman features a contemporary Meg, Jo, and Amy reluctantly participating in their mother’s pet project: a tourist attraction reenacting scenes from a certain 19th-century ...
Read More Productivity for Teens: A Round-Up
By Betsy Farquhar |
Do your teens make New Year's resolutions or goals? Perhaps you wish they would? If any of those goals relate to being more productive or ...
Read More *Berliners by Vesper Stamper
By Janie Cheaney |
Berliners is the story of a family scarred by war, politics, and false ideology in postwar Germany. *Berliners by Vesper Stamper. Knopf, 2022, 413 pages. ...
Read More Agent Most Wanted by Sonia Purnell
By Janie Cheaney |
Virginia Hall, one of history’s most effective spies, is the subject of this engrossing biography. Agent Most Wanted: The Never-before-Told Story of the Most Dangerous ...
Read More *Two Old Women by Velma Wallis
By Betsy Farquhar |
Two Old Women, a legend from Alaska, reminds us to persevere and to seek the good of those around us. *Two Old Women: An Alaska ...
Read More The Rat Queen by Pete Hautman
By Janie Cheaney |
Though not for every reader, The Rat Queen effectively exposes the harm caused to individual souls by hiding or excusing their own sins. The Rat ...
Read More Home for Christmas, edited by Miriam LeBlanc
By Betsy Farquhar |
Home for Christmas is a lovely, literary collection of stories, old and new, that highlight the "spirit" of Christmas. Home for Christmas: Stories for Young ...
Read More Gladys Hunt on Enjoying Picture Books–at Any Age
By Janie Cheaney |
Editor's Note: I hope everyone enjoyed a happy Thanksgiving with family and good food. Everybody knows what happens next: Christmas! And, as it's still Picture ...
Read More The Holy Ghost by John Hendrix
By Janie Cheaney |
In The Holy Ghost, author/illustrator John Hendrix freely exercises his imaginative powers while contemplating the third Person of the Trinity. The Holy Ghost: A Spirited ...
Read More *Church History by Simonetta Carr
By Janie Cheaney |
Simonetta Carr’s Church History is a must-have for Christian families, good for years of reference and encouragement. *Church History by Simonetta Carr. Reformation Heritage, 265 ...
Read More *The Red Palace by June Hur
By Betsy Farquhar |
Eighteenth century Korea comes to life in The Red Palace, a gripping—and gritty—historical mystery for teens. *The Red Palace by June Hur. Feiwel and Friends, ...
Read More Our Hymns, Our Heritage by David and Barbara Leeman
By Janie Cheaney |
The Leeman’s excellent student hymnal has been republished by Moody Press, with additional songs and supplements. *Our Hymns, Our Heritage: A Student Guide to Songs ...
Read More The Wonderland Trials by Sara Ella
By Betsy Farquhar |
Alice wants to be a Wonder and compete in the Wonderland Trials, but she's just an ordinary Normal girl in this inventive take on Alice ...
Read More American Shoes by Rosemarie Lengsfeld Turke
By Janie Cheaney |
American Shoes is the memoir of a young girl trapped in Nazi Germany with her family as the world is convulsed with war. American Shoes: ...
Read More Cozy and Clever Books for Teens and Adults
By Hayley Morell |
During uncertain* times, there’s something reassuring about a cozy book. But even better than a cozy book is a cozy and clever book with bits ...
Read More Fantasy Books for Teen Girls: Keeper of the Lost Cities Read-Alikes
By Betsy Farquhar |
We have several fantasy book lists here on Redeemed Reader, but this list is especially for those who enjoy books like Keeper of the Lost ...
Read More Keeper of the Lost Cities: Is it Safe? Is it Good?
By Betsy Farquhar |
Keeper of the Lost Cities is a wildly popular series for teens; what do we think about it? Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon ...
Read More Yonder by Ali Standish
By Janie Cheaney |
Yonder is a thoughtful and moving historical novel about the nature of heroism. Yonder by Ali Standish. Harper, 2022, 348 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ...
Read More *The Song that Moves the Sun by Anna Bright
By Janie Cheaney |
The Song that Moves the Sun takes four teens through the cosmos of Dante, with revelations on harmony, love, and friendship. *The Song that Moves ...
Read More Labor Day: Books about Work
By Betsy Farquhar |
Readers: this is an adaptation of one of the first posts on Redeemed Reader, way back in 2011 (written by Emily Whitten, the "I" in ...
Read More Lines of Courage by Jennifer A. Nielsen
By Janie Cheaney |
Lines of Courage follows five young protagonists through the epoch-making carnage of World War I. Lines of Courage by Jennifer A. Nielsen. Scholastic Press, 2022, ...
Read More The Visible Hand by Matthew Hennessey
By Janie Cheaney |
The Visible Hand introduces teens to basic free-market economics in a way that’s accessible and entertaining. The Visible Hand: A Wealth of Notions on the ...
Read More Maze Runner Series: a Christian Response
By Betsy Farquhar |
High octane, fast-paced adventure books for teens, the Maze Runner books raise interesting questions if readers can stop long enough to ponder. The Maze Runner ...
Read More Lord of the Flies: A Christian Response
By Betsy Farquhar |
When British boys are stranded alone on an island, can they govern themselves? Reading Level: Teens, ages 12 and up Recommended For: Teens, ages 15 ...
Read More High School British Literature: A Lively Approach
By Betsy Farquhar |
High School British Literature: Dull and Difficult? When I arrived at college, I was absolutely, 100% convinced that British lit was my jam. But it's ...
Read More *Love and Other Great Expectations by Becky Dean
By Janie Cheaney |
*Love and Other Great Expectations puts romance in its place as part of life’s great adventure (but not all of it). Love and Other Great ...
Read More Trapped in Terror Bay by Sigmund Brouwer
By Janie Cheaney |
Trapped in Terror Bay takes readers into the mystery of the ill-fated Arctic voyage of the Franklin Expedition, 1845. Trapped in Terror Bay: Solving the ...
Read More *Watership Down by Richard Adams
By Janie Cheaney |
Richard Adams' classic tale employs noble themes of vision, courage, and sacrifice among some of the most humble and ordinary of animals in their quest ...
Read More *Wild Things and Castles in the Sky from Square Halo Books
By Betsy Farquhar |
40 different authors write eloquently about children's literature, faith in Christ, and shepherding imaginations in Wild Things and Castles in the Sky. *Wild Things and ...
Read More The Woman Who Split the Atom by Marissa Moss
By Janie Cheaney |
Brilliant physicist Lise Meitner, overlooked by history, receives her due in this well-written and -illustrated biography. The Woman Who Split the Atom: The Life of ...
Read More Bestselling YA: A Look at the 2022 Market
By Janie Cheaney |
Aside from one graphic-novel romance series, novels about death and murder dominate the current YA scene. Where's hope? What are kids reading these days? As ...
Read More Hilde on Record by Hilde Lysiak
By Janie Cheaney |
Hilde Lysiak, whose doggedness as a 9-year-old investigative reporter made her a star of journalism, tells her own story. Hilde on the Record: Memoir of ...
Read More Fire Bringer by David Clement-Davies
By Betsy Farquhar |
Rannoch is marked from birth, a deer who faces his destiny in this Watership Down read alike for teens. Fire Bringer by David Clement-Davies. Firebird, ...
Read More Alias Anna by Susan Hood and Greg Dawson
By Janie Cheaney |
In free verse, Alias Anna tells the story of surviving the Holocaust in Ukraine by hiding in plain sight. Alias Anna: A True Story of ...
Read More Brave and Bold by Marty Machowski
By Megan Saben |
Brave and Bold draws on Machowski's knowledge of Scripture and experience in the Army to firmly call young men to integrity and excellence. A wonderful ...
Read More Polo Cowboy by G. Neri
By Betsy Farquhar |
Cole learns to be a polo cowboy despite bullying and prejudice in this interesting follow-up to Ghetto Cowboy. Polo Cowboy by G. Neri and illustrated ...
Read More Itch: the Explosive Adventures of an Element Hunter by Simon Mayo
By Janie Cheaney |
Solid science adds heft to Itch, a present-day sci-fi novel with elements of an international spy thriller. Itch: the Explosive Adventures of an Element Hunter, ...
Read More Troublemaker by John Cho
By Janie Cheaney |
Troublemaker honestly pictures generational, cultural, and racial conflict against the background of the Los Angeles riots of 1992. Troublemaker by John Cho. Little, Brown, 2022, ...
Read More The Velveteen Rabbit Turns 100: A Bunny Booklist
By Megan Saben |
The Velveteen Rabbit turns 100 There was once a velveteen rabbit . . . Once upon a time, there were three little rabbits and their ...
Read More A Cloud of Outrageous Blue by Vesper Stamper
By Janie Cheaney |
A peasant girl in pre-Plague England holds the key to key to healing and "outrageous blue" hope. *A Cloud of Outrageous Blue by Vesper Stamper. ...
Read More Becoming: Adapted for Young Readers by Michelle Obama
By Betsy Farquhar |
Michelle Obama's Becoming: Adapted for Young Readers is a winsome, engaging look at how one young woman went from Chicago's South Side to the White ...
Read More Christian Easter Gifts for Kids and Teens
By Betsy Farquhar |
Do you give Easter gifts in your family? Most families I know give gifts—a lot of them—at Christmas, but give minimally (if at all) at ...
Read More Printz Honor Books Roundup: Last Night at the Telegraph Club, Concrete Rose, Revolution in Our Time, Starfish
By Janie Cheaney |
The Michael L. Printz Award is given by the American Library Association for “Excellence in literature written for young adults.” Last year’s winner was Everything ...
Read More Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
By Betsy Farquhar |
A striking debut novel for older teens that is simultaneously gritty and tender, gripping and thought-provoking. Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley. Henry Holt, 2021. 496 ...
Read More *Easter Stories: Classic Tales for the Holy Season
By Betsy Farquhar |
Easter Stories is a lovely—and literary—collection of short stories from authors both old and new. *Easter Stories: Classic Tales for the Holy Season. Plough Publishing ...
Read More Revolution in Our Time by Kekla Magoon
By Janie Cheaney |
The award-winning Revolution in Our Time offers a compelling but incomplete picture of the rise and fall of the Black Panther Party. Revolution in Our ...
Read More Ambushed! by Gail Jarrow
By Janie Cheaney |
Ambushed!, winner of this year's YALSA Award for nonfiction, is the absorbing, day-by-day account of of a presidential assassination and its aftermath. Ambushed! The Assassination ...
Read More The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
By Janie Cheaney |
The Last Cuentista, winner of this year’s Newbery medal is thought-provoking but leaves other thoughts unexplored. The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera. Levine ...
Read More 2022 Sidney Taylor Award MG Roundup: How to Find What You’re Not Looking For, The Genius Under the Table, and Linked
By Janie Cheaney |
The Sidney Taylor Award, named for the author of the classic All-of-a-Kind Family series, is presented by the Association of Jewish Libraries to "outstanding books ...
Read More *Carved in Ebony by Jasmine Holmes
By Betsy Farquhar |
Carved in Ebony profiles 10 inspiring Black women, looking at their lives, their callings, and their faith. *Carved in Ebony: Lessons from the Black Women ...
Read More Picturing a Nation by Martin W. Sandler
By Janie Cheaney |
Picturing a Nation collects some of the best Great Depression photographs by the Farm Security Agency. Picturing a Nation: The Great Depression’s Finest Photographers Introduce ...
Read More Sports Books for Kids That Pack a Punch
By Betsy Farquhar |
Are you watching the Superbowl this month? Do you cheer for other sports at home? What about baseball? soccer? basketball? track? Do your sports fans ...
Read More Set Me Free by Ann Clare LeZotte
By Janie Cheaney |
Set Me Free follows the further adventures of Mary Lambert, a deaf girl growing up in Martha's Vineyard at the turn of the 19th century. ...
Read More Final Season by Tim Green
By Janie Cheaney |
Final Season is a touching look at the short- and long-term effects of football on family life, personal value, and physical health. Final Season by ...
Read More 2022 Newbery Buzz #4: Fallout
By Betsy Farquhar |
Our annual Newbery Buzz Series is a series we run each January in which we discuss books with "Newbery Buzz." That is, books we've heard ...
Read More *The Double Dangerous Book for Boys
By Megan Saben |
The Double Dangerous Book for Boys by Conn, Arthur, and Cameron Iggulden is a clean, engaging, fascinating, and robust book for boys, just like the ...
Read More Race to the Bottom of the Earth by Rebecca F. Barone
By Janie Cheaney |
Race to the Bottom of the Earth details how four men, separated by 112 years, risk life and limb to become the first to conquer ...
Read More Bible Review: ESV Reformation Study Bible, Student Edition
By Betsy Farquhar |
ESV Reformation Study Bible, Student Edition. Ligonier, 2021, 2400 pages. Reading Level: Teens, 12 and up Recommended for: Ages 12 and up The ESV Reformation ...
Read More Flashlight Reads: Can’t-Put-‘Em-Down Books for All Ages
By Betsy Farquhar |
Flashlight Reads: Can't-Put-'Em-Down Books for the Kids (and Grown-ups) in Your Life Christmas break is one of those perfect, read-by-flashlight-under-the-covers breaks, isn't it? Days are ...
Read More Meals From Mars by Ben Sciacca
By Betsy Farquhar |
Jim and Malik confront their own prejudices as they simultaneously experience God's providence in a dangerous, complicated situation in this modern parable for teens and ...
Read More *The Swallow’s Flight by Hilary McKay
By Janie Cheaney |
The Swallow’s Flight gracefully unfolds the lives of two English girls and two German boys against the backdrop of World War II. *The Swallow’s ...
Read More The Woman All Spies Fear by Amy Butler Greenfield
By Janie Cheaney |
The little-known story of code breaker Elizebeth Smith Friedman gets full and masterful treatment. The Woman All Spies Fear: Code Breaker Elizebeth Smith Friedman and ...
Read More Fallout by Steve Sheinkin
By Betsy Farquhar |
Sheinkin brings the Cuban Missile Crisis to life in this nail-biting read for young teens. Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown by ...
Read More Here, There Be Dragons by James A. Owen
By Betsy Farquhar |
John, Charles, and Jack go to the edge of the world in this wild, fantastic romp through the lands of myth and legend. Here, There ...
Read More Stowaway by John David Anderson
By Janie Cheaney |
Stowaway offers nonstop action, interesting characters, and food for thought with classic science fiction tropes. Stowaway by John David Anderson. HarperCollins (Walden Pond), 2021, 368 ...
Read More The Adventure of Christmas by Ed Drew
By Betsy Farquhar |
The Adventure of Christmas offers short, 10-minute family devotions based on the biblical narrative of the first Christmas. The Adventure of Christmas: A Journey Through ...
Read More Good News of Great Joy by John Piper
By Janie Cheaney |
John Piper examines why the new is really and eternally good, in the attractive volume of short advent readings. Good News of Great Joy: 25 ...
Read More *The Dawn of Redeeming Grace by Sinclair Ferguson
By Betsy Farquhar |
Winsome and pastoral, The Dawn of Redeeming Grace is a thoughtful Advent meditation on Matthew 1-2 for teens and up. *The Dawn of Redeeming Grace: ...
Read More *Is Christmas Unbelievable? by Rebecca McLaughlin
By Betsy Farquhar |
Rebecca McLaughlin answers four questions everyone should ask about the Christmas story, beginning with the historicity of Jesus Himself. A great resource for teens. *Is ...
Read More The Promise and the Light by Katy Morgan
By Betsy Farquhar |
An engaging and thought-provoking retelling of the Christmas story through the eyes of biblical characters. The Promise and the Light by Katy Morgan. The Good ...
Read More Church History from Kingstone
By Janie Cheaney |
Three publications by Kingstone Media inform readers about Luther, Vladimir, and Martyrs of the 1st-3rd centuries. Luther by Dr. Rich Melheim, illustrated by various artists. ...
Read More Friends Forever by Shannon Hale
By Janie Cheaney |
Shannon Hale wraps up her "Friends" trilogy with a heartfelt graphic memoir of eighth grade anxiety. Friends Forever by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham. First ...
Read More Walls by L. M. Elliot
By Janie Cheaney |
An American "army brat" lives the history that led up to the building of the Berlin Wall. Walls by L. M. Elliot, with photo essay ...
Read More Smaug’s Kind: A List of Dragon Books
By Betsy Farquhar |
In honor of Bilbo Baggins and his birthday this week (September 22), we have a book list celebrating his defeat of Smaug, the great dragon: ...
Read More Dead Wednesday by Jerry Spinelli
By Janie Cheaney |
"Dead Wednesday" is supposed to be the day middle-schoolers contemplate their own mortality, but for one 8th-grader it's a turning point in life. Dead Wednesday ...
Read More Happy “We Love Memoirs” Day!
By Janie Cheaney |
It’s for real—two memoir writers cooked it up on Facebook almost two decades ago and their page has over 5000 followers who throw an online ...
Read More Right Cross by Andrew Huff
By Betsy Farquhar |
John and Christine face the most nefarious villain yet in Right Cross, the conclusion to the Shepherd Suspense Trilogy. Right Cross (Shepherd Suspense #3) by ...
Read More Stones and Stories by Judith E. Anderson
By Betsy Farquhar |
Stones and Stories is a concise primer on literary analysis and hermeneutics, building off the intriguing extended metaphor of stones. Stones and Stories: A Primer ...
Read More Reading Afghanistan
By Janie Cheaney |
For a country many of us can't even point to on a map, Afghanistan has held a consequential place in world history. This mountainous district ...
Read More On the Hook by Francisco X. Stork
By Janie Cheaney |
The protagonist of Francisco Stork’s latest novel finds himself “on the hook” when his lust for revenge can’t be satisfied. On the Hook by Francisco ...
Read More My Tech-Wise Life by Amy Crouch and Andy Crouch
By Betsy Farquhar |
A teen challenges her fellow teens to make smart decisions about technology in My Tech-Wise Life. My Tech-Wise Life: Growing up and Making Choices in ...
Read More Enduring Freedom by Jawad Arash and Trent Reedy
By Janie Cheaney |
An American soldier and Afghan interpreter become life-long friends during Operation Enduring Freedom. Enduring Freedom by Jawad Arash and Trent Reedy. Algonquin, 2021, 354 pages. ...
Read More High School American Literature: A Better Approach
By Betsy Farquhar |
High School American Literature: Often Dark and Depressing When I arrived at college, I was absolutely, 100% convinced that British lit was my jam. American ...
Read More Favorite High School Video Curricula for Homeschool or Enrichment
By Betsy Farquhar |
We are fans of BOOKS here at Redeemed Reader, to be sure. But we are also interested in raising up the next generation of writers ...
Read More Outdoor School: Hiking and Camping by David and Blevins
By Janie Cheaney |
The Outdoor School series offers interactive guides to experiencing, understanding, and appreciating nature. Outdoor School: Hiking and Camping by Jannifer Pharr Davis and Haley Blevins, ...
Read More Wordsmith Curriculum Review: A Writing Curriculum by our own Janie Cheaney
By Betsy Farquhar |
NOTE: We're taking a week off our Summer Reading Challenge to think ahead about the coming school year. Welcome to Wordsmith Week! Leading off with ...
Read More *Reading and Talking about Sexuality
By Hayley Morell |
*Note, this post engages with sexuality and includes conversation and books that are suitable for teens and adults. I was hiking in Europe. A French ...
Read More *American History by Thomas Kidd
By Betsy Farquhar |
Interesting and readable, American History by Thomas Kidd is an outstanding resource for high school Christian students and teachers. *American History by Thomas Kidd. B&H ...
Read More Juneteenth Roundup
By Janie Cheaney |
Juneteenth, our newest national holiday, commemorates the 19th of June, 1865, when slaves in Texas learned of their emancipation. These four books offer experiential perspectives ...
Read More Luck of the Titanic by Stacey Lee
By Janie Cheaney |
The biracial heroine of Luck of the Titanic sees dreams fulfilled just before disaster strikes, in this romantic thriller. Luck of the Titanic by Stacey ...
Read More The Stolen Prince of Cloudburst by Jaclyn Moriarty
By Janie Cheaney |
The familiar “child of destiny” trope receives a fresh, funny, and magical twist in The Stolen Prince of Cloudburst. The Stolen Prince of Cloudburst by ...
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