Teen/YA

Black history month picture books are for big kids, too! Picture books aren't just for young children. Middle grades and teens benefit, too. Sometimes, a ...

With the eighth major film adaptation opening on Christmas Day, I thought I’d share a few thoughts on this classic. I read it at the ...

While Artemis Fowl speeds toward Mars, the Fowl Twins step to starring roles in their own adventures in this page-turning series opener. The Fowl Twins ...

How to Raise a Reader focuses less on the “Why” and more on the “How” of fostering a love of literature in your own children. ...

Love Came Down at Christmas is an excellent devotional for Advent for teens and up: meditations on 1 Corinthians 13 by Sinclair Ferguson. *Love Came ...

Briar and Rose and Jack mixes fairy-tale motifs with clear themes of good and evil in a magical and satisfying adventure. Briar and Rose and ...

Her Own Two Feet is the true story of a severely disabled Rwandan girl who finds hope and healing through a Christian aid organization. *Her ...

Wildfire is a fast read that will take even reluctant readers into the heart of a fast-moving catastrophe. Wildfire by Rodman Philbrick. Blue Sky (Scholastic), ...

Five high school students and one air-traffic intern will be severely tested as their private plane is Skyjacked. Skyjacked by Paul Griffin. Scholastic, 2019, 227 ...

A beautiful new edition of The Light Princess complete with foreword by Jennifer Trafton, afterword by Andrew Peterson, and illustrated by Ned Bustard. The Light ...

The Downstairs Girl explores the social mores and prejudices of late-19th-century Atlanta through the eyes of a resourceful and gifted Chinese teen. The Downstairs Girl ...

Games of Deception: The True Story of the First U. S. Olympic Basketball Team at the 1936 Olympics in Hitler's Germany by Andrew Maraniss. Philomel, ...

The “momentous event" of transitioning to high school presents Aven Green, the armless girl-wonder, with new challenges. Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus ...

I am not a vampire fan. I am not a fan of weird Halloween decorations. It's downright creepy: ghouls, spider webs, zombie costumes, and, yes, ...

In White Bird, a graphic novel, the best-selling author of Wonder traces the holocaust history of a Wonder character's grandmother. White Bird (a Wonder Story) ...

A displaced Muslim girl adjusts to America as a second, "Other Home" in this well-written verse novel. Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga. Balzer ...

Song of the Abyss is a sequel that does not disappoint and yet succeeds in its own right as a standalone novel. In our Redeemed ...

There’s something appealing about Robin Hood. —Maybe even more-so to American sensibilities.  Granted, we didn’t rob from the rich for the sake of the poor.  ...

The Boys in the Boat is a gripping nonfiction story for middle grades about teamwork, perseverance, and triumph at the Olympics. The Boys in the ...

An unlikely romance tinged by tragedy makes Butterfly Yellow a winning read for mature teens. Butterfly Yellow by Thanhha Lai. Harper, 2019, 284 pages. Reading ...

Three unlikely people team up to perform a dangerous new surgery in Depression-era times in this gripping nonfiction story. Breakthrough!: How Three People Saved "Blue ...

A black girl adopted into a white family struggles with her own disability and her mother's instability. For Black Girls like Me by Mariama J. ...

Book lovers love books about other book lovers. After all, we share the reading life in common: its challenges, its delights, its unique common language. ...

Do you remember your middle and high school English classes? Did you diagram sentences? Fill in endless worksheets with "S" for sentence or "F" for ...

An alternate version of English history drives Queen of the Sea, a lively graphic novel of political intrigue and warm personal relationships. Queen of the ...

A dark fairytale retelling of the twelve dancing princesses for mature YA fantasy lovers House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig. (Delacorte Press), 2019, ...

The ordeal of Jeremiah Denton in the “Hanoi Hilton” is not for the squeamish, but stands as a witness to courage and faith. Captured: an ...

This biography of Virginia Hall for young people tells the little-known story of a daring World War II spy. The Lady is a Spy: Virginia ...

A new nonfiction series features puzzling and deadly cases cracked by the FBI. FBI Files: the Unabomber by Bryan Denson. Roaring Brook, 2019, 140 pages ...

This tense survival tale illustrates contrasting forms of leadership as teens struggle to find their way out of the Brazilian jungle. When We Were Lost ...

A best-selling series for young teens set in a Medieval-esque, pseudo European world that combines adventure, heroism, villains, danger, and a touch of love. The ...

Fast-paced and far-out, this series opener mixes theoretical science with human joys and sorrows. Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez.  Disney (Rick ...

The Mysterious Benedict Society is a clever middle grades mystery series perfect for puzzle-loving tween and young teen readers. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton ...

A list of books that might help with the difficult transition from teen to adult in today's confusing culture. Let’s get one thing straight: A ...

Rebecca McLaughlin confronts some of the hardest questions faced by Christians today with thoughtful, engaging responses rooted in Scripture. *Confronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for ...

Compact and practical, Growing in Godliness offers wise advice to girls entering high school or college. Growing in Godliness: A Teen Girl’s Guide to Maturing ...

Transformed by Truth offers a lifelong approach to Bible study with practical helps for teens and adults. *Transformed by Truth: Why and How to Study ...

Beneath its crazy premise, Finding Orion is a touching look at family reconciliation. Finding Orion by John David Anderson.  HarperCollins (Walden Pond), 2019, 352 pages. ...

Wren Clemmons learns much about herself, the desert, and true friendship during wilderness therapy camp in this engaging teen read about drug use. Wild Bird ...

Swing and Solo: two novels-in-verse for teens that grapple with music (jazz and rock and roll), baseball, young love, and what's really important in life. ...

O Captain, My Captain encapsulates the Civil War through the eyes of its most famous poet. *O Captain, My Captain: Walt Whitman, Abraham Lincoln, and ...

Does rejecting gender stereotypes mean there are no meaningful distinctions between strong girls and strong boys? Not so long ago, librarians and publishers were concerned ...

Practical worksheets and relevant concerns make this “Survival Guide” a useful money primer for middle graders. The Survival Guide to Money Smarts by Eric Braun ...

"Money smarts" begin at home in this family-oriented guide to teaching wise management. The Money Smart Family System by Steve and Annette Economides.  Thomas Nelson, ...

It's time for summer reading! Do your tweens and teens have summer reading assignments for school? Perhaps a classic or two and maybe a contemporary ...

"I'm reading a book that's a little slow." I told a friend. "Why not stop reading it?" It was a fair question, but it hadn't ...

Ronan Boyle is the hapless hero of this hilarious new fantasy series that pits special-unit Irish police against nefarious leprechauns. Ronan Boyle and the Bridge ...

Over the years, we at Redeemed Reader have been dedicated followers of John Bunyan's classic, The Pilgrim's Progress. Though written to address the conflicts of ...

This graphic-novel adaptation of The Odyssey has some beautiful panels and a few problems. The Odyssey: a Graphic Novel by Gareth Hinds.  Candlewick, 2010, 248 ...

Gareth Hinds' adaptation of The Iliad is an excellent introduction to Homer's classic for middle graders and teens. *The Iliad: a Graphic Novel Adaptation by ...

The Pilgrim’s Regress by C. S. Lewis.  Eerdmans, 2014, 256 pages.  (Originally published 1933 UK, 1935 US) Reading Level: Teen/adult Recommended for: ages 18-up In ...

Few works of literature have had the cultural reach of John Bunyan's The Pilgrim’s Progress.  That’s pretty amazing—who would have thought an adventure story that ...

Anachronistic values mar this otherwise compelling account of the short career of Joan of Arc. Voices: the Final Hours of Joan of Arc by David ...

Lovely War is a satisfying romance that will leave readers with much to think about. Lovely War by Julie Berry.  Viking, 2019, 451 pages. Reading ...

The Collectors is the first volume of a duology that explores the limits of human responsibility for the destiny of others. The Collectors by Jacqueline ...

Adulting 101: #Wisdom4Life by Josh Burnette and Pete Hardesty. Broadstreet Publishing Group, 2018. 192 pages. Reading Level: Ages 16 and up Recommended For: Ages 14 ...

Beast Rider offers a sympathetic take on the immigration issue through the experience of one Mexican boy. Beast Rider by Tony Johnson and Maria de ...

A coloring Bible may make a lovely gift for the right recipient, but is it the best choice for reading and studying? The appearance of ...

Someday We Will Fly explores a little-known chapter of the Holocaust: the Jewish refuge of Shanghai. Someday We Will Fly by Rachel DeWoskin.  Viking, 2019, ...

Sweeter Than Honey offers readers a clear, step-by-step approach to studying the Bible. Sweeter Than Honey: Cultivating an Appetite for the Word of God by ...

Mitali Perkins' latest novel takes two conflicted teens to India to confront human trafficking and challenges to their Christian faith. *Forward Me Back to You ...

A days-long power outage is the premise for Zap, a STEM-based, character-driven novel for middle graders. Zap by Martha Freeman.  Simon & Schuster, 2018, 288 ...

Holling Hoodhood comes to appreciate more than Shakespeare in this humorous historical fiction middle school novel. Starred review for The Wednesday Wars! *The Wednesday Wars ...

In Checked, one family's deep involvement in hockey provides the background for life questions. Checked by Cynthis Kadohata.  Atheneum, 2019, 404 pages. Reading Level: Middle ...

A dauntless 11-year-old boy confronts a possible Russian spy in this Cold-War-era thriller. Spy Runner by Eugene Yelchin.  Henry Holt (Godwin Books), 2019, 343 pages ...

Chiko and Tu Reh learn to face challenges and love their enemies in modern day, war-torn Burma in this realistic fiction novel for teens. Starred ...

To "pay attention" to the world around you is rule #1 of a life well lived, as this winning middle-grade novel shows. *Pay Attention, Carter ...

Krosoczka, author of the Lunch Lady graphic novels, tells his own story in Hey Kiddo, a graphic novel memoir that is by turns harsh and tender. ...

A beleaguered planet, flight school, and one young woman's quest to prove herself and clear her family honor combine in this excellent YA. Skyward by Brandon Sanderson. Delacorte Press, ...

You Who: Why You Matter and How to Deal with It is a refreshing take on the "find yourself" messages blaring from our culture for ...

Did you know that March is Women's History Month? Or that the theme for Women's History Month 2019 is "Visionary Women: Champions of Peace & ...

*The Promise of Change: One Girl's Story in the Fight for School Equality by JoAnn Allen Boyce and Debbie Levy. Bloomsbury, 2019, 309 pages including ...

Inventing Victoria by Tonya Bolden.  Bloomsbury, 2019, 257 pages. Reading Level: Teen, ages 12-15 Recommended for: ages 14-up Judy 12, 1881, Savannah, Georgia: Essie Mirth ...

Three recent novels for middle-grade through YA feature characters with schizophrenia or depression. Where the Watermelons Grow by Cindy Baldwin.  HarperCollins, 2018, 245 pages. Reading ...

Foundling, Lamplighter, and Factotum by D. M. Cornish. G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2006-2010. Ages 12 & up. Reading Level: Young Adult, ages 12-14 Recommended for: ages 12 & ...

*Broken Pieces and the God Who Mends Them: Schizophrenia Through a Mother's Eyes by Simonetta Carr.  Presbyterian & Reformed, 2019, 359 pages. Reading Level: Adult Recommended for: ...

It's Valentine's Day. So, of course, we're going to talk about Jane Austen! Nothing can compare to the original, but Hayley and Betsy have been ...

The Young Man's Guide to Awesomeness is a well-organized, humorous, straight-talking guide for young men as they mature into godly adults. *The Young Man's Guide to Awesomeness: How to Guard Your Heart, Get the Girl, and Save the World by Barrett Johnson. INFO For Families, 2017. 158 pages. Reading Level: Teen, ages 12 and up Recommended For: Upper middle grades and up (ages 10+) Growing up is never easy. There are physical changes, ...

At the Well is a short book urging singles (teens and up) to wait on the Lord for marriage and for his timing. At the Well: Discovering God's Plan for Finding True Love by Kristen Tiber. Kristen Summers LLC, 2018. 146 pages. Reading Level: ...

Moving and beautiful, this post-Holocaust novel offers hope after horror. *What the Night Sings by Vesper Stamper.  Knopf, 2018, 249 pages. Reading Level: Teen, ages ...

It's time to reclaim "Women's History Month" (March). How about "Women in the Church Month," complete with deep conversation about our shared faith, discussion about ...

A new teen fantasy novel draws inspiration from Susan Pevensie's rejection of Narnia to spin a similar tale. In the almost 70 years since C. ...

In The Biggest Win, players from the 2018 Super Bowl championship team coach young athlete in winning the kingdom of God. The Biggest Win: Pro ...

A sports reporter who was with the Eagles as their dream team came together tells the story of their amazing Super Bowl Win. Birds of ...

“The Disappearing Spoon” is one mystery solved by the periodic table, in this entertaining grab-bag of historical oddities from chemistry. The Disappearing Spoon (Young Readers ...

Not every teen is hanging out in the YA section of the library, wallowing in teen angst.* Plenty of teens are ready for meaty, engaging ...

Vera König must decide if she can trust the enemy in this moving, true Holocaust story of a Christian in Hitler's camps. Courage in the ...

Heaven: A Family Reunion? I don't know what heaven will be like, but I imagine it as one big family reunion at a feast table. ...

Dawn Garrett joins us today to discuss reading Kate Seredy's books aloud to her tweens and teens. For more about Dawn, see her bio below ...

I (Betsy) interviewed my teen daughter about her experience with the 2018 Reading Challenge. She's a 13-year-old voracious reader who has clear genre preferences, but ...

December is such a wildly busy month: Christmas concerts and recitals and school performances and parties. Travel plans and/or welcoming extended family into your home. ...

  The movie version of Mortal Engines opens this weekend.  Here's our original review of the series, originally published in January 2011. The Hungry Cities ...

This historical novel for teens speculates on a maid who influenced steel magnate Andrew Carnegie to become a philanthropist. Carnegie’s Maid: a Novel by Marie ...

In Brangwain Spurge, two idiosyncratic writers team up to tell a story of mutual misunderstanding from distinct perspectives. The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge by M. ...

An instant friendship leads to potential trouble in this engaging, character-driven story for middle grades and early teens. The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla ...

The juvenile version of the Atlas Obscura travel guide may spark a taste for travel in middle graders. The Atlas Obscura Explorers Guide for the ...

Preparing for Jesus is a fresh, imaginative Advent devotional that looks at each of the biblical characters in the Christmas story, trying to learn from them ...

Wild Bells: A Literary Advent offers a beautiful Christian literary work, such as a poem, along with a reflection for each day of the Advent ...

To date this school year, our Love Your Neighbor Book Club has read Save Me a Seat and A Long Walk to Water, both of ...

This fascinating true account of a prison escape during World War I will keep readers on the edge of their seats. The Grand Escape: the ...