Summer. Check. Downtime. Check. Reading material? We gotcha covered.
Here are Your Teen editors’ picks of 10 summer reads for teens. Ten you-can’t-put-‘em-down novels (in no particular order) for you and your teenager to enjoy this summer.
10 Summer Reads for Teens
1. Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
The mystery of a dead poodle, as told by a 15-year-old narrator with autism. Incredibly funny and clever.
2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
The adventures of a 14-year-old boy living on an Indian reservation, while attending an all-white farm town high school. Funny, poignant, wonderful.
3. The Basic Eight by Daniel Handler
The annotated journals of 19-year-old Flannery Culp, who’s accused of murder along with seven of her friends. Sharp, witty, dark. Who can ask for more?
4. The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan Philipp Sendker
An unfolding love story—both sad and inspiring—that takes place amid the beauty of Southeast Asia.
5. The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeanette Walls
Let’s state for the record: this is no easy beach read. But it’s a riveting autobiography of growing up at the mercy of two loving (in a way), but utterly disastrous—and alcoholic and likely mentally ill—parents.
6. Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl
One reviewer described this novel as Nabokov meets Donna Tartt (and then invites the rest of the Western Canon to the party). Nuff said.
7. Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
From the author of the Davinci Code, another murder mystery thriller packed with terrific twists and turns. Read it, then rent the movie. Sure to inspire lots of dinner-time talk.
8. Where’d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple
Zany, brilliant mother living with her husband and teenage daughter in Seattle. Her logic makes sense to her and no one else so she keeps everyone guessing. Things are not always what they seem.
9. Room: A Novel by Emma Donoghue
Riveting. A page-turner about a 5-year-old boy, living in the Room with his Ma, who’s been a prisoner for seven years.
10. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
Start with this wonderful novel by the amazing John Green and then read everything else he’s written.
