Books Every Teen Should Read

When I was a teen, I would read 24/7. I couldn't even walk from the kitchen to the living room without a book. It got to the point where my old man said, "Can you just do some drugs already. Jeez". HE WAS KIDDING of course! I got my book obsession from him anyways. 

Point is, reading made me who I am today. I became more outgoing, confident, open-minded, empathetic, insightful... Seriously, if you're young, it's time to hit the books!

Without further ado, here are 5 books I think every teen should read. And as George R. R. Martin once said, “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.”

1. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks -- E. Lockhart

I cannot think of a single reason why you shouldn't read this book because it's 11/10. Both underlyingly political and incredibly funny, this was one of my favvvvourite books as a teenager (and still is one of them). 

On the surface, it's a high school tale of cliques, first loves, and mischief, but down in the depths, this novel explores themes of feminism, class, privilege, friendship, and loyalty. Our memorable protagonist, Frankie, finds out that her boyfriend is in an all-male secret society at their boarding school. She then starts pranking the society and the school. It's genuinely kick-ass.

2. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe -- Benjamin Alire Sáenz

You will fall in love with this book - the writing, the characters, everything. This book is about two Mexican-American teens trying to find their way in the world, but before they do that, they find each other – Aristotle and Dante. 

Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. You'll wanna be mates with these complex characters in this coming-of-age story about love, identity, and family. Oh, and it's also an LGBT read!!! Get amongst it. 

3. Siddhartha -- Hermann Hesse

I read this at 16 and look, I hate to be dramatic, but it kinda changed my life.

In life we all look for meaning... but how the heck do we find it? I remember being so dazed and confused as a teen - who was I supposed be? Who was I supposed to become? This book was like a helping hand through that time.

This novel is a spiritual journey of self-discovery of a man named Siddhartha during the time of the Gautama Buddha. Siddhartha rejects his life back home to find enlightenment. After meeting Buddha, Siddhartha rejects the ascetic life for a more material one, but in time, he rejects that too. Siddhartha takes many different paths to find what he is looking for. You might be a lil' intimidated by it being a "spiritual" read, but it's a super quick breeze of a read with a million golden nuggets of wisdom.

4. The Hate U Give -- Angie Thomas

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. 

Dealing with the tumultuous aftermath of this, this gripping young adult novel about one girl's struggle for justice will give you a perspective inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement. Trust me, if I were a high school teacher, I'd fight to have this on my curriculum! 

5. The Picture Of Dorian Gray -- Oscar Wilde

There are a tonne of classics you've probably been told to read. Yeah, sure, I liked The Catcher in the Rye and Pride and Prejudice. The Great Gatsby and Brave New World are red hot too. 

But The Picture of Dorian Gray blew my dang MIND as a teen. This was the book that opened my door to the world of classics (because I always thought they were sooooo boring).

First of all, I am an Oscar Wilde stan. Wilde was known back in the day for his brilliant wit, flamboyant style, and infamous imprisonment for homosexuality. Trust me, his wit is poured through the pages of this book. 

The Picture Of Dorian Gray follows a fashionable young man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty. Wilde explores the nature of sin, morality, and immorality through this witty, clever, unique, and eventually, spine-chilling novel. You won't be able to stop reading!

Anyways, I could go on and on and on about books but I kinda wanna get to reading my own. I'll leave you with a quote from Lemony Snicket; “Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them.”