Books written with young adults in mind confront issues that are of great
importance to teens and their families. Coming of age, dating, fitting in,
friendships, sex, drugs, self esteem, school, and relationships with
parents and siblings are frequently addressed in young adult fiction. More
than entertainment, these books can be a powerful learning and coping tool
when a young reader connects with characters and what they are going
through. The following sites provide more information about the best young
adult reads.
- TeenReads
Offers extensive book, author and
general information for teen readers in a snappy newsletter format. New
books like "Stone Garden" by Molly Moynahan and "The Distance from Normandy" by Jonathan Hull are reviewed.
- Amazon.com - Teen Books Page
Lists and discusses some of the hottest new books for teens, including "Eragon" by Christopher Paolini.
- Reading Rants: Out of the Ordinary Teen Book Lists
Presents books with a twist,
not your average best sellers. This site has put together quirky book
lists such as Riot Grrrrl Reads, a list with strong female characters featuring "Deep" by Susanna Vance and "What My Mother Doesn't Know" by Sonya Sones.
- Favorite Teenage Angst Books
This site reviews books that really get to the heart of what teenagers are
struggling with. Books are organized into categories such as Journeys,
Mixed-Up Families, Sex & Love, Challenges, Pressures and Healing. Their
reviewers loved "Chasing Redbird" by Sharon Creech, "Annie on My Mind" by Nancy
Garden and "Tangerine" by Edward Bloor.
- Vandergrift's List of "Female Coming of Age" Books
This site is for the
young adult female grappling with coming of age. These profound stories,
such as Dorothy Allison's "Bastard Out of Carolina" and Sandra Cisneros' "The
House on Mango Street," speak volumes to young women.
Libraries also dedicate sections of their Web sites to young adult readers.
Many of them, such as the St. Charles Public Library and the Carnegie
Library of Pittsburgh, have
developed up-to-date lists of the best books for teens. Great books like
Marion Zimmer Bradley's "Mists of Avalon" and Harper Lee's "To Kill a
Mockingbird" frequently make these lists. The Salt Lake County Library
System also features several lists. The Best Books for Teens
is an extensive one with great
annotations. The Outstanding Books for the College Bound
profiles what books every
college-bound and well-read student should have under their belt.
The American Library Association's extensive site includes a number of
sections for teen readers. There is the ALA's BookList:
ALA's Best Books for Young
Adults and the
ALA's - Young Adult Library Services Association
which features a variety of lists, such as the 10 best books for young adults and popular paperbacks.
The ALA encourages young adults to explore these lists and read books such
as "Hero" by S.L. Rottman, "The Other Shepards" by Adele Griffin, and "Someone
Like You" by Sarah Dessen.
Some authors of young adult fiction invite readers into their worlds via
the Web. Popular authors like Judy Blume ("Are
You There God? It's Me, Margarett"), Daniel Hayes ("Eye of the Beholder, The
Trouble with Lemons"), Neal Schusterman
("Downsiders") and Julie Reece Deaver
("Chicago Blues, Say Goodnight,
Gracie") share their thoughts and writings and open a dialogue with devoted
readers.
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