Calling Teen Readers: 15 Best YA Books to Keep you Busy this Summer

By Tula Singer

A book never reads better than it does in the hum of summer. With a chilled sparkling lemonade in one hand, a novel in the other, and a red flamboyán shaking from above, I spent every summer since the first days I could read baking under the sun with a delicious story. 

I must have read dozens of books just like that – but if you’re anything like me, then you probably know that a good read can be hard to come by. With so many different options and styles out on the shelves, a curated, all-encompassing list of the best YA books will never fail you. If your plans this summer are to get your nose in a book and stay there, then this post is for you.

1. Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel (1995)

A kitchen, a woman, and her one true love. This classic romance tells the story of beautiful Tita, who is forbidden from marrying the man of her dreams because of an ancient family tradition. Only by cooking with the magical ingredients of her kitchen can she express herself. Get the book.

2. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (2007)

It’s World War II, and Death is busy as a bee. A young girl, Liesel, finds solace in reading and sharing her stolen books. Zusak’s enchanting novel grips you instantly with its powerful tale and charming narrator: the Reaper. Get the book.

3. I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson (2015)

Noah and Jude are the closest twins you’ll ever meet – but something happens along the way that breaks them apart. As Noah narrates the early years of their childhood, Jude narrates the later ones – what happened in between? Get the book.

4. Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy (2017)

Nicknamed “Dumplin,’” Will has always been comfortable in her own skin. But when a new boy enters her life, she starts to doubt herself. There’s only one thing left to do to gain back her confidence and show that all bodies are beautiful: enter the Miss Clover City beauty pageant. Get the book.

5. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (2018)

In the fantastical West-African land of Orïsha, magic is the charging force behind the people and their soil. But one night, it disappears. Join protagonist Zélie Adebola and her friends in this bewitching tale as they strive to bring back magic once and for all. Get the book.

Aristotle and Dante are two teens with little in common. But their friendship, while unexpected, offers them each a new perspective and an opportunity to change their lives by understanding who they really want to be. Get the book. 

7. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo (2018)

Based in Harlem, NY, Xiomara Batista is a teenage Afro-Latina who doesn’t know what to make of herself after growing into her new curves. She’s angry, fierce, frustrated, and passionate, yet the only way she can express herself is through poetry. Told through the verses of her diary, don’t miss this novel in your summer list of best YA books. Get the book.

8. The Name of this Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch (2008)

Read this book – if you dare! Cass and Max-Ernest are faced with a magical adventure in pursuit of a strange magician when they find a box of vials known as the Symphony of Smells. A big secret awaits inside this story, and the only way to uncover the rest is by reading. Get the book.

9. Tracy’s Tiger by William Saroyan (1967)

Thomas Tracy has a tiger. And that tiger goes everywhere he goes, even all the way to New York City, where the young man starts working as a smeller for Otto Seyfang’s coffee business. Nobody can see Tracy’s tiger – until one day, they can. Get the book. 

10. The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar (2022)

Nishat loves her family, but she’s afraid she might lose them if she tells them she likes girls; to make matters worse, she’s head over heels for her gorgeous childhood friend, Flávia. As the school year goes on, the two girls compete through their henna businesses, but Nishat can’t help but wonder what their relationship could look like. Get the book.

11. The Crossover by Kwame Alexander (2019)

Josh Bell is a star on the court, and so is his twin brother, Jordan. Hooping is how they grow, cope, and enjoy life. Narrated entirely in rap verse, this story of brotherhood and family love can’t stay off your summer reading list, especially for our sports lovers. Get the book. Get the book.

12. The Princess Bride by William Goldman (1973)

“This is my favorite book in all the world, though I have never read it,” narrates William Goldman. This line catapults an epic love story between Princess Buttercup and the enigmatic man of her past, one with whom she lost touch after he was viciously kidnapped by a mercenary. A tale of romance, friendship, and adventure; don’t miss out on this legendary novel. Get the book. 

13. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir (2015)

Under the repressive rule of the Martial Empire, few have a voice, and even fewer have the freedom to be themselves. When Laia’s brother is arrested, she chooses to risk her life as a slave to rescue him –  but in the process she meets Elias, a skillful yet defiant soldier. Get the book.

14. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (1951)

If you haven’t read Salinger’s phenomenal coming-of-age novel, then you’re missing out. Holden Caufield hates phonies and can’t seem to find innocence or authenticity in the world surrounding him. So he leaves his prep school in Pennsylvania and disappears into the streets of New York City for three days. Get the book.

15. A Hero Ain’t Nothin’ but a Sandwich by Alice Childress (1973)

A young boy named Benjie comes from a troubled world where his father is no longer in the picture. He seeks only someone that’ll believe in him – will he find them? Get the book.

About the Author:

Tula Jiménez Singer is a Cuban-American writer and third-year student at Northeastern University. You can read her work on The Green Blotter, The Teen Magazine, The Weight Journal, Indigo Literary Journal, and Coelacanth 2022, among others. In addition to writing and her work with Write the World, she has been an intern at GrubStreet and The Boston Globe, and also works as the Social Media Manager of Spectrum Literary Arts Magazine, the Events Coordinator of Artistry Magazine, and a writer for Woof Magazine. Her pieces are a slice of her life — filled with jazz, oceans, identity crises, and chocolate. She writes because she cannot let it go.