Fiction For Teenagers

Given the huge range of children's fiction to choose from we hope our recommended selection of contemporary and classic titles for teenagers is helpful to assist you identify a good one that's right for the child in your life. In each case we provide an outline of the book and a link to where you can get it if it takes your fancy. Suggested age ranges are of course only approximate given that kids develop at their own unique pace, so it may be useful to check out our pages of fiction for 9 - 12 year olds. The teenage years themselves bring many stages and changes, and we endeavour through our entries to make clear which are suitable for early teens and which for young adult readers. As with all pages of our site the content on this one will be refreshed & amended as inspiringyourkids.com develops and grows.

Road Of Bones

Multi-award winning author Anne Fine adds to her impressive catalogue of superb fiction for children and young people with this compelling tale of teenager Yuri's experiences at the hands of an unnamed and fictional totalitarian state that, with its insistence its citizens know exactly what to believe in and who to consider as heroes, carries resonances of very real recent history. With freedom of thought off the menu unguarded words land the protagonist in a bleak labour camp. Will Yuri escape or even survive? In a literary performance that will give her fellow 2007 Carnegie Prize shortlisted authors a run for their money, twice previous winner with 'Flour Babies' and 'Goggle Eyes', Fine once again demonstrates why she is a former Children's Laureate. Available from Pickabook

The Outsiders

Characters wrestling with internal conflict, money based class divisions and the struggle to fit in are all elements of this book, but this is very much more than a tale of teen angst. Although first published in 1967 'The Outsiders' portrays people and situations many young people will identify with today. Centreing on fourteen year old Ponyboy Curtis, his thoughts, feelings and trials, author S.E. Hinton brings us the conflict between the rich boy Socs and the wrong side of the tracks Greasers and the drama that ensues when things go too far between the gangs, leaving Ponyboy on the run from the police. Available from The Good Book Guide

The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas

Returning home from school one day in the Berlin of 1942 Bruno discovers his belongings being packed into crates. His father has been promoted and now the family must move far away to what he finds is a desolate place. With no one to play with Bruno decides to explore the world beyond the tall fence that separates him from the people he can see in the distance. His explorations lead him to meet and then befriend a boy whose life, circumstances and likely future in Nazi controlled Germany are very different to his own. The bond between them is to have deep running consequences in a world gone truly mad. Available from Woolworths Group plc

Here Lies Arthur

Philip Reeve, author of among other books those in his excellent Mortal Engines Quartet, reworks the Arthur legend in a fashion which is a treat for young lovers of historical fiction with a fantasy twist (or vice versa). Traveller and teller of tales Myrddin takes on Gwyna as his apprentice when she is a young girl, and as she is transformed into a charismatic figure in her own right she witnesses the birth of the legend of the greatest hero of all time. Available from Waterstones

Elsewhere

Death is a topic that interests many in their early teens and this beautifully written fictional exploration allows young readers to examine their thoughts, feelings and perspective on it safe in the hands of gifted author Gabrielle Zevin. The surprise that central character Liz experiences when she wakes up one morning to find herself dead is the beginning of a series of twists and turns that await her in her new afterlife existence in Elsewhere. Available from Amazon

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

Mark Haddon tells the story of 15 year old Christopher who, because of his Asperger's Syndrome, finds it difficult to understand other people. As a Sherlock Holmes obsessive he decides to solve the mystery surrounding the appearance of a dead dog on his neighbour's lawn, so he can write a detective story about it. In this superb book his investigations lead him to a series of discoveries about himself, his parents and the nature of relationships. Available from Waterstones

Raven's Gate

Understandably dubbed alongside J K Rowlings as one of the key authors to get pre-teen boys reading because of the attraction for them of his Alex Rider and Diamond brothers tales, Anthony Horovitz demonstrates his talent to keep teenagers hooked on good stories well told with 'Raven's Gate', the first in his unfolding Power Of Five series. Raised in foster care, Matt tumbles into a supernatural plot hatched by sinister devil worshippers to bring back the Evil Ones, beings long since thought banished. Bringing his own unusual powers to bear, he seeks to bolster the work of the Guardians who are trying to keep the world safe. Fast paced and surprising, fans of the book can move on to enjoy other titles in the series such as 'Night Rise' and 'Evil Star' that are already published and eagerly anticipate the others still to come. Available from The Good Book Guide

Just In Case

This dazzling read for teenagers follows the author's highly acclaimed 'How I Live Now'. When 15 year old David Case saves his brother's life he becomes convinced that he must outwit Fate if he is to survive for any length of time. Changing his name and appearance, Justin, as he has become, embarks on a dramatic sequence of events that tests his sanity and displays the writing brilliance that make books from Meg Roscoff so distinctive. Deservedly shortlisted for this years Carnegie Prize this is a compelling tale of anxiety and coming of age. Available from Pickabook

Northern Lights

With the release towards the end of 2007 of the film 'The Golden Compass' staring Daniel Craig among others (see the Coming Soon page in our Movies section) there is likely to be renewed interest in the books supplying the source material. Rightly acclaimed as a genuine masterpiece for older children, Philip Pullman's Dark Materials trilogy which provided the storyline, kicks off with 'Northern Lights'. Lyra sets off to find out what exactly is going on when her friend Roger disappears in the Oxford of a world parallel to our own which she inhabits. So starts a swirling epic tale that takes place across and between worlds, populated by fantastical creatures and characters variously toiling on the sides of good and evil. If there is a greater feat of imagination in contemporary children's literature we would be delighted to hear from you about it. Available from Amazon