What books should I get my teens to make them read more?
by The Learning Library Staff
Teenagers and adults alike can get easily distracted these days. With constant exposure to social media and all things online, reading is a hobby less cultivated. But in the A.I. Age, critical thinking and creativity are needed more than ever. Reading is the most effective way for children to become creative learners. Because children are bombarded with stimuli every day, it’s important for them to process information in an organized way and make good decisions: reading books helps them develop these skills. If they read a lot of fiction, it improves their empathy, since putting ourselves in someone else’s shoes allows us to see and understand how they think and feel.
Finding the right books is always the first step in developing a reading habit. How can parents help? The books we liked as teenagers might not be relatable to teens today so it’s important to discover what they do like. The good news is there are many new books written for young adults that even parents can enjoy! Here are books we love recommending to teenage readers at The Learning Library:
The One & Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
Ivan is a gorilla who lives in a zoo in a mall. When a new baby elephant joins the zoo, Ivan recalls what it’s like to live free in the jungle. Ivan and his friends team up to escape and return to their natural homes.
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson goes on a big quest to return Zeus’ stolen lightning bolt. Along the way, he meets familiar Greek Gods and Monsters with his friends, Annabeth and Grover.
Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
Morrigan is a cursed child destined to die, but she is saved by Jupiter North and brought to Nevermoor, a city where she can discover her own magical powers.
The School for Good & Evil by Soman Chainani
Sophie and Agatha’s friendship faces challenges when they enter a magic school that sorts students as heroes and villains.
Hello Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly
Four middle-school friends have to help each other in a race against time when one of them (a Fil-Am boy) falls and gets trapped in a well.
Nancy Drew Diaries by Caroline Keene
A classic! Follow teenage detective, Nancy Drew, as she solves exciting cases - starting with a mysterious old clock!
Letters from Crispin by Cyan Abad-Jugo
When Alice sleeps over at her grandma’s old house, she receives a letter from a boy named Crispin. But Alice doesn’t know anyone named Crispin, and the only boy in their neighborhood is named Jason.
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
Piglet Wilbur and his spider friend Charlotte become famous when Charlotte starts writing words on her web. Everyone now thinks Wilbur is a talking pig!
Frindle by Andrew Clements
When Nick Allen discovers that people can assign names to objects and give their meaning, he decides to call his ballpen a “frindle.” Soon, everyone starts using “frindle”, giving Nick more attention that he wanted to have.
The Homework Machine by Dan Gutman
Four unlikely friends become close together as they try to keep their homework machine a secret. The machine does their homework for them, yet trouble soon follows when their teachers become suspicious of them.
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
Thirteen-year-old Luna suddenly discovers her hidden magical powers, and must now learn to use them before they become out of control.
How to Make Friends with the Sea by Tanya Guerrero
Twelve-year-old Pablo fears the ocean, but when he moves to the Philippines with his zoologist mom, he must get used to living near the ocean and learn to take care of the animals his mom rescues.
Horrible Histories Series
Who says history books are boring? This series is packed with captivating illustrations and hilarious narration of important historical events. Horrible Histories alsa has TV shows, films, and magazines to accompany the books.
Warcross by Marie Lu
In the far future, Emika Chan is hired to find the hacker that disrupts Warcross, a famed virtual reality game. Emika has to enter the thrilling, often dangerous world of Warcross to find the hacker and save lives.
Enjoying these books with your teen might be your newfound bonding activity! If your child is a pre-teen, check out our Young Readers list.
The Learning Library offers ways to help kids of all ages build their communication, comprehension, and composition skills. Our ENGLISH EDGE program for ages 8 and up develops vocabulary, grammar, reading and writing skills through enjoyable small-group classes – and yes, introduction to great books!
Not all readers are good in writing – we know this for a fact! Need help in improving your child’s essay-writing skills? Our READ UP, WRITE NOW! program helps students improve their critical thinking skills and write persuasive, compelling essays. All our programs are online and designed to help your child learn in a fun and engaging environment.
We have free trial classes! Sign up by sending an email to inquiries@learninglibraries.com or by messaging The Learning Library on Facebook.
Remember: the world is filled with wonderful stories for our kids to be immersed in. All we have to do is help them discover it.
