The 25 best young adult books
The 25 highest-ranked young adult books in our ranking of 2,819, scored on how much readers love them, their prize, best-list and bestseller record, and current buzz. We rank 222 young adult books in all. How we rank
- 1
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone96.8Must-Read ScoreHarry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
It's the book that turned a generation into readers, and it's still pure magic: funny, warm, inventive and with a mystery that keeps you turning pages.
- 2
The Book Thief92.3Must-Read ScoreThe Book Thief
It's a story about the power of words in a time when words were being used to destroy, and it's told with such warmth and strangeness that it stays with readers for life.
- 3
The Help89.0Must-Read ScoreThe Help
It's a hugely popular, emotional and often funny story about courage and friendship across the color line, with three distinct narrators readers love.
- 4
A Thousand Splendid Suns87.9Must-Read ScoreA Thousand Splendid Suns
It's an emotional, unforgettable story of friendship and endurance, with two heroines readers never forget.
- 5
Six of Crows87.4Must-Read ScoreSix of Crows
It's a heist thriller in a fantasy world, with six unforgettable characters, sharp banter, clever twists and a found-family heart.
- 6
The Hunger Games87.0Must-Read ScoreThe Hunger Games
It's one of the best-selling books of all time and defined a whole era of young adult fiction.
- 7The Hate U Give85.0Must-Read Score
The Hate U Give
It has spent more than 250 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists, and it's one of the most widely read and taught young-adult novels of the century.
- 8
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn84.7Must-Read ScoreA Tree Grows in Brooklyn
It's one of the most beloved American novels, warm, honest and full of small, unforgettable moments, and generations of readers have seen themselves in Francie.
- 9The Killer Angels83.9Must-Read Score
The Killer Angels
It won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
- 10
A Dog's Purpose83.0Must-Read ScoreA Dog's Purpose
It was a #1 New York Times bestseller and became a film.
- 11
Reminders of Him82.7Must-Read ScoreReminders of Him
It was a Goodreads Choice finalist and one of the best-selling books of its year.
- 12The Golden Compass81.7Must-Read Score
The Golden Compass
It opens His Dark Materials, which was voted one of the nation's best-loved novels in the BBC's Big Read, and whose final book was longlisted for the Booker Prize.
- 13
The Coldest Winter Ever80.9Must-Read ScoreThe Coldest Winter Ever
It was voted onto PBS's Great American Read and became one of the most influential urban fiction novels ever written.
- 14A Good Girl's Guide to Murder80.8Must-Read Score
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder
It has spent more than 60 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists and is one of the most popular young-adult mysteries of recent years.
- 15The Poet X80.6Must-Read Score
The Poet X
It won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature and has spent 27 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists.
- 16Legendborn80.4Must-Read Score
Legendborn
It has spent 26 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists.
- 17
The Last Song79.7Must-Read ScoreThe Last Song
It hit #1 on the New York Times list.
- 18
The Deal79.6Must-Read ScoreThe Deal
It's a cornerstone of the sports romance boom, years after its release still on the New York Times lists.
- 19The Hill We Climb79.3Must-Read Score
The Hill We Climb
It spent two weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list.
- 20
The Fault in Our Stars79.3Must-Read ScoreThe Fault in Our Stars
It's one of the best-selling books ever, and it made millions of teenagers and adults laugh and cry.
- 21
Magician79.1Must-Read ScoreMagician
It was voted onto the BBC's Big Read and is one of the classic fantasy epics of the 1980s.
- 22Spinning Silver79.1Must-Read Score
Spinning Silver
It was a finalist for both the Hugo and Nebula awards.
- 23Scythe79.1Must-Read Score
Scythe
It's one of the most acclaimed young-adult novels of recent years, from a National Book Award-winning author.
- 24
Room79.1Must-Read ScoreRoom
It was a Booker finalist and became an Oscar-winning film with Brie Larson.
- 25Divine Rivals79.0Must-Read Score
Divine Rivals
It has spent more than 100 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists.