Books are secret weapons. They let you escape your bedroom without leaving your bed. You can fight dragons, solve murders, or fall in love, all while wearing pajamas.
Plus, reading gives you amazing stuff to talk about. You become the person who says, “That’s just like in Six of Crows!” and everyone nods. It’s social currency, people.
For the lover of pure chaos
Want a heist crew that feels like your messy friend group? Grab Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. It’s about a ban of misfit criminals trying to pull off an impossible job. There’s a boy who feels no pain and a girl with a temper and a grudge. It’s Ocean’s Eleven, but with more rooftops and waffles.
Fun fact: Bardugo wrote the whole thing after a dinner party conversation. Yes, a party led to a fantasy crime empire. You’re welcome.
When you need a good cry
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. You’ve heard the hype. It’s not just hype. It’s a heart-wrenching story about two teens with cancer who fall in love. But it’s also hilarious and deeply weird.
Quirky detail: John Green did massive research on Dutch architecture for one scene. He bought a custom LEGO set of a canal house. That’s dedication to a joke.
Read this one in private. You will ugly-cry. Own it.
For the sarcastic detective
Meet Turtles All the Way Down. Also by John Green. It’s a mystery about a billionaire fugitive, but the real story is inside the main character’s head. Aza lives with intense anxiety, and Green writes it with terrifying accuracy.
The plot involves a tuatara lizard named Smaug. Yes, that’s a dragon reference. Green even wrote a fake Wikipedia page for the lizard. He’s a nerd. We love him for it.
Need a laugh? Stat?
Try An Abundance of Katherines. Also by John Green. (Sensing a pattern? He’s the king of teen books.) It’s about a kid who has dated 19 girls named Katherine. All spelled that way. He gets dumped by the last one and goes on a road trip with his best friend.
The book includes a real mathematical formula for predicting relationships. Green invented it with his brother, a mathematician. It’s totally fake, but shockingly fun to read.
12 Coming-of-Age Stories and Compelling Nonfiction for Teens | We Are
You will not solve anything. You will laugh out loud on public transport. People will stare. Let them.
