YA Holiday Gift Guide

This is next week's Top Ten Tuesday topic, but it inspired me to do a bigger one. I haven't made one in a couple of years and so will feature books published in the past couple year. The categories are inspired by my favorites from this year. I've added a "tried and true" recommendation for each category that is a bit older. These are books I've recommended over and over with success.

I by no means intend to be reductive with the categories. No teen fits just one and the books could all straddle several as well. It is just meant to be a guide. Links are to my reviews. Feel free to comment, email, or tweet at me if you have questions about any particular book.

Take note of disclaimer at bottom for asterisked books.

You can find the MG list here.

Teen Gift Guide (for ages about 13 and up)

For Teens Who Like to Read About Friend Groups and Their Antics

Rebel Bully Geek Pariah by Erin Jade Lang (contemporary realistic; 2016)*
Top Ten Clues You're Clueless by Liz Czukas (contemporary realistic; 2014)

The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place by Julie Berry (historical; 2014)
When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds (contemporary realistic; 2014)*

This Side of Home by Renée Watson (contemporary realistic; 2015)

Tried and True Rec:

Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta (realistic; 2006)*

For Teens Who Like Romance and the Notion of Happy Ever After (or at least happy for now)

Rose & Thorn by Sarah Prineas (fantasy; 2016)
Six Impossible Things by Fiona Wood (contemporary realistic; 2015)*

Perfect Couple by Jennifer Echols (contemporary realistic; 2015; has two companion novels)*

The Last Best Kiss by Claire LaZebnik (contemporary realistic; 2014)

The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas (fantasy; 2013; first in trilogy)
On the Fence by Kasie West (contemporary realistic; 2014)

Forbidden by Kimberly Griffiths (historical; 2014)

The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope (historical; 1974)

For Teens Who Liked to Be Kicked in the Feels

Exit, Pursued by a Bear by E.K. Johnston* (contemporary realistic; 2016)
Burn Baby Burn by Meg Medina* (historical; 2016)

Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee (historical; 2016)
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys (historical 2016)

The Story of Owen and Prairie Fire by E.K. Johnston (fantasy; 2014 and 2015)

The Boy in the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds (contemporary realistic; 2015)*

Tried and True Pick:

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein*

For Teens Who Enjoy Books That Strongly Feature Families

Peas and Carrots by Tanita S. Davis (contemporary realistic; 2016)

The Mystery of Hollow Places by Rebecca Podos (contemporary realistic; 2016)

A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston (fantasy; 2015)

Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older (fantasy; 2015)*

Bone Gap by Laura Ruby (fantasy; 2015)*

*These books contain one or more of the following: strong language, sexual content, or underage drinking/drug age. If you have specific questions about any title, I'm happy to answer them. This not to warn you away from them. They wouldn't be on this list if I didn't think they were excellent books worth reading, but as I work with some teens who shy away from these topics, I want to give fair warning.

Comments

Kim Aippersbach said…

Your Kicked in the Feels category—ha! yes! (These are all great categories; much more useful than the usual ones.)

November 22, 2016 at 12:09 PM

Brandy said…

Thanks! The categories for this were harder to come up with than for the MG.

November 23, 2016 at 4:29 PM

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