2025 Staff Picks for Teens

Attend summer camp, join the track team, harness magic, and return to the dystopian world of Panem with this year’s Staff Picks list for teens. No matter what your preferred genre is, we think there’s a little something for everyone in this year’s selection of books. Read on to see what made the cut! 

Plus, be sure to also check out our Staff Picks lists for kids and adults.

• All's Fair In Love and Field Hockey by Kit Rosewater – recommended by Kelsey C. at Libbie Mill

• Angelica and the Bear Prince by Trung Le Nguyen – recommended by Marie R. at Gayton
  • I enjoyed this graphic novel because it shared the experience of missing friends and family that have gone as well as making new connections with others.

• Black Girl You Are Atlas by Renée Watson – recommended by Courtney M. at North Park

• The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys – recommended by Kareemah H. at Varina

• Cthulu Cat  by Pandania – recommended by Hannah T. at Fairfield
  • It's a lighthearted story of eldritch horror and cats.

• Dancing at the Pity Party: A Dead Mom Graphic Memoir by Tyler Feder – recommended by Bridget O. at Gayton

• Dear Martin by Nic Stone – recommended by Levi C. at Fairfield

• Everything Sad is Untrue  by Daniel Nayeri – recommended by Amy C. at Tuckahoe
  • This book weaves Iranian history and mythology into the telling of a middle school boy's immigration story as he stands in front of his class.

• Fake Skating by Lynn Painter – recommended by Ashby C. at Gayton

• The Getaway List by Emma Lord – recommended by Aimee H. at Glen Allen

• Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino – recommended by Penelope F. at Twin Hickory
  • Represents a range of Deaf experience in the context of counselors working through a season of summer camp. It's also enormously relatable, since every reader has insecurities to overcome and a desire to belong within a community. And if you want "s'more," Sortino's second book, On the Bright Side, is just as satisfying to digest.

• Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao – recommended by Naila P. at Tuckahoe
  • Empress Wu Zetian is a force to be reckoned with in the stunning sequel toIron Widow.  Navigating complex politics, complicated romance, and gigantic qi-powered mecha warriors, our majestic heroine struggles to bring balance to a broken world whilst intertwined with a formidable, dangerous enemy.

• Hell Followed With Us  by Andrew Joseph White – recommended by Charlie H. at Libbie Mill

• Howl's Moving Castle  by Diana Wynne Jones – recommended by Benjamin O. at Gayton
  • I love this book, and this author, without reservation.

• Immortal Consequences by I.V. Marie – recommended by Jordan R. at Tuckahoe

• Kingdom of Ash by Sarah Maas – recommended by Tiffany A. at Libbie Mill
  • This was a very satisfying end to the Throne of Glass series. I enjoyed the series more as I went along, and this book was particularly riveting (despite its large size). 

• Light Enough to Float  by Lauren Seal – recommended by Beth C. at Fairfield
  • Seal tells a story about a friend named Evie trying to overcome an eating disorder. A powerful light shown upon a battle many people struggle with.

• Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang – recommended by Amanda S. at Library Administration

• Monday's Not Coming  by Tiffany D. Jackson – recommended by Jodi H. at Glen Allen and Genevieve H. at Gayton

• The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien by John Hendrix – recommended by Rachel S. at Fairfield

• Needy Little Things  by Channelle Desamours – recommended by Kendall H. at Library Administration

• Run Like a Girl  by Amaka Egbe – recommended by Drew C. at Gayton
  • When teen track star Chidera Edwards moves to a new school district, she discovers that she will have to join her new school’s sole, all-boys track team if she wants to keep her Olympic dream alive. Topics like bullying, student journalism, divorce, and self-expression are included as well as how these relate to the Nigerian-American heritage of Chidera’s family. A story with a lot of heart!

• The Scammer by Tiffany D. Jackson – recommended by Lauren M. at Libbie Mill

• Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins – recommended by Tori N. at Tuckahoe, Logan F. at Gayton, and Gina F. at Gayton
  • Thank you, Suzanne Collins, for writing Sunrise on the Reaping and for the compelling return to the world of Panem! This book offers fresh insight into familiar characters while introducing new ones that quickly capture our heart. Its nostalgic connection to the original Hunger Gamestrilogy makes it a satisfying and emotionally resonant read for longtime fans. – Tori N.
  • Haunting, heartbreaking, Haymitch. – Gina F.

• Witch Hat Atelier by Kamome Shirahama – recommended by Kristina C. at Library Administration
  • This series has gorgeous artwork and an intriguing story. I love how magic is used in this world, and you’ll definitely be rooting for the heroine, Coco.

• Wizard of Earthsea: A Graphic Novel by Ursula K. Le Guin – recommended by Lisa K. at Glen Allen
  • When Ged helps protect his island from invasion, Gont's wizard notices how powerful he is. Perhaps the school at Roke is a better place for the head-strong young man. 

And since you’re already reading, why not earn prizes along the way? Check out our 100 Books Before Graduation challenge and kick 2026 off with a fresh reading goal.  Need more literary inspiration? Submit a My Next Read request, subscribe to genre-specific newsletters and browse thousands of read-alikes and mood-inspired recommendations on Novelist.