This week is the start of Teen Read Week, a national literacy event created by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) that tries to encourage teens to be regular readers and library users. This year’s slogan is “Read For The Of It!”
Being a young adult librarian, I can safely say that it is difficult to get teens to read, especially in this day and age. However, I try to stress to my teens the importance of not only reading but the importance of the library. Without all this, they wouldn’t have a place to hang out, to feel safe. Coming to the library frequently and taking advantage of all the resources the library has to offer will help them succeed later in life and I try to instill that philosophy into the teens.
So I thought this was a perfect time to name the books that I read when I was a teenager (not all, we’ll be here all day!). I loved reading for fun, did it whenever I got a chance when I was a teenager.And these books are just a taste of all the different worlds I got to experience when I was a teen…
(All links lead to Goodreads.com)
- A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
I always loved reading about magic and witchcraft, but this series not only creased my interest in reading that genre, but introduced me to Libba Bray who I found to be a great storyteller and never left me disappointed. She is probably one of the few YA authors I still read to this day.
2. Blue is For Nightmares Series by Laurie Faria Stolarz
Another great supernatural series! I waited in anticipation when the next one in the series would be released and I was sad when it ended. But this is a perfect example of series where it didn’t get too cheesy and knew when to end. It didn’t overdo it and that’s why I treasure this series close to my heart.
When I first read a book by Meg Cabot (it might have been The Princess Diaries, I’m not entirely sure) I knew I was immediately hooked. Cabot’s writing was not only real but that the fact that she change from YA writing to adult writing, a feat that is very difficult for most authors to do, was amazing. I would search libraries, bookstores, and websites (my first experience buying something from Amazon) so I would find any book by her. I even found the books that she published under pseudonym, “Patricia Cabot”. She has written so many books that she doesn’t get enough credit. Her books inspired me to write myself.
4. Gossip Girl Series by Cecily Von Ziegesar
It was the greatest but it gave us a glimpse into another world that was completely different from our own. In high school, the girls were excited about reading this series and waiting for the next one to come out. After awhile, I stopped reading them since they got tedious and ridiculous.However, whenever I see this book, I always remember with fond memories on how this series actually got a high school students to read.
5. The A-List Series 
by Zoey Dean
The same reasons that were listed for Gossip Girl are the same reasons for this series. The A-List series was a little ridiculous and got repetitive after awhile but it was still an enjoyable series.
6. Something Borrowed & Something Blue by Emily Giffin
I felt like real grown up when I read these books. It just captured romantic relationships and friendships in a realistic light. I remember reading this during homeroom, trying to catch up on what would happen next.
7. Losing Christina Series by Caroline B. Cooney
The first psychological thriller I ever read and really enjoyed. I loved most of Caroline B. Cooney’s books but this series was my favorite. The thrills had me on the edge of my seat. The story and characters were so believable. Christina was a great role model for teens . She persevered through any obstacles and there were many that were thrown at her. A must read for any Cooney fan.
8. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
A true portrayal of one finding their voice. This was the first book I ever read about a severe trauma happening to someone, particularly a teenager. You feel sympathy towards the protagonist and it was rare to see and feel that in YA books. This book was one of a kind.