Summer Books for Teens

What better time to read a book than during the summer holidays? Whether your teen is book shy or a regular bookworm, they’ll find something on this list.

Books provide an escape from our own lives. They also help to improve our spelling and writing without us even trying! The titles below are perfect for those long, lazy summer afternoons.

Please note that the suggested age-ratings are subjective. Parents should decide what is appropriate for their child to read.

Ages 11 – 13:

	When Life Gives You Mangoes by Kereen Getter Clara lives in a quiet town on a Jamaican island. She loves eating ripe mangoes, running outside in the rain, and going to her secret hideout with her best friend Gaynah. The only strange thing is that Clara can’t remember what happened last summer. She has holes in her memory and can’t shake the feeling that people are treating her differently. But a new girl has recently arrived in her town and Clara is determined to make a new friend and have an unforgettable summer.
	The Science of Breakable Things by Tae Keller Natalie’s mother is suffering from depression and has withdrawn from her family’s life. But Natalie has a plan. With the help of an egg-drop contest and a scientific project, she plans to ‘fix’ her mother by winning a trip to see the cobalt blue orchids she loves so much. In this coming-of-age novel, Natalie observes, questions, experiments and analyses the complex emotions of depression, love and family.
	A Duet for Home by Karina Yan Glaser After her father dies unexpectedly, June Yang and her Chinese American family move into Huey House, a shelter for unhoused people. June isn’t allowed to bring her cherished viola into the house, but she meets Tyrell, who has been at Huey House for three years and knows where she can play her forbidden instrument. As their friendship grows over a shared love of classical music, June and Tyrell confront a new housing policy that puts homeless families in danger.

Ages 14 – 15:

	Ready Player One by Ernest Cline In a dystopian future, everyone is searching for a hidden easter egg in an online, virtual world called the OASIS. Hidden by the creator of OASIS, the egg contains a fortune to last a lifetime. For years, no one has got close to finding the egg… until 18-year-old Wade finds the first key. Wade battles against other hunters, and a dangerous corporate power, to find the egg in this futuristic, 80s-themed action adventure.
	Holes by Louis Sachar Stanley Yelnats’ family believe they are cursed with bad luck. After being falsely accused of theft, Stanley is sent to a Texas boot camp called Camp Green Lake. Tasked with digging a hole every day that is the depth and width of their shovels, Stanley and the other boys begin to bond. Over the course of the summer, they uncover mysteries about Camp Green Lake and even the Yelnats family curse.
	The Host by Stephenie Meyer In a post-apocalyptic earth, parasitic aliens known as ‘Souls’ have invaded. A Soul usually completely erases the consciousness of the body it inhabits. Except for Wanderer. Her host, Melanie Stryder, won’t be erased. Together, they seek out the surviving human colonies and discover more about love, life, and what it means to be human than either of them thought possible.

Age 16+:

	Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro Now a young adult, Kathy reflects on her life at Hailsham, the exclusive boarding school she attended. She recounts the time she spent with Ruth and Tommy, close friends with whom Kathy had an intimate and, at times, tumultuous relationship. Over time, the three discover the dark truth about their childhood, their guardians, and their fate.
	The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon Natasha believes in science and facts. Not fate or destiny. Daniel has always been the good son, a perfect student, living up to his parents’ expectations. Sparks fly when they meet on a crowded street in New York City. But Natasha doesn’t believe in love at first sight, especially when her family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Daniel believes that destiny might just be on their side.
	Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens Kya Clark has lived out in the marsh her whole life. She survives largely on her own, existing in harmony with the creatures and waters of the wild North Carolina coast. But the nearby town is humming with rumours about her, and it’s not long before Kya’s tough but peaceful existence is disturbed by unwanted visitors, mystery and murder.