Top Tween & Teen Must Reads

These were the series that totally owned my bookshelf during the middle school and early high school years. Whether it was magical worlds, school drama, or saving the world, these books had me hooked. Here are the ones I kept coming back to:

Cupcake Diaries – Coco Simon

Four middle school girls start a cupcake club and navigate friendship, family, and growing up.

Why it’s great: It’s sweet (literally), fun, and full of friendship goals. I wanted to be part of the club.

The Penderwicks – Jeanne Birdsall

Four sisters go on summer adventures full of charm, mischief, and heart.

Why it’s great: Wholesome and timeless. It felt like reading a cozy classic with a little mischief mixed in.

Little House on the Prairie – Laura Ingalls Wilder

Based on the real-life adventures of Laura and her family on the American frontier.

Why it’s great: Simple, brave, and full of heart. I loved imagining what life was like back then and how tough Laura was.

Dork Diaries – Rachel Renée Russell

Nikki Maxwell spills all the middle school drama in her hilarious, doodle-filled diary.

Why it’s great: Super funny, super relatable, and full of secondhand embarrassment in the best way.

Keeper of the Lost Cities (KOTLC) – Shannon Messenger

A girl discovers she’s an elf with telepathic powers and gets pulled into a magical world of secrets.

Why it’s great: Intense world building, crazy plot twists, and THE love triangle. Total 6th grade fantasy obsession.

Wings of Fire – Tui T. Sutherland

Dragon tribes, war, prophecy, and powerful dragon heroes—told from a dragon’s perspective.

Why it’s great: DRAGONS. But also, amazing characters and nonstop action. The tribes and storylines are incredible and one of my all time favorite reads growing up.

Warrior Cats – Erin Hunter

Wild cats in forest clans fight, lead, and survive in an epic world of loyalty and betrayal.

Why it’s great: I got way too emotionally invested in cat politics. Loved everything about this series!

The Land of Stories – Chris Colfer

Two siblings fall into a fairytale world and discover they’re part of something much bigger.

Why it’s great: Classic fairytales with a twist! Magical, fast-paced, and full of adventure.

Geronimo & Thea Stilton – Elisabetta Dami

Mouse siblings solve mysteries and explore the world in fun, illustrated chapter books.

Why it’s great: Quirky, colorful, and hilarious. Plus, the fonts and page designs made them SO fun to read. The Thea Sisters ones were my favorites!

Mr. Lemoncello’s Library – Chris Grabenstein

A group of kids compete in a wild library escape game full of puzzles and clues.

Why it’s great: It’s like Willy Wonka meets Escape Room—but with books. Total book-lover’s dream and insanely fun to try and figure out the puzzles alongside the characters.

Percy Jackson – Rick Riordan

A sarcastic teen discovers he’s the son of Poseidon and joins a world of gods, monsters, and quests.

Why it’s great: Action, humor, mythology, and one of the most lovable main characters ever. Total classic and one of my all time favorite series to this day.

Harry Potter – J.K. Rowling

A boy finds out he’s a wizard and goes to a magical school, and then has to save the world.

Why it’s great: Magic, friendships, and epic battles. This series was childhood for so many of us.

The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins

Katniss Everdeen volunteers to survive a deadly televised game in a dystopian future.

Why it’s great: Intense, emotional, and powerful. This series made me feel everything.

Divergent – Veronica Roth

In a divided society, Tris discovers she doesn’t fit in—she’s Divergent. And that makes her dangerous.

Why it’s great: Full of rebellion, romance, and finding your strength. I devoured this one.

Happy Reading!