4 Best Selling YA Novels of All Time
In 2011 the Association of American Publishers ranked YA books as the fastest growing publishing category. In 2015 YA fiction continued in its popularity.
It’s obvious that more than teens are reading YA. According to freelance writer, Hope Schreiber in her February 11, 2013 Web article, “The 25 Best Young Adult Fiction Novels of All Time,” 55% of all YA readers are older than 18.
So if you’re looking for a YA book to read, here are 4 book suggestions with titles, authors, and publishing dates from Schreiber’s list that Pop recommends.
- Nothing But the Truth– by Avi- 2010
Written like a documentary, author Avi tells his story through letters, diary entries, school memos, and other assorted documents.
Phillip, a D student, is the class clown. When he stands up in the middle of English class to sing the “Star Spangled Banner,” he is thrown out of class and suspended by the principal.
Phillip tells his parents he was suspended for singing the national anthem, and fails to mention that he did it to disrupt his class.
The youth’s distortion of the facts goes viral and the publicity begins to negatively affect the lives of the people around him.
Nothing But the Truth explores how truth can be distorted and how people react to protect themselves at all costs.
This would be a great book for classroom discussion.
2. Matilda-by Roald Dahl- 1988
Her emotionally abusive parents ignore Matilda, a six-year-old genius. To punish them for bad behavior, she uses magical powers to pull pranks on her neglectful mom and dad.
When Matilda is enrolled in school, her teacher, Miss Honey, takes the child under her wing and helps her take on the cruel and terrifying headmistress, Miss Trunchbull.
Matilda is a great book for anyone wanting to see bullies get their just desserts.
3. Stargirl– Jerry Spinelli-2000
Set at Mica High School in Arizona, Stargirl is a tense and emotional story about the difficulties of popularity and the excitement of first love. It’s the story of a non-conformist teenage girl pitted against conformity.
Publisher Weekly says, “”[Stargirl is] part fairy godmother, part outcast, part dream-come-true.” Author Spinelli poses searching questions about loyalty to oneself and one’s friends leaving the answer for the reader to decide.
4. The Book Thief –Markus Zusak-2007
Leisel, a 9-year-old foster child during Germany’s Nazi era is forced to steal books to satisfy her reading ha bit. She even has the courage to sneak a few books from Nazi book burning bonfires.
Narrated by Death, we watch Leisel make friends with a Jewish man her foster parents are hiding in their basement from the Nazis. The mayor’s wife is impressed with the child’s yearning to read, so turns a blind eye as Leisel steals books from her personal library.
The Book Thief is an emotionally charged tale that will force any reader to burn the night oil, just like Leisel, and read for the satisfaction that a good book always brings.
According to a 2012 Publisher’s Weekly study, 55% of YA books, books designated for children ages 12-17, are being read by adults, with the largest segment in the 30-44 range. When asked, 78% of those adults said they were buying the books for themselves. So don’t be shy. Read YA.
I am 72 years old and have read some YA novels. An especially good YA novel is “Goodbye Tchaikovsky”.