Top 21 Best Young Adult Books of Each Year (2000-2020)
2000: “Stargirl” Jerry Spinelli
Jerry Spinelli’s 2000 novel “Stargirl” tells the simple story of an extraordinary girl named Stargirl Caraway, who shows up at a new school and struggles to fit in because of her unique and quirky personality. While many Young Adult books deal with real life tragedies or fantastical scenarios, this is a more relatable story of learning to be yourself in the face of run of the mill adversity. Like many of the books on our list today, this one got the silver screen treatment when it was adapted into a movie for Disney+ starring singer Grace VanderWaal.
2001: “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” Ann Brashares
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This popular YA gained even more popularity after being turned into a Hollywood movie. But the book itself is worth reading even if you’ve already seen the film. Telling the story of four teenage besties who are spending their first summer apart, the novel ties all of their plotlines together with a seemingly magical pair of jeans that somehow fits all of their different body types. They mail the pants to each other throughout the summer and learn how to remain close while being physically separated.
2002: “Feed” Matthew Tobin Anderson
2002 saw the release of M.T. Anderson’s novel “Feed”, which takes the cyberpunk aesthetic and uses it to tell a story about consumerism and the power of Big Tech. It’s told from the perspective of Titus, a teenage boy who begins to resist the highly consumerist dystopian world around him – a world where people have been given brain implants and are constantly inundated with messages from major companies. With the way that society has progressed since 2002, this would make for a compelling reread. How did this one never get made into a movie or TV series?
2003: “Boy Meets Boy” David Levithan
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While today, there are entire subgenres of LGBTQ+ fiction, back in 2003 it wasn’t quite as easy to find a gay love story at your local bookstore. Luckily, “Boy Meets Boy” provided a safe haven for many readers, telling the story of Paul and Noah’s high school romance, which takes place in a progressive, utopian queer-friendly small town in New England. As you might expect from the novel’s title, the book takes on the classic “boy meets girl” trope and switches it up for the new millennium, creating a modern romcom with plenty of staying power.
2004: “Crank” Ellen Hopkins
Author Ellen Hopkins wrote 2004’s “Crank” based loosely on her own daughter’s experience with addiction to methamphetamines. The author takes this deeply personal subject matter to spin a tale about a troubled teen that resonated with the young and old alike. The writing style is unique, not following familiar prose patterns but instead resembling free verse poetry. Since its publication, “Crank” has become a staple in high schools as well as in drug education and rehabilitation programs because of its careful handling of difficult subject matter.
2005: “Twilight” Stephenie Meyer
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Before “Twilight” was a major movie franchise, it was simply a paranormal romance novel written by Stephanie Meyer. The novel was hugely popular, becoming a worldwide phenomenon and inspiring a passionate fandom as well as sequels and, of course, major Hollywood films. The love story between the human Bella and the immortal vampire Edward grabbed teens’ attention and swept them into an unforgettable saga. Each book in the series becomes increasingly complex, but the first, released in 2005, holds a special place in the hearts of fans around the world.
2006: “Pretty Little Liars” Sara Shepard
Many are familiar with the “Pretty Little Liars” TV show that aired on ABC from 2010 to 2017. But before Rosewood’s convoluted missing person story hit our screens, it was told in a 16-book series by Sara Shepard, which debuted with 2006’s novel of the same name. The books tell the tale of a group of girls whose friend went missing several years earlier and who are now being tormented by an unknown figure. If you’re a fan of the show, know that it's a pretty loose adaptation of the novels, so there are plenty of brand new twists and turns to be found if you go back and read the books.
2007: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” J.K. Rowling
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The first “Harry Potter” book was released in 1997, and a decade later the franchise had become an unbeatable force in the publishing world. The final novel in the series, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”, was released in 2007 and wrapped up the story of Harry’s battle with the dark wizard Voldemort. The final novel took readers to places they had never been before, including Godric’s Hollow, Malfoy Manor, and deep in the vaults of Gringotts Wizarding Bank. The ending of this hugely popular series was always going to be bittersweet for fans, but it certainly went out with a bang.
2008: “The Hunger Games” Suzanne Collins
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When the first novel in Suzanne Collins’s series was released in 2008, it cemented the dystopian trend for years to come. The book looks at a grim future where the United States has split into factions and is separated into districts where wealth disparity is rampant. Young people from each district are forced to compete in a fight to the death for the entertainment of the wealthy ruling class. Protagonist Katniss Everdeen disrupts the expected cycle however and changes the Games forever with her skills and bravery. It’s a compelling page-turner that in 2012 was turned into an equally entertaining film.
2009: “Hush, Hush” Becca Fitzpatrick
2009 brought us several YA adults that followed in familiar footsteps. James Dashner’s “The Maze Runner” felt tailor-made for “Hunger Games” fans, and got a big screen adaptation in 2014. But we’re giving this entry to Becca Fitzpatrick’s “Hush, Hush”, which like “Twilight” focuses on a romance between a mortal teenage girl and a paranormal being. In this case, the mortal is Nora Grey and her love interest is Patch Cipriano, who turns out to be a fallen angel. Many of the paranormal romance tropes are present in this novel, but it has a fresh cast of characters and a unique premise to set it apart from the pack. The novel spawned three sequels, but has yet to receive the big screen treatment.
2010: “Will Grayson, Will Grayson” John Green & David Levithan
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Two popular YA novelists, John Green and David Levithan, teamed up to create this unique writing experiment. “Will Grayson, Will Grayson” is told from the perspective of two teenage boys, both of whom happened to share the same name. Chapters alternate between the two characters, with all of Will Grayson 1’s chapters being written by John Green and Will Grayson 2’s chapters being written by David Levithan. The authors use this unconventional format to show how different the high school experience can be, while also focusing on the bonds that bring us all together.
2011: “Legend” Marie Lu
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Keeping with the dystopian YA trend, Marie Lu’s novel “Legend” takes inspiration from a unique source: the 1998 film adaptation of Victor Hugo’s novel Les Misérables. Lu takes cues from the well-known tale but turns the characters of Valjean and Javert into teenagers living in a dark, futuristic version of Los Angeles ruled by a totalitarian state. The novel is exciting and action-packed, keeping readers on the edge of their seats throughout the entire wild ride. It’s the first in a four-book series, so there’s plenty more to enjoy when you finish.
2012: “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” Benjamin Alire Sáenz
2012 was a big year for YA novels, seeing the release of major hits like “The Fault in Our Stars” and “Shadow and Bone” - both of which were adapted for screens. While our top pick for 2012 may have flown a little more under the radar, it was no less beloved. “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” is set in 1987, which makes it stand out, as so many of the most popular YA stories are set in the future. It focuses on two Mexican-American teenagers as they try to figure out their identities and places in the world. Fans were thrilled in early 2021 when the author announced a sequel entitled “Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World”.
2013: “Fangirl” Rainbow Rowell
Rainbow Rowell’s 2013 novel “Fangirl, has a unique premise, focusing on a new college student who moonlights as a successful online fan fiction writer. The world she writes about is based on a series called “Simon Snow”, a fantasy franchise that bears a striking resemblance to the story of a boy wizard we’ve all come to know and love. The main character has to figure out how to merge her online persona with her real life. As a mark of “Fangirl’s” popularity, Rowell actually went on to write two spin-off novels that are actually set in the “Simon Snow” universe. How meta is that?
2014: “I'll Give You the Sun” Jandy Nelson
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Jenny Han’s “To All the Boys I've Loved Before” is dear to our hearts. But it’s “I'll Give You the Sun” that wins a spot in our list. Jandy Nelson’s novel focuses on twin siblings Jude and Noah. The pair has many similarities, primarily in their interest in the art world. But an event occurs that severs their bond and leads them to keep major secrets from one another. The novel deals with some difficult themes, including death, betrayal, adultery, and teenage sexuality. It received a number of positive reviews and accolades, including the Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature, Bank Street's 2015 Josette Frank Award, and YALSA Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults.
2015: “Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda” Becky Albertalli
While you may have seen the movie “Love, Simon”, you may not have realized it was based on a novel by Becky Albertalli with the slightly wordier title: “Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda”. Like the film, the book focuses on gay teenager Simon Spier, who’s struggling to come out to his family and peers. When Simon strikes up an online romance using a pseudonym, a classmate threatens to reveal his identity and out him to the entire school. The novel received a number of awards, including the William C. Morris Award from the American Library Association and the German Youth Literature Prize.
2016: “The Sun Is Also a Star” Nicola Yoon
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Two teenagers meet by chance in New York City in Nicola Yoon’s romantic YA novel “The Sun Is Also A Star”. Natasha and her family are facing deportation, having immigrated to the US illegally from Jamaica, and she’s trying to meet with a lawyer so they can stay in the country. Daniel is dealing with his family’s high expectations of him as he heads to a college interview with a Yale alumnus, while actually dreaming of writing poetry. When the two meet, they end up spending the day together, and Daniel—the romantic—tries to convince Natasha he can make her fall in love with him.
2017: “The Hate U Give” Angie Thomas
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Written by Angie Thomas, “The Hate U Give” is essential reading. The novel was inspired by the police shooting of Oscar Grant in Oakland, California in 2009. The story is told by a 16-year-old named Starr who witnesses her close friend being shot and killed by a white police officer. In the aftermath of the killing, Starr has to walk a fine line between the life she lives at home in a poor neighborhood and the life she lives at the largely white private school she attends. In 2018 it was adapted into a critically acclaimed film, with Amandla Stenberg doing an excellent job of bringing Starr to life.
2018: “The Poet X” Elizabeth Acevedo
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Writer Elizabeth Acevedo is known for her slam poetry, which plays a major theme in the young adult novel “The Poet X”. The book’s protagonist, Xiomara, lives in Harlem and is conflicted between her mother’s expectations of her and her own desires to express herself through poetry. The book was hugely well-regarded, bringing in a number of nominations and awards, including the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature, the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, and the Michael L. Printz Award for best young adult literature.
2019: “Patron Saints of Nothing” Randy Ribay
“Patron Saints of Nothing” is Randy Ribay’s third book, and won him the Freeman Award for achievements in literature for young readers. It focuses on Jay Reguero, a Filipino-American teenager who decides to go to the Philippines after one of his cousins is killed there in the country’s drug war. Once there, he confronts issues of his own identity, realizing he doesn’t fit in on either side of the world. The author himself is also Filipino-American, and clearly drew on his own experience in writing this impactful fictional story.
2020: “Grown” Tiffany D. Jackson
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2020 was a difficult year for everyone, but it saw the release of some truly incredible and groundbreaking YA novels. “Grown”, by Tiffany D. Jackson, is a searing look at abusive relationships and what it’s like to grow up as a young black girl. It’s told from the perspective of Enchanted, an aspiring singer who finds herself swept into the world of successful R&B singer Korey Fields. But one morning Enchanted wakes up with her hands covered in blood and no memory of the previous night. Korey is dead, and Enchanted has to unravel the mystery of what happened to them both.
