Realistic Fiction (YA)

If you don’t really like fantasy, science fiction, or supernatural stuff, then here’s a list of more realistic fiction. Boys, girls, parents, sports, school, music, friends, anxieties, family — real things that could plausibly be experienced by real people! Here are 35 of our current faves.

Updated June 19, 2024
Drag items up and down to your preferred order then select the "Save Order" button.
The Poet X
Acevedo, Elizabeth
Paper Book
Winner of the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, the Michael L. Printz Award, and the Pura Belpré Award! Fans of Jacqueline Woodson, Meg Medina, and Jason Reynolds will fall hard for this astonishing New York Times-bestselling novel-in-verse by an award...
Imogen, obviously
Albertalli, Becky
Paper Book
The sensational new novel from Becky Albertalli, best-selling author of Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda. Imogen may be hopelessly heterosexual, but she's got the World's Greatest Ally title locked down. And when she visits her best friend, Lili, at college who is newly-out, newly...
Speak
Anderson, Laurie Halse
Paper Book
A fiercely authentic, critically acclaimed and award-winning modern classic. 'Speak up for yourself - we want to know what you have to say.' From my first day at Merryweather High, I know this is a lie. Nobody will even talk to me, let alone listen...
Are you there, God? It's me, Margaret
Blume, Judy
Paper Book
Originally published: Scarsdale, N.Y.: Bradbury Press, 1970.
I Wish You All the Best
Deaver, Mason.
Paper Book
Perfect for fans of Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli, Mason Deaver's stunning debut will rip your heart out before showing you how to heal from tragedy and celebrate life in the process."Heartfelt, romantic, and quietly groundbreaking. This book will save lives." -- Becky Albertalli,...
Dog tucker
Drinkwater, K.
Paper Book
"I hate horses! Angry and defiant, thirteen-year-old Devlin believes hes unwanted. Hes fed up with changing schools and foster homes, and decides to run away from his foster-uncles farm. But then he meets a horse about to become dog tucker and a deception unravels ... This is a story about making...
Eddy, Eddy
De Goldi, Kate
Paper Book
Eddy, Eddy is a coming of age story, a love story, an earthquake story and a story of finding your way back from grief.
The dos and donuts of love
Jaigirdar, Adiba
Paper Book
A pun-filled YA contemporary romance, The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar finds a teenage girl competing in a televised baking competition, with contestants including her ex-girlfriend and a potential new crush - perfect for fans of The Great British Bake Off and She...
Tokyo ever after
Jean, Emiko
Paper Book
A Reese Witherspoon Book Club YA Pick! Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean is a hilarious and heartfelt novel perfect for fans of To All the Boys I've Loved Before and The Princess Diaries. Izumi Tanaka has lived an uneventful seventeen years in...
You should see me in a crown
Johnson, Leah (Young adult author)
Paper Book
A TIME Magazine Best YA Book of All Time A Stonewall Honor Book A Reese's Book Club YA Pick Liz Lighty has always believed she's too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed midwestern town. But it's okay -- Liz has a...
Mark my words
Khan, Muhammad (Teen fiction writer)
Paper Book
A powerful new novel about standing out and being heard from Muhammad Khan, the Branford Boase Award-winning author of I Am Thunder. Fifteen-year-old Dua Iqbal has always had trouble minding her own business. With a silver-tongue and an inquisitive nature, a career in journalism seems...
Darius the Great is not okay
Khorram, Adib
Paper Book
Darius doesn't think he'll ever be enough, in America or in Iran. Hilarious and heartbreaking, this unforgettable debut introduces a brilliant new voice in contemporary YA. Winner of the William C. Morris Debut Award "Heartfelt, tender, and so utterly real. I'd live...
A map to the sun
Leong, Sloane
Paper Book
A Map to the Sun is a gripping YA graphic novel about five principle players in a struggling girls' basketball team. One summer day, Ren meets Luna at a beachside basketball court and a friendship is born. But when Luna moves to back to Oahu, Ren's messages to her friend go...
Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir
Martin, Pedro.
Paper Book
'We are living in a golden age of graphic novels and memoirs, and MEXIKID is one of the best I've ever read' - New York Times'Beautiful ... An important human story wrapped up in a stunning visual tale' - Chris Mould____________________Pedro is a Mexikid, a kid born in America to parents from Mexico...
Catch a falling star
Merriman, Eileen (Haematologist)
Paper Book
A fifteen-year-old reaches for stardom as he slides into psychosis in this multiple-award-winning novel for teens. New Zealand Book Awards Young Adult Fiction Award 2024 NZ Booklovers Best Young Adult Book 2024 Storylines Notable Young Adult Fiction Book 2023 ...
Dumplin'
Murphy, Julie
Paper Book
Now a popular Netflix feature film, starring Jennifer Aniston, Danielle Macdonald, and Dove Cameron, as well as a soundtrack from Dolly Parton! The #1 New York Times bestseller and feel-good YA of the year--about Willowdean Dixon, the fearless, funny, and totally unforgettable heroine...
Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the universe
Sáenz, Benjamin Alire
Paper Book
Now a major motion picture starring Max Pelayo, Reese Gonzales, and Eva Longoria! A Time Best YA Book of All Time (2021) This Printz Honor Book is a "tender, honest exploration of identity" (Publishers Weekly) that distills lyrical truths about...
Holes
Sachar, Louis
Paper Book
This groundbreaking classic is now available in a special anniversary edition with bonus content. Winner of the Newbery Medal as well as the National Book Award, HOLES is a New York Times bestseller and one of the strongest-selling middle-grade books to ever hit shelves!
Give Me a Sign
Sortino, Anna.
Paper Book
Jenny Han meets CODA in this big-hearted YA debut about first love and Deaf pride at a summer camp. Now in paperback! Lilah is stuck in the middle. At least, that's what having a hearing loss seems like sometimes-when you don't feel "deaf enough" to identify as Deaf or...
Chaos theory
Stone, Nic
Paper Book
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin delivers a gripping romance about two teens: a certified genius living with a diagnosed mental illness and a politician's son who is running from his own addiction and grief. Don't miss this gut punch of a...
Laura Dean keeps breaking up with me
Tamaki, Mariko
Paper Book
One of FORBES Best Graphic Novels of 2019 On BCCB 2019 Blue Ribbons List One of NPR's Best Books of 2019 Booklist 2019 Editors' Choice One of Bitch Media's Best Queer YA Novels of 2019 Author Mariko Tamaki and...
This place is still beautiful
Tian, Xixi
Paper Book
Annalie and Margaret are sisters who agree on only one thing- that they have nothing in common. Annalie is seventeen- sweet, content, and looking forward to a summer of flirting with the most popular boy in school. Margaret is nineteen- ambitious, a warrior...
The magic fish
Trung, Le Nguyen
Paper Book
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR by New York Public Library . Kirkus Reviews . Booklist . Publishers Weekly In this gorgeous debut graphic novel, fairy tales are the only way one boy can communicate with his Vietnamese immigrant parents. But how will he find the...
Go with the flow
Williams, Lily
Paper Book
High school students embark on a crash course of friendship, female empowerment, and women's health issues in Lily Williams and Karen Schneemann's graphic novel Go With the Flow. Good friends help you go with the flow. Best friends help you start a...

Library staff! You can create and contribute to lists. Contact your catalog administrator or log in here.