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
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The Poet X
Acevedo, Elizabeth
Paper Book
WINNER OF THE THE CILIP CARNEGIE MEDAL 2019 SHORTLISTED FOR THE WATERSTONES CHILDREN'S BOOK PRIZE 2019 THE WINNER OF THE 2018 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD THE WINNER OF THE MICHAEL L.PRINTZ AWARD THE...
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...
Are you there, God? It's me, Margaret
Blume, Judy.
Paper Book
Over Nine Million Copies Sold Worldwide.Meet Margaret. She's going through all the same things most teenage girls have to face; fitting in, friendship and first bras.Life isn't easy for Margaret. She's moved away from her childhood home, she's starting a new school, finding new friends - and she's...
Eddy, Eddy
De Goldi, Kate
A coming of age story, a love story, an earthquake story and a story of finding your way back from grief. Eddy Smallbone (orphan) is grappling with identity, love, loss and religion. It's two years since he blew up his school life and the earthquakes felled his city. Home life is maddening...
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
  The very first book pick for Reese Witherspoon's YA Book Club! '[A] super funny, joyful story that'll have you reliving your high school prom days!'- Reese's YA Book Club. Liz has always believed she's too black, too poor, too awkwardto shine in her small, rich, prom...
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...
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...
Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the universe
Sa?enz, Benjamin Alire.
Audiobook
Holes
Sachar, Louis
Paper Book
'You want to run away?' Mr Sir asked him. Stanley looked back at him, unsure what he meant. 'If you want to run away, go ahead, start running. I'm not going to stop you.' Stanley didn't know what kind of game Mr Sir was playing. 'We don't need a fence. Know why? Because we've got the...
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...

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