The 100 Best YA Books of All Time

katieprewett Host

5 participants (100 books)

01 Jan 2024—31 Dec 2026

Overview

With a panel of celebrated authors - Elizabeth Acevedo, Kacen Callender, Jenny Han, Jason Reynolds, Adam Silvera, Angie Thomas and Nicola Yoon - TIME presents the most compelling, enlightening and influential young-adult books, in chronological order beginning in the 1800s.

Challenge Books

All books added
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

The Poet X

Elizabeth Acevedo

368 pages • hardcover • 2018

fiction contemporary poetry young adult emotional inspiring reflective fast-paced
Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram

Darius the Great Is Not Okay

Darius The Great #1

Adib Khorram

320 pages • hardcover • 2018

fiction contemporary lgbtqia+ young adult emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Children of Blood and Bone

Legacy of Orïsha #1

Tomi Adeyemi

531 pages • hardcover • 2018

fiction fantasy young adult adventurous dark emotional medium-paced
A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi

A Very Large Expanse of Sea

Tahereh Mafi

320 pages • hardcover • 2018

fiction contemporary romance young adult challenging emotional reflective medium-paced
When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

When Dimple Met Rishi

Dimple and Rishi #1

Sandhya Menon

384 pages • hardcover • 2017

fiction contemporary romance young adult funny lighthearted medium-paced
We Are Okay by Nina LaCour

We Are Okay

Nina LaCour

236 pages • hardcover • 2017

fiction contemporary lgbtqia+ young adult emotional reflective sad medium-paced
The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline

The Marrow Thieves

The Marrow Thieves #1

Cherie Dimaline

234 pages • paperback • 2017

fiction dystopian young adult emotional reflective sad medium-paced
The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan

The Astonishing Color of After

Emily X.R. Pan

472 pages • hardcover • 2018

fiction contemporary magical realism young adult emotional reflective sad medium-paced
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

The Hate U Give

The Hate U Give #1

Angie Thomas

444 pages • hardcover • 2017

fiction contemporary young adult emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced
The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater

The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives

Dashka Slater

320 pages • hardcover • 2017

nonfiction gender lgbtqia+ race true crime young adult challenging emotional reflective fast-paced