To recommend a specific book for a teenager is always a challenge. Kids are different, and the same book that makes one reader thrilled leaves another absolutely indifferent.

In my reading class I never force studenst to read a book which does not interest them, even if I think that the book is great. Instead, I provide recommendations and let  students choose and decide what to read and later explain their preferences. When given a free hand, a young reader becomes more involved in the process of preliminary discussion and making a proper choice.

Here are some books that are especially popular among my seventh graders:

“The Hunger Games” and “Catching Fire” by Suzanne Collins.  When asked why they like those books so much, the students give various reasons such as unforgettable characters and unusual plot. Although the story abounds in cruel episodes and an impossible choice between love and life, the younger readers are not negatively affected by the omnipresence of “Death.”

“The Scythe” by Neal Shusterman.  Similar to The Hunger Games, this book does not leave any of my students in the reading club indifferent. The utopian future created by the author seems so real that the kids retell the events as if they were details of their own lives.

“The Giver”, a young adult dystopian novel by Lois Lowry.  I would recommend this book for younger students.

Although many teenagers prefer fantasy and mystery, realistic fiction also remains popular. Here is a book that most of my students, both boys and girls, adore:

“Thirteen Reasons Why” by Jay Asher.

Of course, this is a very short and “personal” list of recommended books. Every young reader is unique, and although I know the tastes of my students, I can only suggest a book and guess whether they would like it or not.