Top Five Favorite YA Books When I Was a Teen

I work in the same library I grew up in. Sometimes someone on staff in our Heritage Center will come up to me with an old newspaper clipping in a scrapbook of a younger me at a library program. American Girl doll themed teas, Chalk the Walk for SRP kickoff, even a fashion show with the first Teen Advisory Group in 1997 (I think I was going for the Blossom look judging by the hat I was rocking). 

When I was in high school, before our library added on a huge addition and created an actual teen space, YA lit was housed on a few shelves just outside of the heritage room. I'm so jealous of my teens now! Rows upon rows of YA books, graphic novels, periodicals, and an awesome activity room. Little shelf space aside, I found novels as a teen in the late 90s and early 2000s that I still carry in my heart!

What were some of your favorite books as a teenager?

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

I basically grew up right along with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Is it YA? Is it children's? Is it just all around awesome? Yes to all! I loved this whole series so much. I went to midnight book and movie releases. When I should have been doing homework in study hall I was reading The Half Blood Prince. I even (semi jokingly) suggested a Yule Ball theme when I was on the prom decorating committee in high school. Calling these books modern classics is no stretch!

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

The first time I read this was in my 7th grade English class. I've since reread it countless times. This book always makes for great discussion and is applicable way beyond its 1960s setting. And the movie? 80s heartthrob heaven! A young Rob Lowe? Yes please!

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

I adore this book! I have a deeply loved (aka falling apart) copy of this book I've had since 2002. It's definitely a desert island book! It's one of the most timeless coming of age books I've ever read.

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Because what rocker girl doesn't dream of meeting a guy like Nick? Not to mention the movie is one of my all time favorite sweat pants and popcorn movies!

Shadowland by Meg Cabot

The first book in The Mediator series that I was hooked on in high school. Suze is just like any other teenage girl except she's a mediator. That's right. She can see dead people. I thought for sure it'd be super cheesy when my best friend handed it off to me in one day, but boy was I wrong! Personally, I was always super disappointing that this series never got picked up for a movie the way the Princess Diaries did.