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Realistic Fiction Books for Teens |
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Every Story Ever Told by Ami PolonskyStevie’s sheltered suburban life is shattered by a mass shooting. Unable to face her injured mother or stay confined in her grandparents’ apartment, she roams New York City with her best friend and a therapy dog (in training). As she uncovers stories from her family’s past and her community, Stevie searches not for a return to normal, but for a new version of herself. TEEN REALISTIC POLONSKY AMI |
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Home Has No Borders edited by Samira Ahmed & Sona CharaipotraFrom first crushes to complicated family and community ties, this powerful collection of stories explores race, class, culture, language, and the meaning of home. Featuring acclaimed South Asian YA authors, it offers a rich portrait of what it means to be South Asian. TEEN REALISTIC HOME |
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How to Tell a True Story by Tricia SpringstubbAfter her older brother rescues her from a house fire, seventh grader Amber becomes the center of attention as her community rallies and her brother is hailed a hero. However, as her family quietly unravels and secrets surface, Amber must decide whether protecting the people she loves is worth telling a lie. TEEN REALISTIC SPRINGSTUBB TRICIA |
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K-Jane by Lydia KangJane Choi, a typical Nebraskan teen, struggles to connect with her Korean heritage while everyone around her is obsessed with K-culture. Determined to guide her baby brother, she starts a private social media account—but navigating identity, family, and online fame proves far more complicated than she imagined. TEEN REALISTIC KANG LYDIA |
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The Queen Bees of Tybee County by Kyle Casey ChuAfter becoming a basketball star, Derrick must hide his love of performance and his feelings for a teammate. When a summer with his eccentric grandmother introduces him to beauty pageants, Derrick must decide how much of his true self he’s ready to share. TEEN REALISTIC CHU KYLE |
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So Over Sharing by Elissa Brent WeissmanTwo very different twelve-year-old girls, Hadley and Willow, bond over Instagram as they both struggle with oversharing influencer moms and grapple with how long their lives will stay public. TEEN REALISTIC WEISSMAN ELISSA |
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New Teen Realistic Fiction Books
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All the Noise at Once by Deandra DavisAiden, an autistic teen, dreams of playing football like his star quarterback brother, Brandon. After an overstimulation meltdown ruins his first tryout, he gets a second chance. But when teammates’ doubts spark tensions, Brandon is falsely accused of assault. Aiden must now fight to clear his brother’s name and save his future. TEEN REALISTIC DAVIS DEANDRA |
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All the Tomorrows After by Joanne YiWinter Moon dreams of escaping with her grandmother, but when her mother steals her savings, she must work with her estranged father in exchange for payment. Struggling with grief, first love, and family secrets, Winter begins to forge unexpected connections. She comes to question what it truly means to be family as she navigates loss and forgiveness. TEEN REALISTIC YI JOANNE |
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The Golden Boy's Guide to Bipolar by Sonora ReyesSeventeen-year-old Cesar Flores wants to win back his ex, Jamal, but his guilt and intrusive thoughts spiral out of control. After a manic episode exposes his struggles, he must decide whether to ask for help or risk losing everyone he loves. TEEN REALISTIC REYES SONORA |
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Here Goes Nothing by Emma K. OhlandThis femme queer update of Much Ado About Nothing finds neighbors Beatrice and Bennie endlessly feuding and just maybe falling in love. This sparks questions for Beatrice about her asexual identity, her place in her friend group, and her plans for the future. TEEN REALISTIC OHLAND EMMA |
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The Rebel Girls of Rome by Jordyn TaylorFrom the author of The Paper Girl of Paris comes Rebel Girls of Rome. This is a thrilling and heartfelt dual POV novel that follows Lilah, a girl looking to reconnect with her grandfather over his mysterious past during a trip to Rome. It also tells the story of Bruna, a queer Jewish woman who escapes the Nazis in Italy and joins the resistance during World War II. TEEN REALISTIC TAYLOR JORDYN |
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This Book Might Be about Zinnia by Brittney MorrisIn 2024, Zinnia Davis discovers a novel that may reveal her birth mother. Back in 2006, Tuesday Walker uncovers dangerous family secrets while searching for a lost journal. Their pasts collide, with consequences that reach across time. TEEN REALISTIC MORRIS BRITTNEY |
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The Unexpected Consequence of Bleeding on a Tuesday by Kelsey B. ToneyHigh schooler Delia Bridges suffers from undiagnosed endometriosis and risks her future plans of becoming a doctor when caught using marijuana for pain relief. She must decide if her illness defines her, or if she can reclaim her dreams. TEEN REALISTIC TONEY KELSEY |
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Classic Young Teen Realistic Fiction Books
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Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy BlumeMargaret and her family move from the city to a suburb, where she longs to fit in. As she struggles with adjusting, she talks to God (does it matter if she’s not Jewish or Christian?), finds new friends, and longs for a sign that she is growing up while preparing for 6th grade. TEEN REALISTIC BLUME JUDY |
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Holes by Louis SacharStanley Yelnats’ family attributes their bad fortune to a curse on a distant relative. As further evidence, a misunderstanding leads to Stanley being sent to a hellish correctional camp in the Texas desert. However, this is where he finds his first real friend, a treasure, and a new sense of himself. TEEN REALISTIC SACHAR LOUIS |
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Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti BowlingThirteen-year-old Aven was born without arms and has always had trouble fitting in. The trouble continues at her new school after her parents take a job at a dying western theme park, but she makes a new friend in a fellow disabled boy who helps her solve a mystery. TEEN REALISTIC BOWLING DUSTI |
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Slacker by Gordon KormanEighth-grader Cameron Boxer creates the Positive Action Group to distract his parents, teachers, and sister from his focus on video games. However, as the group gains real traction, Cameron’s plan backfires when he unexpectedly becomes its president and must actually serve his community. TEEN REALISTIC KORMAN GORDON |
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Sleepaway Girlsby Jen CalonitaExceptionally people-pleasing Sam spends a summer as a counselor-in-training. With her new position comes learning how to say no, to stand up for herself, and what it feels like to have a crush on a great guy. TEEN REALISTIC CALONITA JEN |
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Stargirl by Jerry SpinelliIn this story about the perils of popularity, the courage of nonconformity, and the thrill of first love, an eccentric student named Stargirl changes Mica High School forever. Although Stargirl is shunned by many at school for her unique presence, Leo Borlock, a fellow classmate, finds her inspiring and soon finds himself head-over-heels in love. TEEN REALISTIC SPINELLI JERRY |
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Wonder by R. J PalacioTen-year-old Auggie Pullman was born with extreme facial abnormalities and was not expected to survive. Now, he goes from being home-schooled to entering fifth grade at a private middle school in Manhattan, which means enduring the taunting and fear of his classmates as he struggles to be seen as just another student. TEEN REALISTIC PALACIO R.J. |
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Classic Teen Realistic Fiction Books
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The Hate U Give by Angie ThomasAfter witnessing her friend Khalil's death at the hands of a police officer, Starr Carter's life is turned upside down. The police and a local drug lord both try to intimidate her to learn what happened the night Khalil died. TEEN REALISTIC THOMAS ANGIE |
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I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. SánchezThe sister who delighted their parents with her faithful embrace of Mexican culture has died in a tragic accident. Julia is left navigating her desire to go to college, her parents’ desire for her to follow tradition, and the discovery that her sister may not have been as perfect as believed. TEEN REALISTIC SANCHEZ ERIKA |
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I Was Here by Gayle FormanWhen her best friend Meg, commits suicide, Cody is shocked and devastated, wondering how she missed the signs. But when she travels to Meg’s college town to pack up her belongings, she uncovers secrets about Meg’s roommates, a mysterious boy named Ben, and an encrypted computer file that challenges everything she thought she knew about her best friend’s death. TEEN REALISTIC FORMAN GAYLE |
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Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse AndrewsGreg has managed to become a part of every social group at his Pittsburgh high school without having any friends. His life changes when his mother forces him to befriend Rachel, a girl he once knew in Hebrew school who has leukemia. TEEN REALISTIC ANDREWS JESSE |
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The Outsiders by S. E HintonNo one ever said life was easy. But Ponyboy is pretty sure that he's got things figured out. He knows that he can count on his brothers and his friends, but not on much else besides trouble with the Socs, a vicious gang of rich kids whose idea of a good time is beating up on “greasers” like Ponyboy. At least he knows what to expect—until the night someone takes things too far. HS LIST OUTSIDERS |
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The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen ChboskyIn this thought-provoking coming-of-age novel, Charlie navigates the complexities of high school while grappling with sex, love, and the temptations of drugs. He also faces the pain of losing a close friend and his favorite aunt. TEEN REALISTIC CHBOSKY STEPHEN |
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The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann BrasharesDuring their first summer apart, four teenage girls, best friends since childhood, stay connected through a shared pair of secondhand jeans. The jeans magically adapt to each of their figures and influence their attitudes toward their different summer experiences. TEEN REALISTIC BRASHARES ANN |
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Longwood Public Library800 Middle Country RoadMiddle Island, New York 11953
(631) 924-6400
longwoodlibrary.org |
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