Popular teen audiobooks

Finding the right book

Young adult novels have become extremely popular in the past two decades. In fact, some of the best-selling books fall into this category. This indicates that teens are reading more today than they ever have before.

While this is true to some degree, two factors have negatively impacted teen reading. First, content that can be digested quickly and easily has also been on the rise. Second, the young adult genre has become saturated.

There are now many sub-genres of YA novels, from fantasy and historical fiction to love stories and mysteries—but there’s an issue.

Not every novel is the next Harry Potter or The Hunger Games. Not all authors are the next Suzanne Collins or Brandon Sanderson. And the recommendations from a best friend, public library, or book club won’t hit the spot every time. How do you know which books to start with that will instantly get you hooked on reading?

This over-saturation of YA novels makes it harder to inspire teens to read, since finding quality reading material can be a challenge. Luckily, many resources like Audible feature not only books but also graphic novels in audio format.

Today, we’re giving our suggestions of the best teen audiobooks you should check out!

The benefit of audiobooks

Picking up a book may seem like a chore for today’s busy teens. When they start reading, there’s a good chance they won’t get to the end, whether that be from boredom or distractions.

Listening to text is an easy way to get teens interested in books. Some of the best audiobooks for a reading audience around high school age may inspire teens to read more. And since young readers respond better to media like podcasts, YA audiobooks are an excellent choice.

Young adult audiobooks are a great accessibility tool that can also help teens with learning disabilities like ADHD and dyslexia to overcome their obstacles to reading and falling in love with literature.

The list

The Sun Is Also a Star

by Nicola Yoon

The Sun Is Also a Star is, in essence, a love story. It’s told from the point of view of several characters. This unabridged book is interesting because it takes place during a single day.

Since there are no fantastical elements in the book, it reads more like non-fiction. The audiobook features a full cast of three narrators, making it a joy to listen to.

Monday’s Not Coming

by Tiffany D. Jackson

Monday’s Not Coming is a mystery novel. A young girl named Monday goes missing and her best friend seems to be the only one who notices. The gripping mystery will entertain teens from the first page to the last.

The Poet X

by Elizabeth Acevedo

The Poet X is a New York Times best-selling novel for young adults. It tells the story of Xiomara, a fierce young woman who finds refuge in poetry. Xiomara joins a school poetry club, and the story unravels from there.

SHOUT

by Laurie Halse Anderson

Shout is a memoir written in freestyle poetry. It shares the author’s personal story and sends a message that’s both moving and crucial in today’s world.

Children of Blood and Bone

by Tomi Adeyemi

Children of Blood and Bone takes the reader into a new world where magic once existed but has gone missing. It follows the story of Zelie, who is trying to battle against evil forces without the support of her people or magic.

Strange the Dreamer

by Laini Taylor

Strange the Dreamer is similar to a fairy tale. The book is about Lazlo Strange, a young librarian who goes into a world of myth and magic through his dreams. There, Lazlo must find clues and answers to the many mysteries surrounding him.

A Monster Calls

by Patrick Ness

A Monster Calls is a story about a boy struggling to deal with his mother’s illness. One night, he sees a monster outside his window. But this monster doesn’t want to harm our hero—it wants him to admit the truth.

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

by Anne Frank

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl is probably the most famous entry on this list. It’s the real-life story about Anne Frank who lived in hiding in Amsterdam during World War II. Her moving memoir describes her growing up and dealing with the chaos and uncertainty of the outside world.

Darius the Great Is Not Okay

by Adib Khorram

Darius the Great Is Not Okay follows Darius, a boy of Iranian descent, on his first road trip through the country of his birth. There, he meets his future best friend, Sohrab. From that point, Darius’ life changes as he becomes more mature and learns to connect with his roots.

Sadie

by Courtney Summers

In Sadie, the titular character tries to find her sister’s killer. When the police investigation doesn’t produce results, Sadie takes matters into her own hands, and a radio personality starts tracking her journey through a podcast.

The Hate U Give

by Angie Thomas

The Hate U Give is a story about society and friendship. It follows Starr, the main character whose friend Khalil is shot by the police. Starr must decide what to do about it in this heavy thematic drama. The audiobook on Amazon is narrated by Bahni Turpin.

This novel also has a highly successful prequel titled Concrete Rose.

One of Us Is Lying

by Karen M. McManus

One of Us Is Lying is a whodunit crime mystery. The reader meets five characters in detention, one of whom doesn’t survive the day. The rest of the crew needs to figure out which one of them isn’t telling the truth, and the reader is invited to follow along.

The Astonishing Color of After

by Emily X.R. Pan

The Astonishing Color of After deals with healing after traumatic family events. However, the story turns into fiction when the hero meets a mysterious red bird. The magical bird holds the key to dealing with challenging life issues, both internal and external.

I Am Number Four

by Pittacus Lore

I Am Number Four is a science fiction novel that follows John, an alien living on Earth as a human teenager. As John discovers the truth about his origins, he also learns there are other, enemy aliens who are now looking to kill him. He fights to escape them in this sci-fi masterpiece.

Honorable Mentions

• Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

• Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

• Cinder by Marissa Meyer (a sci-fi version of Cinderella)

• What If It’s Us by Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli