Skip to Main Content (Press Enter)

Teen

22 Uniquely Appealing Books for
13- and 14-Year-Old Boys

by Denise Schipani

Photo credit: KidStock, Blend Images/ Getty Images

If you’re going to ask a writer to create a list of books that appeal to 13- and 14-year-old boys, ask the writer with boys at or near that age, right? All I have to do is check my sons’ bookshelves, right? Well, no. My 13-year-old is not a reader (something I’ve written about frequently and — I swear — have made my peace with by now), but a biography might occasionally hook him. He’s read at least a little bit of Breakaway: Beyond the Goal, the bio of U.S. women’s soccer star Alex Morgan (and no, he doesn’t have a crush on her!). His younger brother, 11, reads plenty, but his attention and tastes are scattershot. He careens from graphic novels to Percy Jackson to the odd classic (recently, E.L. Konigsberg’s From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler).

Like any parent, particularly a female one, I puzzle over what might draw in these mysterious males. There’s no magic formula, but certain books, both old and new, seem to have an edge in appealing to boys this age — some combo of adventure and mystery and sports and characters just like them: no longer kids, but beings with three or four toes in the pool of manhood. So here are a few to try:

Last Reality Series

Last Reality Series

by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller

Buy from:

For boys who would prefer to spend most of their time in the virtual world of video games, this thrilling three-book series might just pique their analog interest. Simon wins the chance to be one of 2,000 lucky gamers to test out Otherworld, a high-stakes, unbelievably realistic virtual reality game that he spends seventeen heady hours in on his first go. But Simon and his friend Kat begin to discover that Otherworld — owned by the inordinately powerful Company — might be so addictive for nefarious, world-altering reasons.

Buy from:

The Bletchley Riddle

The Bletchley Riddle

by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

Buy from:

Teens who love historical fiction will dive into this novel from two bestselling authors. It’s about a boy named Jakob who works for Britain’s codebreaking factory during World War II. Meanwhile, his younger sister delves into the mystery behind their mother’s disappearance. Coded messages, mystery, and suspense will keep teen readers eagerly turning pages.

Buy from:

HappyHead

HappyHead

by Josh Silver

Buy from:

Seb signs up for HappyHead, a mysterious program promising to “fix” unhappy teens — but the challenges quickly turn dark and unsettling. As the competition intensifies, Seb must decide who to trust in a world built on secrets. With psychological tension and dystopian stakes, this gripping novel will hook teens drawn to survival stories with a sinister edge.

Buy from:

Blood at the Root

Blood at the Root

by LaDarrion Williams

Buy from:

Teen boys will love this instant New York Times bestselling novel about a foster kid named Malik who enrolls at a magical university. The school offers Malik a fresh start in life, a connection to his missing mother, and the opportunity to learn how to harness his growing magical powers. If your teen enjoys this book, pick up the next installment, Bones at the Crossroads, coming to bookstores in 2025!

Buy from:

Unbroken (The Young Adult Adaptation)

Unbroken (The Young Adult Adaptation)

by Laura Hillenbrand

Buy from:

Hillenbrand’s story of Olympic runner Louis Zamperini, who became a WWII pilot and survived a wreck over the ocean and years of horrific abuse in a Japanese POW camp, was electrifying in the original version. Adapted for YA readers, this version allows boys fascinated by war stories, heroism, sports, survival, and just an amazing true adventure story the chance to relish the details in both words and, in this edition, illustrations.

Buy from:

Thieves’ Gambit

Thieves’ Gambit

by Kayvion Lewis

Buy from:

Seventeen-year-old Ross Quest has been trained to steal — and when her mother is kidnapped, winning a high-stakes international heist competition may be the only way to save her. Full of clever twists, shifting alliances, and a hint of romance, this fast-paced thriller keeps the tension high until the final con. Smart plotting and cinematic action make this a great pick for teens who love strategy, suspense, and morally complex heroes.

Buy from:

Bound by Ice

Bound by Ice

by Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace

Buy from:

Teenage boys love wilderness survival stories, and this one takes readers to the North Pole on an epic journey filled with peril and ice. In 1879, a crew set out from San Francisco to search for the top of the world. But when an early ice storm trapped their ship, the men spent two years fighting for survival in one of the harshest climates on earth.

Buy from:

The Last Mission

The Last Mission

by Harry Mazer

Buy from:

If your young teen boy is fascinated by all things military, he’ll love Mazer’s book about a boy who lies about his age and becomes a World War II bomber. Just 15 years old, Jack Raab finds his way into the Army Air Force with romantic ideas about war and heroism, and comes face to face with its horrible reality — not least when he ends up in a German POW camp.

Buy from:

The Raven Boys: The Graphic Novel

The Raven Boys: The Graphic Novel

by Maggie Stiefvater and Stephanie Williams, illustrated by Sas Milledge

Buy from:

This graphic novel adaptation of the #1 New York Times bestselling series is the thrilling adventure you didn’t know you needed! Follow a teen girl named Blue and a group of boys from a nearby private school as they get pulled into a world filled with magic, adventure, and danger.

Buy from:

It's Trevor Noah: Born a Crime

It's Trevor Noah: Born a Crime

by Trevor Noah

Buy from:

At this age, boys may or may not be familiar with Trevor Noah, the host of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, but no matter their familiarity, they’ll certainly get caught up in Noah’s incredible coming-of-age story. Born in apartheid South Africa to a Black mother and white father, Noah’s very existence as a mixed-race child was against the law; but no amount of obstacles or tragedy could stop him from becoming the man he is today — particularly with his steadfast mother by his side. Poignant and funny, the young-reader adaptation of Noah’s bestselling memoir is sure to be a hit.

Buy from:

Vern: Custodian of the Universe

Vern: Custodian of the Universe

by Tyrell Waiters

Buy from:

Vern thought his job as a custodian for a local science facility would be easy — until cosmic chaos crashed into his world. When Vern accidentally plugs in a mysterious machine, everyday life gets insanely weird. This humorous, high-energy sci-fi graphic novel combines big laughs, oddball aliens, and heart, perfect for fans of fun, out-there adventures.

Buy from:

Holes

Holes

by Louis Sachar

Buy from:

When Sachar’s book was published in 1998, one review proved prescient: “Kids will love Holes.” Whenever my own middle schooler declares he’s liked a book, he’s compelled to compare it to this, which remains his favorite. The story of Stanley Yelnats (yup, that’s Stanley backwards; even that little detail feels like a nod to early-teen boys’ interests) is one of hard luck — he’s sent to a camp where the boys must dig holes of a certain size and depth every day, to build “character.” But is that what they’re really doing?

Buy from:

This Thing of Ours

This Thing of Ours

by Frederick Joseph

Buy from:

After a torn ACL sidelines his basketball dreams, Ossie Brown must reinvent himself at a new school where sports no longer define him. As he finds community in a creative writing program and faces viral controversy that threatens his friends and teacher, Ossie learns to speak up for what matters — identity, justice, friendship, and the power of words.

Buy from:

The Starlight Claim

The Starlight Claim

by Tim Wynne-Jones

Buy from:

Haunted by his friend’s unexplained disappearance, Nate sets out on a solo winter trek into the wild to uncover the truth. Battling the harsh elements and unexpected threats, he’ll have to use every skill he has to survive. Gripping, atmospheric, and full of grit, this adventure pushes a teen’s courage to the limit.

Buy from:

Lockjaw

Lockjaw

by Matteo L. Cerilli

Buy from:

A small town’s dark secrets come alive when Paz Espino refuses to believe a friend's death was an accident. Convinced a monster lurks beneath Bridlington, she and her friends race to uncover the truth before more lives are at stake. This eerie, character-driven horror blends supernatural chills with fierce friendship and courage. Perfect for fans of Stranger Things.

Buy from:

Theodore Boone: The Accomplice

Theodore Boone: The Accomplice

by John Grisham

Buy from:

John Grisham brings his legal thrillers to the younger set with the page-turning adventures of Theodore Boone, who knows every judge, policeman, and court clerk in his small town and dreams of being a lawyer himself one day. In the seventh installment, Theo comes to the defense of his friend Woody Lambert, who’s arrested for being a so-called accomplice to armed robbery, though Theo knows better. Perfect for young readers who like their book heroes dauntless and their plots packed with twists and turns.

Buy from:

The Nyxia Triad Series

The Nyxia Triad Series

by Scott Reintgen

Buy from:

Send your teenage boy on an out-of-this-world adventure with this series about a group of kids recruited to travel to a distant planet. With promises of fame and riches, Emmett joins a high-stakes competition for the right to mine a volatile substance in space. The action-packed story has more twists and turns than a pretzel and will keep your teen glued to the page.

Buy from:

Wrong Side of the Court

Wrong Side of the Court

by H.N. Khan

Buy from:

Basketball, friendship, and culture combine with a splash of romance in this coming-of-age novel. Fawad wants to become the NBA’s first Pakistani player, but first, he must make the high school basketball team. As his dreams collide with parental and cultural expectations, Fawad must figure out who he is and what he wants for his future.

Buy from:

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War

by Max Brooks

Buy from:

Told as a series of interviews with survivors of a global zombie outbreak, World War Z reads like a documentary of the apocalypse. Smart, intense, and thought-provoking, this novel blends horror with big questions about leadership, survival, and how people respond in a crisis — a compelling choice for teens who like their dystopian fiction to feel eerily real.

Buy from:

The Edelweiss Pirates

The Edelweiss Pirates

by Dirk Reinhardt

Buy from:

This novel is based on the true story of a group of teens who left Hitler’s Youth and embarked on a dangerous mission against the regime. Told through the journal entries of one of the Edelweiss Pirates, this pulse-pounding adventure combines history and fiction into a fascinating story.

Buy from:

Sky’s End

Sky’s End

by Marc J Gregson

Buy from:

A floating island, enormous sky serpents, and a deadly competition push sixteen-year-old Conran to his limits in this breakout fantasy novel. As he competes in brutal challenges, he learns of a rebellion brewing in the lowest tiers of society. This fast-paced dystopian fantasy will keep you reading well past your bedtime!

Buy from:

Steelheart

Steelheart

by Brandon Sanderson

Buy from:

In this action-packed twist on the superhero story, people with extraordinary powers rule as ruthless villains. The most powerful of them all is Steelheart — and David is determined to bring him down. With nonstop action, sharp world-building, and a crew of unlikely heroes, this is a gripping pick for teens who love dystopian thrills and high-stakes battles.

Buy from:

You might also like:

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2016 and updated in 2026.