20 Uniquely Appealing Books for
13- and 14-Year-Old Boys
by Denise Schipani
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:
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Last Reality Series
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.
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Blood at the Root
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!
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Unbroken (The Young Adult Adaptation)
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.
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Murtaugh
Buy from:Return to the world of Eragon with this instant #1 New York Times bestseller that follows Murtagh and his dragon as they tackle a powerful new foe. Set one year after the events of The Inheritance Cycle series, readers will eagerly dive back into the beloved fantasy world filled with adventure, magic, and epic quests. Whether your teen is new to the series or a long-time fan, they will love this novel.
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Bound by Ice
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.
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The Last Mission
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.
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It's Trevor Noah: Born a Crime
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.
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The Bletchley Riddle
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.
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American Wings
Buy from:In the years leading up to World War II, many Americans wanted to become aviators. However, the path to the skies was nearly impossible for young Black Americans until a group of men and women built a school in Chicago. This nonfiction book follows their stories as they trained both Black and white students.
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Holes
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?
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Sneakers
Buy from:For sneakerheads, it doesn't get much better than this flashy 320-page compendium of the sneaker universe, featuring first-person accounts from some of the biggest names in the game, including creators (Nike’s legendary designer Tinker Hatfield) and collaborators (the incomparable Serena Williams) waxing poetic on the creative process, street style, entrepreneurship, iconic footwear trends, and more. This one-of-a-kind taxonomy will keep your reader endlessly entertained.
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Theodore Boone: The Accomplice
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.
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The Nyxia Triad Series
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.
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Wrong Side of the Court
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.
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Devotion (Young Readers Edition)
Buy from:Readers who enjoy narrative nonfiction will devour this young adult adaptation of the nationally bestselling novel by the same name. It’s about two Navy pilots from different backgrounds who forge an unbreakable brotherhood during the Korean War in the 1950s. When one pilot gets shot down, the other goes after him in a daring rescue attempt. Read the book, then watch the movie starring Jonathan Majors and Glen Powell.
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The Edelweiss Pirates
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.
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Lost Boy
Buy from:Fans of Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet will enjoy this graphic novel wilderness survival adventure. When a car accident in the Wyoming wilderness leaves a boy stranded and alone, he must fight against the elements as he struggles to reach civilization.
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Sky’s End
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!
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I Must Betray You
Buy from:In Communist Romania, Cristian wanted to be a writer until the secret police blackmailed him into becoming an informer. Faced with the impossibility of betraying his friends and family, Cristian uses his position to expose the corruption behind the regime. You won’t be able to set down this suspenseful historical thriller from bestselling author Ruta Sepetys!
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Superman: Dawnbreaker
Buy from:Before Clark Kent had a full grasp on his powers or understanding of why he had them in the first place, he was just a teenage boy — one who’d quit the football team freshman year after inexplicably breaking a teammate’s ribs during a scrimmage, while only exerting 50 percent of his strength. Clark has had a hard time fitting in with the other boys since leaving the team, but he has his best friend, Lana Lang, and a mission to save Smallville residents, after learning that people are disappearing from the undocumented worker community.
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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2016 and updated in 2025.