5 YA Books in Their Teens that Deserve a Reread

The Year of Secret Assignments, by Jaclyn Moriarty
Age: 13
I loved this book because it was one of the first stories I read where the drama was legitimately dramatic. What starts out as an innocent pen-pal operation between two schools turns into a catfishing situation; instead of tricking his pen pal Cassie in the name of love, “Matthew” just wants to humiliate her. I don’t know what I would’ve done had I been in Cassie’s shoes, but luckily for her (and for readers), she had her best friends to help her serve up some justice. To me, this book perfectly demonstrates how the high and lows of high school life can make or break you, keeping it relevant to young readers over a decade later.

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things, by Carolyn Mackler
Age: 13
When I recently reread this book, Teen Me wept with happiness. Virginia Shreeves and I had (and have) so many things in common. We both struggled with our weight under a bit of “well-intentioned” family pressure; we liked making lists of a self-critical nature; and we often lashed out against ourselves. But Virginia took steps I never did. She decided to become her own woman—with the help of her bestie—by dyeing her hair, piercing her eyebrow, and finally standing up for herself. She also learns the answer to the question “What do you do when someone you love and admire does something truly terrible?” Today’s teens, regardless of gender, can take a page out of Virginia’s often-messy quest to improve her life by daring to be themselves. YOLO and all that.

Girls In Love, by Jacqueline Wilson
Age: 14
This is the first book in a series that follows aspiring artist and hopeless romantic Ellie. Like many YA protagonists, she has body image issues, which come to a head in later books, and a lot of wacky things happen on her way to making peace with herself. These include but aren’t limited to: crawling out of a window after a long night out, lying about her relationship status, and being surprised by a nerdy guy she never gave much credit. Ellie taught me about the dangers of weight obsession and the ups and downs of friendship; considering many teens struggle with these very issues, Wilson’s series is still a perfect read that will help them survive.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
Age: 17
It doesn’t matter how old you are when you pick up this Chbosky classic; if you’re a YA lover, you will respond to its magic and power. Charlie is an incredibly sweet boy who goes through more than most high schoolers can even fathom, and the way he pours it all onto the page makes me wish I were the anonymous stranger receiving his letters. The well-documented popularity of this book is proof enough that it’s going to stick around long into its adulthood, so if you haven’t yet picked it up, what are you waiting for?

Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging, by Louise Rennison
Age: 17
This book and its sequels in the Georgia Nichols series are extra special to me because they helped me bond with both my mom and my younger sister. So they’re more than just a hilarious bunch of books that teach you great British slang (there’s a handy glossary at the back of each one). Georgia is a mess in the best possible way. She worries about inheriting her mother’s out-of-this-world proportions—she doesn’t want to get knocked out by her nunga-nungas—she has a crazy little sister and an even crazier cat, and the revolving door of boys in her life is endlessly entertaining. I believe Georgia’s antics will remain relatable as long as teens struggle with the dependable awkwardness of puberty and high school; in other words, forever.