6 Great YAs Based on the Lives of Famous Men and Boys

Legacy of Kings, by Eleanor Herman
Book One of the Blood of Gods and Royals series, set in Macedonia and Persia circa 340 B.C., reimagines the rise of Alexander the Great, conqueror of the ancient world. “Alex” is seen here as a likable, tousle-haired teenaged prince regent who’s hasty in a fight and embarrassed about the birthmark on his left leg. Equally important is Katerina, a young woman with magical abilities who’s on a quest to avenge her mother’s death. Tense narration, a fast pace, and characters from all walks of life (peasants, royals, even an immortal) make this a must-read for high fantasy and historical fiction fans.

Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: One Dead Spy, by Nathan Hale
A graphic novel full of jokes, wit, and gallows humor, Hazardous Tales presents a view of Revolutionary American history you’ll gobble up. One Dead Spy is raucously narrated by Nathan Hale, a rebel spy who, prior to being hanged in 1776, is “eaten” by a history book that reveals to him the past and future of the colonies, which he then presents to his dubious audience (including his executioner). Hilarious, original, and filled with fascinating facts about the era.

This Dark Endeavor, by Kenneth Oppel
In this YA prequel to Mary Shelley’s gothic masterpiece Frankenstein, 16-year-old Victor Frankenstein seeks the fabled elixir of life in order to save his wry, kind-hearted twin brother, Konrad, from certain death. But are Victor’s brash actions truly altruistic, or does he seek only to secure his own glory? Warned by his father to steer clear of the Dark Library, and the church-condemned books of alchemy it contains, Victor recruits his beloved cousin Elizabeth to join him in defying their elders, with dire consequences.

Fat Kid Rules the World, by K.L. Going
A Printz Honor book from 2004 (and the source of a 2012 movie directed by Matthew Lillard), Fat Kid depicts the friendship between a self-conscious, overweight high schooler, Troy Billings, and a local punk legend/drop-out/homeless musician, Curt McRae, who was inspired by Seattle rocker Kurt Cobain. The two young men form a band, through which Troy hopes to earn the respect of his classmates, younger brother, and widowed father. A critically acclaimed debut that deserves its every accolade and continues to resonate more than ten years later.

Wanted: Dead or In Love, by Kym Brunner
Teenaged Monroe (named after Marilyn) works as a flapper at her dad’s 1920s-style “gin joint” and romanticizes the story of outlaw lovers Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, whose youthful crime spree during the Depression entranced the press. When Monroe stumbles upon a spent bullet from her dad’s “gangster relics” collection, she unleashes the spirits of Bonnie and Clyde, who proceed to possess her body and that of her new acquaintance, Jack. The teens have 24 hours to rid themselves of their new tenants or they’ll be stuck with the fugitives forever.

Ripped, by Shelly Dickson Carr
Inside the Chamber of Horrors at Madame Tussaud’s wax museum in London, history buff Katie Lennox and her friends visit a multimedia exhibit about infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper. A series of supernatural wishes sends Katie back in time to Victorian London circa 1888, where she’s immersed in the Ripper’s “one-man reign of terror.” There, she attempts to use her knowledge of forensics and criminal behavior (gleaned from CSI and other TV shows) to stop him from murdering one of her distant relatives.