5 YA Books That Will Revive Your Faith in the Human Spirit

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, by Benjamin Alire Saenz
Sometimes an unexpected friendship can not only bring more kindness into your life, but bring out your own kinder side in the process. Aristotle meets Dante at the local swimming poold, and despite their many differences, they become friends—best friends, the kind who would risk their lives for one another. At home, Ari’s life is filled with unanswered questions—about his brother, who’s serving time in prison, and about his father’s experiences in Vietnam. Unlike Ari, Dante likes to talk about everything, from art and poetry to Ari’s Mexican American heritage. Ari realizes Dante’s feelings for him are bigger than friendship—and a split-second decision helps Ari understand the scope of his feelings in return.

Before I Fall, by Lauren Oliver
What if you had to live the same day over and over again until you got it right? That’s exactly what happens to Samantha Kingston—although, when the story begins, she’d say she’s already doing pretty well. She’s beautiful, popular, has the perfect boyfriend—as far as she’s concerned, she’s got it all. Which is why Friday, February 12, should be nothing more than another day in her generally happy life. But after a jarring, open-ended accident the night before, she wakes up to find herself reliving February 12. And again the next day. And the next. Before this story’s over, Samantha will have to live through that fateful date over and over, retracing her steps to unravel the mystery of what might be her last day on earth, learning to be a kinder person along the way.

Stargirl, by Jerry Spinelli
Leo Borlock has never met anyone like Susan Caraway, better known as Stargirl. She’s the new kid at Mica High School and from the start, she’s kind to everyone: she celebrates students’ birthdays with songs and cards, she goes to strangers’ funerals, she even roots for the team playing against Mica High at basketball games. She doesn’t care about fitting in, dressing colorfully, dancing (even when there isn’t music), and playing the ukulele. Leo falls for her, earning himself the nickname Starboy. But when the rest of the school turns against her nonconformity, Leo urges her to try to fit in. Stargirl becomes a cheerleader and changes her name back to Susan—but this “normal” girl isn’t the same girl Leo fell in love with. Leo will learn that fitting in isn’t nearly as important as being true to yourself, and to the people you love. 

Me Earl and the Dying Girl, by Jesse Andrews
By senior year, Greg Gaines is pretty sure he’s got this high school thing figured out. The key to survival is to keep a low profile: Don’t ruffle any feathers. Just fit in, or better yet, don’t be noticed much at all. But then Greg’s mother forces him to do something kind: visit an acquaintance named Rachel, who has just been diagnosed with leukemia. Greg reluctantly befriends her, showing her the films that he makes with his best friend, Earl. And when Rachel takes a turn for the worse, the boys decide to make one of their (admittedly awful) movies in her honor. Greg wants to pretend Rachel’s illness isn’t affecting him, but their friendship is deeply impacting both his life and his ability to maintain a low profile. Despite the book’s difficult themes—friendship, illness, loss—this book is laugh-out-loud funny. (But read it with a box of tissues, just to be safe.)

Love is the Higher Law, by David Levithan
The title says it all. This award-winning novel tells the story of three teens, Claire, Jasper, and Peter, whose lives are among those changed by the events of 9/11. Claire is the closest to the events of the day—quite literally, as she and her parents can’t return to their apartment after the towers fall. Peter witnesses the plane striking the second tower. And though Jasper sleeps through the attacks, he wakes to frantic phone calls from his parents back in Korea, desperate for assurances that he’s all right. These three characters were all at the same party before the attacks, and in the days that follow, they run into each other again, forging connections in the aftermath of tragedy that they never would have before. Although this book revisits the fear and loss of a terrible day, most of it focuses on what came after—how the attack will shape the choices Claire, Jasper, and Peter make in the days and weeks to follow.