The most recommended books for 10th graders

Who picked these books? Meet our 1,903 experts.

1,903 authors created a book list with books for 10th graders, and here are their favorite books.

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Book cover of The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things

Kris Dinnison Author Of You And Me And Him

From my list on YA with fabulous plus-size heroines.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always felt like a bit of a misfit. I was taller, bigger, and clumsier than the other kids. I listened to the wrong music, wore the wrong clothes, and read the wrong books. I wasnā€™t cool. And when I became a high school teacher, I saw many kids, especially young women, who I could see felt the same. When Young Adult literature came into its own, I really loved all the wonderful ways YA stories were telling the stories of the kids who didnā€™t fit in, and it made me want to read them, and eventually write one of my own.

Kris' book list on YA with fabulous plus-size heroines

Kris Dinnison Why did Kris love this book?

This book was one of the first I read that featured a main character who looked like me. I love the humor, honesty, and insight of Virginia, which is perfectly captured in the diary format of the writing. And the book takes a hard but hopeful look at the ideas of perfection and expectations and all the ways we are flawed, but also worthy of love.

By Carolyn Mackler,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

Fifteen-year-old Virginia feels like a fat, awkward outsider in her perfect family, especially next to her golden-boy big brother Byron. She's got a lot to deal with - her weight, her best friend moving away, the mean girls at school - not to mention a boy who seems to like her! To survive, she decides to follow the 'Fat Girl Code of Conduct' to make herself acceptable, unnoticed ... invisible.

It seems to be working until something unthinkable happens and, before her eyes, Virginia's flawless family begins to fall apart. As her world spins out of orbit, Virginia realises thatā€¦


Book cover of The Cupcake Queen

Tori Martin Author Of The Summer of Us

From my list on clean books for teens that arenā€™t boring.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have loved reading since I was a child. Books can take you places you will never go otherwise. Thatā€™s why itā€™s so important to have good, clean books that take you places you want to go and books that donā€™t strand you somewhere you donā€™t want to be. As a YA author myself, I am passionate about providing literature for teens that is adventurous and relatable, without the spice that often flavors todayā€™s books. I hope you love diving into this list of clean recommendations!

Tori's book list on clean books for teens that arenā€™t boring

Tori Martin Why did Tori love this book?

As a country gal myself, I love books where a big-city chic is forced into a backwater town. Meet Pennyā€”a girl I fell in love with and cheered for through every stage of the book. I love Pennyā€™s creativity, strength, and character growth.

This book definitely cycles through my re-read list, and for good reason. It deals with common teen problems like bullying, divorce, and homesickness in relatable ways, with just the right touch of humor. If thereā€™s ever a bus headed to Hogā€™s Hollow, I just might be on it!

By Heather Hepler,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Cupcake Queen as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

A confection of a novel, combining big city sophistication with small town charm.

When her mother moves them from the city to a small town to open up a cupcake bakery, Penny?s life isn?t what she expected. Her father has stayed behind, and Mom isn?t talking about what the future holds for their family. And then there?s Charity, the girl who plays mean pranks almost daily. There are also bright spots in Hog?s Hollow?like Tally, an expert in Rock Paper Scissors, and Marcus, the boy who is always running on the beach. But just when it looks as though Pennyā€¦


Book cover of Beastly

Elizabeth Lowham Author Of Beauty Reborn

From my list on giving new life to old fairy tales.

Why am I passionate about this?

My debut novel is a Beauty and the Beast retelling because Iā€™ve been obsessed with fairy tales all my life, and Iā€™m thrilled to share some of my favorite retellings with you! When I was a child, my grandma gave me an illustrated collection of fairy tales. She had grown up reading stories from Hans Christian Andersen and the Grimm brothers, and she wanted to share that with me. It was an interest I gladly adopted. I love seeing my favorite fairy tales told with new twists and elements that bring the stories to life all over again and let me fall in love with them one more time.

Elizabeth's book list on giving new life to old fairy tales

Elizabeth Lowham Why did Elizabeth love this book?

This is a modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast.

I loved that the book was from the beastā€™s point of view, and I loved seeing this arrogant New York high schooler undergo a transformation of both appearance and soul. The modern setting is so fun. The POV is so fun.

This is a quick, delightful read, and one Iā€™m proud to have on my shelf. (Thereā€™s also a movie adaptation, if youā€™re interested.)

By Alex Flinn,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Beastly as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

With a new Beauty and the Beast movie hitting theaters in Spring 2017, it's time to catch up on all things Beastly. Find out what it was like for the beast in Alex Flinn's contemporary retelling of the classic tale. This edition features cover art from the 2011 movie starring Vanessa Hudgens and Alex Pettyfer. I am a beast. A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright-a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster. You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way.ā€¦


Book cover of Watch Us Rise

Kelly Vincent Author Of Ugliest

From my list on capture the power and triumph of teen activism.

Why am I passionate about this?

I identify as agender and grew up in Oklahoma, one of the worst places to be trans or LGBTQ because of the onslaught of anti-LGBTQ legislation thatā€™s flying through the Oklahoma state legislature. Writing Ugliest, a book about teen activists fighting these laws, reminded me how important standing up for whatā€™s right is and what powerful activists teens can be when they get together. This list has other books celebrating the strength of teens protesting and pushing against societal wrongs. Although some terrible things happen in these booksā€”just like in the real worldā€”reading them reminds us that fighting back is worth it.

Kelly's book list on capture the power and triumph of teen activism

Kelly Vincent Why did Kelly love this book?

This uplifting book made me hope for the future despite the challenges to human rights and fairness we constantly face. I love how Jasmine and Chelsea wonā€™t accept being treated as second-rate just because theyā€™re girls and figure out how to stand up for themselves within the schoolā€™s parameters with a blog.

The book includes the fierce essays and poems they post. The attention they get is good, then bad, and when theyā€™re shut down by the administration, itā€™s so inspiring to see them take things to the next level. Itā€™s such a powerful reminder that young people have the power to change things when they band together. Itā€™s also a great story about how even good friendships are complicated, and everyone has to work for them.

By RenƩe Watson, Ellen Hagan,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Watch Us Rise as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

A stirring and unputdownable read about what it means to be a woman today. Perfect for fans of Moxie and The Hate U Give. 'This stunning book is the story I've been waiting for my whole life; where girls rise up to claim their space with joy and power. I resolve to give a copy to every teenager I know!' Laurie Halse Anderson, New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of SPEAK and SHOUT 'An extraordinary story of two indomitable spirits, the power of friendship, and what leadership looks like in the hands of young people today, Watch Us Riseā€¦


Book cover of The First to Die at the End

David Valdes Author Of Finding My Elf

From David's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Dad Cuban-american Optimist

David's 3 favorite reads in 2023

David Valdes Why did David love this book?

As a gay person who is Latino, Iā€™m thrilled to see both elements of my identity represented in a book. Thatā€™s part of why I fell in love with The First to Die at the End and They Both Die at the End (which was published first but comes later in the narrative timeline of that world). But identity alone doesnā€™t make a book.

In his leads, one who is fated for death and the other who knows this, Silvera provides a romance to root for (even if we know the clock is ticking for them.)

The book sprinkles in the stories of a raft of other characters whose fates are more entwined than theyā€™ll ever know, showing how no life is ever lived alone.

By Adam Silvera,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The First to Die at the End as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

In this prequel to the NO. 1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING phenomenon of TIKTOK fame, They Both Die at the End, two new strangers spend a life-changing day together after Death-Cast make their first fateful calls.

'If They Both Die at the End broke your heart and put it back together again, be prepared for this novel to do the same. A tender, sad, hopeful and youthful story that deserves as much love as its predecessor.' Culturefly
'[A] heart-pounding story [full] of emotion and suspense.' Kirkus
'An extraordinary book with a riveting plot.' Booklist

Meet Orion and Valentino.

It's the night beforeā€¦


Book cover of When We Make It

Monique "Nikki" Murphy Author Of Home for Hurricanes: A Memoir of Resilience in Poetry and Prose

From my list on poetry that explore communities of color.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am Monique ā€œNikkiā€ Murphy, an awarded poet, author, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion professional. I grew up in a Black low-income neighborhood with the love of a single mother and the absence of a father, which all impacted the way I experienced the failed promise of justice and equality for all. My mother, an avid reader of Black novels, fostered a love of reading in me and a deep sensitivity to caring about the issues that affected Black people. This sensitivity manifested in a career in Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion and a love of creative writing & books that explore issues of inequality, trauma, and personal development.  As a poet, I love the artistic exploration of our lived experiences and art that inspires activism.

Monique's book list on poetry that explore communities of color

Monique "Nikki" Murphy Why did Monique love this book?

This coming-of-age novel-in-verse beautifully captures the dynamics of survival in tough neighborhoods in a way that honors the humanity and nuance of the communityā€”details that are too often lost in media and forgotten by the people that ā€œmake it out.ā€ Through the lens of the Puerto Rican-American protagonist, Sarai, her family, and the neighborhood characters that are all too familiar, I was brought into the heart of pre-gentrified Bushwick, Brooklyn, and Puerto Rican culture to go on Saraiā€™s journey of self-discovery. We are sitting on the stoop, at the foot of the bed, in the back pew in conversation with Sarai. We see her, we hear her, we love her. And wonā€™t ever forget her. We are left to reflect on what it really means to ā€œmake it.ā€

By Elisabet Velasquez,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked When We Make It as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

"The energy. The clarity. The beauty. Elisabet Velasquez brings it all. . . . Her voice is FIRE!"-NYT bestselling and award-winning author Jacqueline Woodson

An unforgettable, torrential, and hopeful debut young adult novel-in-verse that redefines what it means to "make it," for readers of Nicholasa Mohr and Elizabeth Acevedo.

Sarai is a first-generation Puerto Rican question asker who can see with clarity the truth, pain, and beauty of the world both inside and outside her Bushwick apartment. Together with her older sister, Estrella, she navigates the strain of family traumas and the systemic pressures of toxic masculinity and housing insecurityā€¦


Book cover of These Shallow Graves

Leah Lindeman Author Of Wisps of Gold

From my list on history mysteries that keep you jittery in the night.

Why am I passionate about this?

Since I began reading, two things have fascinated me the most, that is, history and mystery. My voracious appetite for mystery began with Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys. History has always been my best subject in school. To me, history isnā€™t about people, achievements, and dates. Itā€™s about lives lived through the tragedies and triumphs that we all face and can relate to. It is the origin of stories. History doesnā€™t have to be boring. It can be the greatest and most intriguing story that you have ever read. Mystery is historyā€™s great friendā€”to convert a huge range of readers into history lovers.

Leah's book list on history mysteries that keep you jittery in the night

Leah Lindeman Why did Leah love this book?

Jo Montfort cannot be chained by the expectations of others for long. The monumental event of her fatherā€™s ā€œaccidentalā€ death triggers her to break free to discover the dirty truth that was once veiled in brittle glamour. A strong heroine and scandalous outings in the nights makes this read a thrilling ride to savour in the late-night hours.

By Jennifer Donnelly,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked These Shallow Graves as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

From Jennifer Donnelly, the critically acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of A Northern Light and Revolution, comes a mystery about dark secrets, dirty truths, and the lengths to which people will go for love and revenge. For fans of Elizabeth George and Libba Bray, These Shallow Graves is the story of how much a young woman is willing to risk and lose in order to find the truth.
    Jo Montfort is beautiful and rich, and soonā€”like all the girls in her classā€”sheā€™ll graduate from finishing school and be married off to a wealthy bachelor. Which is the last thingā€¦


Book cover of The Sun Is Also a Star

Amanda Addison Author Of Boundless Sky

From my list on exploring being a stranger in a strange land.

Why am I passionate about this?

Stories of migration journeys and their knock-on impact through the generations are part of my family history. Like Jacques, the key protagonist in Austerlitz, I too wasnā€™t told the whole story of my familyā€™s past. Stumbling on stories of colonialism, migration, and racism as an adult has opened up an understanding of a very different world to that of my childhood. The books I have recommended are all excellent examples of migration stories and through the use of beautiful prose pack a punch in a ā€˜velvet gloveā€™.

Amanda's book list on exploring being a stranger in a strange land

Amanda Addison Why did Amanda love this book?

This is a book I have been recommending to teenagers and adults alike.

This is no ordinary romantic tale of girl meets boy; it is a very much contemporary take on the notion. Two very different protagonists, from two very different backgrounds are brought together in the immigrant ā€˜melting potā€™ of New York City. In what could be seen as a modern-day Romeo and Juliet, the characters are much more self-aware than in Shakespeareā€™s original and thankfully this leads to a more enlightened outcome, for them, and the people they meet on their journey.

Using deceptively simple short chapters which chart the course of one day, it cleverly deals with so many of life's big issues (including migration) primarily through the two teenage narrators.

By Nicola Yoon,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Sun Is Also a Star as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

The internationally bestselling love story from Nicola Yoon, author of Everything, Everything - coming as a major film starring Yara Shahidi in 2019.

The internationally bestselling love story from Nicola Yoon, author of Everything, Everything. Now a major film starring Yara Shahidi and Charles Melton!

Natasha-
I'm a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny.

Or dreams that will never come true. I'm definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him.

Not when my family is twelve hours away fromā€¦


Book cover of Kill the Boy Band

Anna Hecker Author Of When the Beat Drops

From my list on YA about girls who literally rock.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was a painfully awkward teenager, two years younger than the rest of my class and a little too ā€œextraā€ to fit in anywhere. I spent all of high school desperately seeking my weirdosā€”people who would accept me the way I was, rabid-puppy enthusiasm and all. One night I met a colorfully-dressed trio on the street who invited me to a loft party that changed my life. That night I fell in love with NYCā€™s underground party scene: the high-energy music, grimy locations, and most of all the people. I had found my weirdos. When the Beat Drops is my love letter to discovering your people and finding your scene. 

Anna's book list on YA about girls who literally rock

Anna Hecker Why did Anna love this book?

Iā€™ve covered rock, classical, a capella, and new wave in my list, so I thought Iā€™d round it out with sugar-sweet pop. Kill the Boy Band is a darkly hilarious journey into fangirl obsession filled with quirky characters and sitcom situations that are as fun to read as they are improbable. The boy band in question is The Ruperts, a quartet of British heart-throbs with an eerie resemblance to One Direction. When four superfans score a room in the hotel where The Ruperts are staying, they hatch a plan that goes awry fast, leaving the band with one fewer Ruperts and the girls with aā€¦very incriminating situation.

I loved this book for so many reasons, but my favorite was the deep dive into superfan culture. A lot of the book is spent questioning the nature of this culture, but in a way that's genuinely soul-searching and not condescendingā€”the narratorā€¦

By Goldy Moldavsky,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Kill the Boy Band as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

The New York Timesā€“bestselling debut story of four superfan friends whose devotion to their favorite band has darkly comical and deadly results.

Just know from the start that it wasnā€™t supposed to go like this. All we wanted was to get near them. Thatā€™s why we got a room in the hotel where they were staying.

We were not planning to kidnap one of them. Especially not the most useless one. But we had himā€”his room key, his cell phone, and his secrets.

We were not planning on what happened next. We swear.

Praise for Kill the Boy Band

ā€œMoldavskyā€™sā€¦


Book cover of Okay for Now

Diana Harmon Asher Author Of Upstaged

From my list on music, art and friendship.

Why am I passionate about this?

Just like my Upstaged heroine, my first stage experience was playing Mr. Jacey Squires in The Music Man. Both of my parents were singers and really, thereā€™s never been a time when musicā€”and the friends I made through musicā€”havenā€™t been an important part of my life. Love of the arts can bring kids together in surprising ways. The characters in these books face varied challenges, home lives, and predicaments. But for all of them, itā€™s the support of friends, a dose of courage, and inspiration from the arts that get them through. Thatā€™s why Iā€™ve chosen these five wonderful, readable, un-put-downable books.


Diana's book list on music, art and friendship

Diana Harmon Asher Why did Diana love this book?

I donā€™t have words for how masterful this book is. (I know, Iā€™m a writer, Iā€™m supposed to have words). Iā€™m constantly blown away by Schmidtā€™s writing. The novel, set in 1968, is the story of fourteen-year-old Doug Swieteck, whose abusive father moves the family to a new town. Dougā€™s first-person voice is so alive and original. He tells you a lot, but not everything. And what heā€™s hiding is revealed in scenes that will stay with me forever, among them one in PE class, and another when Dougā€™s brother returns from Vietnam. On every page, you sense Dougā€™s emotional armor, but also his vulnerability. His growth as a person and an artist makes it one of my favorite books of all time.

By Gary D. Schmidt,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Okay for Now as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 10, 11, 12, and 13.

What is this book about?

Beloved author Gary D. Schmidt expertly blends comedy and tragedy in the story of Doug Swieteck, an unhappy "teenage thug" first introduced in The Wednesday Wars, who finds consolation and a sense of possibility in friendship and art.

At once heartbreaking and hopeful, this absorbing novel centers on Doug, 14, who has an abusive father, a bully for a brother, a bad reputation, and shameful secrets to keep. Teachers and police and his relatives think he's worthless, and he believes them, holding others at arm's length. Newly arrived in town, he starts out on the same pathā€”antagonizing other kids, mouthingā€¦


Book cover of The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things
Book cover of The Cupcake Queen
Book cover of Beastly

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