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Recommended reading: Young Adult (YA) fiction and non-fiction

Check out our Young Adult book lists organized by genre, non-fiction, and reading level.

What is the Young Adult (YA) collection?

CCC Library has many print books and eBooks for you to check out, read, and enjoy. While it is true that many of our books are for learning and research, we also have books that are fun to read and escape into! Some definitions to help you use this guide:

  • Young Adult fiction books have Lexile numbers of 500-1100 and:
    • Have at least one main character who is a teenager.
    • Are written with a "voice" that reflects young adults' experiences. Voice includes point of view, vocabulary, and tone.
    • Explore themes in ways reflective of young adults' experiences.
  • Young Adult non-fiction books have Lexile numbers of 500-1100 and:
    • Often includes "literary non-fiction," which is non-fiction written in a narrative style, like fiction.
    • Are interesting, fun to read, and entertaining!
  • Genre means type. In fiction, genres feature different styles, tones, and storytelling devices and elements.
  • A Lexile number is a rating for how hard a book is to read. The higher the number, the more difficult the word use and sentence length.

Using this guide

Book cover art for Sing Unburied, Sing: A Novel by Jesmyn WardIn this guide we have put together lists of books by:

  • genre, or the specific type of book that they are. Genres include:
    • Science fiction and fantasy, which are speculative stories set in futuristic or imaginary settings
    • Romance, featuring lighthearted love stories or romantic relationships
    • Mysteries, thrillers, and horror, stories meant to scare, shock, challenge, or hold readers in suspense
    • Memoirs and biographies, true stories told by or about real people
       
  • non-fiction, which are true accounts of real events and people.
    • YA non-fiction books are located in their own section of CCC Library
    • Many are labeled with Lexile numbers
       
  • Lexile number, so you can have fun while you increase your reading level.
    • The higher the Lexile number, the harder the book is to read.
    • Start with our Leveled Reader collection
    • 500 - 790 and below is "Intermediate"
    • 800 and up is "Advanced"
    • Lexile numbers go all the way to 1700!

Browse through these books and find something great to read today.

And if you would like help finding a fun book to read, CCC librarians are always available to help!

Image source: Amazon

Young Adult eBooks

Does the Open Library have a collection for students organized by reading level or grade?

Yes! The Internet Archive's Open Library has partnered with ISKME and an expert group of educators and school librarians to develop the Universal School Library, a curated list of 2,300 books organized by reading level and grade.  You can browse the whole collection or find books for a particular reader:

Content taken from the National Emergency Library FAQ page

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