After another exciting and busy year, Team Your Kid’s Next Read has consulted our brilliant members and compiled book lists based on their recommendations.
The Your Kid’s Next Read community now comprises 39,000+ members, connected via our Facebook group, the Your Kid’s Next Read website, our podcast and our monthly newsletter!
This year, we also added Facebook and Instagram for even more ways to spread the word about incredible books for kids and teens.
And when we asked the community to share their favourite reads of the previous 12 months, they did not hesitate!
As is the case each year, some of these books were published in 2025, some were not. There are new books that bubble to the top straight away, and there are always older books that are rediscovered by a new group of readers every year.
Once again, I’ve broken the lists into categories: picture books, early chapter books (5-7), junior reads (7-9), middle grade (9-13) and young adult (14+). (NB: There is always crossover in these lists, particularly across ages 7-10, as readers develop at their own pace and to their own level of interest, but I’ve done my best to place the books according to expected independent reading age.)
Stand by also for Team YKNR’s favourite reads in 2025, coming soon.
These lists are great starting points when you’re looking for the next great read for your kid/s and teens. Click the title to find out more about each book*.
Your Kid’s Favourite Read 2025: Young Adult Books (14+)
As nominated by the members of the Your Kid’s Next Read community
MOST NOMINATED
Eleanor Jones (series) by Amy Doak (‘Such a good teenage sleuth series with realistic high school friendships and good wholesome fun in an Australian town …all the while with a mystery to solve for each book. Three in the series so far.’ – Tania)
‘My Family and Other Suspects’ by Kate Emery (‘So funny. But also suspenseful!’ – LJ)
‘Drift’ by Pip Harry (‘Absolutely loved it.’ – Jess)
‘The Foal in the Wire’ by Robbie Coburn (‘A moving verse novel read and enjoyed by 15yo male reader.’ – Louise)
‘A Wreck of Seabirds’ by Karleah Olson (‘If you haven’t read it you need to put it at the top of your pile. The story will stay with you, it is beautifully written and a brilliant story. Although younger readers could read it, older readers will be more open to the emotions and nuances within the story.’ – Ruth)
Chaos Walking (series) by Patrick Ness (‘I devoured this! So good! – Soph)
‘Maisy Hayes is Not for Sale’ by Allayne Webster
‘What Have They Done to Liza McClean?’ by Amy Doak
‘Completely Normal and Other Lies’ by Biffy James
‘The House Saphir’ by Marissa Meyer
‘Lady’s Knight’ by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
‘We Could Be Something’ by Will Kostakis (‘My teen readers club loved this.’ – Zanni)
The Maven & Reeve Mysteries (series) by A. L. Tait
‘When We Flew Away’ by Alice Hoffman
Skyward (series) by Brandon Sanderson
‘One By One They Disappear’ by Mike Lucas (‘War genre with a twist.’ – Kath)
‘Into the Wild’ by Hayley Lawrence
‘The Ballad of Darcy and Russell’ by Morgan Matson
‘All My Rage’ by Sabaa Tahir (‘A quick and riveting book!’ – Janet)
‘Darkest Night, Brightest Star’ by Barry Jonsberg (‘I finished it and thought ‘everyone should read this.’ – Anna)
‘This Season’s Draft’ by Jason Gent (‘Genuinely fresh and the 16 yo I gave it to didn’t even realise he was reading YA.’ – Gisela)
‘Unhallowed Halls’ by Lili Wilkinson
‘Catch’ by Sarah Brill (‘Unlike anything else I’ve read. The girls at my school have been loving it.’ – Erin)
Talon (series) by Julie Kagawa (‘Recommended for kids 13-17.’ – Danusia)
Darling Devils (series) by Alexandra Moody
‘A Guide To Falling Off The Map’ by Zanni L. Arnot
‘The Surface Trials’ by HM Waugh (‘An elimination-quest novel set on an alien planet. Full of thrills, high stakes, and dangerous secrets. Unputdownable.’ – Katja)
Red Winter (series) by Annette Marie
‘I Must Betray You’ by Ruta Sepetys
‘The Locked Room’ by Adam Cece
‘Wandering Wild’ by Lynette Noni
The Illuminae Files (series) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (‘Phenomenal layout, plot and awesome female protagonists.’ – Jen)
Powerless (series) by Lauren Roberts
‘White Noise’ by Raelke Grimmer (‘An informative read on neurodivergence. A ‘mirror’ for many YA readers.’ – Kathryn)
‘I Hope This Doesn’t Find You’ by Ann Liang (‘Year 8/9 girls. A popular romance and a top borrow at the library.’ – Mads)
‘To All The Boys I’ve loved Before’ by Jenny Han
‘Wish You Were Her’ by Elle McNichol (‘An absolute delight. Our all girls school has students who do not want spicy reads, so it was great to find a romance novel with older characters that I could easily recommend, knowing it was perfect for them. Also excellent neurodiverse rep. It has been enjoyed by 15-18 year olds.’ – Fiona)
‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ by Jenny Han
‘One of Us is Lying’ by Karen M McManus
The Prison Healer (series) by Lynette Noni
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Are you new here? Welcome to my blog! I’m Allison Tait, aka A.L. Tait, and I’m the author of middle-grade fantasy adventure series, The Mapmaker Chronicles, The Ateban Cipher, and the Maven & Reeve Mysteries.
My latest novels are contemporary middle-grade reads: ‘The First Summer of Callie McGee’, ‘Willow Bright’s Secret Plot’ and ‘Danger Road’. You can find out more about me here, and more about my books here.
If you’re looking for book recommendations for young readers, join the Your Kid’s Next Read Facebook community, tune in to the Your Kid’s Next Read podcast and sign up for the Your Kid’s Next Read newsletter.
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