YA books that you could easily become obsessed with reading!
Many of the more popular series like ‘Harry Potter‘ and ‘Percy Jackson‘ still dominate the book world for younger readers. I’m here to shine a light on some of less well known books that were absolutely addictive in their own right.
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Publication date: November 2000
Pages: 304
Genre: Children’s fantasy, Children’s Arthurian folk tales, and myths, Children’s classics
Series: Book 1 of 5: The Dark is Rising
On holiday in Cornwall, the three Drew children discover an ancient map in the attic of the house that they are staying in. They know immediately that it is special. It is even more than that — the key to finding a grail, a source of power to fight the forces of evil known as the Dark. And in searching for it themselves, the Drews put their very lives in peril.
Five Stars
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“You remember the fairy tales you were told when you were very small – ‘once upon a time…’ Why do you think they always began like that?”
“Because they weren’t true,” Simon said promptly.
Jane said, caught up in the unreality of the high remote place, “Because perhaps they were true once, but nobody could remember them.”
Publication date: November 2001
Pages: 368
Genre: Young adult, Young adult fiction, Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of 3: His Dark Materials
Lyra is rushing to the cold, far North, where witch clans and armored bears rule. North, where the Gobblers take the children they steal—including her friend Roger. North, where her fearsome uncle Asriel is trying to build a bridge to a parallel world.
Can one small girl make a difference in such great and terrible endeavors? This is Lyra: a savage, a schemer, a liar, and as fierce and true a champion as Roger or Asriel could want.
But what Lyra doesn’t know is that to help one of them will be to betray the other…
Five Stars
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“That’s the duty of the old, to be anxious on behalf of the young. And the duty of the young is to scorn the anxiety of the old.”
Publication date: May 2003 (first published 1988)
Pages: 48
Genre: Children’s literature, Children’s fantasy, Children’s Action and Adventure
Series: Book 1 of 4: A Catwings Tale
Mrs. Jane Tabby can’t explain why her four precious kittens were born with wings, but she’s grateful that they are able to use their flying skills to soar away from the dangerous city slums where they were born. However, once the kittens escape the big city, they learn that country life can be just as difficult!
Five Stars
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Oh, Hank,” Susan whispered, “their wings are furry.”
“Oh, James,” Harriet whispered, “their hands are kind.”
Guardians of Ga’Hoole: The Capture
Publication date: June 2003
Pages: 240
Genre: Children’s classics, Children’s folk tales and myths, Fantasy fiction
Series: Book 1 of 16: Guardians of Ga’Hoole
A classic hero mythology about the fight between good and evil, Guardians of Ga’Hoole is filled with adventure, suspense, and heart.
Soren is born in the forest of Tyto, a tranquil kingdom where the Barn Owls dwell. But evil lurks in the owl world, evil that threatens to shatter Tyto’s peace and change the course of Soren’s life forever.Soren is captured and taken to a dark and forbidding canyon. It’s called an orphanage, but Soren believes it’s something far worse. He and his friend Gylfie know that the only way out is up. To escape, they will need to do something they have never done before — fly.And so begins a magical journey. Along the way, Soren and Gylfie meet Twilight and Digger. The four owls band together to seek the truth and protect the owl world from unimaginable danger.
Four Stars
⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I am ashamed of anyone who has eyes and still cannot see.”
Publication date: June 2003
Pages: 528
Genre: Young adult fiction, Fantasy, Young adult Action and Adventure
Series: Book 1 of 4: The Inheritance Cycle
When fifteen-year-old Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself.
Overnight his simple life is shattered, and, gifted with only an ancient sword, a loyal dragon, and sage advice from an old storyteller, Eragon is soon swept into a dangerous tapestry of magic, glory, and power. Now his choices could save—or destroy—the Empire.
Four Stars
⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I’ll fight when needed, revel when there’s an occasion, mourn when there is grief and die if my time comes…But I will not let anyone use me against my will.”
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning
Publication date: August 1999
Pages: 162
Genre: Children’s literature, Gothic fiction, Mystery
Series: Book 1 of 13: A Series of Unfortunate Events
Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire are intelligent children. They are charming, and resourceful, and have pleasant facial features. Unfortunately, they are exceptionally unlucky.
In the first two books alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, a lumpy bed, a deadly serpent, a large brass reading lamp, a long knife, and a terrible odor.
Four Stars
⭐⭐⭐⭐
“At times the world may seem an unfriendly and sinister place, but believe that there is much more good in it than bad. All you have to do is look hard enough. and what might seem to be a series of unfortunate events may in fact be the first steps of a journey.”
Publication date: Originally published May 1930
Pages: 141
Genre: Children’s literature, Mystery, Fiction
Series: Book 1 of 163: Nancy Drew
Read the original Nancy Drew mystery!
The Secret of the Old Clock is the mystery that began it all for America’s favorite teenaged slueth. The accidental rescue of a little girl who lives with her two great-aunts leads to an adventurous search for a missing will.
Five Stars
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Read, read, read. That’s all I can say.”
Publication date: April 2006
Pages: 304
Genre: Children’s literature, Children’s Action and Adventure, Fantasy fiction
Series: Book 1 of 6: Warriors
For generations, four Clans of wild cats have shared the forest according to the laws laid down by their ancestors. But the warrior code has been threatened, and the ThunderClan cats are in grave danger. The sinister ShadowClan grows stronger every day. Noble warriors are dying—and some deaths are more mysterious than others.
In the midst of this turmoil appears an ordinary housecat named Rusty… who may turn out to be the bravest warrior of them all.
Five Stars
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“You cannot live with a paw in each world.”
Publication date: May 2001
Pages: 277
Genre: Young adult Action and Adventure, Young adult fiction, Fantasy fiction
Series: Book 1 of 8: Artemis Fowl
Twelve-year-old criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl has discovered a world below ground of armed and dangerous–and extremely high-tech–fairies.
He kidnaps one of them, Holly Short, and holds her for ransom in an effort to restore his family’s fortune.
But he may have underestimated the fairies’ powers. Is he about to trigger a cross-species war?
Four Stars
⭐⭐⭐⭐
A genius. A criminal mastermind. A millionaire. And he is only twelve years old.
Publication date: June 1996
Pages: 192
Genre: Children’s fantasy, Science fantasy, Thriller
Series: Book 1 of 54: Animorphs
The Earth is being invaded, but no one knows about it. When Jake, Rachel, Tobias, Cassie, and Marco stumble upon a downed alien spaceship and its dying pilot, they’re given an incredible power — they can transform into any animal they touch. With it, they become Animorphs, the unlikely champions in a secret war for the planet. And the enemies they’re fighting could be anyone . . . even the people closest to them.
Three Stars
⭐⭐⭐
Humans. Altogether a contradictory and deeply flawed species. And yet…And yet, somehow I knew that they represented the best hope of the galaxy. Perhaps the only hope.
Were you completely addicted to any of these? I can’t be the only one..
What’s a childhood favorite of yours?
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Nancy Drew is forever my love ❤️
I blame Nancy Drew for my addiction to Veronica Mars. 😆
😂
Great choices! Most of those would be my choices too. Especially the His Dark Materials trilogy – I’m totally obsessed with that one. My hubby and I discussed it for hours and hours after we read it ❤️
Thank you! It’s so great finding other people who share a love for the same books!
And His Dark Materials is such a fantastic series, I love Lyra and Pan! ❤
Omg guardians of ga’hoole! I loved that series as a child. And the movie based on book 1. And Nancy drew is always my #1 ♥️ great list
Nice list! A Series of Unfortunate Events is indeed wonderful! Still rereading those here and then. 😀
Some great books here. I gave a lot of these books as gifts to my kids or read them to my classes.
Thank you! I really enjoyed reading these when I did.. and now I love sharing them with my nieces!