In honor of TeenTober, a nationwide celebration of teens hosted by libraries every October, Grand County Library District presents a list of titles, all written by teenagers. Some are classics and some are contemporary, but all are worthwhile reads. Enjoy!

“Eragon” by Christopher Paolini. A fantasy novel full of dragons and knights, Paolini’s first book became a bestseller when he was only 19. He has also written several sequels in the series. “Eragon” was later turned into a movie.

“Far Below Human Eyes” by Annabelle Healy. Annabelle is a 17-year-old who lives in Parker, Colorado. Her new book follows a student who wants nothing more than to fit in, but is given a different story.

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“The Outsiders” by S. E. Hinton. This timeless classic about rival street gangs was written by Hinton when she was only 16 years old. First published in 1967, it was later adapted for the big screen by Francis Ford Coppola.

“The Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank. Published in 1947, this true diary of a young Holocaust victim, started on Anne’s 13th birthday, has become a universal symbol of the spirit to endure.

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“Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley. Written in 1816, Frankenstein was penned when a group of friends decided to see who could write the best horror story. Millions of readers would likely agree that Shelley, who was 18 at the time she wrote “Frankenstein,” won that friendly competition.

“Student Voice: 100 Argument Essays by Teens on Issues That Matter to Them” by Katherine Schulten. This 2020 collection of 100 essays written by teens ages 13 to 18 covers topics like social media, race, video games and more. All were winners or runners-up in a New York Times student editorial contest. 

“The DUFF” by Kody Keplinger. Keplinger was 17 when he wrote this novel, which follows the struggles and relationships of Bianca Piper, the “DUFF” (designated ugly fat friend). “The DUFF” has been made into a movie and Keplinger has written a sequel.

“I Am Malala” by Malala Yousafzai. The 15-year-old Pakistani author relates her experience of being shot in the face by the Taliban for daring to go to school. The same strength that gave Malala the will to survive also empowers her to advocate for children who are deprived of education. In 2014, Malala became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

You can request these titles at GCLD.org or use the Libby or Hoopla apps to download eBook or audiobook versions.

If you’re a teen interested in writing, visit your local library or browse our online catalog to discover books written especially for aspiring young authors. Websites like The Young Writers Society, NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program, and Teen Ink are great places to connect with other teen writers.

If you’re in grades six to eight, be sure to enter the library district’s Scary Story Contest. Submit your typed story of 400-500 words to cnewell@gcld.org by 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 15. Also watch for TeenTober library programs being offered in October!