This is a list of 4 young adult novels that impacted me when I was younger, so I reread them recently! Hopefully, this introduces you to something new and reminds you of something old... Happy reading!
1. Island of the Blue Dolphins, by Scott O’Dell
This novel is about a young girl from an indigenous tribe who is left behind on an island to fend for herself. She learns much about how to survive in the wild, make friends with all creatures- great and small- and deal with loss. It is a complex story told in amazingly simple detail.
Why read as an adult: It will give you an appreciation for living in harmony with yourself and the world around you. Although the novel may sound bleak, it is the story of a woman's courage, strength and resilience.
2. The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
This book is what began the dystopian, post-apocalyptic craze in the early 2010s. It follows Katniss, a skilled bow-and-arrow hunter in dystopian America, or "Panem." The story eventually follows her to the barbarous, annual “Hunger Games," where she must fight other children to the death while being broadcasted.
Why read as an adult: While the story obviously holds an effect over youths, its nuances and horrors are amplified as an adult. The reader sees how these teenagers are stripped of their innocence and thrown into this horror show during their formative years.
3. The Wave, by Todd Strasser
This chilling novel details the effects of social pressure and exclusion. It follows an experiment from a high school history class that seeks to identify the driving factors of the Nazi takeover in Germany during WWII. The experiment takes a dark turn once the entire school gets involved.
Why read as an adult: This story is relevant to today's current political climate and reiterates how people will do ~almost~ anything if it is a trend. It helps to read this as an adult, having a full understanding of the horrors that occurred during the Holocaust and the realization that history often repeats itself.
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury
This is the coming of age story of two young boys whose small town becomes the host to an ominous traveling carnival. This carnival is enticing and morbid curiosity takes over for the boys... but at what cost?
Why read as an adult: This story is creepy in more ways than one and is slightly complex for a YA novel. Reading it as an adult will make one appreciate the symbolism of good vs. evil. Additionally, the entire plot surrounds the ideas of loss of innocence and wanting to grow up too fast, which is interesting to read from a more mature standpoint.
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