The Best Animals Teen & Young Adult Books 2026

1. Lord of the Rings The Hobbit, Or, There and Back Again, (Paperback)

"In a hole in the ground, there lived a hobbit." So begins one of the most beloved and delightful tales in the English language. Set in the imaginary world of Middle-earth, at once a classic myth and a modern fairy tale, J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit is one of literature's most enduring and well-loved novels. The text in this 372-page paperback edition is based on that first published in Great Britain by Collins Modern Classics and includes a note on the text by Douglas A. Anderson. Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an adventure. They have launched a plot to raid the treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. Bilbo reluctantly joins their quest, unaware that on his journey to the Lonely Mountain he will encounter both a magic ring and a frightening creature known as Gollum. Written for Tolkien's own children, The Hobbit has sold many millions of copies worldwide and established itself as a modern classic.

Lord of the Rings The Hobbit, Or, There and Back Again, (Paperback) Author: Clarion Books ISBN: 9780618260300 Format: Paperback Publication Date: 2002-08-15 Page Count: 384

2. Chew on This: Everything You Don't Want to Know about Fast Food, (Paperback)

This young readers edition of Eric Schlosser's best-selling Fast Food Nation tells the fascinating, frightening truth about how the fast food industry has been feeding off children for generations. Kids love fast food. And the fast food industry definitely loves kids. But where do fast food hamburgers come from? And what makes those fries taste so good? When Eric Schlosser's best-selling book, Fast Food Nation, was published for adults in 2001, many called for his groundbreaking insight to be shared with young people. Now Schlosser, along with co-writer Charles Wilson, has investigated the subject further, uncovering new facts kids and teens need to know. In Chew On This, they share the fascinating and sometimes frightening truth about what lurks between those sesame seed buns.

Chew on This: Everything You Don't Want to Know about Fast Food, (Paperback) Author: Clarion Books ISBN: 9780618593941 Format: Paperback Publication Date: 2007-04-23 Page Count: 336

3. Tiger Moon (Paperback)

9780810944992. Pre-owned: Good condition. Trade paperback. Language: English. Pages: 464. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 464 p. Intended for a young adult/teenage audience. How does a story of India begin? Does it begin with the three great rivers-the Ganges, the Yamuna, the unseen Sarasvati pouring her dreaming waters down from the snowy mountains to the hot, dry plain? This bewitching story within a story, set in magical India, explores the power of narrative to change the course of lives. Raka, the doomed young bride of a violent merchant, weaves a tale of rescue so vivid, it might just come true. She tells a servant boy the story of Farhad, a thief and unlikely hero, who must retrieve a famous jewel in order to save a kidnapped princess from a demon king. Farhad's unforgettable companion on the journey is a wisecracking white tiger with an unnatural fear of water. It is their unusual and funny friendship, and the final sacrifice that they must make, that is the heart of this grand, beautiful novel about summoning the hero within.F&P level: Z+ F&P genre: F

How does a story of India begin? Does it begin with the three great rivers—the Ganges, the Yamuna, the unseen Sarasvati pouring her dreaming waters down from the snowy mountains to the hot, dry plain? This bewitching story within a story, set in magical India, explores the power of narrative to change the course of lives. Raka, the doomed young bride of a violent merchant, weaves a tale of rescue so vivid, it might just come true. She tells a servant boy the story of Farhad, a thief and unlikely hero, who must retrieve a famous jewel in order to save a kidnapped princess from a demon king. Farhad’s unforgettable companion on the journey is a wisecracking white tiger with an unnatural fear of water. It is their unusual and funny friendship, and the final sacrifice that they must make, that is the heart of this grand, beautiful novel about summoning the hero within. F&P level: Z+ F&P genre: F

4. Greek Myths, (Paperback)

A classic, accessible, handsomely produced collection--a great next step for Rick Riordan fans ready to delve deeper. From the terror of Medusa and the Minotaur to the Labors of Heracles and journeys of Theseus, the stories in this collection have thrilled and enthralled people for centuries with their high drama, hazardous quests, and unforgettable characters (both mortal and immortal). Under Olivia Coolidge's skillful pen, the landscape of early Greece and its famous legends bloom with vigor and are perfectly suited to the adventure-seeking reader. Greek Myths includes appealing black-and-white spot art; a list of the Greek gods, with their Latin names, their symbols, and a brief description of each; and a pronunciation guide. "This volume of familiar myths is both readable and attractive. The author provides a happy introduction to classical mythology." (New York Times Book Review)

Greek Myths, (Paperback) Author: Clarion Books ISBN: 9780618154265 Format: Paperback Publication Date: 2001-10-29 Page Count: 272

5. Voices of Dragons (Hardcover) by Carrie Vaughn

9780061798948. New condition. Hard cover. Language: English. Pages: 309. Glued binding. Paper over boards. With dust jacket. 309 p. Intended for a young adult/teenage audience. Seventeen-year-old Kay Wyatt knows she's breaking the law by rock climbing near the border, but she'd rather have an adventure than follow the rules. When the dragon Artegal unexpectedly saves her life, a secret friendship grows between them.

On one side of the border lies the modern world: the internet, homecoming dances, cell phones. On the other side dwell the ancient monsters who spark humanity's deepest fears: dragons. Seventeen-year-old Kay Wyatt knows she's breaking the law by rock climbing near the border, but she'd rather have an adventure than follow the rules. When the dragon Artegal unexpectedly saves her life, the rules are abruptly shattered, and a secret friendship grows between them. But suspicion and terror are the legacy of human and dragon inter-actions, and the fragile truce that has maintained peace between the species is unraveling. As tensions mount and battles begin, Kay and Artegal are caught in the middle. Can their friendship change the course of a war? In her young-adult debut, New York Times bestselling author Carrie Vaughn presents a distinctly twenty-first-century tale of myths and machines, and an alliance that crosses a seemingly unbridgeable divide.

6. Dogsbody, (Paperback)

A funny, heartbreaking, stunning book by the legendary Diana Wynne Jones. The Dog Star, Sirius, is tried - and found guilty - by his heavenly peers for a murder he did not commit. His sentence: to live on the planet Earth until he can carry out a seemingly impossible mission - the recovery of a deadly weapon known as the Zoi. The first lesson Sirius learns in his lowly earthly form is that humans have all the power. The second is that even though his young mistress loves him, she can't protect either of them. The third - and worst - is that someone out there will do anything to keep Sirius from finding the Zoi. Even if it means destroying Earth itself. This book features an introduction by Neil Gaiman.

Dogsbody, (Paperback) Author: Penguin Young Readers Group ISBN: 9780142420133 Format: Paperback Publication Date: 2012-04-12 Page Count: 288

7. Shadow Horse Shadow Horse, (Paperback)

Horses + mystery + rescuing abused animals = a triple crown of perpetually popular preteen genres! Thirteen-year-old Jasmine is found guilty of assaulting Hugh Robicheaux, the owner of the horse farm where she works. But she's still determined to prove that Robicheaux killed Whirlwind, the mare she loved. Jas is sure that Shadow Horse, a scrawny brown gelding she rescues at a horse auction, is the key to the mystery--but just how is Shadow Horse connected to Whirlwind? Deftly written by a teacher and equestrian who has authored more than sixty books, this heartwarming and inspiring Edgar Award nominee will have special appeal for mystery fans as well as young horse lovers.

Shadow Horse Shadow Horse, (Paperback) Author: Random House Children's Books ISBN: 9780375802638 Format: Paperback Publication Date: 2001-03-27 Page Count: 274

8. Nothing but Blue (Hardcover)

After seeing her house destroyed, Blue suffers acute memory loss. She decides to head back to her childhood home, unsure of where it is, who she is, or what's waiting for her when she gets there.

All dead. No one survived. All dead. This morbid chant haunts seventeen-year-old Blue as she trudges through the countryside with just the clothes on her back, heading to her childhood home on the ocean. Something absolutely awful has happened, she knows it, but she doesn’t know what. She can’t even remember her name, so she calls herself Blue. This gripping survival story—peppered with flashbacks to bittersweet times with her boyfriend, Jake—strips life down to its bare bones. Blue learns, with the help of a seemingly magical stray dog and kind people along the road, that the important thing is to live.

9. Water Sky, (Paperback)

'A beautifully written book that addresses the issues of conservation and cultural heritage." (School Library Journal) "A novel imbued with understanding and respect for the rich traditions of Eskimo life." (BCCB) When Lincoln made the long trip from Massachusetts to Barrow, Alaska, the sole purpose was to find his uncle Jack. He thought Vincent Ologak, an Eskimo whaling captain, could tell him where to find him, for Vincent was the man Uncle Jack had planned to see when he went to Alaska to help save the bowhead whale from extinction. But Vincent cannot or will not give Lincoln a straight answer. As far as he is concerned, Lincoln is there for a very different purpose from the one he himself imagines: A whale is coming to Lincoln, a whale that will end two years of waiting and suffering for Vincent's people. Nothing in Lincoln's past experience quite prepares him for the whaling camp at Barrow. Here ice is a living presence and the temperature is so cold that spilled water hits the ground as ice balls. Here for the first time he meets young Eskimos-especially Unpik, with whom he falls deeply in lovewhose strong identification with their Eskimo culture leads Lincoln to question his own identity. But above all else it is Vincent Ologak's vision of him that teaches Lincoln more than he has ever learned anywhere before Life in today's New England hasn't prepared Lincoln for the ways of an Alaskan whaling camp. But it's there that he draws strength from an Eskimo captain's vision of him and his connection with Nukik, the whale that gives itself to Lincoln and the people of Barrow. Jean Craighead George blends masterfully observed nature scenes and a wry story of first love in one of her most appealing and moving novels. Jean Craighead George was the author of many beloved and award-winning books, including Julie of the Wolves and My Side of the Mountain.

Water Sky, (Paperback) Author: HarperCollins ISBN: 9780064402026 Format: Paperback Publication Date: 1989-02-15 Page Count: 224

10. A Horse of Her Own, (Paperback)

A girl who longs for her own horse is given the chance to care for a troubled, damaged horse, who needs her as much as she needs him. Fourteen-year-old Jane Ryan has always dreamed of having a horse of her own--but so long as she gets to ride her favorite school horse, Beau, at Sunny Acres farm, she's content. And this is the summer she means to try out for the advanced riding class. But just as camp begins, Jane receives heartbreaking news about Beau. She loses, not just her favorite horse, but also her chance to ride in the end-of-summer competition. When her trainer asks for her help with an out-of-control chestnut warmblood, Lancelot, a newcomer to the barn, she has no choice but to say yes. There's another new addition to the farm: Ben Reyes, the grandson of the barn's manager. As Jane struggles to go on without Beau, and to make Lancelot the great horse she believes him to be, her feelings for Ben, her relationships with the privileged group of girls she rides with, and her painful, joyous road to self-discovery all lead to a heart-pounding conclusion that is truly a new beginning. Only Jane's faith in Lancelot, and her own rediscovered skill and strength, can see her through the hard journey toward a horse of her own.

A Horse of Her Own, (Paperback) Author: Square Fish ISBN: 9780312581466 Format: Paperback Publication Date: 2009-09-29 Page Count: 288