Top 16 Nonfiction Books For Teens Updated 04 /2024

It's natural for teens to turn to fiction when they have time off from school. They read it because it's different from what they read in school. But they should not forget about some of the great nonfiction works that are just as interesting, thought-provoking, and even worldview-changing. You'll find 12 extra-interesting nonfiction books for teenagers here that cover a wide range of interests and interests.

Yes She Can

compiled by Molly Dillon

Yes She Can is a book that tells the stories of ten young women who worked in the Obama White House when they were young. In this video, the people who work in public service talk about how they got there, how they did well, and even how they made mistakes when they were young. It's a must-read for young people, especially young women, who are setting off into a world of possibilities. It's empowering and relatable.

The Faraway Brothers (Adapted for Young Adults)

by Lauren Markham

The Faraway Brothers is a heartwarming story of brotherhood, immigration, and finding a new home. It tells the story of 17-year-old twins Ernesto and Ral Flores, who are forced to flee their home country of El Salvador for the United States after being targeted by a gang. It is hard for them to make the journey, but their lives as undocumented migrants are even worse. Ernesto and Ral have to adapt to new places and wait for their immigration court hearing, all while going through the typical teen problems.

Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults)

by Bryan Stevenson

Bryan Stevenson is an attorney who works with the Equal Justice Initiative. He fights every day for the vulnerable and those who have been wrongly imprisoned, as well as to show how the U.S. criminal justice system is unfair and racially biased. These stories are told in this YA version of his book, which is now a movie starring Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx. It tells how Stevenson's clients ended up in prison and how he helped them get out of it. Readers will learn a lot from this book.

Flowers in the Gutter

by K. R. Gaddy

In the story of the Edelweiss Pirates, K. R. Gaddy did a lot of research and came up with a lot of interesting facts. These weren't your typical pirates. Instead, these were working-class German teenagers who risked their lives to fight the Nazis during World War II, not pirates. They didn't let the Gestapo get them, even though they were being chased and arrested. This is something we could all learn from.

Bonnie and Clyde

by Karen Blumenthal

This book is a mix of a biography and a true crime story about Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. In her book, journalist Karen Blumenthal asks: How did these two poor teens from west Texas end up as outlaws in the first place? As a result of being curious, she came up with a very interesting and heart-pounding story about love and crime in the Great Depression. A page-turner, to be sure.

The Truths We Hold

by Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris' memoir has been changed to make it more appealing to young people. She will be the next vice president. Her book talks about how she went from being the Attorney General of California to being a U.S. Senator and then Joe Biden's running mate, which is what she did. She talks about how she reached her goals and how her family and community helped her along the way. This inspirational and empowering memoir is sure to be a big hit with teenagers.

We Should All Be Feminists

by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Everyone in Sweden who was 16 at the time would get a copy of this book in December 2015. The book is based on Adichie's TEDx talk of the same name, which became famous when Beyonce used it. It's a good place to start when you want to talk about gender roles and equality. It's important for young women and men to read this book because it's based on Adichie's own experiences.

Do You Know Who You Are?

by Megan Kaye, edited by Allison Singer

People who take online quizzes should step away from them right now. A pen and ink drawing is a lot more telling than a pencil and paper drawing. It's a good book for people who want to write but can't seem to get their ideas off the ground. This hybrid quiz/self-help/activity book is full of questionnaires, creative activities, and wisdom (imparted by both the professional psychologist who helped create it and the reader who does the exercises). It's a good thing to do, no matter what.

The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia

by Candace Fleming

If the truth is more interesting than the story, the Romanovs still get some kind of reward. Any teen who says history is boring should get their hands on this book right away. Adults, too, should do this. Fleming writes about Russia's last royal family and its downfall in a gripping way. He covers every spot of death in the gilded halls of Russia's last royal family (while also tending to the lives of the poor Russian masses). Those who like reality show drama will hold today's camera-ready families to a much higher standard of drama after they read this book.

Honor Girl

by Maggie Thrash

Even if their story isn't your own, you should read memoirs that make you think the author could be a friend. You want to be friends with Thrash because of her comic book, which is about how she fell in love with her female summer camp counselor. The story does more than that. People you already know will want to have big talks under the stars.

The Borden Murders

by Sarah Miller

People love true crime because it's addictive and makes them think. Miller does her research and tries to figure out what is real and what isn't. News stories about Borden's 1892 double murder trial were very sensationalized. A fascinating account of a crime that hasn't been solved is hard to put down for anyone who reads it. They won't feel like they're just looking at a crime scene; they'll learn about the legal process as well.

The Movie Book

by DK

This book is part of DK's Big Ideas series. It's a do-it-all guide to movie history and looks at how films have shaped our world. The book looks at 100 movies from the silent era to the 1980s, and it looks at everything from The Wizard of Oz to Vertigo to Pulp Fiction. The book's profiles include great lines, historical significance, and mini-biographies of important moviemakers. If you're a movie fan, you'll be drawn to the must-see content right away. In this age of streaming, you may also want to look for older, more difficult-to-find movies to get a true picture of movie-many making's different paths.

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