One of the best things about the genre is that it can make you interested in learning more about the actual history of the time period. What happens after your life is torn apart? This is the story of a teen girl who survived the Holocaust and her struggle to rebuild her life after she is liberated from a concentration camp. A compelling look at the connection between Liberia and America, Dream Country explores the lives of five generations of a family searching for freedom.

Are you looking for a novel that a picky teenager will perceive as relevant, not dated, even a few years after it was published? If so, I recommend historical fiction. Hear me out. It takes most novels at least a year to be written, then at least another to be published … and sometimes much longer. Technology — from cellphones to social media platforms — has evolved. The most popular celebrities, memes and fashions have come and gone.

From the ancient world to the grunge-filled 90s, historical novels bridge the gap between our present and our past. Young adult historical fiction novels can be particularly captivating, and offer details that aren't found in the average school textbook. These stories make the children of bygone eras seem less removed—and much more relatable to the modern day teen reader. The best historical novels are ones where fact and fiction complement each other, blending so seamlessly that it's hard to distinguish between the two. The young adult historical fiction novels below are prime examples, as they each explore coming-of-age during a significant time in history.

As part of that, she not only examines countless reviews, but in addition actually reads most of the books that she buys for the library. Listed below are her suggested YA historical fiction titles. Her favorites are marked with a star. Printable list.