Theme reading guide
Discover stories on a range of topics and issues such as war, culture, race, and more. Great for NCEA.
Mental Health - Teens
These books - fiction and non-fiction - have positive messages about fostering mental health.
Booklists
War - Teens
War! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing - except literature. Books set in wartime that shed light on the events of our past.
New Zealand Stories - Teens
Explore our own backyard with this varied list by New Zealand authors. Multiple perspectives, all kinds of genres, many award winners.
Mystery - Teens
Mystery is lurking everywhere from! Find books with amateur detectives searching for clues, and stories blending horror and drama.
Race - Teens
A collection of young adult fiction and graphic novels features stories involving social or racial conflict.
Faith - Teens
Fiction with characters of a variety of faiths exploring issues of faith and spirituality - some are steadfast, others questioning.
Mental Health - Teens
These books - fiction and non-fiction - have positive messages about fostering mental health.
New for Rangatahi
More Reading Ideas
Request reading recommendations
Not sure what to try next? Try our reading guides, or tell us your preferences and we'll make a custom reading list just for you!
Catalogue & eResources outage: Tuesday 18 November 8pm-12am
Aroha mai, access to our catalogue and eResources will be affected by scheduled maintenance from 8pm to midnight Tuesday 18 November.
Genre reading guide
Find new reads from your favourite genres with these librarian recommendations for teens.
Printable lists
If you like... YA romance
Read messy love-triangle stories or sweeping historical epics, meet-cute mishaps and more. Printable author list [212KB PDF].
Ngā Pounamu Māori - Taiohi Collection
Fiction titles from our expanding Rangatahi Collection within the Ngā Pounamu Māori - Young Adults Collection. Printable list [330KB PDF]
If you like... Rainbow reads
Stories about relationships, family, romance, activism, and struggle with a range of LGBTQIA+ characters. Printable author list (302KB PDF)
If you like... YA Mystery fiction
Mystery is lurking everywhere from the school hallways to the shadows of the local woods. Printable author list (702 KB pdf).
If you like... YA Fantasy fiction
Encounter magic and myth, journey with legendary heroes, or protect the world from monsters or oppression. Printable author list (282KB pdf)
If you like... YA Dystopian fiction
Travel into grim futures not-so-far-removed from the world as we know it. Printable author list (306KB pdf).
If you like... YA contemporary and realistic reads
Stories firmly rooted in the issues that affect us today. Funny, heartbreaking, realistic, engrossing. Printable author list (275KB pdf).
If you like... YA Adventure & action fiction
Hardy men in the wilderness, bad guys in mean streets, tough heroines, and spies doing spy stuff. Printable author list (351KB PDF)