Top Ten Beach Reads For Teens

For fear of hearing the dreaded phrase "I'm booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooored" on the beach this summer, fling your teen this must-read list before you go. Kerry's picked her favourite holiday reads for teenagers. Why not tell us about your favourites?

Review of A Perfect Ten by Chris Higgins Teens A confident and accessible kitchen sink drama about coming to terms with loss. By creating a truly sympathetic character from someone who behaves like a real bitch, it gives teen and tween girls real pause for thought. Full Review

Review of Alice on Deadlines by Shiro Ihara Teens A quite extreme manga, in a way, that fans should appreciate, although the plotting leaves some things to be desired. Full Review

Review of Generation Dead by Daniel Waters Teens Unusual and stimulating novel about prejudice and difference. The zombies in high school theme coats serious points with wit and pop culture reference although the plotting is a little heavy-handed. Full Review

Review of Danger Zone: Ice Claw by David Gilman Teens A high octane thriller with an environmental twist. The lead character relies on personal endurance and courage rather than Alex Rider-style high-tech gadgetry. One for the adrenalin seeker, thoughit's a trifle long. Full Review

Review of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon Teens The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time is a much talked-about book. Ignore the different releases - one for children and another for adults. They are irrelevant. It's a serious children's book although adults could also take something from it. Beginning as a whodunnit, Curious Incident transforms into a powerful work on the family and on fitting in. Bookbag thinks it's a tour de force. Full Review

Review of The Declaration by Gemma Malley Teens A tense and dramatic novel speculating on life in a future where drugs have banished old age and death. Mostly for teens, but the quality of writing is such that thoughtful younger children could approach it too. Full Review

Review of Everlost by Neal Shusterman Teens Completely gorgeous fantasy adventure set in a kind of afterlife limbo for children. It's exciting and pacy, but it's also irresistibly humorous and utterly serious. The final pay-off is superb. How you get all that into 384 pages, Bookbag doesn't know, but it does stand in awe. Full Review

Review of Incarceron by Catherine Fisher Teens Beautifully imagined and realised, this novel of future regression is rich with strong characters, big issues and a compelling plot. It is a barnstorming piece of serious fantasy that doesn't put a foot wrong. Full Review

Review of Sapphique by Catherine Fisher Teens Beautifully imagined and realised, this follow up to Incarceron continues with big issues and a compelling plot. It is a barnstorming piece of serious fantasy that doesn't put a foot wrong. Full Review

Review of Nation by Terry Pratchett Teens It takes a good few pages to really get going, but Pratchett's first non-Discworld for a while is really rather good once it hits its stride. Lots of things to say about love, religion and power and lots of rooms for laughs too. Full Review

Check out Bookbag's exciting features section, with interviews, top tens and editorials.

Comments

Like to comment on this feature?

Just send us an email and we'll put the best up on the site.