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Finding appropriate books for teens, or young adults (YA) as they are called these days, can be challenging. Most of the books available for this age group deal with controversial or agenda-driven topics. Here is a compilation of YA books with none of the divisive subject matter popular in this genre.
Just History
‘The Forgotten War: A World War II Battle on American Soil’
By Candace Fleming
Author Candace Fleming is known for her award-winning nonfiction titles including “The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh” and “The Family Romanov.” In writing “The Forgotten War,” Fleming draws on a more personal connection. She follows the journey her own father, Charlie Groth, took while serving America in the little-known Battle of Attu.
Drafted to become a litter bearer, 21-year-old Groth is assigned to the remote island of Attu, the westernmost island of the Aleutian Islands, which are part of Alaska. Winters in Michigan City, Indiana were rough, but they did not prepare him for the bitter cold that met him in Attu.
With hardly a tree in sight, nothing to buffer the winds or provide cover from enemy sight lines, Groth and his crew try to retrieve a wounded soldier. Nature and an unfamiliar terrain work against the American soldiers in this little-known battle, which is brought to the forefront in Fleming’s historical account.
Using many primary sources, including her father’s unpublished diary, Fleming faithfully recreates the events leading up to the Japanese occupation of the remote island and its liberation. It includes the experiences of the soldiers in the very harsh environment and the eventual, but costly, victory for America on the only land battle on American soil in the Pacific Theater.
By using Groth as the main character, the author is able to present an engaging history, without the textbook feel of many historical accounts. It is a must-read for teens—and, really, anyone who has not yet heard of this battle.
Scholastic Focus, 272 pages, Sept. 1, 2026
‘Great Battles for Boys: The Wild West’
By Joe Giorello
Author Joe Giorello’s popular series “Great Battles for Boys” has a new addition to its lineup. In “The Wild West,” Giorello reels in readers right away, writing, “Imagine you’re in an old stone church. … You and about 180 other men have the oath to defend this place. You know that help is probably not coming. … What do you do?”
From the start, readers immediately don the boots of the brave men who made their last stand at the Alamo. Then, readers visit the Oregon Trail, where caravans of determined families set out for unfamiliar land to make a new start for themselves. The book also traces how the country was unified—from the Pony Express to the railroad that linked the East and West together.
Readers familiar with Giorello’s series will look forward to the brief biographies of relevant historical figures. And a helpful list of additional books, internet websites, and films is appended to each chapter so readers can learn more about a particular skirmish. It is an engaging historical account of the cowboys, Native Americans, pioneers, frontiersmen, lawmen, and patriots who made the Wild West their home.
Wheelhouse Publishing, 210 pages, Sept. 29, 2026
A Cautionary Tale
‘Building 903’
By Lois Lowry
It is the year 2099 and Tessa is 14 years old. She and her twin brother, Theo, live with their parents under the authoritarian rule of Zokiris. In their world, books, art, and music (except for the national anthem) are all forbidden. Books are housed in Building 903.
One day, Theo mysteriously disappears. Then, Tessa’s next-door neighbor, the 135-year-old Miriam, is removed to ElderCare. But before she is taken away, she hands Tessa a key that unlocks a secret storage in Miriam’s empty home—a treasure trove of forbidden stories that give Tessa access to a “journey.” As Tessa learns more of the circumstances under which Theo disappeared, she and their parents must make a covert trip to Building 903 to find the missing book that can bring him back.
Fans of Lowry’s “The Giver” Quartet will enjoy the same dystopian formula in “Building 903.” The captivating story explores what it might be like to live under authoritarian rule. How the story unfolds at the end is a good surprise that many won’t see coming.
Clarion Books, 240 pages, Sept. 29, 2026
Fast-Paced Fantasy and Action-Packed Adventure
The Silent Bells: Ashtown Burials #4
By N.D. Wilson
In the four-book series “Ashtown Burials,” Cyrus Smith and his sister Antigone fulfill their destinies as the descendants of Capt. John Smith—of Jamestown fame. As they take their places in a secret society called the Order of Brendan, Cyrus and the rest of the Order must work together to prevent the opening of tombs that keep immortal villains imprisoned to prevent the destruction of humanity.
The books include an impressive cast of characters from history, literature, and Greek mythology. The heroes include the Boone siblings, who come from the line of frontiersman Daniel Boone; Wiglaf, from “Beowulf”; and Arachne, a mortal weaver who counts spiders as her allies. They must fight a band of historical villains (who include but are not limited to Edward “Blackbeard” Teach and Rasputin) and characters from epic works (like Gilgamesh of Uruk).
“The Silent Bells,” the last book of the four-part series, chronicles good clashing with evil in a big way in a fiery climax. Cyrus faces dangerous dragons and their deviant masters. Best read in order, the “Ashtown Burials” contains action and battle scenes that can be somewhat chaotic and bloody. But it’s not senseless violence; it ends with the restoration and renewal of old values and vows.
A great series for fans of Rick Riordan’s “Percy Jackson” and Andrew Peterson’s “The Wingfeather Saga,” these books are more appropriate for older teens. Author N.D. Wilson, also the co-producer of the hit series “House of David,” has found his niche in the world of YA fiction with “Ashtown Burials.”
Canonball Books, 750 pages, Nov. 24, 2026
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