Nonfiction offers teens a glimpse into a much wider world than the one they live in. They can explore different cultures, read inspiring stories of heroes (and everyday people too), and learn about everything under the sun—and beyond! We asked teachers to recommend their favorite nonfiction books for teens, and added a few of our own top picks to create a list that has a little something for every kind of reader.
Be sure to request your printable copy of this list, so you can easily share it with your students!
Best Nonfiction Books for Teens
The Circuit: Stories From the Life of a Migrant Child by Francisco Jiménez
Author Jiménez came to the United States with his family as a child in 1947. They spent years as migrant farm workers, moving around “the circuit” from season to season. This collection of interwoven tales tells the stories of that way of life, one that many families still live in this country today.
Buy it: The Circuit: Stories From the Life of a Migrant Child
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
Before his seven-year stint hosting The Daily Show, Trevor Noah was a biracial boy growing up in South Africa during apartheid. There, his mixed parentage made his very existence a crime. To keep him safe, his mother kept him hidden indoors as much as possible until the end of apartheid finally set them free. His stories are funny, heartbreaking, dramatic, and fascinating, and a testament to a complicated but devoted mother-son relationship.
Buy it: Born a Crime
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
Stevenson founded the Equal Justice Initiative, dedicated to serving and defending those who are poor, wrongly accused, or otherwise ignored by the legal system. His inspiring insistence on fighting for justice and mercy in a system so consistently stacked against his clients makes for compelling reading. Pair it with To Kill a Mockingbird for a real-world view of the battle against racial injustice.
Buy it: Just Mercy
Creative Confidence by Tom Kelley and David Kelley
Inspire creative thinking in students with this read. It will help them build and embrace their inner creativity even if they don’t think of themselves as creative in general. The authors don’t just tell you to “think outside the box,” they show you exactly how to do it, and how valuable that mindset can be.
Buy it: Creative Confidence
We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
This short read—based on the Nigerian author’s TEDx talk—makes the case that feminism is still relevant and necessary in today’s world. Those who think that mistreatment of women is “all in the past” will find stories here to make them think again.
Buy it: We Should All Be Feminists
This Book Is Anti-Racist by Tiffany Jewell
One of the most popular nonfiction books for teens, this is a must-read for every high schooler. Jewell believes that it’s not enough to just “not be racist.” Instead, we must strive to be actively anti-racist. This interactive book helps teens take a deep dive into their own personal beliefs, and learn how to become social justice warriors.
Buy it: This Book Is Anti-Racist
Unbroken by by Laura Hillenbrand
Alone in a tiny life raft after a horrific air crash, Louis Zamperini survived 47 days adrift. When he finally made it safely to land, he was captured by the Japanese, spending the next few years being tortured in prison camps. Zamperini’s story of personal redemption and survival against all odds is sure to inspire, even as it reminds teens of the horrors of a world at war.
The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride
As the son of a Black Christian reverend and a white Jewish immigrant, McBride recounts and unravels his complex heritage in this fascinating read. He intertwines his story with that of his mother’s, a woman who struggled to accept her own history and background. (The author was 30 before he learned her true story and heritage.) She taught her children that race didn’t need to define them and certainly shouldn’t hold them back from what they wanted in life.
Buy it: The Color of Water
Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom
Over and over again, teachers recommended this as one of their top nonfiction books for teens. When accomplished sportswriter Albom learned his old professor and mentor, Morrie, was dying of ALS, he renewed their friendship and began visiting him weekly. The wisdom Morrie shared during these visits became the basis for this popular and beloved read, which teaches us both how to live and how to die.
Buy it: Tuesdays With Morrie
I Promised I Would Tell by Sonia Schreiber Weitz
In a unique blend of essays and poetry, the author recounts her experiences as a Holocaust survivor, the stories that “I promised myself I would tell” one day. It’s a short book but incredibly powerful nonetheless. Partner it with Holocaust fiction like The Book Thief for a deeper impact.
Buy it: I Promised I Would Tell
The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore
In 2000, the Baltimore Sun ran two news stories about two different men named Wes Moore. One had just been named a Rhodes Scholar. The other was wanted for murder. Though the two couldn’t have seemed less alike on the surface, author Moore (the Rhodes Scholar and current governor of Maryland) learned their early lives hadn’t been all that different. He began a friendship with the other Moore, now in prison for life. This book, told in alternating narratives, explores the impact of our choices on our ultimate destinies.
Buy it: The Other Wes Moore
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
If you were a professor, what would you share with the world in your final lecture? Pausch was faced with just such a situation when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. His lecture, “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams,” became a phenomenon. It’s the perfect inspiring read for teens on the brink of adulthood, encouraging them to embrace life and live it to its fullest.
Buy it: The Last Lecture
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah
It’s nearly impossible to imagine the life of a child soldier, fighting a war before they’ve even lost all their baby teeth. But hundreds of thousands of children do just that around the world today. This riveting first-person account tells of Beah’s time as a child soldier in Sierra Leone, and his eventual escape to a better life.
I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
Malala has become a household name, and her story remains as compelling and inspiring for high schoolers as ever. She herself was just a teen when she was shot in the face by the Taliban for daring to seek an education as a girl. Her story of survival, recovery, and fight for human rights made her the youngest recipient ever of the Nobel Peace Prize. It reminds us of the importance of standing up for what we believe in, even in the face of unimaginable opposition and risk.
Buy it: I Am Malala
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
As a child, Walls and her siblings were mostly left to fend for themselves by their free-spirited (and, in the case of her father, alcoholic) parents. In this book, she shares the tale of a childhood spent moving from one place to another, with only sporadic schooling and never quite enough to eat. Ultimately, the family arrived in New York City, where the children prospered as their parents chose to be homeless. As an adult, Walls reflects on her experiences, including all the valuable lessons she gleaned from her less-than-ideal parents.
Buy it: The Glass Castle
Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly
Even if teens have already seen the incredibly successful movie, they should still reach for the original book that inspired it. Encourage them to dig more deeply into the lives of the real women depicted here, and consider the importance of encouraging women and minorities to explore careers in STEM fields.
Buy it: Hidden Figures
What Made Maddy Run by Kate Fagan
Open a discussion about mental health in teens with this heartbreaking and important book. Maddy Holleran’s social media feed and cheery texts made it seem like she had the perfect life as an Ivy League college athlete. But behind the mask, Maddy was overwhelmed and depressed. Under pressure to appear healthy, happy, and successful, she struggled in secret. Her death by suicide shocked the community and helped bring the mental health challenges of teen athletes to light.
Buy it: What Made Maddy Run
The Stonewall Riots by Gayle E. Pitman
Today’s teens live in a world where many (though certainly not all) LGBTQ+ folks feel empowered to live their lives in the open. But not long ago, things were very different. This account of the Stonewall Riots of 1969, including what life was like in the years leading up to them, recounts the beginnings of the LGBTQ+ rights movement in the United States, a movement that’s more active today than ever before.
Buy it: The Stonewall Riots
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer
In the United States, even the poorest communities have running water and electricity. Teens will be fascinated by this story of a Malawi boy determined to bring both to his village by piecing together a windmill from spare parts and the knowledge in some old textbooks. It’s a true testament to perseverance, optimism, and a willingness to work hard to make your own and others’ lives better.
Buy it: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
All Boys Aren’t Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto by George M. Johnson
Being queer is challenging enough for many teens, but being Black made things even harder for author Johnson. This memoir explores their experiences growing up through trials and triumphs. For other queer Black folks, it presents hope for a better future. For everyone else, Johnson’s story is a clear call to help make that better future a reality.
Don’t forget to grab your free printable list of these nonfiction books for teens!
