One of my favorite parts of being the teen services librarian is connecting teens with books they are excited to read. Readers advisory is a library service to create personal book recommendations for patrons based on their interests and purpose. I love getting to know what PPL teens are interested in and helping them explore the library’s diverse collections.
Many patrons are not aware of the many library resources available to them when looking for book recommendations, and we in Youth Services often hear the same questions by teens and their parents. Here are a few of the most common teen readers advisory questions and staff-created booklists to address them:
- I love to read long series and I’ve read everything. Do you have any more suggestions?
For the eager readers who devour entire series faster than you can recommend them, I suggest checking out the Epically Long Middle Grade Series booklist. Each series listed consists of at least five books, and each book is several hundred pages long. This is also a great resource for readers who already read some of these series to find something similar.
- I’ve read all the [Popular Author/Series] books. Do you have anything similar?
Our Book List Browser is full of lists like If you like Jenny Han and If you like The Inheritance Games. Readalikes are easy ways to find new books similar to those you’ve enjoyed before.
- I read this book everyone is talking about on TikTok. What else is trending?
BookTok is a driving force in the book industry, and a lot of teens are getting book recommendations through TikTok. Our YA BookTok Reads booklist has currently trending titles that are having their moment online.
- My teen only wants to read manga. How do I get them to read novels?
Did you know they make novels based on manga series? Termed “light novels,” these books are usually shorter, more accessible stories that make them a great transition for reluctant readers. They are based on popular series with favorite characters, so manga readers won’t want to miss these bonus stories. Check out the YA Light Novels Based on Fave Manga list for some suggestions. We also have a display by the teen manga!
- Do you have recommendations for YA books without sexual content or violence that is appropriate for a middle school student?
Clean Teen highlights books that are appropriate for middle school students who are interested in YA fiction, and it is helpful when looking for books without sexual content or violence. These topics tend to be geared for older teens and can be difficult to identify when browsing for books.
- My teen is a slower reader. Which books would be good to introduce them to YA level books?
Not many people are familiar with Hi-Lo books, so I hope sharing the Hi-Lo for Teens booklist gets them more attention. Short for “high interest, low readability,” Hi-Lo books are designed to appeal to teen interests at a more accessible reading level. These books are excellent tools for introducing teens to YA books for those at a lower reading level, with dyslexia, or even learning English as a second language. They are often short, feature dyslexia-friendly fonts, and include extra white space to make the reading experience easier.
- I’m not familiar with manga, but my teenager loves it. What are some age-appropriate series they might like?
Don’t worry, we have a whole booklist for Popular Teen Manga. Teen manga is consistently in the top 10 most checked out teen books every year, and we’ve highlighted some of the most talked about series. Just note that you may need to place some of them on hold since everyone wants to read them.
Looking for more recommendations? Check out Bibliocommons for more booklists, such as Top 10 of 2025, Gift of Books, Wintry Reads for Teens, and my personal recommendation list Jen’s Picks. Readers can also access the NoveList Plus readers’ advisory database with a library card. Get personalized book recommendations through PPL’s BookMatch service, which generates a librarian-created, curated list of books tailored to each request.
If you or your teen are looking for new book suggestions, check out these resources on our website. Of course, you are always welcome to visit the Youth Services desk on the third floor, and we’ll be happy to help.