Non-Fiction Books for Teens

In the first half of the 20th century, it was widely believed that running a four-minute mile was impossible. However, after having disappointing finishes in the 1952 Olympics, three runners dedicated themselves to breaking that barrier: Roger Bannister from Britain, John Landy from Australia, and Wes Santee from America. Which athlete would break the four-minute marker first? This YA adaptation of The Perfect Mile combines running history with fast-paced action, making for an inspiring read for any teenager interested in sports. 

This comprehensive guide is an excellent resource for older teens who want to work in the competitive sports industry. Leaders in sports broadcasting, writing, photography, marketing, scouting, analytics, and more share how they got started and offer unique insights about working in their field. Readers learn how team photographers capture memorable shots, how team owners become great leaders, how sports agents negotiate, and how reporters deal with interviewing emotional athletes. Ideal for high school students, the guide is full of practical and actionable advice for launching a career in sports.  

Trust the Grind is an inspiring book for teenage athletes who want to understand how the best athletes achieve success. The author interviews professional athletes across eleven sports, including basketball, golf, football, and hockey, and examines the habits and practices that helped these athletes reach the top. While most interviews are with male athletes, the profiles of Olympic bronze medalist Deena Kastor and mixed martial artist Paige VanZant are some of the best in the book.

This insightful book from Ojibwe author and professor Anton Treuer explores the often misunderstood aspects of Native American culture in an engaging, encouraging, and conversational Q&A style. The book covers various topics, from terminology and tribal history to social activism and spirituality. The author doesn’t hesitate to remind readers that his opinion does not reflect the views of an entire nation, but his responses to even the most offensive questions–such as “Why do Indians have so many kids?”– are thoughtful and well-researched. This book is an essential nonfiction choice for any teenage reader.

Most teenagers know that pollution significantly damages the environment, but what about information pollution in our virtual environments? This book urges readers to consider how misinformation harms individuals and society, using ecological metaphors to help teens reflect on their online world. By thinking ecologically, readers better understand the connections between technology, networks, and themselves. The book demonstrates this by examining the experiences of teenagers who have dealt with stressors and controversies that come with sharing on social media. This book is invaluable for teenagers who want to make decisions that create healthier online environments.

Rising Class is a narrative nonfiction book that chronicles the experiences of three first-generation college students during their freshman year, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Although Briani, Conner, and Jacklynn navigate different college experiences, they all deal with the evergreen challenges of making friends and dealing with academic pressures. However, as first-generation students, they confront additional challenges, including imposter syndrome and family pressures. Rising Class also highlights the resource disparities often present between first-year students and their more privileged classmates. The book beautifully captures the students’ emotions during a turbulent year and ends on a hopeful note.

The Movie Book is the latest in DK’s Big Ideas Simply Explained, an award-winning series that explores complex topics in easily understandable ways. With engaging text and graphics, this visual guide is an introduction to the fascinating history of cinema, showcasing 100 of the best films ever made – from timeless classics to modern sci-fi. The book includes biographies of actors and actresses, narrative timelines, and famous quotes. Teen movie buffs can explore their favorite films visually through mind, diagrams, and posters. The Movie Book is a perfect addition to any coffee table and makes a great gift.

This companion guide to MIT App Inventor teaches teenagers how to create and publish their mobile applications, regardless of experience.  Engaging graphics and vivid diagrams take readers step-by-step through creating six different apps, ranging from a working piano to a maze game and a functional chat app. Each app builds on the skills learned in the previous one, becoming progressively more detailed. Additionally, the book highlights stories of young inventors who have created apps that positively impact their communities, including an inspiring foreword from Gitanjali Rao, a teen scientist and app inventor who was recognized as Time Magazine’s first-ever Kid of the Year.

This guide to managing money, specifically for teenage girls, teaches readers how to establish healthy financial habits. The book is full of eye-catching illustrations and explains topics like budgeting, saving, and investing in an accessible, relatable way. “Crown jewels” summarize the essential points at the end of each chapter, and the entire book is written in an uplifting, empowered voice–a refreshing change from other financial guides! Cash is Queen is a vital resource for a society that neglects financial education, especially for women, and would make an excellent gift for any young reader.

Award-winning cartoonist Lynda Barry takes readers on a creative journey, emphasizing that drawing is a language we are all fluent in–if we let ourselves remember. Making Comics examines children’s art, noticing how drawings may start as one thing but evolve into something else and that stories show up on their own as children draw. Barry emphasizes that artistic skill isn’t as important as sincerity and bravery when it comes to making comics. Any teenager would love this book, but it will especially appeal to those who love art but lack confidence in their own work.

This teen writer’s guide offers an insider’s look into becoming a published author. It features interviews with numerous YA writers and delves deeply into key aspects of crafting a compelling story, such as plot development, worldbuilding, creating conflict, and crafting memorable characters. Additionally, the book gives young readers a realistic look at the book publishing industry. The author emphasizes the importance of exploring different approaches to storytelling and finding joy in writing. While there are plenty of writing guides, Dear Ally stands out as a comprehensive and inspirational resource.

In Limbo is a graphic novel memoir by Deb JJ Lee about a Korean-American girl who has always acutely felt her “otherness.” She experiences intense pressure during high school to find her place among changing friendships and interests. Deb’s abusive mother makes her home life chaotic and unpredictable, and Deb feels trapped. Her mental health deteriorates, resulting in a suicide attempt (another earlier attempt is also mentioned). However, Deb uses her love of art to slowly begin to heal and understand her heritage, her family, and herself. (Note: the author’s pronouns are they/them, but Deb is gendered as she/her, which the author said reflects that period in their life).

This graphic novel debuts sixteen-year-old Christine’s solo trip to Mexico to visit extended family. Christine struggles to find common ground with their grandmother and aunts, especially since they don’t speak the same language. This book explores the complexity of families, traditions, and personal identity through a warm, welcoming lens. The graphic novel format works well here–a smaller drawing of Christine on each page narrates their internal thoughts and draws the reader in. Teens caught between two worlds will feel connected to Christine and invested in their experience.

The young adult adaptation of the bestselling memoir of the husband of a former presidential candidate, I Have Something to Tell You, is one man’s story about growing up gay in his small Midwestern town. When Chasten Glezman Buttigieg was a boy, he didn’t quite fit in. He felt different from his father, brothers, and friends. He wanted desperately to belong, so when he realized he was gay, he kept it secret for a long and painful time. Chasten finally realized that truly embracing his authentic self was the only forward. The author tells his story openly and warmly, encouraging young readers to be kind to themselves and reminding them that they are never alone.

Saving Earth is a powerful account of human involvement in climate change, explaining the decisions contributing to the world’s current crisis. The book looks unflinching at our past failures and examines the future for younger generations. While the book doesn’t shy away from past damage, the stories of young climate activists lend a hopeful look at what can be an anxiety-provoking issue for many young people. Saving Earth asks readers to reflect on how we understand our world and how we can collaborate to create a more positive outlook for our planet.

In his graphic novel Hidden Systems, author Dan Nott explores water, electricity, and the internet–three fundamental systems that are often overlooked–to discover what’s hidden beneath the surface. Drawings and straightforward explanations explain how these hidden systems work and highlight their histories, inequities, and future potential. When readers are learning about a complex topic, visuals help increase comprehension, so the graphic novel format works exceptionally well here.

Longlisted for the National Book Award, this stunning visual guide explores the history of the moon landing. Collage illustrations and individual profiles highlight unsung heroes–the engineers, mathematicians, welders, seamstresses, and factory workers whose innovation and hard work allowed NASA to achieve a historic accomplishment. Science-minded teens will love the explanations of rocket science concepts through the author’s detailed diagrams and technical drawings. This is an excellent reference book for any middle or high school science or social studies classroom.