In Year 9 and stuck for something to read? Here are 37 of our favourite books or series to get you started. Don’t forget to talk to your school librarian as well — they’re experts on all things bookishly good!

Updated May 2020

  1. I am not Esther, I am Rebecca, and Being Magdalene, Fleur Beale (New Zealand/Coming-of-Age)
  2. Juno (series), Fleur Beale (New Zealand/Dystopian)
  3. The Hunger Games (series), Suzanne Collins (Dystopian/Science Fiction)
  4. The Underland Chronicles (series), Suzanne Collins (Fantasy)
  5. The Maze Runner (series), James Dashner (Dystopian/Science Fiction)
  6. The Wardstone Chronicles (series), Joseph Delaney (Fantasy/Horror)
  7. Alex: The Quartet (series), Tessa Duder (New Zealand/Sport)
  8. Ranger’s Apprentice (series), John Flanagan (Fantasy)
  9. Inkheart (trilogy), Cornelia Funke (Fantasy)
  10. Coraline, Neil Gaiman (Fantasy/Horror)
  11. Gone (series), Michael Grant (Dystopian/Science Fiction)
  12. Theodore Boone (series), John Grisham (Mystery)
  13. Department 19 (series), Will Hill (Paranormal/Horror)
  14. The Outsiders, S. E. Hinton (Coming-of-age)
  15. Alex Rider (series), Anthony Horowitz (Spy/Thriller)
  16. Karazan Quartet (series), V. M. Jones (New Zealand/Fantasy)
  17. Legend (series), Marie Lu (Dystopian/Science Fiction)
  18. Tomorrow (series), John Marsden (Action/Adventure)
  19. Chasing the Valley (series), Skye Melki-Wegner (Fantasy)
  20. Twilight Saga (series), Stephanie Meyer (Paranormal/Romance)
  21. CHERUB (series), Robert Muchamore (Spy)
  22. Henderson’s Boys (series), Robert Muchamore (Spy/Historical)
  23. Inheritance (series), Christopher Paolini (Fantasy)
  24. Maximum Ride (series), James Patterson (Thriller/Fantasy)
  25. Hatchet (series), Gary Paulsen (Survival)
  26. Chronicles of Ancient Darkness (series), Michelle Paver (Fantasy/Historical)
  27. The Book of Dust (series), Philip Pullman (Fantasy)
  28. Mortal Engines (series), Philip Reeve (Science Fiction)
  29. Heroes of Olympus (series), Rick Riordan (Fantasy/Adventure)
  30. Percy Jackson and the Olympians (series), Rick Riordan (Fantasy/Adventure)
  31. Divergent (series), Veronica Roth (Dystopian/Science Fiction)
  32. Holes, Louis Sachar (Adventure)
  33. The Saga of Darren Shan (series), Darren Shan (Horror)
  34. Geek Girl (series), Holly Smale (General)
  35. When You Reach Me, Rebecca Stead (Mystery/Science Fiction)
  36. Bartimaeus (trilogy), Jonathan Stroud (Fantasy)
  37. Through My Eyes (series), various authors (General)