Books about identity for teens

A stunning, joyful, coming-of-age story, set in Nigeria, that vibrates with the same energy as the city of Lagos itself.

Al’s mum is back in prison again – and Al thinks it’s their neighbour’s fault, so he plots revenge with his beloved pet rats, Venom and Vulture. A moving insight into the world of a young boy affected by poverty, neglect and crime, who eventually learns to trust. 

If people think you are bad news, what do you have to do to prove them wrong? And if they think you’re bad news regardless of what you do, what’s the point in trying to be better? 

This funny yet thought-provoking exploration of the nature of friendship and learning to live in the present is a great coming-of-age story, with a cast of diverse characters and an interesting mother-daughter relationship.

A funny, thought-provoking story that challenges gender stereotypes, explores different ideas of family and acknowledges the difficulty that can be experienced by a young man coming to terms with his sexuality.

Part cautionary tale and part punchy, coming-of-age story, Boy vs Realiy exposes the pressure an online presence can bring and how badly it can sometimes warp life in the real world. 

The start of secondary school has been hard for Hattie. Her best friend has found someone else, and now a family friend Seren has come to stay and she feels pushed out. Follow her as she negotiates these challenges in this warm, witty and accessible illustrated book. 

Everyone at school knows Harriet Manners is a geek.

This timely and excellent book explores what it means to be a man in today’s society. It poses thought-provoking questions to develop readers’ critical thinking skills, and will give them the confidence to question conventions and stereotypes. 

Anton is the King of Year 9, but he’s forced to hang out with the school’s biggest loser. A hilarious coming-of-age story.

When Sam invents a new game, no one dares defy him even though they all think it’s a bad idea. A compelling, accessible, dyslexia-friendly story of male friendship that packs a huge amount into just over 100 pages.

Do you hate reading aloud in front of other people? Do you never put your hand up because you can’t stand everyone looking at you? Well, Storm feels exactly like that.

The Hate U Give is rightly named by many critics as one of the most important books of 2017. It’s a profound, deeply compelling modern-day classic that explores race in America.

From fast-paced football matches to school and family drama, this novel written in verse has something for everyone and will grip reluctant readers from page one.

Funny and heart-warming, this diary is an ode to celebrating yourself just as you are.