Gift Guide

Books for Teens Who Hate Reading

Gift ideas for the teenager who "doesn't like books": fast, high-stakes stories with cliffhanger chapters and characters their own age, many with a movie or series to compare afterward.

Most teens who say they hate reading actually hate assigned reading. The cure is a book that feels like their choice: short chapters, a hook on page one and stakes that matter to someone their age.

Every pick here is fast and hooky. Several start a series, which is the point: if the first one lands, the next three are an easy sell.

Published October 27, 2026

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The Hunger Games

by Suzanne Collins

5/5

The safest bet on the list. A survival competition, a fierce narrator and chapters that end on a cliff. If they've only seen the movies, the book is faster and darker.

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Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief

by Rick Riordan

4/5

For younger teens and anyone who likes to laugh. Greek gods meet a sarcastic twelve-year-old, and the series runs long enough to build a reading habit.

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We Were Liars

by E. Lockhart

4/5

For the teen who loves a twist. It's short, eerie and built around a reveal people love to argue about. Best for older teens.

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The Maze Runner

by James Dashner

3/5

For the action-movie fan. Teens wake up in a maze with no memories, and the mystery keeps the pages turning.

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Legend

by Marie Lu

4/5

For the Hunger Games graduate. A prodigy and a wanted criminal on opposite sides of a dystopian Republic, told in alternating chapters.

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Ender's Game

by Orson Scott Card

4/5

For the gamer. A gifted kid trains at a military battle school in orbit, and the ending is one of science fiction's famous twists.

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The Giver

by Lois Lowry

5/5

For the younger reader who wants something short and big. A perfect-seeming community with a dark secret, in under 250 pages.

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Six of Crows

by Leigh Bardugo

5/5

For the teen who loves a heist movie. Six misfits, one impossible job and a crew with great banter.

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The Hate U Give

by Angie Thomas

5/5

For the teen who wants a story that feels real. A powerful, current novel about a girl who witnesses a police shooting. Best for older teens.

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All Systems Red

by Martha Wells

4/5

For the reluctant reader who needs a quick win. A novella about a security robot that would rather watch TV than talk to people, readable in a weekend.

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The Martian

by Andy Weir

4/5

For the science-minded older teen. Funny, technical and tense, with a movie to watch after. Note that it has plenty of salty language.

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The Perks of Being a Wallflower

by Stephen Chbosky

4/5

For the quiet, thoughtful teen. Told in letters, it's short and honest about growing up. Best for older teens.

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How to Choose

Start from what they already love on screens. Fans of survival shows and dystopian movies go for The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner or Legend; gamers for Ender's Game; heist-movie fans for Six of Crows; and teens who like a laugh for Percy Jackson or All Systems Red.

Shorter is safer for a first win. The Giver and All Systems Red are short enough to finish before the excitement fades.

Age Notes

Percy Jackson, The Giver and The Hunger Games suit younger teens. We Were Liars, The Hate U Give, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Six of Crows, All Systems Red and The Martian are better for older teens because of mature themes, violence or language. When in doubt, read the first chapter yourself in the store or with a free sample.

Books for Teens Who Hate Reading

Books on this list

How to Choose

Age Notes

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