Helen Hall Library Guides: Teen Services: Collections

Teen nonfiction, also known as young adult (YA) nonfiction, is based on facts, real people, and real events but is written in a similar style to teen fiction, making it more appealing and relatable to teens. It covers the same topics as children's or adult nonfiction, and is told in a variety of formats such as comic, scrapbook, or verse. It's not just for book reports anymore! Teen nonfiction features hot-button issues, high interest topics, and leisure reads to provide reliable sources and keep readers informed.

Click the links below to explore different types of nonfiction in our Teen Collection! For our main catalog page, click here.

Teen fiction, known as young adult (YA) fiction, is fiction written for, published for, or marketed to ages 12 to 18.
Teen fiction, whether in the form of novels or short stories, has attributes that distinguish it from the other age categories of fiction. The majority of teen fiction portrays a teen as the protagonist, rather than an adult or a child. The subject matter and story lines are typically consistent with the age and experience of the main character, but teen fiction spans the entire spectrum of fiction genres. The settings of teen fiction are limited only by the imagination and skill of the author.
Themes in teen fiction often focus on the challenges of youth. This happens so often that the entire age category is sometimes referred to as problem novels or coming of age novel. Writing styles of teen fiction range widely, from the richness of literary style to the clarity and speed. Despite its unique characteristics, teen fiction shares the fundamental elements of fiction with other stories: character, plot, setting, theme, and style.