Adolescence is traditionally a time of rebellion, and rightly so. Here are some of our best recommendations for teen books that push back against the policies and ideas being promoted by governments around the world – including our own.

Books that rebel against the patriarchy

• Maresi by Maria Turtschaninoff
• I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
• Eat the Sky, Drink the Ocean edited by Kirsty Murray, Payal Dhar and Anita Roy
• The Disreputable History Of Frankie Landau-Banks by E.L. Lockhart
• Fight Like a Girl by Clementine Ford
• We Should All be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
• Becoming Kirrali Lewis by Jane Harrison
• Glory O'Brien’s History of the Future by A.S. King
• Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu
• Amelia Westlake by Erin Gough

Books that rebel against rape culture

• The Nowhere Girls by Amy Reed
• All the Rage by Courtney Summers
• No Virgin by Anne Cassidy
• Asking for it by Louise O'Neill
• Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
• Summer Skin by Kirsty Eagar

Books that rebel against harsh immigration processes

• When Michael Met Mina by Randa Abdel-Fattah
• The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon
• Nujeen by Nujeen Mustafa with Christina Lamb
• The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
• Trouble Tomorrow by Terry Whitebeach & Sarafino Wani Enadio
• Freedom Swimmer by Wai Chim

Books that rebel against the policing of bodies

• A Sense of the Infinite by Hilary T Smith
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
• Trouble by Non Pratt
• Matched by Ally Condie
• The Selection by Kiera Cass
• The Jewel by Amy Ewing
• Everything Beautiful by Simmone Howell
• Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy

Books that rebel against homophobia, transphobia & biphobia

• Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
• Finding Nevo by Nevo Zisin
• The Sidekicks by Will Kostakis
• Night Swimming by Steph Bowe
• The Flywheel by Erin Gough
• Ida by Alison Evans
• The Boy’s Own Manual To Be Being A Proper Jew by Eli Glasman
• Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith
• Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan
• Our Own Private Universe by Robin Talley
• If You Could be Mine by Sara Farizan

Books that rebel against racism

• The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
• Nona and Me by Clare Atkins
• Burn Baby Burn by Meg Medina
• Sister Heart by Sally Morgan
• Laurinda by Alice Pung
• Becoming Aurora by Elizabeth Kasmer
• Beck by Mal Peet with Meg Rosoff

Books that rebel against climate change denial

• Green Valentine by Lili Wilkinson
• Atmospheric by Carole Wilkinson
• The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi
• Legend by Marie Lu
• Way Down Dark by James P. Smythe
• The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf by Ambelin Kwaymullina
• Guarding Eden by Deborah Hart
• When We Wake by Karen Healey