Are you looking for reading recommendations for teens? We can help! Visit us in person or online to get great ideas for your next great read. For one-on-one help call or ask a Library staff member at any of our locations. You can also call, text, or email ask-a- librarian! Here are some more ideas to help you find what to read next.
- Hoosier Next Read is a personalized book recommendation service from The Indianapolis Public Library. Share your reading preferences, and our Library staff will send you a custom list of 2–5 titles within 7 business days so you’ll always have your next great read ready.
- Follow our staff’s most recently published book lists on the library catalog home page.
- Don’t miss our If You Like… suggestions that cover all the favorite genres like science fiction, graphic novels, romance, and more.
- Join us Sunday nights at 8:30 p.m. on Facebook for Currently Reading where book enthusiasts offer their suggestions.
- Catch book recommendations and Library program highlights from your own local librarians once a month on the Indy Now Morning Show with Ryan and Jillian on Fox59. The show airs at 10 a.m. on Wednesdays. Browse our past appearances.
- You can also get reading recommendations online from NovelList or Book Connections. Read book reviews, see “read alike” lists, browse starred reviews, and more.
Make a selection from one of the book lists below created by our staff of avid readers whose reading experiences and tastes cover about any interest you can think of!
Play Your Way! May 30 – August 1
Grab your friends and grab a book because it’s time for Summer Reading at The Indianapolis Public Library! The Library is the ultimate playground for creativity, imagination, and discovery whether you’re a beginning reader or a bookworm. Join the adventure, learn something new, and become a lifelong reader! Learn more about the 2026 Summer Reading Program.
Staff Picks
Video Game Fiction for Teens
Fiction and video games allow us to be protagonists in our own stories, build communities, and face difficult challenges. Explore the virtual world, where anything is possible, with these video game sci-fi, fantasy, and drama fiction titles for teens.
If You Like K-Pop Demon Hunters
The film K-Pop Demon Hunters (KPDH), streaming on Netflix, has become an international sensation. The film appeals to all audiences with an action-packed, pop-culture fantasy based in Korean folklore and a great soundtrack.
In KPDH, a trio of Korean pop stars fight against demons and use their voices to protect the human world from evil. When a group of demons enter the human world and start to cause trouble with a K-pop group of their own, the two groups clash. Both sides harbor dark secrets and whoever triumphs in this complicated battle between good and evil will control the fate of countless souls.
Themes of the film include hidden identity, loss of identity, self-sacrifice, self-acceptance, redemption, and found family. If you cannot get enough of the story and do not want to wait for the inevitable sequel, check out these teen fiction titles that feature similar themes and appeal factors.
Iyashikei Manga – Cozy, Healing Stories
Feeling stressed? Relax with a cozy, healing manga. Iyashikei (??? – literally translated as “healing”) manga are typically peaceful, slice-of-life stories with very little conflict. They are created to be comforting and are often set in an alternative reality or fantasy-like world. The focus of iyashikei tends to be more about world-building than plot, so check out one of these titles if you’re looking for a soothing escape from reality!
Newly Published Middle Grade Horror
It doesn’t have to be October to enjoy a spooky story. Check out these newly published middle-grade horror novels. These novels have been published within the past year or so, and five of these novels made the 2025 Bram Stoker Awards® Final Ballot and are nominated for Superior Achievement in a Middle Grade Novel. #indyPLKids
Queer and Neurodivergent Teens
Why pick just one spectrum?
Resources for Playing Dungeons & Dragons
Updated for the 2024 edition! All the handbooks and resources you need to play the most well-known, table-top role-playing game.
Who’s That Pokémon?! & Other Questions
This list is for all of our patrons who can’t get enough of Pokémon! Check out our top books on this world as Pokémon turns 30 — books about crafts, history, game guides, and even our most popular Pokémon movies! This list doesn’t include very many of our children’s Pokémon series, but that’s okay — we have a list for that, too!
100 Books Before Graduation
Read 100 books before graduating from high school and receive prizes as you work toward your goal. Prizes will be awarded after reading 10, 25, 50, 75 and 100 books! Most importantly, students will expand their mind, vocabulary, critical thinking, and test scores! This program is for students in grades 7-12. Learn more about 100 Books Before Graduation and register.