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This page is an extension of our popular page called “Clean YA books for teens, tweens, or anyone.” One of the common requests we receive from that page is clean book recommendations for teen boys, so we’ve compiled a list of clean YA reads that are teen boy-approved.

There are two sections to this page:

For the reader-recommended section, we haven’t read each of the titles listed, but rather, some were suggestions from trusted websites as well as from our awesome readers.

Please share your recommendations below in the comments! We’d love for this list to grow quickly since our readers ask us for it often. We are particularly looking for non-fantasy titles.

Also, see our editor-recommended Clean YA books for teens, tweens, or anyone for more ideas.


Please join our mailing list for readers who are looking for clean teen books:

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Editor-Recommended Clean Books for Teen Boys:

The Reckoners Series
steelheart

The Ascendance Trilogy
the false prince

The Riyria Revelations
The Riyria Revelations

The Chase
the chase

The Stormlight Archive
way of kings

Ashlords
ashlords

The Inheritance Cycle series by Christopher Paolini 
eragon

Peak
peak

Nyxia
nyxia

Editor-Recommended books with elevated violence only

Wolf Soldier (*violence warning*)
wolf soldier

Ender’s Game (*violence warning*)
enders game

The Hunger Games (*violence warning*)
hunger games

Maze Runner (*violence warning*)
maze runner

Mortal Engines (*violence warning*)
mortal engines

Devastation Class (*some violence*)
Devastation Class


Reader-Recommended Clean Books for Boys:

The Martian (Classroom Edition)

Peter Nimble duology by Jonathan Auxier

Thief of Always by Clive Barker

The Witch’s Boy by Kelly Barnhill

The Door Within trilogy by Wayne Thomas Batson

Isle of Swords series by Wayne Thomas Batson

Peter and the Starcatchers series by Dave Berry

Hostage: Bodyguard series by Chris Bradford

The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubraker Bradley

The Heritage of Shannara by Terry Brooks

Mickey Bolitar series by Harlan Coben

Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer

Dragons in Our Midst series by Bryan Davis

Echoes from the Edge trilogy by Bryan Davis

The Young Refugees series by Ed Dunlop

Michael Vey series by Richard Paul Evans

The Brotherband Chronicles by John Flanagan

The Ranger’s Apprentice series by John Flanagan

The Blackhope Enigma trilogy by Teresa Flavin

The Heir of Ariad by Niki Florica

Spy School series by Stuart Gibbs

The Half Bad trilogy by Sally Green

Theodore Boone series by John Grisham

The Shadow Children series by Margaret Peterson Haddix

The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy

Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz

The Seer: The Kalila Chronicles by Erin R. Howard

Red Rock Mysteries by Jerry B. Jenkins (probably not for older teens)

Children of the Lamp series by P. B. Kerr (probably not for older teens)

Young Sherlock Holmes series by Andy Lane

The King Raven Trilogy by Stephen Lawhead

Dreamhouse Kings series by Robert Lipanulo

The Giver series by Lois Lowry

The Unwanteds series by Lisa McMann

Greenglass House series by Kate Milford

The Beyonders Trilogy by Brandon Mull (some violence)

Dragonwatch series by Brandon Mull

The Five Kingdoms Quintet by Brandon Mull (some violence but not as much as Beyonders)

Eli by Bill Myers

Forbidden Doors series by Bill Myers

The God Hater by Bill Myers

Galendor trilogy by W. Eric Myers

Children of the Red King series by Jenny Nimmo

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Dragon Keepers series by Donita K. Paul

The Cooper Kids Adventure series by Frank E. Peretti (for younger readers)

Children of the Stars by Freddie Perez

The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson

Track series by Jason Reynolds

Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children series by Ransom Riggs (creepy)

Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan

Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians series by Brandon Sanderson

Arc of a Scythe series by Neal Shusterman (violence)

Bruiser by Neal Shusterman

The Dark Side of Nowhere by Neal Shusterman

Unwind Dystology series by Neal Shusterman

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

The Mysterious Benedict Society series by Trenton Lee Stewart

The Legends of the First Empire series by Michael J. Sullivan

Wings of Fire series by Tui Sutherland

The Boxcar Children series by Gertrude Chandler Warner (for younger readers)

The Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells

The Leviathan trilogy by Scott Westerfeld

Classic Novels

The Man in the Iron Mask by Alexandre Dumas

The Three Musketeers by Alexndre Dumas

Chronicles of Narnia series by C. S. Lewis

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

Dracula by Bram Stoker

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15 thoughts on “Clean Books for boys: teens, tweens, or anyone”

  1. I loved “The Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells” however there is a lot of swearing. The sci-fi aspect is great, as is the character of Murderbot. But I wouldn’t recommend to younger than 16+ (depending on your household rules around swearing, of course).

  2. Has anyone read The Alchemist? I am considering it for my (just) 13 yo son. I am afraid to purchase books without doing major research at this point. I won’t have time to read it before he does for his bookreport.
    He enjoyed the first two CS Lewis books and has read (in school) a couple Percy Jackson books if that helps.

    1. I wish I could help you, but I haven’t read that one. Hopefully, another reader will respond. Good luck!

    2. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho should be fine (depending on the translator, though). There is a little romance, but nothing inappropriate.

  3. -The Kingdom Series and Knights of Arrethteae Series by Chuck Black

    -Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson

  4. Careful with the Wings of Fire series. By book6, they have introduced same sex relationships between dragons and there is a transgender dragon as well in either book 6 or 7.

    1. Thank you , thank you, thank you for this warning!!! I hope it keeps many people from introducing this garbage to their impressionable children.

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