8 Most Popular Young Adult Book Series - Learning From Literature

I set out to create a young adult book list featuring all my favorites — but once I added the must-includes (like Harry Potter), it quickly became too long for one post. So, I’ve decided to break it up and start with the most iconic titles.

Each entry includes the books in the series, a bit of background, and an intro to the first book — spoiler-free!

Enjoy!

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

In the dystopian nation of Panem, the Capitol exercises absolute control over twelve districts, each forced into a specific industry based on local resources and tightly governed through public punishments, constant surveillance, and a strict ban on inter-district travel. Wealth and privilege are concentrated in the Capitol and diminish with each successive district, from the opulence of District 1 to the poverty of District 12, reflecting a stark and deliberate social hierarchy.

To reinforce its dominance, the Capitol hosts the annual Hunger Games – a televised spectacle where one boy and one girl from each district must fight to the death in a high-tech, ever-changing arena for the entertainment of the Capitol’s citizens. In District 12, sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her younger sister’s place when she is chosen as tribute for the 74th Games, an act of love that sets her on a path of survival and resistance. She is joined by Peeta Mellark, a fellow tribute who once saved her family from starvation, and whose unexpected public confession of love complicates their alliance as they are thrust into the national spotlight and forced to navigate the Capitol’s deadly game.

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The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Thomas awakens in a rising metal elevator with no memory except his name, emerging into the Glade – a mysterious, self-sustaining enclosure governed by teenage boys who, like him, remember nothing of their past lives. Surrounded by immense concrete walls, the Glade borders a vast and shifting Maze, patrolled by elite Runners searching daily for an exit while avoiding the monstrous Grievers that prowl at night when the gates seal shut, making survival outside impossible.

Routine is shattered with the sudden arrival of Teresa, the first girl ever sent to the Glade, carrying a cryptic message: “She’s the last one. Ever.” Her presence triggers disturbing changes—the Maze shifts unpredictably, supplies vanish, and the once-secure Glade is breached by deadly Grievers. As panic spreads, Thomas is plagued by unsettling familiarity and a growing connection to Teresa, driving him to recover his lost memories and unravel the truth behind the Maze. The boys must band together, facing mounting peril and uncertainty, in a desperate struggle to survive and uncover the purpose of their imprisonment.

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Harry Potter by JK Rowling

Living with his cruel and neglectful relatives, Harry Potter’s ordinary and joyless life is upended on his eleventh birthday when a half-giant named Hagrid delivers a letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, revealing that Harry is, in fact, a wizard. He learns that his parents were killed by the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, whose failed attempt to murder Harry as a baby left him with a lightning-shaped scar.

At Hogwarts, new students are sorted into one of four Houses – Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin – each defined by core traits like bravery, loyalty, wisdom, or ambition; Harry is placed in Gryffindor, where he quickly forms deep friendships and begins to uncover his identity. As he adjusts to magical life, Harry discovers unsettling clues about Voldemort’s dark intentions. With the help of his loyal friends, he confronts the shadows of his past and begins to understand his role in a much larger battle between light and darkness.

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The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis

Evacuated from war-torn London in 1940, the Pevensie siblings – Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy – are sent to live in a grand countryside estate owned by Professor Kirke, where young Lucy discovers a magical wardrobe that leads to the enchanted world of Narnia, a land under the icy grip of the cruel White Witch. Though her siblings initially dismiss her story, Edmund soon stumbles into Narnia himself and, tempted by the Witch’s promises of power and luxury, agrees to lure his siblings to her.

When all four children eventually enter Narnia together, they find themselves entangled in an ancient prophecy and a mounting war between the Witch’s forces and those led by Aslan, the noble lion and rightful ruler of Narnia. As the siblings confront betrayal, forge unlikely alliances, and rise to their foretold roles as leaders, they are swept into a sweeping tale of magic, redemption, and the enduring power of courage and unity in the face of darkness.

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Percy Jackson & The Olympians by Rick Riordan

Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson masterfully blends Greek mythology with the modern world, where gods dwell atop the Empire State Building and ancient monsters lurk in city shadows, threatening the lives of unsuspecting demigod children. Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson, living with his mother in New York City, uncovers his true heritage during a terrifying museum field trip when he fends off a Fury with a mystical sword and learns from his satyr friend Grover that he’s the son of a Greek god.

Targeted by monsters drawn to his divine bloodline, Percy is taken to Camp Half-Blood, a sanctuary for young demigods, where he learns of the forbidden pact among the Big Three – Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades – to avoid fathering more powerful children. When Poseidon claims Percy as his son and Zeus’s master lightning bolt goes missing, suspicion and tension ignite among the gods. To prevent an all-out war on Olympus, Percy embarks on a perilous quest to recover the stolen bolt, confronting mythical threats and unraveling the complexities of his identity.

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The 39 Clues by Multiple Authors

Written by a team of acclaimed authors and geared toward young adult readers, The 39 Clues series follows siblings Amy and Dan Cahill as they are thrust into a high-stakes global scavenger hunt after their grandmother’s death, forced to choose between a million dollars or a chance to uncover the family’s powerful secret. Choosing the Hunt, they soon learn that the Cahills are no ordinary family – their ancestors have shaped world history, and hidden clues point toward a mysterious serum said to create the most powerful person on Earth, though its nature remains unknown.

As Amy and Dan compete against ruthless relatives from rival branches – Ekaterina, Tomas, Janus, Lucian, and the elusive Madrigals – the race turns deadly, riddled with sabotage, shifting alliances, and near-fatal betrayals. Their journey becomes a whirlwind of cryptic puzzles and historical secrets, stretching across continents as they attempt to uncover the truth behind their family’s vast legacy.

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Conspiracy 365 by Gabrielle Lord

On New Year’s Eve, teenager Callum Ormond is warned by a frantic stranger that “they” killed his father and will come for him next unless he goes into hiding for the next 365 days – a warning cut short as the man is hauled away by medics, muttering something cryptic called “The Ormond Singularity.” Hours later, Cal and his uncle Rafe narrowly survive a shipwreck, with Cal battling sharks before being airlifted to safety, only to return home and find their house ransacked.

As kidnappings, cryptic clues, and near-death encounters escalate, Cal becomes a fugitive, with only one year to uncover the truth about his family and the powerful conspiracy threatening his life. Told in a gripping countdown format – one book per month, one day at a time – the Conspiracy 365 series immerses readers in a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat thriller.

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The Giver by Lois Lowry

In a tightly regulated society where every choice – from careers to family – is predetermined, 12-year-old Jonas awaits the Ceremony of Twelve, where each child is assigned their lifelong role; to his shock, he is selected as the next Receiver of Memory, a rare and revered position. Under the guidance of the Giver, Jonas begins training that unlocks vivid memories of a forgotten world – filled with snow, colors, love, pain, and loss – experiences long purged from the Community in its pursuit of sameness and control.

As Jonas absorbs both the wonder and suffering of humanity’s past, he grows increasingly disturbed by the sterile, emotionless existence around him and begins to see the high cost of conformity. When he learns that his infant brother is slated for euthanasia, Jonas is faced with an agonizing choice that will challenge everything he’s been taught.

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The Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan

The Heroes of Olympus series continues the world of Percy Jackson by weaving Greek and Roman mythology into a high-stakes saga where the gods possess dual identities and their demigod children are divided between two rival camps: Camp Half-Blood for the Greeks and Camp Jupiter for the Romans. The hostility between these factions runs so deep it’s said to have helped ignite the American Civil War.

The story begins with Jason Grace waking up on a school bus with no memory of who he is, accompanied by his supposed girlfriend and best friend. Their field trip is violently interrupted by a storm spirit attack, during which Jason displays surprising powers and combat skills.

Jason, Piper, and Leo are brought to Camp Half-Blood, where they learn they’re Greek demigods, but Jason’s Roman background hints at a deeper mystery. When the Earth goddess Gaea captures Hera, the trio is sent on a perilous quest to rescue her. Along the way, hidden truths emerge – Jason’s past, Gaea’s rising threat, and Percy’s fate setting the stage for a sweeping conflict.

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