Advertisement
Books

Top 5 books featuring teenage friendships

Paper Avalanche author Lisa Williamson recommends the best stories addressing those peculiarly intense friendships experienced in your teenage years

The Bodyby Stephen King

“I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was 12 – Jesus, did you?” As a teenager, I was obsessed with the 1986 film Stand By Me and its depiction of the loyalty and intensity that makes adolescent friendships so special. The novella on which it is based adds extra meat to the timeless story.

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

This World War 2 drama unravels the intense and ultimately tragic friendship between pilot Maddie and Queenie, a spy who is caught by the Gestapo while undercover in enemy territory. Utterly gripping.

Piglettesby Clémentine Beauvais

When Mireille, Hakima and Astrid are awarded the bronze, silver and gold ‘trotters’ for being the ‘ugliest’ girls in the school, they unite and embark on an unforgettable road trip to Paris. The misfit friendship they develop along the way is a joy to witness.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Everything, Everythingby Nicola Yoon

Thanks to a rare form of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency, Maddy is confined to the four walls of house with only her mother for company. Until Olly moves next door and the two begin to communicate by email. A compelling, tender depiction of the transition between friendship and romance.

Fierce Fragile Heartsby Sara Barnard

Barnard is a master at capturing the complexities and contradictions of teenage friendships. This follow-up to her 2016 hit Beautiful Broken Things explores friendships old and new as care leaver Suzanne adapts to adult life.

Paper Avalanche by Lisa Williamson is out now (David Fickling, £7.99)

Advertisement

Sign our petition to keep people in their homes

Urgent action is needed to prevent even more people being pushed into homelessness.  A secure home is the first step in addressing the cruel cycle of poverty to ensure people can fulfil their potential. Join us to keep people in their homes.

Recommended for you

Read All
Why we all need to fall back in love with rail travel
Rail journeys

Why we all need to fall back in love with rail travel

Land of Milk and Honey by C Pam Zhang review – the politics of food
Books

Land of Milk and Honey by C Pam Zhang review – the politics of food

Pioneering supermodel with Down's syndrome Ellie Goldstein shares her most empowering life lessons
Interview

Pioneering supermodel with Down's syndrome Ellie Goldstein shares her most empowering life lessons

Globe making is a dying skill, but I'm keeping the tradition going
Craftspeople

Globe making is a dying skill, but I'm keeping the tradition going

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Here's when people will get the second cost of living payment in 2023
3.

Here's when people will get the second cost of living payment in 2023

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue
4.

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue