9 YA Nonfiction Books That Adult Readers Should Pick Up

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Young adult fiction has never been more mainstream for readers of all ages. In fantasy especially, not reading YA means missing out on some of the most exciting, popular, and genre-expanding stories out there. In fact, it’s even become more common for adult readers to incorporate middle grade fiction into their TBRs. There are so many incredible authors writing in all age categories, after all. Plus, YA or middle grade often scratches a different itch than adult; I find nothing more comforting than a middle grade fantasy graphic novel.

At the same time, there are some categories that haven’t caught up with this trend. For example, I strongly believe more adults should read picture books with or without kids, but that’s much more rare than reading YA as an adult. Another example is children’s and YA nonfiction. Even readers who pick up more YA fiction than adult fiction often won’t consider the possibility of picking up a YA nonfiction title over an adult nonfiction book.

Why read YA nonfiction? One reason is the same as why you should read middle grade and YA fiction: because if not, you’re missing out on some excellent books by any standards. Another appeal of YA (and children’s) nonfiction is that it can be an accessible entry point to an intimidating subject. That’s why task #15 of the 2024 Read Harder Challenge is Read a YA nonfiction book.

YA nonfiction can be split into two categories: original titles and adaptations of adult nonfiction. I’ve included a mix of both in this list. I’ve also included a few different titles that will check off multiple Read Harder tasks at the same time!

The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee (Young Readers Adaptation) cover

The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee (Young Readers Adaptation): Life In Native America by David Treuer, adapted by Sheila Keenan

Indigenous peoples are often discussed in the past tense, but this book shows how Native American cultures are thriving. It includes both historical background and first-person stories about what it’s like to be Indigenous in the U.S.A. today. This is adapted from The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee, taking it from 528 pages to a more manageable 228 pages. Since this discusses history, you can also count it towards task #4: Read a history book by a BIPOC author.