The wait is over the 2025 Teen Best Reads (TBR) Book List is here!
This year, 15 incredible Chicago Public Library teen interns helped curate a thoughtful list of YA titles across genres including fiction, nonfiction, manga, and graphic novels.
Over the past year, our TBR interns read, discussed, and evaluated over 265 books to create a meaningful and diverse collection that reflects the interests and perspectives of young people across Chicago. Designed for teens, by teens, the TBR list is a trusted resource for young readers looking to explore new stories, find peer-recommended picks, and discover titles that feel relevant, empowering, and exciting.
Our yearlong internship also provided teens with hands-on opportunities to bring literary outreach into communities throughout Chicago connecting their love of reading with interests in gaming, art, digital media, and creating BookTok content for our social media platforms.
We’re also thrilled to highlight our collaboration with local artist Czr Prz, who created custom artwork for this year’s bookmark and tote bag (to be released later this month).
Visit your neighborhood library to explore all 35 titles on the 2025 TBR list.