3 Books Every Teen Should Read

I’m not a fan of the word “teen” because implies a lot of things that I don’t believe are true. Labels in general I’m not a fan of, I think they do more damage than anything. There’s plenty of resources out there that argue why age segregation is a real issue resulting from the public school system, however, chances are either you’re a teen (or a parent of a teen) that just wants some good books to read. I’ll save the boring stuff for another post.

1. Thomas Jefferson Education for Teens - Oliver DeMille

It’s safe to say that the only other book that changed my life more than this one is the Bible. Anyone who hates my views on education can blame this book for everything because this is the book that developed my perspective more than anything else. This book started it all, without it I’m sure that I would be an entirely different person.

Thomas Jefferson Education for Teens is geared toward homeschoolers (more specifically un-schoolers) but I would recommend it to every teen. It’s rich in truth and covers everything a teen needs to know as they start education a new way. It even goes through the growing process of “phases” from child to adult. Because it has so much to offer, it may be a little overwhelming the first time through if homeschooling and self-education are completely new topics, I had to read it three times before I could finally get a clear understanding. Highly recommend it, my only advice is to read it multiple times until it’s fully understood.

“It’s not about getting through the book, it’s about getting the book through you.” - Oliver DeMille

2. Uncle Eric Talks About Personal Career and Financial Security - Richard J. Maybury

I must’ve been either 12 or 13 when I read this book, I’m going to be one-hundred percent honest and say that yes, my Dad forced me to read it. But I also one-hundred percent loved it.

Anything in the Uncle Eric series I consider a must-read for teens. Richard J. Maybury does a great job of introducing intense concepts in a simple way. The whole series is written as “letters” from Uncle Eric as he responds to his nephew, Chris and each chapter is only a few pages long which keeps it interesting.

I remember feeling surprised when I read this book because it covered topics that I had no idea related to personal career and financial security. The entire first half of the book is all about the mind and how we think - models, paradigms, and some historical evidence. He then takes those principles and applies them to success - careers, investing, and saving money.

“Physical, emotional, and spiritual health, and loving relationships are far more important than money. But, a big income can make these more important things easier to achieve and easier to keep.” - Richard J. Maybury

3. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens - Sean Covey

I’m sure you’ve heard of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” - it’s one of the most well known non-fiction books out there. Either one of these books are great for teens, it doesn’t have to be the teen version. However, the teen version is a bit more simplified but still has the exact same concepts.

This is a book that I still have to go back and refer to - there’s so much to learn from it. Some of the habits are easier than others and come a bit more natural for me, others I’m still learning to maintain.

“If you decide to just go with the flow, you’ll end up where the flow goes, which is usually downhill, often leading to a big pile of sludge and a life of unhappiness. You’ll end up doing what everyone else is doing.” - Sean Covey

I’m one of those people that actually believes in judging a book by the cover. (I figure that more often than not, if the cover looks nice that means a lot of effort and thought went into the book.) However, it’s not always true and it definitely doesn’t apply to these books! These books changed my life at a young age, drastically. You don’t have to be a teen to read them, they’re good for adults too.