The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4
by Sue Townsend
Young adult · ages 12–16 · grades 7–11 · 820L · 222 pages · 2003
Why we'd hand it over
Hilarious, acerbic, and structurally perfect for the diary format—Adrian's pretension, social anxiety, and genuine loneliness are equally funny and moving, and the book doesn't condescend to its teenage voice.