This blog post is a curated list of free online books for teens who are bookworms but cannot afford to buy. The list of books listed here can be read or downloaded for free on a smartphone or tablet.
The free online books for teens are provided by different e-book websites that legally offer these books up for free. They can either be downloaded or read directly from the website. All you need to read the books are a stable internet connection and your preferred device.
These books typically cover a wide range of genres so that teens can have multiple options to choose from. If you don’t have money to buy books, just get in here and select a book that matches your age, and start reading almost instantly.
Parents and teachers alike can also show this article to their students or teenage child and encourage them to read as many as they can.
Reasons Why Teenagers Should Read
Teenagers are encouraged to read because of the many benefits that come with it. Reasons why teenagers should read include:
- Reading develops critical thinking and problem-solving skills
- Builds confidence and helps in socializing with others
- Improves memory and analytical skills
- Makes you smarter and improves academic performance
- Develops language and literary abilities
- It expands knowledge and improves concentration
- Reading exercises the mind and keeps your brain sharp.
These are reasons why you should read as a teenager, the benefit that comes with it are enormous.
Having said that, let’s dive into the list of e-books teenagers can get for free starting from 13 year olds up to 19 year olds.
5 Free Online Books For 13 Year Olds
When you clock 13 years old, it signifies that you have finally become a teen and are on the way to becoming an adult. Here are free online books for 13 year old teens:
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Guidance for Teens – SAMSHA
- Walk with Gandhi
- “What’s That All About Then?”
- The Night Diary
- Writing from Quarantine
1. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Guidance for Teens – SAMSHA
This is a free e-book for teens and young adults and an important one to read as well. As you recently became a teenager, it’d be best if you read books like this to get educated on the dangers of substance abuse and how you can protect your mental health.
This book is offered for free by the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to create awareness among teenagers on the risks and dangers of substance abuse.
2. Walk with Gandhi
Walk with Gandhi is a book that talks about the life of Mahatma Gandhi and how he became an Indian hero. He is a prominent figure in India and this book talks about his success, failures, and many more. If you are into history or want to learn about how past leaders made their name, then don’t miss out on this book.
3. “What’s That All About Then?”
This is a poetry book for 13 year old that provides a whimsical look at the experiences of children while they were growing up. It talks about coping with loss, bullying, family issues, imaginary friends, superheroes, and the pains and joys of growing up.
4. The Night Diary
This is a novel by Veera Hiranandani centered on Nisha and her twin brother who are half-Muslim and half-Hindu living with their father peacefully in India. But their world is about to be torn apart when there were rumors that their town is to become part of the new Pakistan state. Find out how Nisha and her family make a dangerous journey to the Indian border
5. Writing from Quarantine
Writing from Quarantine is a book that encourages teenagers and even kids to develop their writing talents. This free e-book from Mighty Writers consists of journals, poetry, and essays that thirty writers of kids and teenagers wrote during the pandemic.
5 Free Online Books For 14 Year Olds
Here are free online books for teens who are 14 years old:
- Hidden Library
- Midnight Girl
- A Cowgirl’s Soul
- Magical Arts Academy
- Leah
1. Hidden Library
14 year old teenagers who are into magical books with spells, witches, and things like that should consider reading Hidden Library. It is written by Stephanie Van Orman and available for free on Obooko – one of the best free e-book download sites.
2. Midnight Girl
Midnight Girl by Will Shetterly is a mystery book about a girl named Cat who lives with her dad and grandmother. Her dad used to be a spooky-mysteries TV show host and her grandmother might be a vampire. Find out about the mysterious life of Cat and why she has two birthdays both on Halloween.
3. A Cowgirl’s Soul
A Cowgirl’s Soul is a free book for 14 year old Written by Gabrielle Meier, a 16 year old writer. The book tells an intense, inspiring, and intriguing story about Autumn and Albert, two young rodeo kids who must stick together to survive in a harsh world.
4. Magical Arts Academy
Magical Arts Academy is a free book on Barnes & Noble written by Lucia Ashta. It is centered around Isadora, an ordinary girl whose dream is to become extraordinary. She later got the powers she has always wished for and proceeds to change the world with that power.
5. Leah
Leah is written by J.M. Reep and tells the story of a shy and introverted 14-year old girl named Leah Nells with no friends but only books to keep her company. She soon starts 9th grade and lost herself in the complicated universe of high school. Find out how Leah was finally able to become who she has always wanted to be.
5 Free Online Books For 15 Year Olds
The following are free online books for 15 year old teenagers:
- The Pirate of Panther Bay
- The Gateway
- Phoenix Cottage
- Jazzberry and Fidget
- Dessery’s Diary
1. The Pirate of Panther Bay
The Pirate of Panther Bay is a book by S. R. Staley highly recommended for 15 year old teens. Pirate movies are usually adventurous, traveling on water, seeking for treasures, and battling with other ships. This book is no different and it comes with suspense and excitement that would make one feel like they are on a pirate ship.
2. The Gateway
From the title of this e-book, I’m sure you’ve already made a good guess on what it is about. It is an adventurous and mysterious story about two teenage boys who discovers a gateway by accident. This gateway happens to lead to other parallel universes. The story is an absolute thriller that will keep you wide-eyed till the end.
3. Phoenix Cottage
How about relaxing with a good old-time travel novel? Phoenix Cottage has got you. It is an adventure story about two siblings, Lenny and Abby, that travel back in time to the English Civil War. How the time travel happened and their experiences during the war are contained in this exciting thriller novel.
4. Jazzberry and Fidget
Jazzberry and Fidget is written by Chris Mason. It tells the story of a young girl, Annie, who dreamt that she encountered a dragon and a fairy on her bed right there in her room. But she wakes up the next morning to find out that her dream wasn’t actually a dream but a reality as the dragon and fairy was right there in her room.
She becomes friends with them and learns the reason why they broke the fairy code and revealed themselves to her. And now, Annie, together with her human friends and uncle must bring up a plan to counter a looming danger that may destroy the whole of America or the whole world if they did nothing.
5. Dessery’s Diary
Dessery’s Diary is written by Christian Zajdek and is about witchcraft but not your typical witchcraft book. Rather it is filled with cold realism and sprinkled with some dark humor. The book sheds further light on grimoires, witch trials, and more.
7 Free Online Books For 16 Year Olds
Here are 7 free online books for 16 year olds:
- Savage Run
- Mortal Ghost
- Hawthorn Inn
- Lost & Found
- A Diamond in my Pocket
- Scars of Defiance
- Black Hand Gang
These books are available for free on Obooko, you can either download them as a PDF or read them online.
8 Free Online Books For 17 Year Olds
Are you a 17 year old teen looking for free books online? Then gather here as I have listed 7 free online books under here.
- Sons and Brothers in Seattle
- The Unsuspecting Mage
- Bramwell Valley
- All the Voices of the Wind
- The Final Dragon Keeper
- The Silver Ring
- The Roman and the Runaway
- Beyond The Shadows of Summer
10 Free Online Books For 18 Year Olds
The following are free online books for 18 year olds:
- Coexist
- Aim High
- Survival
- The Antidote
- Purr Island
- Princess Nkonta
- Fix By Force
- Castaway
- Enchanted Castle
- Tempest
11 Free Online Books For 19 Year Olds
19 year olds can read the following books online for free.
- Radcliffe Wood Academy
- Chronicles of the Artifacts
- Changels Initiation
- Herman and the Hawk
- The Girl in the Trees
- Tainted Youth
- Bermuda Triangle Effect
- Gifted
- My Fair Assassin
- The Healer
- Diary of a Teenage Faerie Princess
Websites Where Teens Can Download Free E-book PDFs
The sites listed below have a wide range of books that teens can legally download for free:
- Project Gutenberg
- Obooko
- Bookbub
- Open Library
- Internet Archive
- Z Library
- ManyBooks
- Bookboon
Free Online Books For Teens – FAQs
What should I read at age 13?
At age 13, you should read adventure books like The Hobbit, Harry Potter Series, The Hunger Games, etc.
What kind of books should a 16 year old be reading?
16 year olds should be reading books like The Handmaids Tale, The Book Thief, and other adventure novels. They should also read books that instill self-discipline and respect in them.