The Storyteller Squad

Books to Fire up Deep Conversation with your Teen

I love the conversations books can inspire. Lately, I’ve been reading books that have me pondering an author’s world view and their deeper message. Here are some books and topics you might want to bring up through a book.

Discerning Someone’s Inner Intentions

Jeff Wheeler shows a girl who is infatuated with a boy since her youth. As time goes on, you wonder if the relationship is reciprocated. It seems reciprocated, but there are hints that something else stirs in his mind. Eventually, he accosts her. Wheeler does an excellent job keeping the book spice free and appropriate for teens. This is a great conversation to have with a teen girl.

  • How can you know someone is trustworthy?
  • What in the story hinted at bad intentions?
  • How can you discern someone’s intentions?

How Important is Rank (especially when it has other implications)

Candace Kade shows a character who is hyper-focused on keeping her social score high. Granted, her social score will protect her in some way, and it will give her liberty to choose a future career. The problems is that she’s in love with a person from a low social rank.

  • Is money and prestige giving up her heart?
  • Is money and prestige worth living in a constant state of stress?
  • What is worth the stress and effort?

Doing What’s Right No Matter the Opposition

Morgan Busse includes a scene where the grandfather is on his deathbed and tells his grandson that he knows of a cure for the mists. The mists turn the people into zombies. The grandfather did not find a solution because of comfort. The powers that be do not want the cure to exist and threaten anyone who tries to find a solution.

  • How can comfort become a bad thing?
  • What is Busse trying to say about doing what’s right?
  • When have you encountered a situation where doing what’s right proved the more difficult decision?

I hope you enjoyed the list. These books are excellent and have good audiobooks. If you have a question about a book, comment below.

If you’ve read any of these, what other great questions can you derive from them?

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Candice Yamnitz

Candice Yamnitz is an elementary bilingual teacher by trade, but left the profession to stay home with her children. When she’s not doing errands or chores around the house, she’s reading and writing. She enjoys reading all genres for every age group. But, her mind is always off in distant kingdoms. Candice lives in the Chicago area with her husband and children.

2 comments

  • Thanks, Candice! Great conversation starters. I’m reading Priscilla Shirer’s “Prince Warriors” with my nephew now. Can’t wait to talk to him about it after we’re finished. Check back June 9 on this site for my book review of this five-star series and accompanying devotional.

  • I just checked out Secrets in the Mist last week. Hoping to dive in soon! We seem to like the same books, so I’ll be sure to check out the others soon, as well!