Find your next great read for National Teen Pregnancy Awareness Month by exploring my reviews of these lesser-known young adult books books about teen pregnancy, teen mothers, and teen characters dealing with pregnancy.

Reading young adult books about teenage pregnancy is a great way for teens to educate and entertain themselves at the same time. According to one article on the shocking facts and statistics surrounding teen pregnancy, improper communication between teens and their parents is one of the contributing factors to unplanned pregnancy.

Literature can allow space for conversations about this topic in a non-threatening forum because stories and characters are fictional. Adoption, keeping the baby, not keeping the baby, or even losing the baby are subjects that can be explored in novels. Love and romance are often part of the storyline with teen pregnancy, and that makes this a popular category among readers.

Here are my personal recommendations for some lesser-known writers who’ve tackled this tough topic. Don’t be terrified to read these novels or ban the books. Check them out. Talk.

The Future Unborn by Khristina Chess

“There is no place for the word twerking anywhere on your college application. Ever.” ― Khristina Chess, quote from The Future Unborn

Finish MIT application. Take SATs. Win this year’s R2-RoboCon competition.

Don’t get pregnant.

Kansas Jones is a perfect, straight-A student who doesn’t make mistakes, except she did. Now she has twelve weeks to schedule an abortion. Plenty of time.

When a close family member unexpectedly loses a child, Kansas realizes she could fix everything by making a different choice. But she’s not sure she’s willing to postpone her dreams for the future to carry this unplanned pregnancy to term. And will she really be able to give up the baby for adoption in the end?

So compelling! The Future Unborn grabbed and held my interest from the very beginning. What makes The Future Unborn so special is the contrast between the intense situation Kansas finds herself in with an unplanned pregnancy and her “normal” challenges from being on a team of super-smart teen robotics engineers. There are a lot of funny moments. I loved seeing her journey and the brave choices she makes. The ending is a surprise!

You won’t want to miss this moving YA book about teen pregnancy. Fans of Far from the Tree will enjoy this one.

In fact, Khristina Chess is such a great author that she’s on my list of Best YA Authors to Binge on Kindle Unlimited because she’s all-around amazing!

After by Amy Efaw

“I'd rather be lucky than good. Good is just so overrated. Bad girls have the most fun.” ― Amy Efaw, quote from After

What kind of girl leaves her infant to die in the trash?

Devon Davenport is a “good girl” whose one misstep leads to an unplanned pregnancy. She’s so filled with denial about her entire situation that she cannot even admit to herself that she’s pregnant until she gives birth. The depiction of her detachment is incredibly real and heartbreaking.

During her stay in the juvenile detention center, Devon must face facts about herself and her situation. Her lawyer plays an important role in drawing the story out of her and helping to build empathy for this girl who has committed such a horrific act.

Devon’s transformation from the beginning to the end of book is heartfelt and moving. I couldn’t put it down.

Don’t miss this poignant YA book about teen pregnancy. It will especially appeal to fans of Jodi Piccoult.

The How and the Why by Cynthia Hand

“But what I'm thinking in this moment is: none of us really get to have our own, separate lives. Our lives are always all horribly tangled up with the people around us. The people we love.” ― Cynthia Hand, quote from The How and the Why

There were not a lot of surprises in The How & the Why for me. I did not find any earth-shattering revelations or stunning plot twists.

And yet, Cassandra’s story is utterly compelling.

In many ways, she’s a typical teenager with a lot of ordinary conflicts: where to go to college, how to handle the boyfriend crush, and how to resolve a major fight with her best friend. She also has major non-normal conflicts like a mother who is dying because she needs a heart transplant and she’s contemplating a search for her biological mother.

As the reader, we meet Cassandra’s biological mother much earlier in the story because we read her letters, and so we understand the how and why of the pregnancy and adoption. We see this unfold while Cassandra is dealing with all that other teenager mess.

If you’re looking for YA books about teenage pregnancy, this is a good book and a worthwhile read. I was sad to see it end and wanted more.

Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles

In Jumping Off Swings, the author explores how an unplanned pregnancy impacts the lives of multiple characters, not only the girl. Ellie is pregnant to Josh, but there is a triangle of friendships and relationships that lead to Caleb and Corinne also knowing about the situation. As Ellie wrestles with her decision about what to do, Josh also struggles with his emotions about the baby. Their parents also know what has happened.

Shifting between these four viewpoint characters, the story digs into the emotional consequences of the pregnancy for each one of them.

A quick read, this YA book about teen pregnancy is thoughtful and powerful without being heavy-handed.

Every Little Thing in the World by Nina de Gramont

Sydney is sent to camp with her best friend as punishment, and by the way, she’s pregnant and hasn’t told her mom. She spends her time in the wilderness forming new friendships and trying to decide what to do. On her journey the protagonist wrestles with her very crucial unplanned pregnancy dilemma, but her relationships with her best friend, her mother, and others in the story are equally important to the storyline. Resolving those issues are key to how she ultimately decides to handle her situation.

This coming-of-age YA novel about teen pregnancy is a great read that explores friendship and parenting in a great way.

Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson

“That joke of a bookshelf has the same crap they had in baby jail I’ve inhaled three times over and I’d kill for something - anything - new to read. But I’d never say that out loud. I’m a killer after all; they’d probably think I’d really do it. Figures of speech are luxuries convicted murderers are not allowed to have.“ ― Tiffany D. Jackson, quote from Allegedly

Mary lives in a group home following her incarceration in baby jail for killing an infant. Allegedly. Life in the group home is hard for Mary, who is smart and trying to take her SATs and apply to college. She works at a nursing home, which is where she met Ted.

Now Mary is pregnant, and they’re going to take her baby away. So after all this time, she decides to tell the truth about what happened that night when Alyssa died.

Allegedly is a dark mystery that keeps the pages turning, and Mary is a compelling character. I really wanted her to succeed because so many things seemed to be against her. The other girls (and even the so-called responsible adults) are truly awful to her, and at least one of them turns out to be a psychopath. Fun times!

This YA novel about teen pregnancy and group homes has some chilling moments as the events unfold. I highly recommend!

Other YA Books about Teen Pregnancy

If you’re looking for other YA books about teen pregnancy to terrify your mother, Goodreads offers two great lists: Popular Teen Pregnancy Books and Teen Pregnancy (264 books). You might also be interested in my post, Other Good Reads, which has a comprehensive list of reviews of YA books by type of tough topic, including eating disorders, substance abuse, mental illness, and others.

I’d love to hear from you in the comments below. Do you have any personal favorites in this category?

Khristina Chess is the award-winning author of several YA novels about troubled teens turning corners. The Future Unborn, her book about teen pregnancy, was a runner-up in the 2017 RONE Awards and a finalist in the 5th Annual Beverly Hills Book Awards. You can find her on Amazon, Goodreads, and Twitter as an active daily contributor in the #5amwritersclub.