Find your next great read for National Reading Month in these thought-provoking YA books about class difference.

Most fiction lists about class difference are romance. That’s nice, but what about the contemporary YA books that really highlight themes of socioeconomic, race, and class difference in other storylines? Such raw and unflinching novels exist, and I’ve rounded them up for you here.

Without further introduction, here is my list of thought-provoking YA books about class difference. Buckle up. You won’t find light romance and swooning here.

Property of Nobody by Khristina Chess

“No one is coming for you. No one is missing you. And no one will mourn you if you’re killed.” ― Khristina Chess, quote from Property of Nobody

Freedom is not free.

Wow! Property of Nobody hooked me from the first page and never let me go!

Teódulo is a compelling and resonant male voice in a genre dominated by female characters. What makes Property of Nobody so special is the gripping, slow-boil depiction of how he falls into the trap of debt bondage and can’t escape. I worried about him. I loved seeing his journey and choices as he befriends various characters. This is the kind of thrilling, authentic novel that really shows the dark underbelly of immigration, human trafficking, organized crime, and the desperation of children caught in this web.

If you are looking for YA books about class difference, this one is definitely a page-turner! In fact, Khristina Chess is on my list of Best YA Authors to Binge on Kindle Unlimited because she has so many suspenseful novels.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

“What’s the point of having a voice if you’re gonna be silent in those moments you shouldn’t be?” ― Angie Thomas, quote from The Hate U Give

I saw this book everywhere and picked it up, wondering what all the fuss is about. Wow. I couldn't put it down. Starr is an amazing character in a perfectly-crafted situation that screams with tension, suspense, and emotion. Her emotions are raw and authentic. You can feel her little-girl timidity in the grand jury testimony and her grief and rage in the scene with Hailey. Her world is vivid and real. The pain of her dual life and the conflict it causes her is palatable. I loved this book. I love this girl. I want to see her again, doing more, making a difference. She's made me believe in her.

The Hate You Give should be at the top of your must-read list of thought-provoking YA books about class difference. In fact, after reading this one, I wanted to read everything Angie Thomas has written and also added her to my list of Best YA Authors to Binge on Kindle Unlimited because she’s so amazing!

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

“We all have to find our own ways to say good-bye.” ― Sherman Alexie, quote from The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Junior Spirit is a courageous boy who dares to leave the reservation, his school, and his best friend to seek a different life. His story is funny, heartbreaking, inspiring, and brave. I loved his quirky voice, his cartoons, and I cheered so hard for him in his basketball game.

This novel highlights the contrast between extreme poverty and wealth, as well as racial differences. These themes are handled with humor and sensitivity.

In a list of thought-provoking YA books about class difference, this award-winning novel shines.

The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout

“Goodness, I was already a dork most of the times. I didn’t need to be a drunk or high dork.” ― Jennifer L. Armentrout, quote from The Problem with Forever

After four years of home schooling and therapy, Mallory Dodge takes the gigantic step of going to a public high school for her senior year. She’s ready. She’s pretty sure. But on the first day, she collides with her past as she comes face-to-face with the person who meant everything to her: Rider Stark.

The boy who saved her.

Everything about this book is wonderful. I couldn’t put it down. I loved the characters, and I loved the strong relationship between Mallory “Mouse” and Rider. I loved the way their characters grew and changed as the story unfolded. They were so encouraging with each other, and Mallory’s best friend Ainsley is such a great friend.

The themes in the novel are well developed: childhood trauma, class difference, foster care, adoption, the impact of good teachers (Mr. Santos, the speech teacher), good parenting.

This is simply an amazing book!

If you’re looking for thought-provoking YA books about class differences, check out The Problem with Forever. You won’t regret it.

Trafficked by Kim Purcell

Trafficked an absorbing YA novel that shows how an orphaned teenager from Moldova easily becomes a victim in human trafficking. Hannah was easily duped into leaving her home for the promise of a better life in the United States, a salary, and a chance to study English. Instead, she became a slave, forced into being an unpaid nanny and a maid, fighting off sexual advances of the husband of the house and his male associates, and being beaten and verbally abused by the wife. She is young, slow to realize her situation, and not great with English.

The plotting of Trafficked was thrilling. There were plenty of twists to keep me invested. For example, there is a backstory about how Hannah was "chosen" by this family that is revealed little by little.

I was rooting for Hannah to find a way out and take charge of her life. I worried about her because I knew the odds were not in her favor.

I’ve included Hannah’s heartbreaking and thought-provoking story in this YA books about class difference list because human trafficking is a real, modern problem across the world. You won’t want to miss Hannah’s story. She begins the novel in a state of naïve innocence in her home country, and by the end, she has become mature and wise to the adult world. It’s a realistic and sad tragedy.

A Long Stretch of Bad Days by Mindy McGinnis

“Good people can do terrible things, Lydia. The longer you live, the more you see it.” ― Mindy McGinnis, quote from A Long Stretch of Bad Days

Mindy McGinnis is one of my favorite YA authors, so I couldn’t wait to dive into this new book. The setup and beginning starts off slow, but once Lydia and Bristal begin chasing a murder mystery in their small town, the plotting was great. The ending was a surprise to me, but I’m an easily fooled reader.

I especially enjoyed the friendship that developed between the girls, despite the fact that they come from very different socioeconomic backgrounds. Lydia is right. Bristal comes from the poor part of town and has a family reputation. People think of her as disposable. She’s not. She sharp-witted and funny, and she helps Lydia to see things very differently.

If you’re looking for an offbeat mystery with interesting characters, be sure to check out A Long Stretch of Days! In fact, Mindy Micginnis 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!

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

I have read several of Laurie Halse Anderson's books, and I found this one to be ambitious, compelling, and heartfelt. I learned things about slavery during the American revolutionary war that were new since most literature I've consumed has been during the later period of the civil war. The author’s research into the book made it rich and come alive.

You will want to add this historical YA book about class difference, race, and slavery in early American history to your reading list.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

“Life feels beautiful that day. The four of us Liars, we have always been. We always will be. No matter what happens as we go to college, grow old, build lives for ourselves; no matter if Gat and I are together or not. No matter where we go, we will always be able to line up on the roof of Cuddledown and gaze at the sea. This island is ours. Here, in some way, we are young forever.” ― E. Lockhart, quote from We Were Liars

What an unexpected and beautiful story about summertime, friendship, coming of age, and sorrow!

I wasn’t sure I’d like this book, but I fell in love with this unexpected story. By the end it made me cry. We Were Liars is about a group of privileged young friends and their lies, family secrets, grief, and love. It’s a mystery. Its private island setting evokes all kinds of summer images: the beach, the heat, the sun. The beautiful and disorienting plot will leave you reader breathless until the very end.

It’s a classic, but if you haven’t picked this one up yet, do yourself a favor and add it to your list of thought-provoking YA books about class differences. I include this book here because wealth and privilege is such a huge component of the plot and also because of the character of Gat.

And when you finish, read the prequel, Family of Liars, which is equally wonderful.

The Initial Insult / The Last Laugh by Mindy McGinnis

“You can’t get people to like you, but you can get revenge.” ― Mindy McGinnis, quote from The Last Laugh

In this thrilling duology (which I read back-to-back), you will find socioeconomic and class difference at the center or a mystery. The first book, The Initial Insult, introduces the conflict. Tress and Felicity were best friends as children, but something went wrong. Now, in the present, Tress has Felicity chained in the basement of an old house that will soon be torn down, and she is laying down a wall, brick by brick, as she tries to get Felicity to tell her what happened the night that her parents disappeared.

The story, told in alternating points of view between the girls, alternates between present and past, increasing in tension as the wall rises, as the party raging upstairs gets more wild, and the situation goes out of control.

I love Mindy McGinnis. Her books are tight-paced and unexpected, and this one is more of the same. If I had any complaint about this one, it would be the small-town genealogy complexity, which is apparently central to the mystery, was hard for me to follow and keep track of.

In The Last Laugh, the pace picks up a lot. The POV character changes, and in this novel, everyone is looking for Felicity, who went missing after the party in book one. Tress is suffering from an infection following her encounter with the panther, and there are so many twists and turns in the plot. I loved this book better than the first one, but they definitely go together.

Don’t miss this page-turning pair of YA books about class difference, family, friendship and mystery.

Other Thought-Provoking YA Books about Class Difference

If you are looking for other thought-provoking YA books about class difference, check out the YA Class Differences Books list Goodreads. You might also be interested in my post, Other Good Reads, which has a comprehensive list of reviews of YA books.

Do you have any personal favorites to recommend to me? I’m always looking for another great read in this category.

Khristina Chess is the award-winning author of several YA novels about troubled teens turning corners. You can find her on Amazon, Goodreads, and Twitter as an active daily contributor in the #5amwritersclub.