Articles
5 Places Where You Can Read YA Books for Free Online
by Michael Lazar PR ExpertYoung
adult (or YA, as it is commonly known) is one of the most exciting book genres
these days. While the books are generally intended for younger audiences, the
best YA appeals greatly to adults as well. After all, mega successes like the Harry Potter and Hunger Games series count far more than just teens and tweens in
their fan clubs.
No
matter how much you love YA books, you may not be able to afford to shell out
the cash to buy them. Luckily there are plenty of websites where you can read
these books online for free. A lot of these sites dominantly offer works in the
public domain, but don’t worry—there are plenty of YA classics out there for
you to enjoy.
1) Google Books
There
are a ton of YA classics available to read for free on Google Books. To ensure
that your search results include only free books, select the “Full view” option
at the top. Here are just a few of Google Books’ free young adult titles:
The
Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
When
Mary Lennox’s parents die, she moves from India to dreary England where the
temperamental girl feels utterly alone. That changes when she finds the key to
a secret garden, and friends (including a cousin she never knew about) to share
it with.
Little
Women by Louisa May Alcott
Loosely
based on Louisa May Alcott’s own life, Little
Women tells the story of four charming sisters in 19th century
New England. The novel follows beautiful Meg, willful Jo, sweet Beth, and
talented Amy as they figure out what they want out of life and what will make
them happy.
Anne
of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Aging
siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert planned to adopt a boy to help with their
farm, but instead they receive a talkative and imaginative girl named Anne. She
worms her way into their hearts, as well as those of the other residents of her
new home.
2) Manybooks
Manybooks
also offers many young adult classics. On this website, you can read the novel
right in your browser, or download it for free. Here are some of the YA books
you can find on the site:
Adventures
of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Huck
Finn fakes his death to escape his alcoholic father. As he travels through the
Deep South, he meets Jim, an escaped slave. From that point onward, they
journey together down the Mississippi River.
The
Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
When
a tornado sweeps Dorothy away from her Kansas home, she finds herself in the
magical Land of Oz. There she befriends a mindless scarecrow, a tinman with no
heart, and a cowardly lion. She must also battle the Wicked Witch of the West
in her quest to find her way home.
The Wind in the Willows
by Kenneth Grahame
This
book began as stories that Kenneth Grahame told to his son. The novel revolves
around amiable Rat, wise Badger, gentle Mole, and arrogant Toad who all live
along the River Thames. When Toad gets himself imprisoned in a castle’s
dungeon, he has to escape and find his way home.
Project
Gutenberg has an extensive collection of thousands and thousands of free
eBooks. Many of those books are YA books, and available to view on your browser
and to download onto your phone or Kindle. Here is just a small sampling of the
young adult classics available:
The Jungle Book
by Rudyard Kipling
This
is a collection of stories that was first published in a magazine from 1893 to
1894. The best-known of the stories are the 3 that follow the adventures of
Mowgli, an abandoned “man cub” in the Indian jungle who is raised by wolves.
Oliver Twist
by Charles Dickens
Oliver Twist is Dickens’ second novel, published in 1838. It tells the
story of Oliver Twist, a miserable orphan in a workhouse who is sent to live
with an undertaker. He escapes and meets the Artful Dodger, who leads a gang of
juvenile criminals. Oliver is taken in by the boys’ elderly mentor, Fagin, and
taught the ways of a pickpocket.
Treasure Island
by Robert Louis Stevenson
When
a sailor dies at the Admiral Benbow inn, the innkeeper’s son Jim Hawkins finds
a treasure map among the man’s possessions. Soon Jim learns that he’s not the
only person who knows about the map, and sets out an adventure with his friends
to find the treasure.
4) Craphound
If
classics aren’t your thing, never fear! There are still some great options to
read contemporary YA online. Bestselling author Cory Doctorow offers one of his
books for free on his website. You can download a plain text file, an HTML
file, or a PDF file. (The book is also available on Manybooks and Project Gutenberg.) Here’s a summary:
Little Brother
by Cory Doctorow
17-year-old
hacker Marcus, a.k.a “w1n5t0n”, and his friends end up getting apprehended by
the Department of Homeland Security after a major terrorist attack in San
Francisco. They’re taken to a secret prison and when they’re finally released,
Marcus discovers that his city has become a police state and becomes determined
to take the DHS down.
5) Scribd
Scribd
is another place where you can read contemporary YA books for free. There is a
bit of a catch here, though—you’re only able to read books for free for 30
days. After that, a subscription costs $9.99 a month. Still, that’s a pretty
small price to pay for access to the site’s extensive library. Here are some of
the young adult titles available on the site:
The
Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
After
the tragic murder of the rest of his family, Nobody “Bod” Owens is taken in by
the ghosts and other supernatural creatures of a nearby graveyard. He enjoys
great adventures but longs to see the outside world. If he tries to leave,
though, his family’s murderer will come after him.
Throne
of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
After
a year of slaving in the salt mines as punishment for her crimes, Prince Dorian
of Endovier offers 18-year-old Celaena Sardothien a way out. She must compete
to become the new royal assassin. If she wins, she will be allowed her freedom
after 3 years’ service. But when someone starts murdering her opponents,
Celaena must solve the mystery to avoid being next.
A
Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel
by Madeleine L'Engle and Hope Larson
This is Hope Larson’s graphic novel adaptation of Madeleine L’Engle’s Newbery Medal-winning classic. The story follows Meg, her little brother Charles Wallace, and a popular boy named Calvin on their adventures through time and space with their 3 quirky guides. They search for Meg and Charles Wallace’s father and battle with a great evil.
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About Michael Lazar 
PR Expert
0 connections, 0 recommendations, 4 honor points.Joined APSense since, December 20th, 2016, From Phoenix, United States.
Created on May 7th 2021 17:42. Viewed 395 times.
