It gets more interesting to know what Generation Z values as their voices become more prominent in worldly affairs. And despite the fascination with smartphones, literature will always be an important medium. That’s why I’m taking the time to highlight some of Gen Z’s favourite books.
For those that don’t know already, to qualify as Generation Z, your birth would have been around 1995 or later. This generation succeeds my own, the Millennials.
Thanks to the new social media app Yubo, we were able to determine Gen Z’s favourite books that they are raving about. Yubo is a social media platform that values real interactions over Likes or Views so it’s worth checking out if you really want true and honest engagements about books and other forms of media.
Below is the top five most talked about books among Gen Z, followed by the full top 20 list.
Top 5 Most Popular Gen Z Books
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Buy on Amazon US | Buy on Amazon UK
When the dystopian book The Maze Runner came out in 2009 it was an immediate hit among the Young Adult fanbase. And that’s not to say that only young people enjoyed it, people of all ages praised James Dashner’s hit novel. The fact that Gen Z is still raving about it shows that this book will have some longevity.
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien
Buy on Amazon US | Buy on Amazon UK
J.R.R Tolkien’s revolutionary fantasy epic, Lord of the Rings remains one of the most talked about book series, and rightfully so. Any modern fan of the fantasy genre needs to go back to the essentials to understand the level of influence Tolkien’s work has on today’s works.
The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare
Buy on Amazon US | Buy on Amazon UK
The Mortal Instruments is a series of young adult fantasy novels by Cassandra Clare. Right now it it’s extremely popular among paranormal romance/urban fantasy readers. I think this series will be popular among Gen Z for some time.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Buy on Amazon US | Buy on Amazon UK
Percy Jackson is another one of those series’ that deserves its ongoing success. In 2011 it spent 245 weeks on the New York Times list for children’s books. Just like the book at the top of the list, the Percy Jackson books appeal to people of any age, so it’s not surprising Gen Z regards it so highly.
Harry Potter by J.K Rowling
Buy on Amazon US | Buy on Amazon UK
Not much to analyze here. The Harry Potter books collectively have sold over 500 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling book series of all time. No doubt, Gen Z will keep this series afloat and pass the magic of Harry Potter onto the next generation.
Here’s the full top 20 list of the most talked about books by Gen Z
1. Harry Potter
2. Percy Jackson and the Olympians
3. The Mortal Instruments
4. The Lord of the Rings
5. The Maze Runner
6. Chronicles of Narnia
7. Diary of a Wimpy Kid
8. A Song of Ice and Fire
9. A Series of Unfortunate Events
10. Divergent
11. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life
12. IT
13. Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children
14. The Heroes of Olympus
15. Throne of Glass
16. Vampire Academy
17. The Hunger Games
18. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
19. Twilight
20. After
If you fall within the Generation Z bracket, I’d love to hear more about the books you enjoy. Feel free to drop comments below!
