30 Best Young-Adult Book Series Ever Published
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Books are a great escape, especially for younger minds. But as children turn into tweens and teenagers, the themes change as well. Gone are fairytales and happily-ever-afters, and in come more real and exciting elements like fantasy, danger, drama and many more.
These are some of the most popular of those books, and although most are set in dystopian futures or fantasy worlds, others are historical as well. Here's our list of the 30 best-selling young-adult book series of all time.
30. Gemma Doyle
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Disclaimer: There are many other terrific young-adult book series, and total sales, if we’re being frank, are estimates based on data we could find on the internet. Maybe there are series that have sold better, but sale data isn’t public, so we were at the mercy of what was public knowledge.
Author: Libby Bray
First book publication date: Dec. 9, 2003
No. of total sales to date: 1.5 million
The three-book series, centered around the title character and set in late19th-century Britain, took off in the early- to mid-2000s, with more than a million sales of “A Great and Terrible Beauty,” “Rebel Angels” and “The Sweet Far Thing.”
29. Gossip Girl
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Author: Cecily von Ziegesar
First book publication date: April 2002
No. of total sales to date: 1.6 million
Fans of a certain age will certainly remember that the books, featuring Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen, predated the CW drama series by the same name. Although 13 novels were produced under the title, released between 2002 to 2011, von Ziegesar herself only wrote the first eight and book 12, leaving books nine, 10, 11 and 13 mysteriously under a ghostwriter’s identity. The books ultimately led to more than a million sales and led to the TV show that starred Leighton Meester and Blake Lively.
28. Chronicles of Prydain
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Author: Lloyd Alexander
First book publication date: 1964
No. of total sales to date: 2 million
The “Chronicles,” which includes five books that are set in fictional Prydain, center around the book’s lead character Taran, whose aim is to defeat evil forces, notably Arawn and his army of undeads. The series, aside from being wildly popular, was also critically acclaimed, and two of the five stories won the prestigious Newbery Medal in the year it was released.
27. Heroes of Olympus
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Author: Rick Riordan
First book publication date: June 28, 2005
No. of total sales to date: 2.5 million
We have been trying to limit novel series set in the same universe — lest we have a dozen series created by the same author — but this is the first of three series written by Riordan on the list. Still, Riordan’s incredible imagery and compelling themes have made him one of the most successful authors to date, and those are on full display during “Heroes,” which centers around a war between Roman and Greek demigods and features Mother Earth as well.
26. To All the Boys
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Author: Jenny Han
First book publication date: April 15, 2014
No. of total sales to date: 3 million
Han’s initial book “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” was the star of her trilogy, spending 40 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and being translated for distribution in 38 countries. Her follow-up novels “P.S. I Still Love You” and “Always and Forever” enjoyed modest success, but the series was still picked up by Netflix for a film, which was released in early 2021.
25. Uglies
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Author: Scott Westerfeld
First book publication date: 2005
No. of total sales to date: 4 million
The dystopian series set in the futuristic United States centers around Tally Youngblood, who objects to the customary practice in which teenagers become “pretty” by undergoing cosmetic surgery as 16-year-olds. Westerfeld initially released the books as a trilogy yet created the fourth story “Extras,” a story not about Youngblood. The book series, which explores important themes like identity and beauty, did so well that Westerfeld unveiled a companion series titled “Imposters” in 2018.
24. Vampire Academy
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Author: Richelle Mead
First book publication date: April 10, 2008
No. of total sales to date: 8 million
The six-book paranormal, romance series was released in just three years, yet “Vampire Academy” quickly shot up the rank in sales, as the series and its companion series “Bloodlines” combined to produce more than 10 million in sales over about a decade. Vampire Academy prominently features lead Rose Hathaway, who is half-vampire and half-human, and her best friend Lissa Dragomir, a full vampire, and their exploits at St. Vincent’s Academy, a high school.
23. Sisterhood
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Author: Ann Brashares
First book publication date: Sept. 11, 2001
No. of total sales to date: 8 million
So unfortunately timed was “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” is how wildly successful the “Sisterhood” book series ultimately became. The three-story, feel-good series that centers around a pair of “magical” pants that fit each of a four-girl friend group perfectly despite their varying sizes later became a two-film movie series that starred Amber Tamblyn, Blake Lively, America Ferrara and Alexis Bledel.
22. Magnus Chase
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Author: Rick Riordan
First book publication date: 2015
No. of total sales to date: 10 million
"Magnus Chase" is set in the same universe as "Heroes of Olympus" and "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" (more on it later), but this particular series, based on Norse mythology and centered around the title character, did an incredible number of sales while producing the same compelling themes as Riordan's other titles on the list.
21. The Giver
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Author: Lois Lowry
First book publication date: 1993
No. of total sales to date: 12 million
"The Giver" centers around a teenager named Jonas who lives in a utopian-turned-dystopian Earth that has eradicated evil by making everyone the same. The books are unique, each with their own main character, but they're set in the same timeline. The initial book, which was unveiled in 1993, was the most popular of the set, selling more than 10 million copies itself and winning the highly coveted Newbery Medal in 1994.
20. Maze Runner
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Author: James Dashner
First book publication date: Oct. 6, 2009
No. of total sales to date: 14 million
Some might know these books thanks to the three-film series produced by 20th Century Fox, but Dashner’s version is actually a vivid and dramatic five-story series set in the dystopian future. The first three books unveiled are actually books three, four and five in the series, as Dashner produced a pair of prequels, “The Kill Order” and “The Fever Code,” in 2012 and 2016. The novels center around a group called “Gladers,” whose goal is to survive a hardly liveable planet while also escaping the maze.
19. The Outsiders
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Author: S.E. Hinton
First book publication date: April 24, 1967
No. of total sales to date: 15 million
Hinton was just 15 when she started working on the five-book series and just 18 when her initial work, “The Outsiders,” was unveiled. It sold more than 8 million copies. Each story is set in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and although they’re only tangentially related, each intertwines with various characters while chronicling the plight of growing up in the region. The final story in the series, “Taming the Star Runner,” came out nearly 20 years after Hinton’s initial book.
18. Secret Diary of Adrian Mole
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Author: Sue Townsend
First book publication date: Oct. 7, 1982
No. of total sales to date: 20 million
The seven-story anthology, which tells the tale of adolescent angst while set in Britain, is written in the form of a diary from the perspective of the protagonist Adrian Mole. Townsend’s initial book sold more than 2 million copies in just a three-year span and led to a BBC Radio series as well as multiple theater adaptations in Great Britain. BBC called it one of the 100 most influential novels of all time.
17. Percy Jackson & The Olympians
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Author: Rick Riordan
First book publication date: June 28, 2005
No. of total sales to date: 20 million
Another Riordan appearance on the list, and the more recently released series, was a hit in the late 2000s, as the author unveiled a new book each year over the final five years of the decade. The book follows Jackson, the illegitimate son of Poseidon, as he aims to save the world from a slew of monsters and mythical creatures.
16. Skyward
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Author: Brandon Sanderson
First book publication date: 2018
No. of total sales to date: 22 million
The Skyward series, set in a foreign world and centered around heroine Spensa Nightshade, gained remarkable acclaim — and quickly, too, as the three-book series has sold a spectacular number of copies as of early 2022. The series’ fourth book, to be titled “Defiant” is slated to be released in 2023 as the fourth and final tale in the series.
15. The Princess Diaries
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Author: Meg Cabot
First book publication date: May 30, 2000
No. of total sales to date: 25 million
"The Princess Diaries," which some might remember were turned into a Disney film starring Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews, was based on Cabot’s fantasies of being a real-life princess. The books center around Mia Thermopolis, a New York-based teenager who comes of age after finding out she is the long-lost princess of a small European country. Cabot’s books were inspired by her mom’s remarriage yet were relatable, particularly among those who have ever struggled to adapt to new and scary circumstances.
14. Divergent
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Author: Veronica Roth
First book publication date: April 26, 2011
No. of total sales to date: 32 million
Roth’s books, set in a dystopian future in post-apocalyptic Chicago, center around a few humans, notably Tris and Tobias. The stories were designed to be wrapped in a trilogy, yet Roth added two more short-story anthologies to wrap up the set. The "Divergent" series was widely praised, critically and in the science-fiction genre, and sold more than 30 million copies in just a decade.
13. The Inheritance Book Cycle
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Author: Christopher Paolini
First book publication date: June 25, 2003
No. of total sales to date: 33.5 million
Paolini’s four-book set, of which the initial story “Eragon” was initially self-published in 2002, centers around the main character Eragon and his dragon Saphira, set in fictional Alagaesia. The series was initially meant to be a trilogy, but Paolini added the fourth and final book “Inheritance” to wrap up the story because he deemed it too complex to tell in just three books. The series was turned into a film adaptation that starred Jeremy Irons and John Malkovich and was released in 2006.
12. Anne of Green Gables
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Author: L.M. Montgomery
First book publication date: June 1908
No. of total sales to date: 50 million
The series has had the benefit of more than 110 years of sales, yet Montgomery’s story, which centers around an orphan with ADHD named Anne who is accidentally sent to teenage siblings in 19th-century Prince Edward Island, is a classic. It’s been translated into dozens of languages and has been turned into both movies, series and even a children’s book series. Montgomery drew upon her own experience growing up in Eastern Canada while producing the series.
11. The Shadowhunter Chronicles
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Author: Cassandra Clare
First book publication date: March 27, 2007
No. of total sales to date: 50 million
Clare’s six-series anthology started with the release of the wildly popular "Mortal Instruments," a six-book arc that centered around Clarissa Fray and her desire to protect humans in the modern-day that sold more than 24 million copies. Clare had unveiled “Mortal Instruments” first, despite the fact it was chronologically the third of the set, but has since completed nearly five of the series with only “The Wicked Powers” set left to be unveiled.
10. Little House
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Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder
First book publication date: 1932
No. of total sales to date: 60 million
These books are best known now by the third novel “Little House on the Prairie,” which was first turned into a movie then a long-running television show, and are based on Wilder’s own childhood and the Ingalls family growing up in the post-Civil War American Midwest. Aside from the legendary TV show, the nine-book series inspired a slew of companion stories, including Broadway shows and even cookbooks. Wilder, unfortunately, didn’t get to complete the set, as she died while working on the eighth book. But it and the final “Little House” story, titled “The First Four Years,” was later unveiled.
9. A Series of Unfortunate Events
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Author: Lemony Snicket (Daniel Handler)
First book publication date: Sept. 30, 1999
No. of total sales to date: 60 million
The 13-book fantasy anthology, that was unveiled over a span of seven years, was wildly successful and even led to a film based on the first three books, starring Jim Carrey, Meryl Streep and Jude Law that was released in 2004. The book series centers around the Baudelaire children, who discover clues about their parents’ mysterious demise while also trying to take down their guardian’s attempt to steal their inheritance. Handler’s accompanying prequel series “All the Wrong Questions,” which was unveiled in 2012, only added to the series’ spectacular sales, and he has sold nearly 80 million copies of the two series combined.
8. Fear Street
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Author: R.L. Stine
First book publication date: 1989
No. of total sales to date: 80 million
Stine’s work with “Fear Street” led to his now-legendary “Goosebumps” series of books, which targeted a younger audience. Still, 50-plus books produced tens of millions of copies sold, as tweens and teens were terrified yet could not turn away from the series. “Fear Street” has enjoyed a renaissance in recent years with the release of a new round of stories that led to a movie trilogy that Netflix released in 2021.
7. The Hobbit
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Author: J.R.R. Tolkien
First book publication date: Sept. 21, 1937
No. of total sales to date: 100 million
The prequel to the "Lord of the Rings" books, centered around Bilbo Baggins, was released by Lewis as a two-book series, and its exceptional sales led to the now-legendary follow-up series set in Middle Earth. Despite the fact that “The Hobbit” came nearly 20 years ahead of the "Lord of The Rings" books, the film adaptation, starring Martin Freeman as the title character, was released more than a decade after the final LOTR film was unveiled and still produced more than $2 billion in box-office sales.
6. Chronicles of Narnia
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Author: C.S. Lewis
First book publication date: Oct. 16, 1950
No. of total sales to date: 100 million
"The Chronicles" have had the benefit of more than 70 years of book sales, yet they’re classics, with seven books resulting in corresponding films and Broadway shows. The books, set in fictional Narnia where animals can talk and beasts roam the land, cover myriad themes like religion, specifically with the main character Aslan widely perceived as a proxy for Jesus. Lewis’ series largely influenced many of the books mentioned on this list, which gives his work an outsized role in shaping young-adult storytelling, particularly fiction work.
5. Millennium
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Author: Stieg Larsson and David Lagercrantz
First book publication date: August 2005
No. of total sales to date: 100 million
Larsson wasn’t alive to see the incredible success of his books “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo,” “The Girl Who Played With Fire" and “The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest,” but they took the world by storm, getting translated in more than 50 countries. Larsson passed away suddenly in 2004 after those books were written, and his works sold about 80 million copies posthumously. Lagercrantz was cast as Larsson’s successor and sold about 20 million more copies of his own trilogy of books centered around journalist Mikael Blomkvist.
4. Hunger Games
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Author: Suzanne Collins
First book publication date: Sept. 14, 2008
No. of total sales to date: 100 million
Collins struck gold with her dystopian trilogy set in futuristic, 13-District United States. Fans fell in love with her fierce lead Katniss Everdeen and her attempt to bring down the oligarchist-style District 1 while also competing in the epic annual contest where “tributes” from each section murder each other for a lifetime of wealth. The books were dramatic and compelling, an instant hit among readers of all ages, selling more than 100 million copies and spawning four movies starring Jennifer Lawrence as Everdeen.
3. Twilight
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Author: Stephenie Meyer
First book publication date: Oct. 5, 2005
No. of total sales to date: 120 million
Meyer’s incredible four-book series spawned a generation of vampire enthusiasts and broke through to the pop-culture zeitgeist by fans proclaiming themselves as Team Edward or Team Jacob for who lead character and hybrid human-vampire Bella Swan should be with. The novels led to a four-movie film series that produced more than $2.6 billion in sales at the box office. Meyers is not done producing “Twilight” stories, either, as she released the “Midnight Sun” companion novel in 2020.
2. Lord of the Rings
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Author: J.R.R. Tolkien
First book publication date: July 29, 1954
No. of total sales to date: 150 million
Still one of the gold standards in the history of young-adult storytelling, Tolkien’s six-book series set in Middle Earth continues to grow in popularity. Part of this recent run of relevance is boosted by Peter Jackson’s movie trilogy released in the early-2000s that turned on a new generation of fans to the book series. Still, “Lord of the Rings,” designed to follow Tolkien’s “Hobbit,” was released in three installments in a year’s time in the mid-1950s and somehow still endures among readers six decades later.
1. Harry Potter
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Author: J.K. Rowling
First book publication date: June 26, 1997
No. of total sales to date: 500 million
As if there were any doubt? Rowling gained enormous fame, seemingly overnight, thanks to her exhilarating fantasy tales about Potter and his friends at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that spawned an eight-part movie series, Broadway show and even a theme park at Universal Parks. Rowling’s vivid imagery set an extraordinary scene, and the novels capture the angst associated with growing up as well as Potter’s status as the chosen one to defeat Lord Voldemort, which are all reasons why these books stand out from so many others on this list.