5 Books Every High School Student Should Read

There is a misconception that exists towards students in terms of literature. It's often thought that Gen Z doesn’t read as much as generations before.

However, I would argue that this generation of high school students read more than they are often credited. While the methods of reading have changed due to technology, and the average length of books and articles has gotten shorter, high school students are exposed to more literature than any generation before them. Even the past few years have played a part in this shift.

I recently heard that since the start of the COVID pandemic, Gen Z has increased its reading more than any other generation. All of this raises the question of what books or resources are beneficial for Christian high school students to read.

While each person could certainly generate their own list, I want to share five books that were either valuable to me in high school, or ones I wished I would have read when I was a student.

I preface this list with a reminder of why it's important that students engage with Christian resources at a young age. In 1 Peter, Paul writes to Timothy with this instruction,

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” – 1 Peter 3:15

In the verse, Paul communicates the importance of knowledge and being able to articulate a reason for faith. With that in mind, here are some resources that can help develop and prepare a student for their faith journey.

Mere Christianity – C.S. Lewis

This book is a great theological overview of Christianity. Lewis looks beyond the issues and topics that divide Christianity into various denominations and focuses instead on the common theology that defines Christianity. Considered by many to be a staple resource within Christian literature, I recommend that high school students read this book to give them an overview of what it means to follow Jesus.

I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist – Frank Turek & Norman Geisler

Over the years I have worked through this book with junior and senior students in preparation for graduation and in many cases a transition into higher education. I would say this book is similar to Mere Christianity in the fact that it gives readers an overview of Christian apologetics. It establishes the value of being able to rationally defend the Christian faith and helps readers think through philosophical fallacies.

Celebration of Discipline – Richard Foster

Foster’s book gives an overview of the variety of spiritual disciplines that a Christian should practice. This resource is helpful in nurturing a student’s spiritual growth by teaching them things such as prayer, meditation, biblical study, simplicity, etc. This was a resource I read in high school and one I credit with helping me to gain a better understanding of what disciplines are important to mature in my relationship with God.

The Reason for God – Timothy Keller

As someone who has a vested interest in Christian apologetics, it should be no surprise that I have two different books that deal with apologetics on my list. Keller’s book is a great resource because it provides students with a compelling argument of why Christianity is a rational worldview. What I appreciate about Keller’s writing style is his practical approach. Often books related to theology or apologetics are theoretical in nature and aren’t always applicable in practical ways. Keller has a good balance of communicating truth but applying it in a real and practical way.

Margins – Richard Swenson

This book is a little different than others on my list in the sense that it’s written neither by a theologian nor an apologist, but rather by a medical doctor. As a Christian, Dr. Swenson writes this book as a means to help people understand and establish healthy margins in their lives. In a society where people have too much to do and not enough time, we can often overlook the importance of being able to prioritize our time and create boundaries. This contributes to both our physical and spiritual health. This is a book I recently read but one I wish I would have read in high school as I think it would have helped me understand the value of margins much sooner.