I saw a tweet that mentioned this list and it got me thinking. First and foremost, I read for character (and I certainly have my favorites!) – so why not try to compile a list of the top 100 “best” YA characters? (I’ve thoroughly enjoyed taking part in Good Books & Wine‘s and Persnickety Snark‘s top 100 YA titles lists. They’re inspiration, too!)
Hopefully, I’m not stealing someone’s thunder here! And you all will want to take part!
So, there are really no rules with this – any genre, from a book published in any decade, just so long as they characters are from a YA novel. Nominate up to three of as many of your favorite characters as you’d like. If you’ve already nominated a few and would like to add more, go for it.
Comment on this post with the character’s name and include the title of the book you’d find him/her in. Feel free to say why you love them, too!
I’m working on getting a poll or some type of form together (WordPress doesn’t make it easy!)
I’ll compile a list of the nominees on May 1st, and then give everyone a chance to vote for the top 100.
In the meantime, please pass it along! (And use the button if you’d like!)
That is such a great idea! For me, characters decide whether or not I love a book. I’d love to see which ones come on top!
I nominate Will Stanton from Susan Cooper’s The Dark Is Rising series, Lyra from Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series, and Neville Longbottom from Harry Potter series!
1. Aerin from Hero and The Crown
2. Sunshine from Sunshine
3. Katniss from Hunger Games
Jonah Griggs – Melina Marchetta’s Jellicoe Road
Katniss Everdeen – Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games
Ponyboy Curtis – SE Hinton’s The Outsiders
Phineas – A Separate Peace
Emily Starr from Emily Climbs.
This is hard! I think I’d probably have an easier time picking 100 great YA characters rather than just 3. Anyway, here are some of my favourites:
1. Gen from The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
2. Cassandra Mortmain from I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
3. Sabriel from Sabriel by Garth Nix
I love your idea! It’s more fun to do than the books themselves, actually!
1. Briar from The Will of the Empress by Tamora Pierce
2. Eugenides from The Queen’s Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner
3. Bartimaeus from The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud
My problem isn’t coming up with three characters, but limiting it to that number. I guess it’s a good thing though, as it means that writers write engaging, developed characters that readers can become attached to.
1. Chrestomanci (Christopher Chant) from Diana Wynne Jones’s Chrestomanci series. It’s simply required for me to have DWJ on any list, because I love her characters and her stories so, so much. But I also love Howl and Sophie…
2. Francesca from Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta. I always read books with characters who I want to be like, but Francesca was the first character who I completely related to. I wonder if including her on my favorites list is a bit of narcissism then?
3. Beka Cooper by Tamora Pierce. I love how she’s introverted, but tough when she’s passionate about something, particularly her job. She’s such a strong character, but it a more subtle way than Alanna or other authors’ typical strong heroines.
It’s so hard to choose! Okay, since Gen and Bartimaeus have already been nominated, I’m going to nominate other favorite characters:
1. Telemakos from the Lion Hunters books by Elizabeth Wein
2. Aly from the Daughter of the Lioness books by Tamora Pierce
3. Fire from Fire by Kristin Cashore
So tough picking only three! Many of my favorites have already been listed, so I’ll add different ones.
1. Alanna the Lioness – Song of the Lioness Quartet – Tamora Pierce
2. Astrid Llewelyn – Rampant – Diana Petrefund
3. Ella – Ella Enchanted – Gail Carson Levine
Not easy to do for more then one reason! I think one would tend to choose from books read within the last 2 yrs ..and ch ooseing only 3, well..not easy!
Surely, Bartimaeus from The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud for
Master Harper Robinton from Ann McCaffrey’s Pern books
and Gandalf from J R R Tolkiens Lord of the Rings
How! Only three!!! That is rough!
Well, I would definitely say:
1. Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings
2. Bod from Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book
3. Zoe from Zoe’s Tale by John Scalzi.
It is killing me stopping at three!!! Ha!
Harry from The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
Beauty from Beauty and the Beast by McKinley
Elda, from The Year of the Griffin by Diana Wynne Jones
And I’d have picked Eugenides from Turner’s wonderful series except he was already up there several times.
Here’s my list:
Tom Bombadil, from Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien
Ged, from the Earthsea Books, Ursula Le Guin
Anne Shirley, from Anne of Green Gables, by L.M. Montgomery (I am nominating her even though I am a boy. She is that good.)
Christopher Chant is already mentioned, so I did not list him here.
Selecting only three was hard though. I had to leave some great characters…
This is fun and it made me realize I haven’t read any YA this year. What is wrong with me? Given the 3 books you’ve given me in the past week, I best go remedy that!
Okay, I’ll try to add three that people haven’t picked already.
Katsa from Graceling
Liesel from The Book Thief
Yelena from Poison Study (if you’re counting that as YA)
Three strong young women. Surprise, surprise. Of course, I wouldn’t mind at all if Po, Valek or Brigan were on the list, too, but I won’t try and cheat!
As a guy I will second adangeus’ comment on Anne Shirley, she is indeed that good! A literary crush that I have which is still as strong today as the first time I was introduced to her.
Death from Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief
Chrestomanci from Diana Wynne Jones’ Chrestomanci series
Han Alister from Cinda Williams Chima’s The Demon King
Pingback: Spread it Around: Nominate Favorite YA Characters « Tempting Persephone…
Smitty from THE ONLY ALIEN ON THE PLANET by Kristen Randle
Sorenson Carlisle from THE CHANGEOVER by Margaret Mahy
Sophie Hatter from HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE by Diana Wynne Jones
There are others but I guess I have to stop. Luckily some I was thinking of are already nominated here (Harry from THE BLUE SWORD and Fire from FIRE)
Nominating some more… (=
1) Enna from Enna Burning
2) Gale from The Hunger Games
3) Ella from Ella Enchanted
4) Irial from Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely series
*I wish I could nominate Winnie the Pooh…hehe
Okay. So for some that have not been nominated yet. In no particular order.
Taran and Eilonwy from The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander
Val from Valiant by Holly Black
Alan from The Demon’s Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan
Meg Murry from A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Marian from The Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley
Daisy from How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff
Kit Tyler from The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
Dicey Tillerman from Dicey’s Song (and the whole Tillerman Cycle) by Cynthia Voigt
Rebecca from The Road Home and Meg Powers from The President’s Daughter series, both by Ellen Emerson White
Meredith from Such a Pretty Girl by Laura Wiess
Alexa Tarabotti from the Soulless series
Cal from the Peeps series
Fred and George from the Harry Potter series
Fang from the Max Ride series
Mia & Michael from the Princess Diaries series
And many more, believe me, but I’d be here all night, and I’m supposed to be doing homework…..groan!!!
<3 G
Just 3?
Well that is almost impossible, but I’ll try.
Ron Weasley-Harry Potter
Sodapop Curtis-The Outsiders
Vivi-Fake Boyfriend
And If I could have a fourth
Katniss Everdeen-The Hunger Games
Your right Gypsy Lancaster, Fred and George are so cool!
Lyra and Will from Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series
Katniss from the Hunger Games
Hester Shaw from The Mortal Engines Quartet by Philip Reeve
Val from Valient by Holly Black
Wanderer from The Host by Stephenie Meyer
Amber and Johnny from The Amethyst Child
Bee and Harper from Broken Soup
The list could go on forever…
YAY!
this are all people what show use how to be better! I think that they all should be on the list!
Harry Potter-Gemma Doyle- Dan & Amy ( 39 clues)
So many, so little time:
Katsa – from Graceling
Harry – from The Blue Sword
Katniss – from The Hunger Games
Beka Cooper – from Tamora Pierce’s series
Eragon – from Eragon
I’ve had a lot of time on my hands lately, so I have been catching up on my reading, and I think I am going to have to add to my list.
1. Molly – Restoring Harmony
2. Fred and George – Harry Potter
3. Sam – Shiver
4. Katniss Everdeen – The Hunger Games
Tally from the Uglies trilogy by Scott Westerfield
Hannah from Jay Asher’s Thirteen Reasons Why
Clary from Cassandre Clare’s Mortal Instruments Trilogy
Wren- Wren to the Rescue, Sherwood Smith
Alanna, Kel and Daine from Tamora Pierce’s books
Ella- Ella Enchanted, Gail Carson Levine
Ender- Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card
Sophie- Howl’s Moving Castle, Diana Wynne Jones
Gen- The Theif, Megan Whalen Turner
So many that belong on this list!
Peeta Melark from Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games series (Team Peeta!)
Jace Herondale/Wayland from Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series (Anyone who’s read the series can’t argue.)
Even though she’s already been mentioned, Yelena from Maria V. Snyder’s Study series. She seemed to be one of the few heroines who didn’t need constant saving, same with
Katniss Everdeen, from Suzanne Collin’s Hunger Games series.
Last one. Hayden Stone, from Gena Showalter’s Intertwined. He was, in a way, a bad boy, but he was just lonely and I found myself actually relating to him at times. He is probably one of my favorite male MCs in all of YA fiction, mainly because reading from his POV was so fun.
Seconding Peeta from The Hunger Games!
Luna from The Harry Potter Series
& Kent from Before I Fall-By Lauren Oliver