Top 10 Best Characters from Young Adult Fiction Books

The Top Ten

Percy Jackson - Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Perseus "Percy" Jackson is a fictional character, the title character and narrator of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. He is a demigod, the son of Poseidon and a mortal woman named Sally Jackson. Percy first appears in the novel The Lightning Thief.

Percy Jackson is amazing because he's incredibly loyal to his friends (so much so that it's his fatal flaw), an incredible sword-fighter, and he has awesome powers over water. Plus, he has a fantastic sense of humor. Take this quote, for example:
"All I could think of was that the teachers must've found the illegal stash of candy I'd been selling out of my dorm room. Or maybe they'd realized I got my essay on Tom Sawyer from the Internet without ever reading the book, and now they were going to take away my grade. Or worse, they were going to make me read the book."
Percy has great values, always stands up for what he believes in, and puts the people he cares about first every time. His narration is one of the wittiest, most sarcastic, and all-around enjoyable points of view I've ever read. I think he's a fantastic role model, and that's why he's my hero.
If you haven't already, you should give his narration a shot, and maybe he can become your hero too. All you have to do is read the first page, and you'll be immediately pulled into the greatest story (in my opinion) of all time. I hope you enjoy reading about Percy and the gang as much as I do. In the words of Percy Jackson: "'Show's over!' I yelled. 'Thank you! Good night!'"
Katniss Everdeen - The Hunger Games

Katniss Everdeen is a fictional character and the protagonist of The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. She is portrayed by actress Jennifer Lawrence in the film adaptation series. Katniss becomes a symbol of resistance and rebellion against the oppressive Capitol in the dystopian storyline.

Katniss is full of everything that can get her through almost anything.
With the support of her friends, she shows all, but especially girls, how capable they can be even when not in a life-and-death competition.

Katniss could have lived by the Capitol's rules and lived happily ever after, but she didn't. She fought for the ones she loves and for the future, to see something bright when it was full of darkness. She fought, sacrificed herself to defend everyone, and took risks for simple things that would change their generation for the better.
And if that isn't bravery, courage, sacrifice, and all the world's focus on strength, then what is? I think courage, initiative, sacrifice, and bravery should have Katniss written as the definition.
Harry Potter - Harry Potter

Harry James Potter is the title character of the Harry Potter book series written by J. K. Rowling. The series chronicles his life from age eleven as he discovers his identity as a wizard and attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Over seven years, Harry confronts numerous challenges and... read more

Harry has such strengths, but also vulnerabilities.
He leads that way, with flaws and a broken heart, but he still gets up to lead.

Harry Potter wasn't the smartest or the most powerful wizard of his age. He had his faults, and that is what makes him a hero. He was human. He made mistakes. Yes, he could have been more educated, perhaps tried harder, but couldn't we all?
Harry was a child like so many of us were, someone with whom we grew up. He was part of a completely different world than the one in which he was raised, a foretold hero - one who had suffered before he was aware of the circumstances, the reason why. He may not have had the worst childhood compared to other heroes and heroines, but to us, he did. To witness his friendships and watch him mature and grow at our side is perhaps Rowling's greatest gift.
Annabeth Chase - Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Annabeth Chase is a daughter of Athena and one of the main characters in both the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and the Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan. She is also Percy Jackson's girlfriend and is recognized for her intelligence, leadership, and courage in battle, which all come from... read more

Does anyone else realize how similar Hermione and Annabeth are? I mean, if we're being honest, they would both be Gryffindors. They're both intellectual geniuses, and they would both sacrifice more than I can say for those they love. They are both needed in their respective series, or else everyone else would be dead. They both had to fight and work harder than most to get to the places they were in the series. They are both amazing characters, and I don't understand how Annabeth can be ranked over 10 places behind Hermione.
I think of Hermione erasing her parents' memory and Annabeth falling into Tartarus, and I want to cry.
Hermione Granger - Harry Potter

Hermione Jean Granger is a fictional character in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. She is one of the main characters and best friends of Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Hermione is known for her intelligence, strong work ethic, and loyalty.

Next to Harry, Hermione is the smartest witch in her class, or even beyond. She takes on twice the studies and still manages to help Harry face whatever struggles come his, Ron's, or her own way.

In the movies, she was obviously cool, but she had so much more characterization in the books. She was the leader, the bravest, and most relatable - more often than Harry himself. While I like Katniss and Percy, honestly, they were kind of boring at times. They were so generic, while Hermione was incredibly interesting.
She was annoying at times but always put helping people who needed it first - SPEW, she led most of the quest for the horcruxes, she created Dumbledore's Army to help teach the other students. She was the leader the whole time, and Harry was the more famous and talented one who always ended up being the one everything major happened to.
In other series, Annabeth and Tris were interesting but still not as diverse as Hermione, and almost no one on this list grew as a character over the course of the books like she did. Percy, Harry, and Katniss are the poster children of their series, but they were honestly just not as interesting. Maybe Harry. I'm sorry, I'm a big HP fan, so this may be biased, but as someone who writes stories myself, I can say that Katniss and Percy are as generic as they come. They may be likable, but neither is good enough to be the best overall character. Not even close.
Augustus Waters - The Fault in Our Stars

I love the way he smiles. I love the way he talks. I love the way he loves Hazel. I love the way he says, Hazel Grace Lancaster.

He is the most adorable, lovely character I have ever read the story of, and you are unable to fail to fall in love with him. No other boy can compare to Augustus Waters!

You just fall in love with Augustus immediately. It's inevitable. Just like oblivion.
Max Ride - Maximum Ride

I love Max. Not only is she an incredible leader, but also a great friend. She supports the flock even when she disagrees with them (Nudge). She is sassy, sarcastic, and great in a fight. Max also does what she thinks is the right thing, no matter the consequences - a trait many people today lack.

Max. I really can't describe all of her. Max is one of the best-written characters I have ever read about. She is a little daredevilish. She clearly makes her own decisions and loves her family. She is the one to keep everything together.
Hannah Baker - 13 Reasons Why

The thing that I admire about Hannah Baker is that she's real. She has a story that doesn't involve magic, powers, or weapons, but a powerful and heartbreaking story all the same. And moreover, a story that applies to so many lives at least as much as any of the other books on here. No, her story was not a happy one. She didn't end up living happily ever after with the boy she was meant to be with, but that's reality. It doesn't always happen. While I love Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, The Hunger Games, etc., I am very happy that this book is so far up on the list. If you haven't read it yet, I recommend it times 1000.

Hannah, even though she killed herself, was a great character. She helped me be strong and has inspired me to never give up and to never feel hopeless.
Peeta Mellark - The Hunger Games

Many people really miss the essence of Peeta when they read this series. Contrary to popular belief, you see someone who is not ordinary and useless. You see a person who takes beatings to feed another kid. Tris is selfless, I will say that, but I personally think Peeta is more selfless. He always wanted Katniss to live even if he didn't. Not many characters are that selfless.
He may not have sacrificed himself like Harry or Tris, but he was willing to do so multiple times. I personally think he should be high on the list.

Peeta is so kind and thoughtful. Instead of putting himself first, he puts the needs of those he loves ahead of his own. I just don't understand how anyone can dislike him.
Finnick Odair - The Hunger Games

With a great love for Annie, but also such a friendship with Haymitch, he knows who to help because of his good heart, even though he's been used and abused.
That, and his smile!

I'm a little confused. Finnick outranked Katniss in the top ten best Hunger Games characters, but she way outranked him in this. I still vote for Finnick. I don't know how to describe him. He's not an anti-hero, he's just a flawed hero. He may seem vain and violent, but deep down he's sweet and a wonderful caretaker.
He helps Annie after she gets PTSD from the Hunger Games, and he still loves her even though she isn't like she used to be. He cares about people and he helps them. He's the best person on this list by far!

The Newcomers

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Katrina Ismirasdaughter - The Inheritance Cycle
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Arya Dröttning - The Inheritance Cycle

The Contenders

Celaena Sardothien - Throne of Glass

Celaena is definitely one of the strongest characters ever. She can knock your lights out without a problem, but she also loves to read, puppies, shopping, and chocolate. I think this is amazing! I feel like most young adult books have characters that are either really stupid and have no helpfulness, or are your stereotypical girly-girl. Alternatively, they are a stereotypical tomboy and hate all things remotely girly.
Well, most people aren't like that, and Celaena isn't either. Even though she is the most successful and feared assassin in the kingdom, she is sarcastic, sassy, badass, and just a tad bit girly. She also is totally confident in herself and doesn't need a man to tell her she is beautiful or protect her. Celaena also shows true character development unlike most YA characters (I love you Percy, but I'm looking at you). She goes through many relationships, which is way more realistic than having two dashing suitors to decide from and ending up marrying the one you pick.
Nico Di Angelo - Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Nico di Angelo is a fictional character created by Rick Riordan. He appears in Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Heroes of Olympus, and parts of The Trials of Apollo. As a son of Hades, Nico is a demigod with unique powers and responsibilities.... read more

I LOVE NICO! How on earth is he so low on this list? He deserves a much higher spot, and he is underrated in many other ways! I adore Solangelo, and The Sun and the Star was, I kid you not, life-changing. He deserves a much higher spot on this list!

I am glad to see Nico on this list. He was a character I related to and still do. He is realistic, has his flaws, and is a very interesting person. Why is a girl who killed herself above him, the hell?

I love the darkness and torture Nico goes through and the fact that no matter how bad things get for him, he still helps his friends save the world.
Tris Prior - Divergent

Tris is a character who, over the Divergent novels, has learned and developed in ways commonly missed by other authors. In each novel, we learn more about Tris as she learns more about herself. In a world where labels are so widely accepted, she finds her place in the world and adapts. She analyzes her actions and her thoughts and holds on to her true self regardless of others' perceptions of her. She accepts reality and is not afraid of being judged. Her humbleness and refreshing perspective are magnetic, and she is a character not easily forgotten.

Tris deserves to be in the top 3. Really? Katniss? KATNISS? She's got to be one of the worst characters here, second only to Bella. The character is so poorly written. There is no motivation for any of her actions whatsoever. Suzanne thought she could make her different just by giving her a bow and arrow and making her all athletic. Deep down, she's just another one of those sappy "heroines" stuck in a love triangle. Katniss is a heroine. Tris is a hero.
Oh, and seriously, why isn't Harry number 1?
Alaska Young - Looking for Alaska

She is smart, but not only in the way that she reads a lot of books, but also in the way that she thinks in ways people often don't think unless she shows them. You just have to read what she said in the books and you will realize that she is a million times smarter than you.
She is a feminist and will stand up for women's rights no matter what, even if she gets on someone's nerves. That may just encourage her. She lives her life the way she wants to and doesn't care about what others think about her. Sometimes people think too much about the future and forget that they are living in this moment, in this time, at this exact second.
She is the person in a group who comes up with the craziest ideas, but they are also the ones that make the best memories. You cannot meet Alaska and forget her later on because she has a storm that lives inside her that makes her unforgettable.
She seems like a dark secret and then she shines so bright.
"She is a hurricane."
Jace Lightwood - Mortal Instruments

#23? Really, people? How can you not love Jace? He's funny, sarcastic, arrogant, and badass, but also has this secret vulnerability to him that he hates people to see, and he only reveals his true self to Clary. He's totally brave and nearly fearless, which I really admire in a character.
But he's secretly really selfless, which is a quality I think should be in everyone, but unfortunately is not. Some people feel that they should put themselves first, but Jace doesn't think that. Sure, he's a bit rude and full of himself a lot of the time, but he would never let anything bad happen to the people he loves. He's a very entertaining character to read about - there'll never be a dull moment if he's there. He will always be my favorite fictional character.
Albus Dumbledore - Harry Potter

Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. He serves as the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for most of the series. Dumbledore is also the founder and leader of the Order of the Phoenix.
Newt - Maze Runner

Newt deserved so much better! (Warning: spoilers below). He is, to me and I think to everyone else as well, so much more than a fictional character. He had feelings for everyone, he cared for many people, and he was respected by all of his friends.
He was innocent, he had a family that cared for him, and he never got to remember his sister. He deserved a life as a normal human being just like everyone else, even though he wasn't immune. He was one of, if not the, most real characters I think in the book. He was a great leader, people really looked up to him, and he was a great role model for everyone. He deserved so much more. I think every Newt fan will agree!
Charlie - The Perks of Being a Wallflower

I believe that Charlie was one of the most complex and extraordinary characters in all of literature. Not only did he have a realistically sad past, but he also displayed traits and actions not often found in main characters, not even supporting characters. Charlie was such a unique and lovable character that I'm not sure how anyone could forget him.

Charlie is so amazing, and I am inspired to be like him. It is only at the end of the book that you are given the answers that tell you why Charlie is so reserved and fragile. I think that this character represents what it is like to grow up with no friends and then have friends who would die for you. I love Charlie.
Effie Trinket - The Hunger Games

Effie has a wonderful sense of fashion. It would be so fun to be her for Halloween!
Leo Valdez - Heroes of Olympus

Leo Valdez is a major character from the book series Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan. He is one of the seven demigods mentioned in the Prophecy of Seven. A Greek demigod and the son of Hephaestus, Leo possesses the ability to create and manipulate fire, a power known as pyrokinesis.

Ok, don't get me wrong, I love Percy, but he never had to go through what Leo did. Leo is one of the funniest, saddest, loneliest characters ever, and I felt so bad for him. When Nemesis said he was the seventh wheel, the one who would never find a place, when Calypso said he was a mistake... Leo had every reason to fall apart and become broken on the inside and out, but instead, he put on a brave face and covered everything up with humor.
And although at first he was never considered a hero by the demigods the way Jason or Percy were, he did some things they didn't that deserve remembering. He went through fire and death (literally!) to come back for Calypso, and SPOILER ended up being the one to die at the end. He's a genius! Who built the Argo II? Who repaired Festus? Who did the impossible, coming back from the Underworld to help Calypso? Leo is the most relatable and lovable seventh wheel for all of us.
Katsa - Graceling

Katsa carried a girl on her back through a passage that no other hero survived. She endured for miles despite frostbite, exhaustion, and fatigue.
Katsa blatantly refuses marriage to a respected nobleman - a prospect many girls would desire. She rested her case with her opposition to marriage even when she found love.
Katsa stood up against the most powerful man in her kingdom, who happened to be her despised uncle - the very person who molded her into a killer.
When her allies told her to kill a whole troop of guards, Katsa refused. Instead, she put them to sleep by knocking them out in less than a minute.
Katsa traveled the world to fight a king who had nothing to do with her, all for the sake of a stranger and his half-dead grandfather.
The list goes on. All of this to say that Katsa is the most brave, selfless, and strong character of YA fiction. She shows determination, strength, and resilience in situations where no one else would. She even chooses to spend the rest of her life teaching defenseless girls how to defend themselves. What more could anyone ask for?
Suze Simon - The Mediator

I love Susannah, the badass girl who ain't afraid of no one. And I am hopelessly head over heels in love with Jesse Da Silva.
Aaron Warner - Shatter Me Trilogy

In starting Shatter Me, I was actually rooting for Adam. Then this guy shows up, with his amazing personality, his perfect lines, and did I mention good looks? I like how he developed throughout the trilogy and he makes people believe that everything is not what it seems - there are millions of sides to a certain story.
He has jagged edges, but that just makes him even more amazing. He can get angry, he can be selfish, but in the end, we all are. I love how he's so humane, yet somehow seemingly unattainable. He's also fashionable.

Can someone be sassy, fashionable, and stunning so much so that you fall in love through pages? Meet Aaron Warner.
Grover Underwood - Percy Jackson and the Olympians

The funniest sidekick ever. He's always there for you and cares even about the littlest things. If you're hurt, he'll make you better. If you're alone, he'll be there for you.

If you don't like Grover, then you, my friend, have a damn problem.

No one can match this goat, and ping-pong balls and cheese whiz don't sound all too bad...
Ginny Weasley - Harry Potter

Ginny Weasley is a central character in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. She is the youngest child and only daughter of the Weasley family. Initially introduced as a shy girl with a crush on Harry Potter, Ginny evolves into a strong, independent young woman.... read more

She is so kick-ass in the books. She is sarcastic, funny, and willing to fight.
Nice going with the characters, Josaphine Rowling!

Sassy and low-key ass-kicking in the books. Love the sassiness, even though it is definitely not on Percy Jackson's level.