Looking for an unforgettable collection of thrilling YA books about survival? As an award-winning author and longtime blogger about issue-driven YA fiction, I’ve spent over a decade analyzing and recommending the most addictive and compelling novels about survival that you won’t be able to stop reading.
You’ll find detailed reviews of more than a dozen novels in the roundup below. All of the following page-turning books about staying alive gave me new appreciation for my dry house, warm blankets, and stocked refrigerator. Be inspired by the resilience of these teens as they survive shipwrecks, the end of the world, human trafficking, Nazis, and the great outdoors.
Coywood Creek by Khristina Chess
Survival themes
Dystopian survival
What it’s about
A quirky dystopian thriller about teen battling anxiety and binge eating disorder, forced to adopt new coping and survival strategies as society crumbles around her.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“With an unremarkable click, like a period at the end of a sentence, the world ended.” ― Khristina Chess, quote from Coywood Creek
This hilariously smart YA novel will wreck you—in the best way possible!
For readers drawn to the slow unraveling of society in dystopian fiction, Coywood Creek delivers a comical journey through the eyes of a teenager with binge eating disorder.
At first, Zoey brushes off the blackout, the dead cell service, and the eerie northern lights. But as reality sets in, she knows one thing: she can’t stay in her parents’ condo alone with no power. So she packs her snacks and sets out for Coywood Creek, hoping to find safety with her uncle and grandmother. Instead, she finds something else entirely.
What makes this novel so engrossing is Zoey’s sharp, relatable, and often humorous response to navigating the collapse of civilization with her signature sarcasm (and a bag of OREO cookies). Her delicious banter with Kent made me laugh out loud, even as the novel’s deeper themes—resilience, uncertainty, and survival—kept me hooked.
But more than anything, Coywood Creek forces you to ask: How fragile are we without our technology?
I highly recommend this YA novel about the end of the world. If you’re looking for great YA books about survival, Coywood Creek is worth the read. You have to meet the sassiest survivor since Katniss—and don’t forget to bring snacks.
The Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Survival themes
Shipwreck survival
What it’s about
After a cargo ship with his parents and their zoo animals sinks at sea, a boy and a Bengal tiger share a lifeboat and struggle to survive.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“You might think I lost all hope at that point. I did. And as a result I perked up and felt much better.” ― Yann Martel from The Life of Pi
This story has so many layers. At its heart, a man is telling the story of how he survived a shipwreck as a young boy. But The Life of Pi is about so much more than that! Young Pi demonstrates courage, resilience, faith, hope, and strength of character, and at the end of his heartbreaking journey, I was left wondering what really happened. I know what I wanted to believe, but there is a difference between what is probable and what is possible.
The movie adaptation of this novel is stunning and breathtaking in its beauty. I highly recommend that you read the book and then watch the film. If you’re looking for amazing YA books about survival, The Life of Pi will wreck you.
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
Survival themes
Nazis, wartime survival
What it’s about
Inspired by the real-life tragedy that was the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff (the greatest maritime disaster in history), a group of refugees fleeing the Nazis find their lives intertwined by fate and horror.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“I wept because i had no shoes, until i met a man who had no feet.” ― Ruta Sepetys from Salt to the Sea
Going in, I had no idea what this book was about, except that lots of people were reading it and it won awards. For sure, I had no prior knowledge of the historical event at its heart.
The multiple viewpoints and short scenes took a while to hook me. I didn’t like Alfred from the beginning, but the stories of the others pulled me in, the secondary characters as well as the main ones. All of them had compelling secrets. I wanted everyone in the group to escape, to be the handful of refugees to survive that horrific war.
Graphic details created a vivid backdrop. I could see the horses entombed in the ice with the people. I could see the starving cow, its udders burst in the cold. The dead and dying. War.
If you like historical YA novels about survival in war times, you will love Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys.
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
Survival Themes
Surviving winter in Alaska
What it’s about
An epic story about a young girl growing up in a remote homestead in Alaska in the 1970s.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“Love and fear. The most destructive forces on earth. Fear had turned her inside out, love had made her stupid.” ― Kristin Hannah from The Great Alone
Leni is 13 when her parents decide to relocate to Alaska. It’s 1974. She’s used to moving around a lot and not fitting in, so her expectations about this place aren’t very high, either. Children of all ages share the same schoolhouse, and there is one other kid her age. A boy, Matthew Walker. They become fast friends.
Alaska is beautiful and beautiful. Although the new homestead is wonderful at first, the descent of winter and darkness brings out her father’s abuse. A former POW from the Vietnam war, he is now a violent, alcoholic, and paranoid man whose rage targets his fragile wife.
So many good and terrible things happen in this sweeping novel. Leni is a compelling character, and in fact, there is a whole cast of interesting people in Alaska who care for one another. Survival depends on community in The Great Alone.
If you love historical fiction and are a fan of Kristin Hannah’s writing, you will love this story.
Against the Pack by Khristina Chess
Survival Themes
Wilderness survival
What it’s about
After a brutal dog attack leaves them stranded in a remote ravine in rural Appalachia, a teenage girl must claw her way toward rescue to save her wounded mother before time runs out.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“And once you decided you were going in the wrong direction, how did you find your way back? What happened when you couldn’t go back?” ― Khristina Chess, quote from Against the Pack
What if survival meant leaving the one person you love the most behind?
Ignore the cover. Trust the story. Against the Pack is a pulse-pounding, emotionally charged YA novel that dives into deep themes of love and resilience.
It starts with a bang. While walking on a rural road, Melender and her mom are attacked by a pack of dogs—forced over a near-vertical hillside into a ravine. They’re trapped. Wounded. Stranded on a narrow ledge with no food, no water, no shelter. No phone. No way out.
No one knows where they are.
No one even knows they’re missing.
The only thing Melender has is her will to survive.
She doesn’t want to abandon her critically injured mom, but if she doesn’t find help soon, neither of them will make it.
Melender is gritty, determined, and unforgettable. What makes Against the Pack so special is that her fight isn’t just physical—it’s psychological and deeply personal. As the hours stretch into days, the novel doesn’t just test her endurance but also unravels complicated truths about her relationship with her mother.
If you love high-stakes wilderness survival stories with emotional depth, Against the Pack delivers in every way. Think Hatchet meets How to Make Friends with the Dark.
I Am Still Alive by Kate Alice Marshall
Survival Themes
Wilderness survival
What it’s about
After strangers murder her father in front of her, Jess and a dog are stranded in the Canadian wilderness and must find a way to survive—and get revenge.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“To survive you need to learn to hold contradictory things in your head at the same time. I am going to die; I am going to live. There is nothing to fear; be wary of everything.” ― Kate Alice Marshall, quote from I Am Still Alive
What an amazing page-turner! From the beginning this book grabbed me and didn't let go. It's the kind of story that had me staying up late to read, sitting outside in the shade to read, read, read, reading to finish because I couldn't put this novel down. It starts with a BANG--literally, when strangers kill Jess's father, leaving her stranded in the wilderness of Canada with his dog, Bo. She's still recovering from a car accident that killed her mother, so she doesn't walk well, and she's a city girl so she's not great at hunting and fishing. How will she handle a Canadian winter alone without shelter or food?
She is alive. And she is tenacious.
I loved this girl's grit, and I wanted to see her survive. I wanted to know the answer to the mystery about who the men killed her father.
And after reading this one, I binged on everything that Kate Alice Marshall has written and added her to my list of Best YA Authors to Binge on Kindle Unlimited because she’s amazing! She’s at the top of my list of the best YA book recommendations and authors of all time.
If you’re looking for a gripping YA book about survival that you won’t be able to put down, check out I Am Still Alive.
Everything Beautiful Is Not Ruined by Danielle Young-Ullman
Survival Themes
Wilderness survival
What it’s about
A complex and beautiful story about a girl in a wilderness program for at-risk teens who comes to terms with her complex relationship with her famous diva mother.
Why I Love It - Book Review
In this absorbing novel, a broken mother-daughter relationship drives everything that’s happening, both in the present and in the past. The present is awful. Ingrid has been sent away to a 3-week wilderness program for at-risk teens, although she didn’t realize what she was signing up for at the time, and now she’s wet, miserable, mosquito-bitten, and trapped with a misfit group in the middle of nowhere. But she’s determined to see things through to prove something to her mother and earn the carrot, which is permission to attend a music school abroad.
The past is a complicated story about her mother’s beautiful opera voice and depression. There is a strong codependency relationship between the mother and daughter, since the mother is a depressed diva. From an early age, Ingrid took care of her mother since no father was in the picture.
I loved the mystery about how Ingrid ended up in the wilderness, and I was rooting for her to make it out.
If you are looking for a YA book about survival with real character depth and heartbreak, this one is one of my new favorites.
Be Not Far From Me by Mindy McGinnis
Survival Themes
Wilderness survival
What it’s about
After becoming lost and injured, a teenage girl must hike out of the wilderness barefoot with only her wits to keep her alive.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“Living things will fight to stay that way.” ― Mindy McGinnis, quote from Be Not Far From Me
Be Not Far from Me is a fast and engaging read about a girl who is lost and wounded in the woods. There are some plot points that seem a bit problematic, but the story is so compelling that I couldn't put this book down. There was a moment near the end when I became as lost as Ashley and wasn't sure how things would end for her anymore.
I was impressed by a novel that progressed almost entirely with just one character. Ashley carried the weight of the narrative and the conflict on her shoulders by herself. Alone and barefoot.
This was my second Mindy McGinnis novel, and after reading it, I also added her to my list of Best YA Authors to Binge on Kindle Unlimited.
Be sure to check out this YA book about survival that pits a quick-witted, tough-talking teen against nature’s elements.
Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis
Survival Themes
Dystopian survival
What it’s about
In a dystopian world of poison water, a young girl must defend her family's freshwater pond to survive.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“There's different ways of doing things wrong, Lynn, and not all of it is choosing to hurt others. Sometimes it's the things you don't do that make you feel the worst.” ― Mindy McGinnis, quote from Not a Drop to Drink
In fact, Mindy McGinnis has become one of my favorite authors because of her unique stories and gritty protagonists, and Not A Drop To Drink is every bit of that.
Set in a future where drinking water is scarce and people fight for survival in a wild frontier, Lynn is a young woman in rural Ohio defending a pond and her homestead. Her mother raised her to distrust, to fight, and to live, and that's what she intends to do.
I enjoyed watching Lynn's fierce character evolve into a person who was willing to allow others into her life, to trust and even love. Despite her hardness, she had a kind heart. There were some interesting scenes in interactions with other people, like the stranger on the road, that tested her humanity.
Not a Drop to Drink was also a fast, thrilling YA book about survival, and its sequel, In a Handful of Dust, follows Lynn and her adopted daughter Lucy into the unknown after a mysterious plague drives them away from their home and community.
Property of Nobody by Khristina Chess
Survival Themes
Human trafficking
What it’s about
An unaccompanied teen boy from Honduras flees murdering coyotes, only to become ensnared by human traffickers.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“No one is coming for you. No one is missing you. And no one will mourn you if you’re killed.” ― Khristina Chess, quote from Property of Nobody
Hands down, this is the best YA novel about survival you’ll read this year!
In a genre where male voices are rare, young Teódulo stands out—a gripping, unforgettable protagonist trapped in the insidious web of debt bondage after the murder of his father. His descent is slow, suffocating, inevitable. I worried for him. I clung to every choice he made, knowing escape might never come.
This novel doesn’t just tell a story; it challenges readers to look at the dark underbelly of immigration, human trafficking, organized crime, and the vulnerable children who are swallowed by it.
It’s haunting. It’s brutal. It’s harrowing.
With its riveting storytelling and powerful themes of survival and resilience, Property of Nobody has sparked conversations across book clubs and reader communities. This is more than fiction; it’s a window into the lives of children we’re too afraid to see. I promise that this one will move you and stay with you long after the last page.
Freedom is not free.
The Benevolent Lords of Sometimes Island by Scott Semegran
Survival Themes
Human trafficking
What it’s about
Set in the mid-1980s, four boys find themselves on an unexpected adventure on an island.
Why I Love It - Book Review
I picked up this novel because it was the 2021 First Place winner for Middle-Grade/Young Adult Writers Digest Self-Published Book Awards. Wow! It hooked me immediately and didn’t let go.
Four middle-school boys find a backpack full of cash and pot left behind by their nemesis bullies, the Thousand Oaks Gang, and after evading them fails (they get beat up), they decide to retreat to an abandoned lake house for a few days. Being kids, they haven’t thought this through. The bullies find them. They end up stranded on an island with no food, water, or shelter and must survive until someone rescues them.
I didn’t know what to expect when I picked up this novel. I felt I was in great storytelling hands with Semegran. I don’t usually like Middle Grade novels; they usually are too young for me to really appreciate. But The Benevolent Lords of Sometimes Island has something special. As others have noted, it reminds me of The Body by Stephen King, which inspired Stand by Me (the movie). Perhaps it is the narrator’s voice, which seems older and wiser than his young years.
Treat yourself to this suspenseful YA book about survival in a nostalgic time and place.
The Distance Between Lost and Found by Kathryn Holmes
Survival Themes
Wilderness survival
What it’s about
Three teenagers are separated from their church youth group and survive for 7 days in the wilderness.
Why I Love It - Book Review
Although the story has a strong plot element of fighting nature to survive (storms, poison ivy, etc.), the real story is one of character transformation, including forgiveness, love, and faith.
Switchback by Danika Stone
Survival Themes
Wilderness survival
What it’s about
A boy and a girl must survive after getting lost together in the woods.
Why I Love It - Book Review
I enjoyed the fast pacing of this novel, and I was invested in seeing Vale and Ash get out alive. As with other books in this genre, many disasters and obstacles kept the tension taut through the length of the book.
Other YA Books about Survival
If you are looking other YA books about survival, check out the YA Survival Books shelf and YA Survival Books list on Goodreads. You may also be interested in my posts on Other Good Reads.
Author Bio
Khristina Chess is an award-winning author of more than a dozen young adult novels, including The Cutting Edge of Friendship, The Delinquent Hero, and Junior Missing. Her novel about eating disorders, Hollow Beauty, was named a finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards. She tackles tough teen topics and writes binge-worthy books across multiple genres, including contemporary, thriller, mystery, dystopian, and adventure.
In a recent interview from her alma mater, she described how her experience in the creative writing program prepared her for success.
