Young adult novels, and movies based on those novels, have seen a popularity boom in the past decade, largely due to blockbusters like the Hunger Games series. Apart from major franchises, there have also been many successful standalone young adult book-to-movie adaptations. The young adult genre as a whole provides an intimate look into the lives of teenagers as they deal with school, relationships, family, and identity. These movies faithfully adapt their book counterparts and excellently portray the pain and joy of the teen experience, creating a memorable experience for viewers. Let’s take a look at the best standalone young adult book-to-movie adaptations, ranked.

9 The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005)

Directed by Ken Kwapis, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is based on a book by Ann Brashares and presents a sweet tale that’s one of the best movies about friendship. The movie stars four best friends (played by Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera, Blake Lively, and Amber Tamblyn) who are about to spend their first summer apart. After finding a pair of jeans that fits them all, they decide to share the jeans over the summer, where each of them have memorable experiences. The movie is fun and emotional, with a great cast, who really feel like best friends. It received mostly positive reviews and was an audience hit, prompting a sequel three years later.

8 Holes (2003)

Louis Sachar’s book Holes, directed by Andrew Davis, presents a faithful adaptation, as Stanley (Shia LaBeouf) is wrongly convicted of stealing a valuable pair of shoes, and sent to dig holes at a juvenile detention camp in the desert. Flashbacks reveal that the camp is more than a detention center, home to buried treasure and a dark past. The movie becomes a tale of unlikely friendship when Stanley runs away with another boy, Zero, and exposes the camp’s secrets. Holes was well-received by critics and audiences alike, and is an enjoyable movie with much more than meets the eye.

7 The Miseducation of Cameron Post (2018)

The Miseducation of Cameron Post, based on the book by Emily Danforth, is directed by Desiree Akhavan and reflects the importance of freedom and identity. Cameron Post (Chloe Grace Moretz, in one of her best roles) is a teenager who gets caught with her girlfriend on homecoming night. Sent to a gay conversion camp by her religious aunt, Cameron makes friends, but struggles to adapt to her harsh new situation. When things at the camp worsen, Cameron and her friends embrace their destinies and run away in a celebration of freedom. While not a major box office hit, it was praised by critics and is an inspiring movie worthy of a watch.

6 Bridge to Terabithia (2007)

Bridge to Terabithia, based on the book by Katherine Paterson, is another faithful adaptation that received positive reviews. Directed by Gábor Csupó, the film recreates all the wonder, love, and loss in the book. Jesse (Josh Hutcherson) is a normal boy who befriends Leslie (AnnaSophia Robb), an unusual girl. Together they create the magical world of Terabithia, taking refuge from the outside world as their imaginations run free. The young actors do an excellent job in this film, immersing the audience in their friendship and bringing great emotional depth to the whole movie, and its ending in particular.

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5 The Outsiders (1983)

The New Yorker credits S.E. Hinton’s book as the first specifically young adult novel, and Francis Ford Coppola’s film adaptation of The Outsiders perfectly captures its rebellious, heartbreaking spirit. The film centers around Ponyboy (C. Thomas Howell) and his role in a group of greasers in Oklahoma, who get involved with a rival group of rich kids. The movie is grounded and realistic, truly reflecting a group of teenagers and the challenges they faced as lower-class greasers. The cast is fantastic and many of them would go on to major stardom. A critical and box office success, it remains a beloved Coppola movie and is still relevant today.

4 Love, Simon (2018)

Love, Simon is based on the novel Simon vs. the Home Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli. According to Variety, this film adaptation, directed by Greg Berlanti, makes history as the first major studio film to center around a gay teenage romance. It’s historic, but it’s also a great teen movie with a classic feel that will appeal to anyone. Simon (Nick Robinson) is a closeted gay teenager who falls in love with an anonymous classmate through secret emails. When a classmate threatens to out Simon, he is forced to meddle in his friends’ romantic lives to keep the secret. The movie is a fun ride as Simon tries to figure out who his crush is, balanced with emotional moments of Simon coming out to his parents (Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel). With its critical and commercial success, here’s hoping that more movies will continue to offer new perspectives as this one does.

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3 The Hate U Give (2018)

The Hate U Give, based on the book by Angie Thomas and directed by George Tillman Jr., doesn’t flinch away from its serious subject matter, exploring the aftermath when Starr’s (Amandla Stenberg) friend dies in a police shooting. Thrust into this situation, Starr must deal with the loss of her old friend and trouble with her new friends, all while deciding how public she wants her role to be in speaking out against the shooting. It was a hit with critics and audiences alike for its faithful depictions of serious issues while still letting Starr enjoy normal teenage moments with her family and boyfriend. The cast does a great job at showing all the pieces involved in the tragedy.

2 The Fault in Our Stars (2014)

Directed by Josh Boone, the film adaptation of John Green’s book The Fault in Our Stars is a beautiful tearjerker that received major critical and commercial acclaim. Hazel (Shailene Woodley) is a teenage cancer patient who attends a support group for other teens with cancer. There she meets Augustus (Ansel Elgort), and the two begin a relationship that takes them to Amsterdam to find Hazel’s favorite author and ends with a heartbreaking death. Woodley and Elgort are delightful to watch, falling in love despite all the fear and pain in their situations. For all its seriousness, there are genuine moments of humor and joy throughout, which only makes the ending that much sadder.

1 The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

Based on the novel of the same name, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a gem that truly captures the teenage experience in a widely-praised film. Written and directed by the book’s author, Stephen Chbosky, the movie completely delivers on the book’s humor, romance, and emotions, while also sensitively dealing with its conflicts of mental health and sexual abuse. Charlie (Logan Lerman) is a shy high school freshman scared to start the school year after the death of his best friend. He quickly makes friends with outcasts Sam (Emma Watson) and Patrick (Ezra Miller), and the two bring him into their world, where he begins to embrace who he is and enjoy his life. The three leads are outstanding, infusing the movie with heart, soul, and humor that will have you appreciating life and feeling infinite.