Kids / YA Review 2026

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Category: Kids Reviews

Young World by Soman Chainani

As a teenager, I can remember imagining who I’d thank if I won an Academy Award. To be clear, I had no ambition then or ever, to be an actor. Still, one daydreams…

Imagine a teenager daydreaming about being in charge… say President of the United States. Then imagine the light bulb moment – why wait? Why not a 17-year-old president?

That is what Soman Chainani imagined. The already extremely accomplished author of The School for Good and Evil series, among others, imagined Benton Young. In a near future, where climate change is worse, and politicians are about the same, Benton decides to try.

A Revolting Youth movement - fantastic name - starts with Benton in the United States and spreads across the G7. Suddenly, the leaders of the free world are all teenagers. They sweep into office on their promises to be different. They promise to think about the planet and future generations, instead of accumulating short-term wealth and power for themselves.

In their first week as leaders, these teenagers gather for a G7 meeting. Huge issues are on the agenda, and President Benton Young is still working out the names of each of the other leaders, and trying to wrest power away from American politicians.

That premise had me reading late into the night, as it was. Then – THEN! – one of the teenage leaders is murdered. The suspects? The other teenage leaders!

As Benton and his team (his two best friends, his poli-sci teacher and one or two trustworthy U.S. government officials) navigate the other G7 leaders, murder charges, impeachment in the U.S., unhelpful parents, and the inevitable international conspiracy – they gradually figure out what’s going on, and what to do. This book is the definition of action packed. It is an ode to the vitality, optimism, authenticity and creativity of young people. And who knows? If they had control, maybe they would rule the world better than grown-up politicians. They probably wouldn’t make it any worse.

Young Adult Fiction pr8246495