Every state is known for something. As you work your way through the list, don't miss the best books set in Illinois.
Illinois is a midwestern state bordering Indiana in the east and the Mississippi River in the west. Nicknamed “the Prairie State,” it's marked by farmland, forests, rolling hills, and wetlands. Chicago, one of the largest cities in the U.S, is in the northeast on the shores of Lake Michigan.
It’s famous for its skyscrapers, such as the sleek, 1,451-ft: Willis Tower and the neo-Gothic Tribune Tower.
Best Books Set in Illinois
- Wright, Richard (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
Native Son
Author: Richard Wright
Right from the start, Bigger Thomas had been headed for jail. It could have been for assault or petty larceny; by chance, it was for murder and rape. Native Son tells the story of this young black man caught in a downward spiral after he kills a young white woman in a brief moment of panic.
Set in Chicago in the 1930s, Richard Wright's powerful novel is an unsparing reflection on the poverty and feelings of hopelessness experienced by people in inner cities across the country and of what it means to be black in America.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Roth, Veronica (Author)
Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth
This first book in Veronica Roth's #1 New York Times bestselling Divergent series of books is the novel that inspired the major motion picture starring Shailene Woodley, Theo James, and Kate Winslet. This dystopian series set in a futuristic Chicago has captured the hearts of millions of teen and adult readers.
Perfect for fans of the Hunger Games and Maze Runner series, Divergent and its sequels, Insurgent and Allegiant, are the gripping story of a dystopian world transformed by courage, self-sacrifice, and love.
Fans of the Divergent movie will find the book packed with just as much emotional depth and exhilarating action as the film, all told in beautiful, rich language.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Niffenegger, Audrey (Author)
The Time Traveler's Wife
Author: Audrey Niffenegger
A most untraditional love story, this is the celebrated tale of Henry DeTamble, a dashing, adventuresome librarian who inadvertently travels through time, and Clare Abshire, an artist whose life takes a natural sequential course.
Henry and Clare’s passionate affair endures across a sea of time and captures them in an impossibly romantic trap that tests the strength of fate and basks in the bonds of love. “Niffenegger’s inventive and poignant writing is well worth a trip”
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Cisneros, Sandra (Author)
The House on Mango Street
Author: Sandra Cisneros
The House on Mango Street is the remarkable story of Esperanza Cordero, a young Latina girl growing up in Chicago, inventing for herself who and what she will become.
Told in a series of vignettes-sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes deeply joyous-Sandra Cisneros' masterpiece is a classic story of childhood and self-discovery. Few other books in our time have touched so many readers.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Bradbury, Ray (Author)
Dandelion Wine
Author: Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury's moving recollection of a vanished golden era remains one of his most enchanting novels. Dandelion Wine stands out in the Bradbury literary canon as the author's most deeply personal work, a semi-autobiographical recollection of a magical small-town summer in 1928.
Now that you've completed the list of best books set in this state, why not check out some others? Here are the Best Books Set in All 50 States.
To continue learning, check out the Illinois State History Project.
DOWNLOAD AND PRINT BOOKS SET IN ALL 50 STATES
Click here to download the printable. It has a list of books in all 50 states including the Best Books Set in Illinois.
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Further Reading About the State:
- Illinois Bucket List Adventure Guide: Explore 100 Offbeat Destinations You Must Visit!
- 50 Things to Know About Birds in Illinois : Birding in the Prairie State (50 Things to Know About Birds- United States)
- Illinois: What's So Great About This State (Arcadia Kids)
- What's Great about Illinois? (Our Great States)
- Illinois: Discover Pictures and Facts About Illinois For Kids!
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- Winter Inspired Movie Bucket List - February 3, 2025