"One person can make a difference. It's the theme that runs through the stories I write and the books I cherish. It's also the foundation of the amazing work Amnesty International has accomplished over the years. Amnesty harnesses the power of ordinary people from around the world and encourages them to stand up for human rights.

At the Edinburgh International Book Festival, I had the chance to discuss with teachers and librarians how books can serve as conversation starters on human rights, using my debut novel Dark Parties as an example.

For me, writing fiction is an exercise in creativity and debate. I want to challenge myself as a storyteller but also consider important issues. I write not because I have the answer but because I'm interested in the question. Dark Parties asks – what would happen if a country closed its borders to people and ideas? I wanted to explore issues of personal and national identity as well as diversity and human rights.

My 16-year-old main character Neva lives in a country that has closed itself for hundreds of years under an electrified dome. Its resources are dwindling and its citizens are dying. Neva and her best friend dream of a life outside this protective dome. They stage a rebellion and uncover secrets and lies that threaten Neva's friends, family and country. She must decide what she will sacrifice for freedom.

I enjoy writing and reading books that entertain and explore interesting and timely issues. But there's a fine line between raising issues and preaching a point of view. Some teen books preach rather than persuade. Listed below are 10 books that strike the right balance between pace and meaning and dare their readers to think for themselves."

Sara Grant was born and raised in a small town in the Midwestern United States. Dark Parties, her first young adult novel, is a dystopian thriller touching on human rights, diversity, identity, and forbidden love. Sara lives in London. For more information on Sara and her books visit her web site at www.sara-grant.com and you can follow her on Twitter at @authorsaragrant. She also blogs as part of the EDGE.

Buy Dark Parties at the Guardian bookshop

1. Nothing by Janne Teller

Pierre Anthon stands up in class and declares "nothing matters". His classmates decide to prove him wrong with tragic and astonishing consequences. This book will shock you. There were moments when I wanted to put it down, moments that I swallowed back disgust at the truth being told, but it's a real meaning of life book and truly original.

2. To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee

Don't be put off by adults telling you this book won the Pulitzer or that it's good literature. I'm ashamed to say I only read it a few years ago and wished I hadn't waited so long. The story is captivating and honest. Its message of equality rings as true today – and is as important – as when it was written in 1960.

3. Freaks and Revelations by Davida Wills Hurwin

This book – based on a true story – is heartbreaking. I was absolutely sobbing by the end. Not choked up or misty-eyed but sobbing. Told in alternating perspectives, it follows two teens – one a neo-Nazi and the other gay – on their crash course to a hate crime that will change both their lives. It's tragic and yet hopeful.

4. My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher

The voice of narrator 10-year-old Jamie leaps off the page. I loved his quirky way of looking at life. His family has been devastated by a terrorist act. The book tackles many issues – racism, injustice, and bullying to name a few – but at its heart is a wonderful story of friendship and acceptance.

5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Sure, you can take this book at face value. It's an action-packed dystopian tale of a fight to the death. But there's also a commentary on society's perverse fascination with reality television. Heroes and villains are created and lives destroyed all in the name of entertainment.

6. Going Bovine by Libba Bray

This story takes you on an ab-so-lutely bizarre quest. Cameron, a teen boy suffering from mad-cow disease; a dwarf; a punk angel; and a garden gnome, who may be a Viking god, search for a cure for Cameron's fatal disease – and the meaning of life. You will need to read this book more than once to absorb its rich layers. Get ready for a real test of your imagination and, well, your sanity!

7. Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman

This is a Romeo and Juliet-style romance but it's so much more. Its premise turns prejudice upside down. It's one of those books that propels you to the final page but stays with you long after you've closed the book.

8. A Gathering Light by Jennifer Donnelly

This is a story within a story about two young women whose lives link in the summer of 1906 at Big Moose Lake. The end of one life is revealed in letters discovered by the other. There's murder and romance, but at its core is one young writer struggling to realise her dream. I've read this book twice – once for sheer pleasure and the second time with pencil in hand. I wanted to dissect it and figure out how it captivated me in a way few books have before or since. I realised that I may be able to diagram its many plots and list its cast of characters but what Donnelly has created takes a little bit of magic.

9. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

This is the only non-fiction title on my list. The beloved American poet recounts her tumultuous childhood. It's an inspiring story of one girl's ability to overcome racism and violence and still be able to find beauty and poignancy in the world.

10. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

Ok, this isn't a teen book. I received this picture book when I was a child, and it still touches me every time I read it. It's about one boy's love for a tree and vice versa – and unconditional love. The plot may sound strange but the book demonstrates that few words and the starkest of illustrations are necessary to capture your heart.

And because it's difficult to stop at 10, I'd like to direct you to two other book lists. I'm part of a group of authors who create fiction for teens. We've joined forces because our books deal with important issues such as alcoholism, asylum seekers, knife crime and medical ethics. I'd recommend any book by EDGE authors. You can check out our books and our list of edgy reads at: http://edgeauthors.blogspot.com. Amnesty also has developed a list of inspiring books. Visit the education section of the Amnesty site for their reading list at amnesty.org.uk/education.

I hope these books will inspire you but I also hope you'll do more than read about rebellion. Be part of the change that Amnesty makes in the world every day. Amnesty campaigns to protect people wherever justice, fairness, freedom and truth are denied. I only wish the stories of injustice and oppression on their website were fiction. Visit www.amnesty.org and find out how you can make a difference.