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Teen Books About Mental Health & Mental Health Resource List |
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With the unexpected death of her brother and a move to another state, Stella’s life grinds to a halt. When her parents force her to join her estranged childhood friend, Alan, for a college tour all over California, Stella dreads it - but before long, unspoken feelings and long-hidden truths come to light. TEEN REALISTIC TIAN XIXI |
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After coming out to his loved ones and taking his meds faithfully, Cesar is finally ready to win back his ex-boyfriend - but when a manic episode makes his inner turmoil impossible to hide, he must either burn every bridge he has left or ask for help.
TEEN REALISTIC REYES SONIDO |
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While Pernell’s ADHD makes summer school classrooms feel like a battlefield, it gives him an edge in the battle to become the Cypher King, leader of the lunchroom’s rap circles. Life outside the cypher isn’t as forgiving - and Pernell must learn to succeed with his ADHD rather than in spite of it. TEEN REALISTIC GOODWIN IDRIS |
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Every Story Ever Told by Ami PolonskyIn the aftermath of a mass shooting, Stevie can’t bear to visit her mom in the hospital or to be pent up in her grandparents’ Manhattan apartment. Instead, she adventures around the city with her best friend and new therapy dog, chasing stories of courage and survival from her neighbors. TEEN REALISTIC POLONSKY AMI |
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When Della's mother went to prison and her mother's boyfriend committed a terrible act, Della could depend on her older sister, Suki--but when Suki attempts suicide, it's clear that she's struggling more than she lets on.
TEEN REALISTIC BRADLEY KIMBERLY |
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Focused by Alyson GerberClea has trouble focusing--and other kids at school are starting to notice. When Clea is diagnosed with ADHD, she is guided through challenges by her love of playing chess. TEEN REALISTIC GERBER ALYSON |
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Lily and Dunkin by Donna GephartWhen Lily, a transgender girl, and Dunkin, a boy struggling with bipolar disorder, meet one summer morning, their lives forever change. TEEN REALISTIC GEPHART DONNA |
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Jake volunteers at a nursing home because he likes helping people. He also likes avoiding people his own age, the cruelty of mirrors, and food. The less Jake eats, the bigger he feels; how long can he punish himself before he truly disappears?
TEEN REALISTIC SCHU JOHN |
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Mid-Air by Alicia D. WilliamsIsaiah and his friend Drew swear to spend the summer breaking world records in memory of their friend, Darius, now that he’s gone. But Drew will barely talk to Isaiah, and when something unspeakable happens, Isaiah strives to be less sensitive and more tough. How much can Isaiah keep inside until he shatters wide open? TEEN REALISTIC WILLIAMS ALICIA |
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Mirror to Mirror by Rajani LaRoccaMaya feels betrayed when her identical twin sister, Chaya, threatens to reveal her secret anxiety to their parents. As tension builds, they make a bet: They’ll switch places at summer camp, and whoever keeps the ruse going longer will decide where they both attend high school, the source of frequent arguments. But stepping into each other’s shoes isn’t as easy as it sounds. TEEN REALISTIC LAROCCA RAJANI |
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As her parents' marriage crumbles and her depression worsens, Finley escapes by writing about a magical world. Upon moving in with her grandparents, Finley discovers that her fantasy has mysteriously come to life in the endless woods--and she must save the world in order to save herself. TEEN REALISTIC LEGRAND CLAIRE |
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After being placed in foster care, Brian's anxiety spirals into panic attacks. Ezra, his basketball teammate, wants to help--but fears that being too nice will reveal his crush on Brian. If they can be brave, they might find the best in themselves--and each other. TEEN REALISTIC LUCAS CHAD |
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Finch is fascinated by death--but each day, he finds something to keep him here. Violet yearns to escape her small town and the grief of losing her sister. When they meet on the ledge of the school's bell tower, they begin an unlikely friendship with a desire to heal and save one another.
TEEN REALISTIC NIVEN JENNIFER |
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All the Fighting Parts by Hannah V. Sawyerr The same voice Amina uses to fight falls silent the night she is assaulted by Pastor Johnson, everyone’s favorite community leader. Amina must find the power to confront her abuser, in the courtroom and in her heart, and to use all the fighting parts within her. TEEN REALISTIC SAWYERR HANNAH
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Natalie has been selected to present her artwork at a prestigious show and notices a boy who makes her heart leap. Beneath the pressure, her plan to self-treat her recently diagnosed bipolar disorder begins to unravel, along with the perfect facade she's painted for her classmates.
TEEN REALISTIC WEBB CHRISTINE |
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by Kristin Dwyer
After losing her dad to cancer, Atlas rehabilitates trails in one of his favorite places: the Western Sierras. Spending time with her team in the wilderness, Atlas realizes that four strangers may know her better than anyone else - and one is becoming more than just a friend. TEEN REALISTIC DWYER KRISTIN |
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While Caden pretends to join the school track team, he spends his days walking for miles, lost in thought--in his mind, he's the designated artist on a ship headed to the deepest point on earth: Challenger Deep. As Caden struggles with schizophrenia, his friends begin to notice his increasingly unbalanced behavior.
TEEN REALISTIC SHUSTERMAN NEAL |
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Shelbi is determined to hide her mental health diagnosis from her classmates at Windward Academy. Andy has had far too much to drink--again. When Shelbi sees Andy at his lowest, their connection has them seeing stars--but the closer they get, the more the past threatens to pull their universes apart.
TEEN ROMANCE STONE NIC |
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Darius knows more about Hobbit social cues than Persian ones--and he's sure that he'll struggle to fit in in Iran like he does at home, especially after trying to explain his antidepressant medication to his grandparents. When he meets Sohrab, the boy next door, everything changes, and Darius has never felt more like himself.
TEEN REALISTIC KHORRAM ADIB |
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Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland StoneSamantha hides the severity of her OCD while questioning her every move and pretending to agree with her judgmental clique of popular friends. After secretly befriending a less stylish classmate, Sam is introduced to the tight-knit misfits of Poet's Corner, where she feels more "normal" than ever--until she finds a new reason to question her sanity.TEEN REALISTIC STONE TAMARA |
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Charlotte has lost more than most people lose in a lifetime - but each self-inflicted scar hurts enough not to care anymore, until she learns to find her way back from the edge. TEEN REALISTIC GLASGOW KATHLEEN |
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The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky by Josh GalarzaTo cope with his adoptive mother’s cancer, Brett turns to disordered eating and creating his Kid Condor comic book series. But when Brett’s deepest insecurities are leaked online, he can no longer avoid the painful truths of his real-life narrative. TEEN REALISTIC GALARZA JOSH |
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History is All You Left Me by Adam SilveraWhen Griffin's ex-boyfriend Theo dies in a drowning accident, he loses himself to obsessive compulsions and destructive choices. The only person who truly understands his heartache is Theo's most recent boyfriend, Jackson. As the boys open up to each other, Griffin must confront his heartbreaking history to rebuild his future. TEEN REALISTIC SILVERA ADAM |
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Impulse by Ellen HopkinsThree lives each lead to the same destination: Aspen Springs, a psychiatric hospital for those who have attempted suicide. Vanessa's secrets lead her to self-harm. Tony's painful childhood fuels his addiction to pills. Conner, though outwardly perfect, battles with his parents and himself. With each other's help, they fight for a second chance at a better life. TEEN REALISTIC HOPKINS ELLEN |
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As Niarah builds a doomsday bunker, she fights anxiety with her new mantra: Be Prepared. But she wasn't prepared for Mac's infectious optimism. In a world where the worst feels inevitable, can she confront demons past and present to find a hopeful future?
TEEN ROMANCE ADIA JADE |
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To protect themselves and their mother from their abusive father, Max and Jay have always kept their heads down. But when they intervene in a fight and beat the school’s star soccer player to a pulp, this act of violence threatens their future dreams and beliefs about who they are. TEEN REALISTIC TISON ARI |
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Shut Up, This is Serious by Carolina IxtaBelén is weighted by a seemingly unshakable depression. Her father left her family and her best friend is pregnant. While hanging out with an older guy and cutting a lot of classes, Belén realizes distractions are temporary--and is forced to figure out what her future holds. TEEN REALISTIC IXTA CAROLINA |
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Thirsty by Jas Hammonds Hoping to prove herself to the Serena sorority for trailblazing women of color, Blake finds confidence and humor at the bottom of a liquor bottle - and the Serenas and her girlfriend, Ella, love it. But as pledging intensifies, so does Blake’s drinking. TEEN REALISTIC HAMMONDS JAS
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Wintergirls by Laurie Halse AndersonLia and Cassie are best friends and competitors in a deadly contest of thinness. When Cassie suffers the ultimate loss--her life--Lia is haunted by guilt and memories. Lia navigates a painful path to recovery and must hold onto hope. TEEN REALISTIC ANDERSON LAURIE |
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Teen Memoirs About Mental Health
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Button Pusher by Tyler Page Tyler has a hard time paying attention in class and acts out in goofy and sometimes dangerous ways (like hanging out of an attic window). He can’t understand why he does these things until he’s diagnosed with ADHD - but that’s just the start of his journey. TEEN GRAPHIC B PAGE
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Dancing at the Pity Party by Tyler Feder After losing her super-cool mom to cancer, Tyler finds humor while sharing the sting of loss that never goes away, the uncomfortable post-death firsts, and the deep-down, hard-to-talk-about feelings of the grieving process. TEEN GRAPHIC B FEDER
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Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka Jarrett doesn’t know his dad, and while his mom grapples with addiction, he lives with his loud and loving grandparents. He tries to make his non-normal life as normal as possible, while expressing himself through art and piecing together the truth of his family. TEEN GRAPHIC B KROSOCZKA
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Numb to This: Memoir of a Mass Shooting by Kindra Neely After surviving a mass shooting on her campus, Kindra struggles with PTSD and becomes even more devastated by further mass shootings in the news. She learns to find hope through art, helping others, and sharing her story. TEEN GRAPHIC B NEELY
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Obsessed: A Memoir of My Life with OCDby Allison Britz When Allison has a nightmare about having brain cancer, she can’t seem to stop thinking about it and her life spirals out of control. Only when she hits rock bottom does she accept help, and gets diagnosed with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. This memoir recounts her descent and eventual climb out of the depths of her own mind. TEEN B BRITZ
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Teen Nonfiction About Mental Health
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Heads Up: Changing Minds on Mental Health by Melanie Siebert Sierbert shares real-life stories of hope and change in mental health discourse and treatment. Included are pioneers in psychiatry, Indigenous wellness, trauma-informed activities like yoga and hip-hop, and more. TEEN 616.89 SIE
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National Mental Health Resources
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Local Mental Health Resources
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Longwood Public Library800 Middle Country RoadMiddle Island, New York 11953
(631) 924-6400
longwoodlibrary.org |
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