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Idris Goodwin joins us to talk about his new book, KING OF THE NEURO VERSE.
I always needed the girl I tried to leave. Every word we write shapes a chance to see the world and ourselves in new ways.
Pearl's story is one of deep sadness, yes, but more importantly, it's one of great hope. How wonderful that today's young readers get stories like this. An essential and fantastic read.
Powerful, affecting, and ultimately hopeful. Just beautiful.
Louder Than Hunger is a book that everyone needs to read so that we can all understand what it’s like to feel so small that you want to disappear completely.
Join author John Schu and 24/25 AASL President-Elect Becky Calzada Schu's new book, libraries, and books they want to share with librarians.
A hilarious and engaging look at the life of a self-deprecating teenage feminist facing all the ups and downs of life. A great read.
Timing plays such a pivotal role in so much of life, and that could not be more true than in the life of my new book, The Way I Am Now, a sequel that has been seven years (or maybe more) in the making.
By integrating what I’ve learned in The Search For Us, I hope I will give teen readers some tools to better cope with a family member who may be struggling with addiction.
A fantastic read with an unforgettable main character.
I hope this book finds its way to the readers who need it most and makes them feel seen. But I also hope this book inspires conversation, and debate, and, ultimately, action.
It wasn’t until writing Amina’s story that I truly learned to believe that I am not at fault for not reacting a certain way to an event that should never have happened.
Readers who can unfortunately relate to what Sofie and Con are going through will not only feel seen but feel assured that, with help and hope, things may not always be so hard.
The heart of Forget-Me-Not Blue springs from something that happened to me in fourth grade music class when we were learning a folk dance that required girls and boys to partner.
For those who can take the heaps and heaps of pain and trauma laid out here, they will find a devastating book beautifully written, an empowering book about speaking your truth, about solidarity, friendship, and about hope in even the very worst of times.
I hope Food Fight accomplishes its goal—to increase awareness and create feelings of empathy toward kids and families living with ARFID.
This is my love letter to all the equestrians who haven’t seen themselves on the page. I’m going to need your help and support to get my books into the hands of kids who want and need them, so I hope you go on this ride with me.
Sometimes a story can prepare you for when that unexpected experience does happen. And sometimes it can even prevent the worst from happening at all.
Lizzy Mason puts it all here on the page---the grief and guilt are palpable. The despair is crushing. It's not an easy read. But it's an important one.
If you asked younger me what a writer looks like, they never would have imagined that it could be somebody like me, walking in circles around a room, talking aloud to themself as they tell their computer a story.
The Sea Knows My Name asks how our stories shape us. It asks us what happens when all our stories are about Zeus rather than Leda; Apollo rather than Daphne; Ajax rather than Cassandra.
When people ask how my depression started, I say three little words: The Lion King.
Educators can play a key role in helping these students move forward with resilience.
Take inspiration from this Colorado high school library's month-long initiative highlighting exercise, nutrition, relationships, and mental health.
Publisher’s description How do you deal with a hole in your life? Do you turn to poets and pop songs? Do you dream? Do you try on love just to see how it fits? Do you grieve? If you’re Avery, you do all of these things. And you write it all down in an attempt […]
Saturday, May 12 was Twin Cities Teen Lit Con, a wonderful yearly event that I have now had the honor of speaking at for the past three years. This year it took place at Chaska High School, an absolutely stunning (and giant!) school. If you’re unfamiliar with Teen Lit Con, it’s exactly what it sounds […]
Publisher’s description Your favorite YA authors including Ellen Hopkins, Maureen Johnson, and more recount their own experiences with mental illness in this raw, real, and powerful collection of essays that explores everything from ADD to PTSD. Have you ever felt like you just couldn’t get out of bed? Not the occasional morning, but every day? […]
Gr 3-6 –In this incredibly moving tale, a boy experiences difficulties—feeling left out, performing poorly on tests, etc.
The debut author talks about the novel’s many iterations, why it’s important to talk about mental health in YA, and what she’s working on next.
As I contemplate where to put this in YA A to Z, I realize there are far too many options. D for drugs, or death. E for epidemic, as our country is facing a devastating opioid epidemic. G for guilt. H for Heroine. S for shame. I wanted to put it up now as opposed […]
A small but growing YA category, graphic novels that deal with mental illness reflect readers’ own experiences and help them better understand and empathize with others.
Gr 4-6 –When 12-year-old Della finds her mom digging black seeds from a watermelon in the middle of the night, she worries that the schizophrenia that put her mom in the hospital several years ago is back.
Gr 9 Up –In this much-needed, enlightening book, 31 young adult authors write candidly about mental health crises, either their own or that of someone very close to them.
K-Gr 2 –A girl’s experience of her great-uncle’s memorial service starts as these things characteristically do—with a ringing phone and a mother’s tears.
Today we are honored to have a guest post by author Kim Purcell. She is discussing with us the topic of small towns and mental health. She is also generously offering to give away one copy of THIS IS NOT A LOVE LETTER, which comes out tomorrow, January 30th, from Disney Hyperion. In This Is […]
Before I Let Go tells the story of two girls in the arctic heart of Alaska. Two girls who were best friends, who were discovering who they could be, who were each other’s center of gravity. It tells of grief and ice, of mystery and mental illness. And it was, at least in part, born […]
Publisher’s description It’s Kind of a Funny Story meets Daria in the darkly hilarious tale of a teen’s attempt to remake her public image and restore inner peace through reality TV. The only thing 17-year-old Jane Sinner hates more than failure is pity. After a personal crisis and her subsequent expulsion from high school, she’s going nowhere fast. Jane’s well-meaning parents push […]
A recent conference at the Brooklyn Public Library focused on “Interrupting the School-to-Prison Pipeline.”
Publisher’s description The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian meets Jane the Virgin in this poignant but often laugh-out-loud funny contemporary YA about losing a sister and finding yourself amid the pressures, expectations, and stereotypes of growing up in a Mexican-American home. Perfect Mexican daughters do not go away to college. And they do not move […]
Publisher’s description For fans of Nicola Yoon’s Everything, Everything, Emery Lord’s When We Collided, and Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl,Anna Priemaza’s debut novel is a heartwarming and achingly real story of finding a friend, being a fan, and defining your place in a difficult world. Kat and Meg couldn’t be more different. Kat’s anxiety makes it hard for her to talk to […]
Some say that middle grade readers are too young for books that involve addiction. That argument is increasingly hard to support.
Librarians are fighting the opioid crisis with information and social emotional learning strategies.
A free online course for teens emphasizes education, prevention, and response.
Publisher’s description Sparrow has always had a difficult time making friends. She would always rather have stayed home on the weekends with her mother, an affluent IT Executive at a Manhattan bank, reading, or watching the birds, than playing with other kids. And that’s made school a lonely experience for her. It’s made LIFE a […]
Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner Crown Books for Young Readers, March 2017 Reviewed from an ARC And now it’s somehow time to speculate about Printz? How can that be?? Ready or not, though, here we are, and it’s time to read, review, debate, and decide! (I am sure many of you are far more ready […]
Publisher’s description Great music and great friendships aren’t always in harmony. Terence Kato is a prodigy bass player, but he’s determined to finish middle school on a high note. Life has other plans. In eighth grade, he’s forced to transfer from a private arts school to a public school, where the kids seemingly speak a […]
When I’m reviewing books for professional publications, I stay quiet about them on social media. I’m always really excited once a review comes out to be able to talk about the book, finally! Here’s one of my most recent reviews, which originally appeared in the July 2017 issue of School Library Journal. Madness by Zac Brewer ISBN-13: 9780062457851 […]
Publisher’s description Matt hasn’t eaten in days. His stomach stabs and twists inside, pleading for a meal, but Matt won’t give in. The hunger clears his mind, keeps him sharp—and he needs to be as sharp as possible if he’s going to find out just how Tariq and his band of high school bullies drove […]
Like many libraries across the country, we talk frequently at mine about the opioid crisis happening across the U.S. and in our local communities. We have had a couple of people OD in our library and we have had to call the squad, but not nearly as much as other libraries have. We have also […]
A public librarian gathered teens, school leaders, and parents for community forum on the controversial adaptation of Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why.
If so, we'd like to know what you are experiencing—and how you are responding. Let us know here.
Today we are honored to present to you a Mental Health in YA Literature guest post that looks at the accessibility to treatment in YA literature. You can read all the #MHYALit posts here or by clicking on the tag below. When I was 12-years-old, I went to therapy for the first time. Seventh grade […]
Earlier this month, I shared two brochures that I created for my library regarding sexual violence and suicide for teens. At that time I was researching and attending some local training about the current opioid epidemic. As promised, I created a brochure and am sharing it with you today. The contact information is local information […]
Publisher’s description Nikki Black has been self-imposed lone wolf since her mother died, fleeing suburban Chicago to escape her painful past. But when her so-called boyfriend reveals why he really lured her to Southern California, she ends up on the streets of Los Angeles with only the clothes on her back and a destitute twelve-year-old […]
The debut author chats about her inspiration for Four Weeks, Five People, her writing process, and what she’s working on next.
Trigger Warning: Discussion of Sexual Violence and Suicide So I received a message in my email asking my thoughts on 13 Reasons Why and programming. At the same time, Heather Booth was thinking about doing a book discussion and she tweeted out asking people their thoughts, so we called and talked about it. Here’s what […]
As part of our ongoing discussion of teens and mental health, we are honored to host author Sara Wolf, who has written a beautiful letter to her teen self. You can find all the #MHYALit posts here. Dear Teen Me, In the grand scheme of things, you’re a bit of a shit, aren’t you? You […]
Please Note: This Post Will Contain Discussions of Triggering Topics and Spoilers for the Book/Show You are probably aware that 13 Reasons Why the book by Jay Asher has been made into a popular Netflix show. And you’ve probably seen a lot of discussion about this show. In fact, if you’re life looks anything like […]
I thought I was fundamentally and forever broken. The sight of normal boys made me sick. I’d see them walking down the high school, easy and confident and cruel and strong, and I’d get physically ill. I’d skip lunch. I lived on coffee. My stomach hurt all the time. Being gay and having […]
Publisher’s description You go through life thinking there’s so much you need. . . . Until you leave with only your phone, your wallet, and a picture of your mother. Marin hasn’t spoken to anyone from her old life since the day she left everything behind. No one knows the truth about those final weeks. […]
Publisher’s description The girls of Devonairre Street have always been told they’re cursed. Any boy they love is certain to die too soon. But this is Brooklyn in 2008, and the curse is less a terror and more a lifestyle accessory—something funky and quaint that makes the girls from the shortest street in Brooklyn special. […]
Hi, I’m Erin. I’m a teen librarian, a wife, a daughter, a best friend, a mom, and an anxiety warrior. Notice how I put that at the very end. There was a reason for that. The anxiety is the “least of my worries” for lack of a better phrase (insert uncomfortable laughter here). What I’m […]
Publisher’s description From the New York Times bestselling author of More Happy Than Not comes an explosive examination of grief, mental illness, and the devastating consequences of refusing to let go of the past. When Griffin’s first love and ex-boyfriend, Theo, dies in a drowning accident, his universe implodes. Even though Theo had moved to […]
Publisher’s description Norah has agoraphobia and OCD. When groceries are left on the porch, she can’t step out to get them. Struggling to snag the bags with a stick, she meets Luke. He’s sweet and funny, and he just caught her fishing for groceries. Because of course he did. Norah can’t leave the house, but […]
On Sundays, I have the privilege of hosting a weekly event that we call Spaghetti Sunday (inspired by author Christa Desir). We open our home to a wide group of people, eat food (not always spaghetti), do puzzles, play games, and just hang out. My beloved Mary Hinson (@knoxdiver on Twitter, YA assistant at Irving […]
Trigger warning for suicide, real talk about racism, sexism, and mental illness. This post originally was posted on November 11, 2016 on We Got So Far To Go. I’m scared about the election of Donald Trump for many, many reasons, but one of the most pressing is the fact that it has retraumatized a number […]
It’s election night, 7 pm, and I’m sitting in the doctor’s office being diagnosed with moderate major depression. There’s an obvious joke there—one that’s not funny at all. And it’s maybe the first time anything about me has been described as moderate. I spent the past few months crying my eyes out […]
Today we are honored to host another #MHYALit Discussion post, this one about addiction. Author Heather Smith Meloche writes about addiction in her new Putnam release, RIPPLE. You can read all the #MHYALit posts here or click on the #MHYALit tag. When I finished writing my novel, Ripple – a contemporary YA about two teens […]
Trigger warning: details of suicide “Hey…I’ve got some bad news,” my brother said. His voice sounded stiff and hesitant over the phone. “It’s about Lee.* She’s dead…She killed herself.” My mind reeled. Wait. What? She was only thirty something. My cousin’s wife had been through some tough times but this? Suicide? “What happened?” I […]
When we write, we write for an audience. That audience may be ourselves, our friends, people whom we want to understand us, a broader audience, or ourselves when we were younger. But whenever we sit down to write, especially for publication, there’s an intended audience. The way I see it, there are generally two […]
Today our #MHYALit Discussion co-coordinator Ally Watkins shares some tips for helping teens in the midst of a mental health crisis. But not just teens, anyone really. You can read all the #MHYALit posts here or click on the #MHYALit tag. There’s something darkly ironic about dealing with a mental health crisis the year that […]
The Seventh Wish Written by Kate Messner Published in 2016 by Bloomsbury Grades 4-8 ISBN: 978-1-61963-376-6 Book Review “I must have imagined the voice. I have magic flowers and crystal dresses and wishes swirling around my brain, and that all added up to a fish talking.” Life for twelve-year-old Charlie Brennan suddenly changes when she […]
Yesterday, PTSD got a lot of attention. The truth is, PTSD is a psychological response to extreme trauma. Soldiers are not the only individuals that experience PTSD. Many other people experience PTSD, including victims of violent crimes, people who experience an extreme life event like a car accident, and even women who have a traumatic […]
In 1.3 million U.S. households, caregiving children support family members due to illness, disability, substance abuse, or other factors. These books and resources can help them.
TRIGGER WARNING: THIS POST IS ABOUT SUICIDE. I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND IF YOU CAN’T READ IT. On December 31st of this year, my best friend from high school got online and posted on Facebook: “Happy New Year everyone, have a great year.” A mere twelve hours later his new wife – they had just gotten married […]
The Memory of Light, Francisco X. Stork Arthur A. Levine Books, January 2016 Reviewed from ARC How can I assess The Memory of Light in the context of the Printz Award? In some ways, it’s too real, too honest, and too close-to-home. It’s also surprisingly uninteresting and predictable. I struggled with these contradictory reactions throughout […]
If 1 in 4 adults suffers from some type of mental illness, and they do, then that means that a significant portion of our teenagers are living in families that are affected by mental illness. Today, as part of the Mental Health in YA Lit Discussion (#MHYALit), guest Diana Cabinian shares some tips for surviving […]
Thanks to Anita Cellucci, the Westborough (MA) High School library is a hub where teens come to read and relax, learn about mental wellness, hold poetry slams, and dream big.
Publisher’s description Charlotte Davis is in pieces. At seventeen she’s already lost more than most people do in a lifetime. But she’s learned how to forget. The broken glass washes away the sorrow until there is nothing but calm. You don’t have to think about your father and the river. Your best friend, who is […]
Today we are honored to host author Kathleen Glasgow as part of the #MHYALit Discussion. Her book, GIRL IN PIECES, releases in September from Delacorte Press. You can read all the #MHYALit posts here. I could not feel my fingers. And then I could not feel my arms. And then my shoulders, and then, and […]
Publisher’s description There are two sides to every story. It’s friends-at-first-sight for Jessie and Annie, proving the old adage that opposites attract. Shy, anxious Jessie would give anything to have Annie’s beauty and confidence. And Annie thinks Jessie has the perfect life, with her close-knit family and killer grades. They’re BFFs . . . until […]
When I was growing up, losing internet privileges was a common punishment in my family. It’s a common punishment in most families. Bad grades? No screen time for a week. Missed curfew? No internet. It seems like a reasonable punishment. However, it may have unintended consequences. Nowadays, twenty percent of adolescents have a […]
Publisher’s description Get well soon isn’t going to cut it in this quirky and poignant debut novel about a girl, her depression, an aggressive amount of baked goods, and the struggle to simply stay afloat in an unpredictable, bittersweet life. Every other senior at Cove High School might be mapping out every facet of their […]
In 100 Days of Cake, Molly has a, um, confused relationship with her therapist. Her friends and family love her and would love to fix her, but they don’t really understand what she’s going through, so a lot of times—like when her mom decides to bake all the cakes—their efforts aren’t particularly helpful and then […]
Agoraphobia is an extreme type of anxiety that can result inpanic attacks. It can become so extreme that people become unable to leave their houses and they stick to strict routines hoping to avoid triggering these panic attacks. Peanuts creator Charles Shulz, for example, suffered from depression and agoraphobia. Towards the end of his life […]
This past Saturday I got to spend the day hanging out at Twin Cities Teen Lit Con. I was asked to present two sessions on What to Read Next. The lineup they had was phenomenal. Check out the program, some pictures from my presentation, and some of the swag I got. My talk was about new […]
Today we are honored to share a guest post by author Marisa Reichardt. You can read my review of Marisa’s book, Underwater, here. For an index of all of the posts in our Mental Health in YA Literature project, please visit our #MHYALit hub. I’ve been terrified to write this blog post. I’m […]
Publisher’s description Even though they’re identical, Tristan isn’t close to his twin Robbie at all—until Robbie tries to kill himself. Forced to share a room to prevent Robbie from hurting himself, the brothers begin to feel the weight of each other’s lives on the ice, and off. Tristan starts seeing his twin not as a […]
“What’s wrong with Dad?” No one spoke out loud about my father’s strange behavior, but I knew something wasn’t quite right with him. My question would be answered with either silence or in a lowered voice, “We don’t discuss that.” There were days he’d be like a helium balloon, filled with so much air […]
Today author Shaun David Hutchinson joins us to share his story about depression, his suicide attempt, and the 19 years that have passed since then. See all of the posts in our Mental Health in Young Adult Literature series here. A few years ago, I went to the emergency room with pain in my […]
For the past nearly four years, I’ve run a monthly YA book club at the library. My crew has remained fairly strong over the years and is a very diverse mix of teens. Generally, we talk about whatever it is we’ve been reading. It’s very casual and there’s always lively discussion. To see some of […]
Today author Ami Allen-Vath shares her experiences with suicidal ideation, depression, hospitalization, and more. We continue to be so honored and proud to share these honest, vulnerable posts. Visit the #MHYALit hub to see all of the posts in this series. When I was in eleventh grade, I wrote a letter to my family and […]
Today we’re honored to have Jessica Spotswood sharing her lifelong experiences with anxiety with us. See all of the posts in the #MHYALit series here. I was twenty-seven when I was diagnosed with general anxiety disorder and prescribed Lexapro to help manage it. It gave name to something that I’ve struggled with since I was a […]
Today I’m honored to share with you a moving post by my former coworker and fellow Simmons College alum, Hannah Barnaby. I recently reviewed Hannah’s newest book, Some of the Parts, here on TLT. In my review, I wrote, “Barnaby’s novel is a devastating and powerful look at grief, guilt, and how to survive the […]
Publisher’s description The Rebel: Once popular, Andi is now a dreadlocked and tattooed wild child. The Bully: Sick of being the less favorite son, York bullies everyone, especially his brother. The Geek: Boston, York’s brother, and obsessed with getting into an Ivy League school. The Pariah: Sam, now that her mom is sober, she just […]
Today we are glad to have Cindy L. Rodriguez, author of WHEN REASON BREAKS, joining us to talk about depression, pressure, and expectation. Visit our hub to see all of the posts in the #MHYALit series. I have always been a rabid overachiever. I started kindergarten early and skipped the sixth grade, so […]
Publisher’s description For months, Tallie McGovern has been coping with the death of her older brother the only way she knows how: by smiling bravely and pretending that she’s okay. She’s managed to fool her friends, her parents, and her teachers, yet she can’t even say his name out loud: “N—” is as far as […]
As part of our 2016 Mental Health in Young Adult Literature project, we will be posting reading lists on various mental health-related subjects. Guest blogger Natalie Korsavidis pulled together this one on depression (and previously this one on schizophrenia). We will mainly be focusing on books published after 2000. We encourage you to add any […]
Publisher’s description: Riley Cavanaugh is many things: Punk rock. Snarky. Rebellious. And gender fluid. Some days Riley identifies as a boy, and others as a girl. But Riley isn’t exactly out yet. And between starting a new school and having a congressman father running for reelection in über-conservative Orange County, the pressure—media and otherwise—is building […]
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