12+ Great YA and Middle Grade Lit Book Picks Addressing Mental Health and Bullying

by Ashley Dickson-Ellison (@ashley_dicksonellison)

As the school year gets underway for a lot of people, I wanted to share some young adult and middle grade books that explore important topics like bullying and mental health. This is an update from a post I did way back in 2021, and the new recommendations have asterisks.

*Jas Hammonds's We Deserve Monuments (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - This brilliant book is part mystery, part romance, part southern lit, and it encapsulates so many fascinating and challenging topics. At the center of the story is a question about how honest and authentic to be, and what the price is for conforming to an oppressive society. I loved the way we could see the Georgia setting from an outsider's perspective with our protagonist, Avery, who is a high school senior moving abruptly down to GA from DC to help her ailing grandmother. Generational dynamics, family secrets, and southern culture all clash in this compelling novel.

John Green's Turtles All the Way Down (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - We are all huge fans of John Green (don't miss our episode where Jen talks about his book!), and Turtles All the Way Down is my favorite of his books so far. Through Aza's character, Green brilliantly explores the way that anxiety can cause spiraling thoughts with no end in sight. I loved everything about this one, but what has stayed with me is the way that through a laser-like focus on Aza's thoughts throughout the novel, Green portrays managing mental health and illustrates the fact that living with something like anxiety is an ongoing journey with highs and lows, not a temporary problem that can simply be solved.

A. S. King's Everybody Sees the Ants (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - Jen and I talked about this one in an episode; King does a great job in this powerful book of taking on bullying and showing how complicated and challenging it can be to handle in a meaningful way. I also love the dream landscapes in this novel and the unexpected relationship that develops between Lucky and his deceased grandfather. This is a lovely story that covers so many issues in a nuanced way.

Adib Khorram's Darius the Great Is Not Okay (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm), In this brilliant YA lit novel, Khorram discusses living with depression as a teenager in a meaningful and focused way. Darius is such a genuine, loveable character who struggles to connect with his Persian heritage while also finding his way as an American teen. A family trip to Iran connects Darius to his family heritage in ways he didn't know he was missing, but he discovers that finding a way to be his most authentic self no matter where he is can be very challenging. We discussed this one as a book club back in episode 159.

*Maureen Johnson's Truly Devious (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - We've talked about this one so many times on the podcast! If you haven't read this cozy mystery series, it's so compelling, and Stevie Bell is a complex character who gives the reader a good insight into what it looks like to live with anxiety. Through creating nuanced characters with robust depictions who develop throughout the series, Johnson shows what it is like for talented teens who are quirky, smart, and flawed. Jen and I discussed this as a book club pick on this episode.

*T.J. Klune's The House in the Cerulean Sea (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - I loved this book from the second I met Linus and his curmudgeonly cat Caliope. I loved the feel of the book before Linus ever got to the house in the Cerulean Sea, but once he got there, I was overjoyed by the amazing and nuanced characters awaiting him. And Arthur, the caretaker, is one of my most favorite characters. I wrote a review of this one, too. The community at the center of this novel is loving and accepting, but the undercurrent that runs throughout is of a larger society that is far from tolerant and compassionate, and Klune explores how to navigate those challenges.

Nina LaCour's Hold Still (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - In this powerful YA lit novel, Caitlin finds herself alone with Ingrid's journal after her best friend's suicide. Though Caitlin does not believe at first that she can find a way forward, she ultimately finds healing through Ingrid's journal. This is a book that explores depression and its effects but also shows the pathway toward hope through community after the profound loss of a friend to suicide. (LaCour's We Are Okay is phenomenal as well and also explores mental health challenges in a meaningful way. I shared a review of that one here.)

Mark Oshiro's Anger Is a Gift (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - In this one, Oshiro shows through Moss how it feels to live with panic attacks. After a traumatic experience, Moss has had to learn to manage panic attacks, but when security measures at his high school continue to spiral farther and farther out of control, jeopardizing the well being of the students, Moss finds himself needing to take a stand and to embrace activism as a way to bring about change.

Emily X. R. Pan's The Astonishing Color of After (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - This is one of my favorite books. When I first started it, I thought I might have a hard time getting through it, and there are parts that are very painful, but I absolutely loved the way that Pan showed Leigh's grief and her depression after her mother's suicide. Her journey to Taiwan and her desire to connect with her mother's estranged family is lovely and hopeful.

*Suzanne Park's The Perfect Escape (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - This fun YA romance is largely set at a zombie-themed escape room, and then at a survivalist competition, but there are also some important peer pressure and bullying issues that are woven into the storyline. Nate, coming from his prideful and financially struggling Korean American family, and Kate, who is coming from an extremely wealthy but emotionally disconnected home, are an unlikely pair who have a lot to learn about each other and themselves.

*Shifa Saltagi Safadi's Kareem Between (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - I absolutely loved this middle grade novel in verse that focuses on football and the pressure to fit in. Kareem is a Syrian American in seventh grade who is trying to enjoy being a kid but who is also learning with startling clarity how dire things are in Syria and how much changes in American politics and laws can impact individuals and families.

Jacqueline Woodson's Harbor Me (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - We all love this middle-grade book on the pod. This one covers so many important social issues, and bullying is one of many things that the unlikely friend group takes on as they get to know each other better. Through their determination to take care of each other, they find a way to take a stand against the bullying. We did this one for a buddy read, and we've talked about it in other episodes as well, including in Great Books for the Classroom by Black Authors, episode 130. This is a must-read for adults and kids alike.

As a bonus recommendation, I wanted to share Allie Brosh's comic essay collection, Hyperbole and a Half (Bookshop.org), which has two brilliant sections addressing her own experiences living with depression. She is a brilliant writer and artist, and her second collection Solutions and Other Problems (Bookshop.org), also has many insightful sections dealing with navigating mental health in the world.

#bookishfaves #yalit #middlegrade

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