Mental Health for Young Teens

Fiction and non-fiction titles for middle schoolers about mental health.

Updated May 2, 2023
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Shannon in the Spotlight
Miller, Kalena
After Shannon accidentally lands a lead role in the summer musical, she realizes she has bigger things to worry about than stage fright in this contemporary middle-school novel about strained friendships, the positive power of theater, and the realities of being a tween with OCD. ...
The girl who lost her shadow
Ilett, Emily
On the morning of Gail's birthday, she watches her shadow slip under the kitchen door. She's not surprised it decided to leave. Her dad has gone for good. Her big sister Kay, once Gail's best friend, has disappeared into sadness - and now her shadow has left too. Determined to make things...
Growing pangs
Ormsbee, Kathryn
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR Introducing an irresistibly relatable graphic novel about friendship and growing up, "an excellent companion to Raina Telgemeier's Guts and Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham's Real Friends series."-Booklist, Starred...
The secret of Nightingale Wood
Strange, Lucy
A beautifully tangled story of friendship, fairy tales, and family secrets. For those who loved Pax and The War That Saved My Life. A Kirkus Best Middle Grade Book of 2017 An Amazon Best Book of 2017 A 2018 Bank Street College Best Book of...
Under pressure : the science of stress
Kyi, Tanya Lloyd
Adolescents are no strangers to stress. Here's a book just for them that explores the science behind that sweaty, heart-racing, under-pressure feeling they sometimes get as they struggle to navigate their changing world. It covers the fight-or-flight reaction to sudden danger, how people cope with...
Guts
Telgemeier, Raina,
A true story from Raina Telgemeier, the #1 New York Times bestselling, multiple Eisner Award-winning author of Smile, Sisters, Drama, and Ghosts!Raina wakes up one night with a terrible upset stomach. Her mom has one, too, so it's probably just a bug. Raina...
Fifty-four things wrong with Gwendolyn Rogers
Carter, Caela
From the critically acclaimed author of the ALA Notable and Charlotte Huck Honor Book Forever, or a Long, Long Time comes a moving own-voices story that shines a light on how one girl's learning differences are neither right nor wrong...just perfectly individual. For fans of Alyson Gerber,...
Dear student
Swartz, Elly
When Autumn becomes the secret voice of the advice column in her middle school newspaper she is faced with a dilemma--can she give fair advice to everyone, including her friends, while keeping her identity a secret? Starting Middle School is rough for Autumn after her one and...
Sunny
Reynolds, Jason
Sunny tries to shine despite his troubled past in this third novel in the critically acclaimed Track series from National Book Award finalist Jason Reynolds. Ghost. Patina. Sunny. Lu. Four kids from wildly different backgrounds, with personalities that are explosive when they...
Some kind of happiness
Legrand, Claire
Reality and fantasy collide in this heartfelt and mysterious novel for fans of Counting by 7s and Bridge to Terabithia, about a girl who must save a magical make-believe world in order to save herself. Things Finley Hart doesn't want to talk about: -Her...
Crafting calm : art and activities for mindful kids
Borgert-Spaniol, Megan
Mindfulness is a powerful practice to help kids find calm in the midst of everyday stress--but how to make it accessible and fun? In Crafting Calm: Art and Activities for Mindful Kids, kids engage in and practice mindfulness through fun and easy exercises, quizzes, crafts, and...
It's OK not to be OK : a guide to well-being
Rae, Tina
A book that aims to increase awareness, encourage dialogue, reduce stigma, and develop understanding of common mental health issues. It's OK Not to Be OK acknowledges and explores common mental health disorders such as depression, eating disorders, and...
The friendship book
Moss, Wendy
The Friendship Book is the resource kids need to figure out friendship. Kids will figure out what they want out of their friendships, how to be a good friend, resolve conflicts, and much more in this upbeat book meant to help forge lasting relationships. Full of...
What can I say? : a kid's guide to super-useful social skills to help you get along and express yourself
Newman, Catherine
Middle school is an essential time to learn and practice social skills, including how to get along with others, talk about hard things, be an ally, and a good friend. In What Can I Say?,Catherine Newman, author of the bestseller How to Be a Person, provides supportive...
Where to start : a survival guide to anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges
Correll, Gemma
A comforting and useful resource for anyone who's struggling emotionally and looking for help―from the nation's leading community-based nonprofit that addresses the needs of those living with mental illness It can be extremely hard to figure out what's going on in our own...
Living with Viola
Fung, Rosena
"Unforgettable . . . will shake middle grade readers to the core."--School Library Journal, starred review "Beautifully illustrated, relatable, and genuine." --Molly Brooks, creator of Sanity & Tallulah "Everyone needs to buy this book now.  Seriously. Buy it, read it,...

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