Best Mental Health Books for Kids, Tweens, and Teens
41 recommended children’s books about mental health, chosen to help support conversations between kids and parents; caregivers; educators; and mental health professionals.
How can adults help children learn how to protect their mental health, especially before they become teenagers?
One way is for parents and kids to share and discuss books about children’s mental health. These are important conversations, especially since research* shows 13 to 20% of mental health problems start between the ages of 11 and 14.
But … which books are best?
Books to help kids navigate anxiety, depression, bullying & more
Here’s a collection of 41 highly rated children’s books about mental health, plus one just for adults. Books are sorted by age, making it easy to find titles right for your child. All were released since 2019, and the majority came out after 2022.
Titles suggested by experts: recommended by mental health organizations or children’s book specialists.
Top reviews: titles have received positive reviews from respected sites like Kirkus Reviews; Canadian Children’s Book Centre; School Library Journal; and others. Review links are included.
Chosen for sharing: the titles are suitable for parents and kids to read (whether together or separately) and discuss.
Common issues: the books focus on common issues experienced by pre-adolescent and older children, such as anxiety, depression, body image, and bullying.
Ages 3 to 9
Ages 3 to 6
as recommended by the publisher
Everybelly – picture book by Thao Lam
For readers aged 3 to 6: published in 2025 🇨🇦
Note: Menderist’s usual book selection is for ages eight and up, but we are including the following book for parents aiming to discuss body positivity with younger kids.
Everybelly is a children’s book about mental health that offers a straightforward and accepting view of different body types.
One sunny day at the local pool, a young child named Maddie sees some neighbours and friends and describes them for us. Maddie is only waist-high compared to most adults, and so what she notices the most are people’s bodies. The author’s cut-paper collage illustrations highlight these physical details, too. Cheerful artwork depicts, as noted by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre: “bellies and bodies of all shapes and sizes — bellies with scars, tattooed bellies, growing bellies, growling bellies, bellies with six-packs, stretch marks, insulin monitors, freckles and more.”
Maddie’s voice is curious and straightforward in her acceptance of all the bodies she encounters. There’s also an amusing and gentle lesson in respecting personal space, as explained in a quote from Kirkus Reviews: “do not — and I mean DO NOT — stick your hands in other people’s bellies. Trust me, my cat taught me that the hard way.”
Everybelly received a starred review from the School Library Journal. And it won a 2025 Kirkus Prize: in the announcement, Kirkus noted “This joyful celebration of humanity springs to life through masterful, vibrant collages and text that’s both poignant and witty.”
Recommended by: The Canadian Children’s Book Centre.
Book written & illustrated by: Thao Lam – published by Groundwood Books Ltd.
Main topic: body image
Originally featured in Menderist’s Spring 2026 list
Ages 4 to 8
as recommended by the publisher
I Lost A Day – picture book by Briana Corr Scott
For readers aged 4 to 8: published in 2025 🇨🇦
Note: We’re including this book, which is for younger readers than our usual selection, as a promising resource for families with a loved one who is working through mental health issues.
In the author’s note for I Lost A Day, Briana Corr Scott explains that she has periods of depression. During such a time not long ago, she asked herself, “How would I advise my own children to care for themselves if they felt how I feel?” And her response is that “the answer is the poem in this book.”
In its review, the website 49thshelf describes how children in the story react to powerful feelings, including anger and the desire to retreat to bed. And the writeup highlights the book’s descriptions of quiet ways children find their way back to better moods through the sound of rain, storytelling, movement, music, or simply tuning into their own breathing. I Lost a Day includes restorative art activities to help family members and educators.
The review continues: “By the end of this thoughtful book, readers and parents will learn about creative responses to the most common mental health challenges for young people.”
Book written & illustrated by Briana Corr Scott – published by Nimbus Publishing
Main topics: anxiety, depression, feelings, mindfulness
Originally featured in Menderist’s Menderist’s Winter 2025 list (recommended by A. Elliott)
Ages 6 to 9
as recommended by the publisher
Henry and the Something New – chapter book by Jenn Bailey
For readers aged 6 to 9: published in 2024 🇺🇸
Note: Our usual book selection is for ages eight and up, but we are including the following book for parents who are seeking a positive approach to a potential autism diagnosis for a young child.
Henry is a sensitive child on the autism spectrum who’s both excited and worried about an upcoming class trip to the natural history museum. He loves dinosaurs, but going to the museum means a noisy bus, unfamiliar places, and new people. At the museum, Henry struggles to be heard as his group visits one exhibit after another. Finally, he manages to shout what he most wants to see: “DINOSAURS!”
Henry and the Something New is likely to appeal to children who feel nervous about new situations and unfamiliar things. Kirkus Reviews calls the book “a quiet but perceptive tale” that follows a boy discovering “the world at his own pace.” And the site Horn Book gives the title a starred review, praising the “relatable characters, familiar scenarios, and gentle humor” that make the book “a remarkably satisfying read.” School Library Journal named Henry and the Something New a Best Transitional Book of 2024.
Recommended by: The Children’s Book Council as a 2024 book for Mental Health Awareness Month.
Book illustrated by Mika Song – published by Chronicle Books.
Main topics: anxiety, depression, feelings, mindfulness
Originally featured in Menderist’s Spring 2026 list
Ages 7 to 14
Ages 7 to 10
as recommended by the publisher
What to Do When You Panic: A Kid’s Guide to Transforming Panic into Personal Power – guidebook by Lenka Glassman
For readers aged 7 to 10: published in 2025 🇺🇸
The guidebook, What to Do When You Panic, aims to help children reduce symptoms of panic and to increase confidence.
If your child sometimes struggles with panic and experiences symptoms such as shaky hands and spiraling thoughts, What to Do When You Panic could serve as a useful guide to reducing symptoms and increasing confidence.
This interactive workbook, explains publisher Magination Press/APA, guides children through proven cognitive-behavioral techniques, hands-on exercises, and helpful illustrations, offering “a clear, compassionate path toward feeling safe, strong, and in charge again.”
The book includes an introduction written for parents and caregivers. In a quote from School Library Journal, shared by a leading book distributor, What to Do When You Panic is one of those “excellent skill-building resources that prepare readers for the future in addition to addressing feelings in the moment.”
Recommended by: Child Mind Institute as a 2025 Best Kids’ Books About Mental Health. Part of the American Psychological Association (APA) series, What to Do Guides for Kids.
Published by Magination Press, American Psychological Association
Main topics: anxiety, self-esteem, feelings
Originally featured in Menderist’s Spring 2026 list
Ages 7 to 11
as recommended by the publisher
All You Can Be With ADHD – picture book by Penn and Kim Holderness
For readers aged 7 to 11: published in 2025 🇺🇸
Note: Our usual book selection is for ages eight and up, but we are including the following book for parents seeking a positive approach to a potential ADHD diagnosis for their young child.
All You Can Be With ADHD is a rhyming picture book that contains useful tips for families with a son diagnosed with ADHD. The book was created by a YouTube couple known for their song parodies.
The storyline draws on the couple’s own family experience (their son, like co-author Penn, has ADHD) to build the case for a warm, welcoming “ADHD club.” The book explains that this club spans many people, including recognizable faces like Albert Einstein and Simone Biles.
The book’s message is presented in bouncy verse. As shared on the publisher’s website, Booklist notes “the text’s rhyming verse creates a memorable set of mantras” that kids will find themselves repeating long after story time. And an expert from the Child Mind Institute notes that “the illustrations are neurodivergent friendly, affirming, and informative for children and parents.”
Recommended by: Child Mind Institute as a 2025 Best Kids’ Books About Mental Health.
Book illustrated by Vin Vogel – published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Main topic: ADHD
Originally featured in Menderist’s Spring 2026 list
Ages 7 to 12
as recommended by the publisher
Maya Plays the Part – novel by Calyssa Erb
For readers aged 7 to 12: published in 2024 🇨🇦
Maya Plays the Part is likely to especially interest children who love theater or musicals. The storyline follows Maya, a musical-obsessed girl with autism who’s sure she’ll win the lead role at her theater camp. But, explains the review from the Children’s Book Council, the summer turns out to be “jam-packed with problems: dealing with her best friend’s move, her parents’ busy jobs, and the ongoing puzzle of how to be Maya in Public.”
The novel describes how a young girl navigates autism while experiencing common challenges including friendship issues, disappointment, and finding a sense of place.
A review in Publisher’s Weekly, shared on the website of the novel’s publisher, says: “Utilizing an empathetic narrator who’s easy to root for, debut author Erb, who is also autistic, crafts a personal and vulnerable story about one neurodivergent child’s experience in discovering how to be herself as she learns to set boundaries and communicate with others.”
In the end, Maya learns that her most crucial role is to learn to be herself.
Recommended by: The Children’s Book Council; named a 2025 Librarian Favorite
Published by Annick Press
Main topic: autism
Originally featured in Menderist’s Spring 2026 list
Ages 8 to 11
as recommended by the publisher
Give and Take – novel by Elly Swartz
For readers aged 8 to 11: published in 2019 🇺🇸
Maggie, 12, is the main character who works through many challenges, including anxiety and hoarding behaviors. As described on author Elly Swartz’ website, Maggie’s “friend gets bumped from their all-girl trapshooting squad to make room for a boy, [and] Maggie’s collection in the cardboard boxes grows far beyond her control. And her secret spills out like the things she saves. Maggie has been hoarding. And now she has to find the courage to let go.”
The review site, Kirkus Reviews, concludes: “A potentially useful resource for kids struggling with loss, change, and letting go.”
Published by: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Main topics: anxiety, grief and loss, feelings, trauma
Originally featured in Menderist’s Summer 2024 list (Recommended by A.W. James)
Ages 8 to 12
as recommended by the publisher
AWOL – graphic novel by Marla Lesage
For readers aged 8 to 12: published in 2022 🇨🇦
AWOL by Marla Lesage (for ages 8–12) is a graphic novel that explores the realities of PTSD from a kid’s perspective. Kirkus Reviews summarizes the plot: eleven-year-old Leah, a military kid used to moving constantly, is finally staying put for once — but now it’s her best friend Sam who’s relocating to Edmonton. Leah’s summer and birthday month feel empty.
Leah’s father is home on leave, but the family has learned to read his unpredictable moods carefully, since he can shift from fine, to withdrawn, to explosive with little warning. Kirkus Reviews praises the book’s “thoughtful slice-of-life realness.”
As shared on 49thshelf, the publication named CM: Canadian Review of Materials (June 24, 2022), rated AWOL 3 out of 4 stars. The reviewer credits Lesage with conveying the complexities of PTSD in a “simple, child-friendly manner,” calling it a thought-provoking look at mental illness.
Book written & illustrated by Marla Lesage – published by Orca Book Publishers
Main topics: feelings, grief and loss, trauma
Originally featured in Menderist’s Spring 2025 list (recommended by S. Miller)
Dear Student – novel by Elly Swartz
For readers aged 8 to 12: published in 2022 🇺🇸
The main character in Dear Student is Autumn, a sixth grader selected to be the anonymous ‘expert’ who answers an advice column in her school newspaper. Along the way, Autumn works through social anxiety and conflicts between friends.
Kirkus Reviews awarded the book a starred writeup and highlighted the author’s careful handling of themes including anxiety and community conflict.
Published by Delacorte Press
Main topics: anxiety, feelings, identity, neglect
Originally featured in Menderist’s Summer 2024 list (recommended by A.W. James)
Finally Heard – novel by Kelly Yang
For readers aged 8 to 12: published in 2024 🇺🇸
Finally Heard focuses heavily on pressures related to social media usage. CommonSense Media outlines the plot in a Parents’ Guide to the book: sisters Lina and her sibling start making simple videos to help promote their mom’s struggling business.
Lina becomes overwhelmed, however, when she learns about events she wasn’t invited to and reads hurtful comments in a class group chat. She eventually decides to fight back and things get messy, notes the review: “Lina is faced with some tough decisions about what to say out loud …instead of an online world”.
Kirkus Reviews describes the book as a source of lessons about digital literacy. The novel includes information shared by a character who’s a teacher, and who explains the science behind dopamine, algorithms, and online disinhibition. Kirkus sums the book up in this way: “This highly anticipated sequel (to Finally Seen) delivers less heart and more education.”
Published by Simon & Schuster
Main topics: anxiety, body image and eating disorders, bullying, feelings
Originally featured in Menderist’s Summer 2024 list (recommended by A.W. James)
Good Different – verse fiction book by Meg Eden Kuyatt
For readers aged 8 to 12: published in 2023 🇺🇸
Good Different is a novel that addresses the pressure felt by many children to fit in socially by hiding who they truly are. The story follows Selah, an autistic seventh grader struggling to keep her “normal-person mask” on in class — until she has a meltdown that could result in her having to leave the school.
The storyline follows a journey of self-discovery: Selah uses poetry to process her feelings, and she finds community among fellow neurodivergent people who embrace their differences without shame.
Kirkus Reviews praises the way the book’s “short free-verse vignettes beautifully evoke despair, loneliness — and determination.” Good Different was included in the 2023 list of Best Fiction for Older Readers by The Chicago Public Library which noted that the story goes beyond autism: “anyone who feels like they have to put on a mask to fit into a world not made for them will be able to empathize with Selah.” The book also gently challenges adults to listen better to the kids in their lives.
Recommended by: the Children’s Book Council as a 2024 book for Mental Health Awareness Month.
Published by Scholastic Press
Main topics: autism, feelings, identity
Originally featured in Menderist’s Spring 2026 list
Kareem Between – novel-in-verse by Shifa Saltagi Safadi
For readers aged 8 to 12: published in 2024 🇺🇸
Kareem Between “deals with themes of peer pressure, fitting in, and feeling caught between forces pulling in opposite directions,” notes contributor Abbie James. And the book “features football, so this may add extra appeal to sports fans.”
Kareem Between won the National Book Awards 2024 for Young People’s Literature and has received starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews and the School Library Journal.
Published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Main topics: bullying, identity, feelings
Originally featured in Menderist’s Winter 2025 list (Recommended by A.W. James)
The Kate In Between – novel by Claire Swinarski
For readers aged 8 to 12: published in 2022 🇺🇸
Kate is 12 years old and struggling with her decisions around cliques, popularity, and a video of herself that went viral. The book considers how to handle bullying and friction between old and new friendships.
The Kate In Between received a positive writeup by Kirkus Reviews. And, as shared on Barnes and Noble’s website, Booklist noted the novel will “resonate with readers looking for a realistic story that doesn’t gloss over choices or consequences” and that leaves readers with interesting issues to consider.
Book illustrated by Richie Pope – published by Quill Tree Books; HarperCollins
Main topics: bullying, identity
Originally featured in Menderist’s Summer 2024 list (Recommended by A.W. James)
Like a Duck – fiction by Deborah Kerbel
For readers aged 8 to 12: published in 2021 🇨🇦
The review for Like a Duck from Quill and Quire describes the plot as involving waterfowl, day-camp fun, and family secrets which clash in a summer of self-discovery. The writeup calls it “a sunny, charming book with emotional threads that run deep and dark” and suggests Like a Duck is ideal for an anxious child who might find a connection with the character Sarah.
Another review, shared on the author’s website, is from CM: Canadian Review of Materials, which noted the book is “Riveting…engaging…rich in humour. Highly recommended.”
Published by Scholastic Canada
Main topics: anxiety, feelings, grief and loss, identity, self-esteem
Originally featured in Menderist’s Summer 2024 list (Recommended by H. Kubiw)
Living with Viola – novel by Rosena Fung
For readers aged 8 to 12: published in 2021 🇨🇦
The storyline of Living with Viola follows Livy, short for Olivia, as she starts at a new school and tries to find her footing with a group of girls, worried she’ll never quite fit in — her lunches get called out as “weird,” and she receives frequent reminders that being different isn’t okay. Livy’s anxiety takes the shape of a periwinkle-colored ghostly double of herself, Viola, who chips away at her confidence.
Kirkus Reviews called Living with Viola a novel that “elevates the graphic novel genre with its heartfelt focus” on identity and belonging. And The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, via bookcentre.ca, described it as “a keenly felt and nuanced look at anxiety disorder.” Booklist, via Smithsonian’s APAC BookDragon Blog, praised Fung’s “vibrant, full-color panels overflowing with energy and motion.”
Book written & illustrated by Rosena Fung – published by Annick Press
Main topics: anxiety, depression, identity
Originally featured in Menderist’s Summer 2024 list (Recommended by H. Kubiw)
Lost Kites and Other Treasures – novel by Cathy Carr
For readers aged 8 to 12: published in 2024 🇺🇸
The main storyline in Lost Kites and Other Treasures focuses on Franny, an amusing and thoughtful 12-year-old. Franny’s in 6th grade, lives with her grandmother, and loves making art and hanging out with friends. When her grandmother has a fall and hurts her leg, major changes are required, starting with a temporary relocation to a more accessible house.
Franny navigates the new situation, only to discover even more challenges ahead. A friendship hits a rocky patch; Franny’s uncle comes to live with her and her grandmother; and issues arise related to Franny’s mother, who the book describes as “charismatic, complex, (and) troubled.” Lost Kites and Other Treasures is a hopeful story whose main character gains resilience as she works through challenges, and who develops a deeper sense of compassion and community along the way.
Kirkus Reviews describes Lost Kites and Other Treasures as “unusual and gratifying.” And, as shared on the author’s website, School Library Journal notes “The approach to mental health and family trauma makes it an important addition to any shelf.”
Published by Amulet Books (Abrams)
Main topics: abuse, anxiety, feelings, grief and loss, trauma
Originally featured in Menderist’s Summer 2024 list (Recommended by A. Elliott)
Picture Day – graphic novel by Sarah Sax
For readers aged 8 to 12: published in 2023 🇺🇸
The main character in Picture Day is seventh-grader Viv, who’s tired of always looking the same and getting overlooked. And so, on her school’s picture day, Viv records herself cutting off her braid of hair on livestream, which results in her becoming the school’s top influencer.
The stunt attracts attention from many students and Viv’s popularity rises even more as she follows the advice of her favorite influencer who says that if Viv is true to herself, the world will notice.
Viv stages bigger and bigger events for her followers, until one event backfires and humiliates her friends. By the end of the book, however, Viv learns to separate her online persona from who she really is, and repairs the friendships that were damaged. She also learns to prioritize what’s most important.
In a starred writeup, Kirkus Reviews describes Picture Day as “an impressively strong debut …Bold, brash and honest.” And Publisher’s Weekly notes that “heartfelt interactions surrounding popularity and identity provide ample fodder for introspective discussion.”
Book written & illustrated by Sarah Sax – published by Random House Children’s Books
Main topics: anxiety, bullying, identity
Originally featured in Menderist’s Summer 2024 list (Recommended by A.W. James)
Unsinkable Cayenne – novel-in-verse by Jessica Vitalis
For readers aged 8 to 12: published in 2024 🇨🇦
The challenges faced by children who are trying to fit in with peers are addressed in the novel Unsinkable Cayenne, notes contributor Abbie James. The storyline also “discusses the role of socioeconomic factors” of friendship, and one of the book’s characters is a parent with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). James says that the story “is set during the 1980s and may especially appeal to readers interested in the Titanic.”
Unsinkable Cayenne received a “School Library Journal Starred Review and Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection.” It has also received good reviews from 49thshelf and Booklist, as shared on the author’s website .
Published by Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins
Main topics: depression, feelings, trauma
Originally featured in Menderist’s Winter 2025 list (Recommended by A.W. James)
Ages 9 to 12
as recommended by the publisher
The Anxious Exile of Sara Salt – novel by Gabrielle Prendergast
For readers aged 9 to 12: published in 2025 🇨🇦
The main character in The Anxious Exile of Sara Salt is a 10-year-old who is dealing with anxiety during serious family mental health challenges. Sara temporarily moves in with her older sister who, notes the review site Canadian Materials, “…is an architect who wants to help the unhoused and believes that establishing a community would help the situation.”
Sara takes action to help her sister and reaches out to family members, local government, and neighbours. “This charming and engaging book” notes Kirkus Reviews “has much to teach readers about anxiety disorders, homelessness, and family”.
The Anxious Exile of Sara Salt received a starred review from the School Library Journal.
Published by Orca Book
Main topics: anxiety, depression, feelings, selective mutism
Originally featured in Menderist’s Winter 2025 list (Recommended by S. Miller)
Buzzing – graphic novel by Samuel Sattin
For readers aged 9 to 12: published in 2023 🇺🇸
Buzzing is a graphic novel about a boy named Isaac, who is a middle school student with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in the form of intrusive thoughts.
Life improves for Isaac when his family realizes he is struggling and they reach out to help. Another positive development occurs when Isaac meets other kids who share the same interests as his, such as role-playing games similar to Dungeons and Dragons. Over time, Isaac learns to better manage his OCD.
Buzzing was named a Notable Children’s Book of 2024 by the American Library Association. In its writeup, Kirkus Reviews notes: “This book provides a positive, sympathetic introduction to living with OCD, with appeal for readers who have the same diagnosis as well as those who do not.”
Book illustrated by Rye Hickman – published by Little, Brown Ink
Main topics: anxiety, feelings, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
Originally featured in Menderist’s Winter 2025 list (Recommended by F. Farokhi)
The Story and Science of Hope – non-fiction guidebook by Andrea Curtis
For readers aged 9 to 12: published in 2025 🇨🇦
How is hope different from a wish? Early in her book, The Story and Science of Hope, author Andrea Curtis advances that hope is a concept rooted in taking positive action. She provides historical context and examples from around the world, and shares findings from extensive data.
A strong sense of hope, the author explains, has a positive effect on health, friendship, and achievement.
The Story and Science of Hope shares ideas on cultivating hope that will likely inspire readers of all ages. It also addresses the importance of establishing goals, nurturing creativity, and working together for positive change. The book includes a list of books and organizations to contact for more information.
The guidebook received an ‘Expert’s Pick’ from the CCBC and a positive writeup from Kirkus Reviews, which describes it as “A lucid mini-course in an essential life-enhancing emotion.”
Book illustrated by Ana Suarez – published by Groundwood Books
Main topics: anxiety, grief and loss
Originally featured in Menderist’s Winter 2025 list (Recommended by S. Miller)
A Summer of Dragonflies – novel by Natasha Deen
For readers aged 9 to 12: published in 2025 🇨🇦
The main character in A Summer of Dragonflies is Guppie Persaud, a quiet 12-year-old struggling with anxiety as her family plans a move to New York City for a year.
Guppie brainstorms ways to become more outgoing and add adventure to her life, and plans to start this quest during her family’s journey to their new temporary home. However, explains 49thshelf in its starred review, the long road trip “includes no A/C in the van, no cellphones, and no escape from …old-people music.”
The story continues with Guppie deciding to collect the qualities of fictional heroes she admires. She hopes the road trip will be her chance to transform from “shy zero” to “epic hero.” As Kirkus Reviews notes, Guppie’s anxiety takes shape in her mind as a dragon, and during the journey she discovers that confronting her fears is more complicated than she expected.
A Summer of Dragonflies contains interesting family and friend dynamics and shows how people learn to become more considerate of each other. The book has received a starred review from Quill and Quire.
Published by DCB Young Readers | Cormorant
Main topics: anxiety, identity
Originally featured in Menderist’s Winter 2025 list (Recommended by A. Elliott)
Valley of the Rats – fantasy/mystery written by Mahtab Narsimhan
For readers aged 9 to 12: published in 2021 🇨🇦
Krish Roy and his father, a nature photographer, leave the city to hike to a wilderness adventure camp in the mountains. When they become separated from their hiking group and lose radio contact, Krish and his dad follow a trail of rats, hoping the animals will lead them to people.
Instead of the safe shelter Krish is hoping for, he and his father find Imdur: a remote village run by a shaman whose motives are hard to read. Krish’s father is determined to learn more about the community, and the two of them get pulled deeper into village life and its dangers. To make it out, Krish has to find the courage to face his fears head-on — something he’s never managed before.
Kirkus Reviews describes Valley of the Rats as having “a good deal of action, a likeable protagonist, and a growing sense of doom” that carries the story along. And a writeup at 49thshelf includes a review by Canadian Children’s Book News, which says the book is “A page turner …(that) will appeal to middle-grade readers who enjoy suspense, adventure …(and) magic realism.”
Published by DCB
Main topics: anxiety, feelings
Originally featured in Menderist’s Summer 2024 list (Recommended by H. Kubiw)
Ages 9 to 13
as recommended by the publisher
Confessions of a Class Clown – novel by Arianne Costner
For readers aged 9 to 13: published in 2023 🇺🇸
The storyline of Confessions of a Class Clown features a lot of social media usage that, at first, seems to be condoned: but the story goes on to explore some of the negative consequences on mental health and relationships that social media can bring.
A character deletes her social media account at the end of the book, providing a role model for someone deciding to eliminate that pressure from life. The book is so humorous throughout that readers will not feel they’re being taught a lesson.
Publisher Penguin Random House shares a quote about Confessions of a Class Clown from Kirkus Reviews that describes the book’s storyline as “a kindhearted, authentic outing.” And the same website contains a quote from School Library Journal, declaring the novel “an excellent take on the challenges of navigating social media for adolescents.”
Book illustrated by Billy Yong – published by Random House Children’s Books
Main topics: bullying, feelings
Originally featured in Menderist’s Summer 2024 list (Recommended by A.W. James)
Starfish – novel in verse by Lisa Fipps
For readers aged 9 to 13: published in 2021 🇺🇸
The main character of Starfish is Ellie, who’s 12 and dealing with issues related to image and body size. Among other plot details, the story refers to therapy sessions that help Ellie build self-acceptance.
Common Sense Media highlighted the book’s emotional arc, describing Starfish as “a story of healing and self-advocacy that readers won’t soon forget.” And Kirkus Reviews notes that “Fipp’s verse is skillful and rooted in emotional reality” and encourages readers to “make room in your heart for this cathartic novel.”
Published by Nancy Paulsen Books | Penguin Random House
Main topics: body image, bullying, feelings, self-esteem
Originally featured in Menderist’s Summer 2024 list (Recommended by A.W. James)
The Wrong Way Home – novel by Kate O’Shaughnessy
For readers aged 9 to 13: published in 2024 🇺🇸
The Wrong Way Home is an incredible story about the process of leaving a cult. Topics in this book include building friendships and how to evaluate messaging from others. And subjects for families to discuss after reading the book could include communication, and how to determine whether a person or information is trustworthy. The American Library Association chose The Wrong Way Home as a 2025 Newbery Honor Book.
In its review, Horn Book Magazine highlights how the author “presents a high-stakes situation and zeroes in on a child narrator’s believable emotions.” The review added that this focus on the narrator, even when she’s misguided, allows readers to reach their own conclusions as the story unfolds. And School Library Journal’s Fuse #8” blog, by Betsy Bird, notes that the author “seems to have a particular talent for couching her world in reality.”
Published by Delacorte Press | Penguin Random House
Main topics: abuse, grief and loss, identity
Originally featured in Menderist’s Spring 2025 list (Recommended by A.W. James)
Ages 9 to 14
as recommended by the publisher
Absolutely Everything – graphic novel by Damian Alexander
For readers aged 9 to 14: published in 2025 🇺🇸
Absolutely Everything will likely reassure kids who find schoolwork challenging and who wonder why they struggle more than their peers.
The story follows Marcella through her turbulent transition to sixth grade as she deals with new classes, shifting friendships, and learning challenges. Marcella gradually discovers she has ADHD, and her supportive dads and a caring teacher help her adjust to the situation. The novel’s artwork uses color and movement to put readers inside her experience.
Kirkus Reviews praises Absolutely Everything as “a hopeful and validating story that excels in portraying a middle schooler’s ADHD journey.” And School Library Journal, as quoted on the Lerner Books, called it “a warm and sensitive depiction of a neurodivergent character finding her way in middle school.” This is a helpful book that explains the challenges a child with ADHD might go through.
Recommended by: Child Mind Institute as a 2025 Best Kids’ Books About Mental Health.
Book written & illustrated by Damien Alexander – published by Graphic Universe | Lerner
Main topics: ADHD, identity
Originally featured in Menderist’s Spring 2026 list
The Water You’re Swimming In – novel by Rachel Schwartz Fagan
For readers aged 9 to 14: published in 2026 🇨🇦
When eighth grader Noah’s older brother Jamie runs away to Halifax, the family experiences a quiet crisis. The search consumes Noah’s parents and, as explained by publisher Orca Book, this leaves Noah “trying to mask his anxiety and grief by pretending to be the perfect son who does everything right.”
Fortunately, Noah has company during this stressful time. His grandmother arrives from Cape Breton with hugs, home remedies, and chocolate cake; and a kind new classmate offers friendship.
When a swim competition is announced that includes a trip to Halifax as the prize, Noah sets a goal: a secret mission to find Jamie on his own.
The novel handles the family’s predicament with sensitivity. It captures, explains Kirkus Reviews, “the anxiety of a family dealing with crisis, the pleasures of having a loving grandparent, and the typical — yet still excruciating — ups and downs of adolescence.” The Nova Scotia setting, woven with traditional East Coast folk songs, gives the story a memorable sense of place; the book, notes the Canadian Children’s Book Centre, is “a well-paced novel with relatable characters.”
The Water You’re Swimming in has received a positive review from School Library Journal, as shared on Orca Book Publishers.
Recommended by: The Canadian Children’s Book Centre
Published by Orca Book Publishers
Main topics: anxiety, grief and loss, bullying, identity, trauma
Originally featured in Menderist’s Spring 2026 list
Ages 10 to 12
as recommended by the publisher
Everywhere Blue – novel in verse by Joanne Rossmassler Fritz
For readers aged 10 to 12: published in 2021 🇺🇸
The main character in Everywhere Blue is 12 year-old Maddie, who experiences anxiety and compulsive behaviors.
The review site, Goodreads, characterizes Everywhere Blue as a “powerful debut novel in verse (that) addresses the climate crisis, intergenerational discourse, and mental illness in an accessible, hopeful way.” And as shared by the publisher on the retail site Bookshop, School Library Journal noted that “Libraries need more titles featuring young people who care about climate change and live with undiagnosed mental illness, and this fresh novel in verse fits the bill.”
Published by Holiday House
Main topics: anxiety, feelings, grief and loss, OCD
Originally featured in Menderist’s Summer 2024 list (Recommended by A.W. James)
Ages 10 to 13
as recommended by the publisher
Game Face – novel by Shari Green
For readers aged 10 to 13: published in 2023 🇨🇦
Game Face is about a young hockey player with overwhelming anxiety. Jonah is in grade 8 and is still dealing with the death of his mother some years before.
When stressed, Jonah often responds by exploding in anger or by becoming silent. In time, he seeks help to deal with difficult emotions and to learn effective coping strategies.
Kirkus Reviews describes this verse novel as “an unvarnished problem-focused novel with occasional doses of quick ice hockey action.” And as quoted on the Canadian Children’s Book Centre website, Canadian Children’s Book News calls it “a welcome addition to any middle-grade collection.”
Published by Groundwood Books | House of Anansi Press
Main topics: anxiety, depression
Originally featured in Menderist’s Spring 2025 list (Recommended by S. Miller)
Octopus Moon – novel by Bobbie Pyron
For readers aged 10 to 13: published in 2025 🇺🇸
Octopus Moon tells the story of 10-year-old Pearl, a Florida girl who loves skateboarding and dreams of becoming a marine biologist. As fifth grade begins, however, Pearl is struggling. When her teachers notice her lower grades and ‘‘’sad” essays, Pearl’s parents take her to a therapist, where she’s diagnosed with depression.
Told in simple and accessible verse, the book portrays what depression could look and feel like for a child. It offers parents a glimpse into experiences their own kids might not have words for yet. Kirkus Reviews praises Octopus Moon as “a full-bodied and authentic exploration of living with depression.”
In a starred review of Octopus Moon on Penguin Random House Books, School Library Journal notes “Pearl’s struggles will resonate with readers who grapple with feelings of not being enough….(the main character) adopts good management skills in the form of setting goals….to assist her in moving forward in life.” The book was named a Middle Grades Honor book by the Schneider Family Book Awards, American Library Association.
Recommended by: Child Mind Institute as a 2025 Best Kids’ Books About Mental Health.
Published by Nancy Paulsen Books | Penguin
Main topics: anxiety, depression, feelings
Originally featured in Menderist’s Spring 2026 list
Ages 10 to 14
as recommended by the publisher
Is There A Boy Like Me? – novel by Kern Carter
For readers aged 10 to 14: published in 2024 🇨🇦
The novel Is There A Boy Like Me is “a powerful novel that challenges the limitations and pressures placed on boys today,” notes a review by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. And 49thshelf, a review site produced by the Association of Canadian Publishers, describes the book’s plot this way:
“London feels stuck. His school friends think he’s this confident kid who likes video games and will kick your butt if you get on his bad side. His high-achieving parents think he’s a genius coder and are pushing him to pursue that as a future career. None of this is true. London feels anxiety in crowds, and what he really wants to do is be by himself and read books. Not knowing what else to do, London starts an anonymous online comic called “Is There A Boy Like Me?”
Published by Scholastic Canada
Main topics: anxiety, bullying, trauma
Originally featured in Menderist’s Spring 2025 list (Recommended by S. Miller)
Iveliz Explains It All – novel in verse by Andrea Beatriz Arango
For readers aged 10 to 14: published in 2023 🇺🇸
In Iveliz Explains It All, a 12-year-old navigates a complicated Grade 7 school year. Iveliz has experienced recent trauma and turns to her journal and poetry for solace.
The arrival of Iveliz’ Puerto Rican grandmother brings hope, but there are also family health issues and relationship tensions at home and with friends.
A quote from the School Library Journal, shared on the author’s website, explains: “In this poignant debut novel in verse, Arango offers a character with heart, whom readers will be rooting for and whose story will resonate with them. A compassionate, stirring story that readers will not forget.”
Iveliz Explains It All achieved starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly and from Kirkus Reviews. It was chosen as a 2023 Newbery Honor Book by the American Library Association, which said in its announcement that the “…first-person novel (is) written in evocative verse revealing Iveliz’s thoughts and her emotions through … diary entries. Iveliz navigates grief, relationships, bullying and conflict with her mother and grandmother. Poignant, candid and memorable.”
Recommended by: Mental Health America as part of a youth mental health booklist.
Book illustrated by Alyssa Bermudez – published by Random House Children’s Books
Main topics: bullying, feelings, grief and loss, trauma
Originally featured in Menderist’s Spring 2026 list
Not Nothing – novel by Gayle Forman
For readers aged 10 to 14: published in 2024 🇺🇸
Not Nothing covers a range of topics including parent mental health issues, friendship, self-worth, and the complexity of underlying reasons for behaviors. The novel includes a storyline in the present day and a storyline from World War II.
Not Nothing received a starred writeup from Kirkus Reviews and positive reviews from other sites including the School Library Journal. The synopsis from Publisher’s Weekly notes: “This tale of intergenerational friendship, forged through a shared understanding of loss … is told with spellbinding grace and wrought with exquisite structuring that quietly highlights the heartrending parallels between Josey’s WWII remembrances and Alex’s current struggles.”
Horn Books notes the author “captures the quietly powerful moments of feeling seen and known, how friendships can make a bleak life feel fresh with possibilities, and how a person’s worst moments need not shape their future.”
Published by Aladdin | Simon & Schuster
Main topics covered include: grief and loss, identity
Originally featured in Menderist’s Spring 2025 list (Recommended by A.W. James)
Thanks a Lot, Universe – novel written by Chad Lucas
For readers aged 10 to 14: published in 2021 🇨🇦
Thanks a Lot, Universe received a starred writeup from Kirkus Reviews. A review by the website canlitforlittlecanadians describes the novel this way:
“Thanks a Lot, Universe is the story of two boys, both coming to terms with new realities….(they) are both looking for and finding their true selves, with or without the help of the universe. Told in the alternating voices of thirteen-year-olds Brian Day and Ezra Komizarek, Thanks a Lot, Universe parallels the stories of the two Halifax boys as they become true friends, and maybe more, though the plot is very much driven by the shy and socially anxious Brian.”
Another writeup, by Quill and Quire, calls the book “an uplifting celebration of resilience,” noting that despite tackling “big issues – a family split apart, micro aggressions perpetuated by supposed friends, social-anxiety-induced panic attacks, and a coming-out narrative – this charming middle grade novel isn’t bogged down by unearned drama thanks to its two multi-dimensional and appealing central characters.”
Published by Amulet Books
Main topics: anxiety, bullying, depression, grief and loss
Originally featured in Menderist’s Summer 2024 list (Recommended by H. Kubiw)
The Trouble with Heroes – novel-in-verse by Kate Messner
For readers aged 10 to 14: published in 2025 🇺🇸
The Trouble with Heroes uses a range of formats in its storyline, notes contributor Abbie James: the author uses a highly effective, “creative and engaging format that includes poems, texts, articles, photos, and multiple-choice questions.”
James notes that The Trouble with Heroes “deals with processing the loss of a parent, parental PTSD and alcoholism, coping with anger, finding intergenerational connection, and the uplifting presence of nature.”
The Chicago Public Library begins its plot summary by explaining that 13 year-old “Finn Connelly is nothing like his dad, a star athlete and firefighter hero who always ran toward danger until he died two years ago. Finn is about to fail seventh grade and has never made headlines . . . until now.” The book was recently added to the ‘Best of the Best Books list for 2025’ by Chicago Public Librarians.
The Trouble with Heroes has received starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly, among other sites.
Published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Main topics: a parent’s addiction, feelings, grief and loss, trauma
Originally featured in Menderist’s Winter 2025 list (Recommended by A.W. James)
Ages 11 to 18
Ages 11 to 18
as recommended by the publisher
Louder Than Hunger – novel by John Schu
For readers aged 11 to 18: published in 2024 🇺🇸
Louder Than Hunger is a story about a boy working through body image issues. Author John Schu draws on his own experiences for this novel in verse: it’s an absorbing read about a young male’s struggle with an eating disorder.
Louder Than Hunger was chosen as a 2025 Schneider Family Book Award Honor Book, Middle Grade Category, by the American Library Association.
Kirkus Reviews praises the book for being “a sensitive, true-to-life narrative that is respectfully and indelibly portrayed.” And in its starred review, Publishers Weekly describes Louder Than Hunger as a “heart-wrenching verse novel … (that) is an unflinching depiction of resistance and disordered eating recovery.”
Published by Candlewick Press
Main topics: anxiety, bullying, depression, eating disorders, OCD
Originally featured in Menderist’s Spring 2025 list (Recommended by A.W. James)
Ages 12 to 16
as recommended by the publisher
Being You: The Body Image Book for Boys – guidebook by Charlotte Markey, Daniel Hart, Douglas Zacher
For readers aged 12 to 16: published in 2022 🇬🇧
Being You is a research-based guidebook aimed at boys aged 12 to 16. It aims to reassure and encourage boys through real stories from dozens of young people and psychology experts.
Kirkus Reviews notes that the authors “urge readers to be comfortable in their own skins rather than trying to be like celebrities, influencers, or professional athletes.” This message will resonate with many parents who worry about the unrealistic pressures that their sons face.
The book advocates for a sensible approach: occasional fast food is acceptable, exercise is important (but not solely for achieving a six-pack), and self-kindness is more effective than setting unattainable goals. The book also deals with male eating disorders.
Booklist praises the book as one that, “whether read by young men or the adults who care about them…(is) equally effective if perused cover-to-cover or dipped into for quick consultation.” Being You is a flexible resource, especially for parents.
Recommended by: Mental Health America as part of a youth mental health booklist.
Published by Cambridge University Press
Main topics: anxiety, body image and eating disorders, self-esteem
Originally featured in Menderist’s Spring 2026 list
Ages 12 to 18
as recommended by the publisher
Age 16 – graphic novel by Rosena Fung
For readers aged 12 to 18: published in 2024 🇨🇦
Age 16 by Rosena Fung is a graphic novel that follows three generations of women, each at age 16, across Guangdong in 1954, Hong Kong in 1972, and Toronto in 2000.
When teenager Roz’s estranged grandmother moves in, long-buried family secrets surface, forcing all three women to confront the pressures around body image, beauty, and belonging that have shaped their lives.
The author has drawn on her own family history, notes the CCBC’s Bookcentre, to create “an emotional and poignant story about how every generation is affected by those that came before, and affect those that come after.” The New York Public Library named it a Best Book of 2024, stating “This moving graphic novel shifts through time and space, following three generations of a Chinese family as they grapple with internalized fatphobia, trauma, and womanhood.”
Other review sites praising Age 16 includes Kirkus Reviews and Booklist (American Library Association). Quill & Quire observed, “Fung’s artwork and storytelling are both heartwarming and heart-wrenching, yet ultimately healing; as often as we may think we struggle alone, our mothers and grandmothers may understand us more than we realize.”
Recommended by: the Canadian Children’s Book Centre, which named Age 16 as a Winner of its 2025 CCBC Awards.
Book written & illustrated by Rosena Fung – published by Annick Press
Main topics: body image and eating disorders, trauma, anxiety
Originally featured in Menderist’s Spring 2026 list
Shoot the Moon – novel by Matt Beam
For readers aged 12 to 18: published in 2025 🇨🇦
The main character of Shoot the Moon is 16-year-old Charlie. Charlie lives with and helps take care of her father, who experiences depression and mood swings.
One day, Charlie’s father goes missing, and she sets out to find him. Along the way, explains the review on the website 49thshelf, “she meets people who help her understand not only where he might be but also who he really is. As she discovers the truth, her search takes on greater urgency and scope.”
Kirkus Reviews describes Shoot the Moon as “[An] accessibly written story that centers on the emotional costs of trying to take on too much responsibility. Beam leaves readers with food for thought about the roles they should–and perhaps should not—be expected to take within their families. An absorbing, intensely felt, occasionally scary novel that will hook reluctant readers.”
Published by Orca Book Publishers
Main topics: depression, feelings
Originally featured in Menderist’s Winter 2025 list (Recommended by S. Miller)
Ages 14+
Ages 14 and Up
as recommended by the publisher
Ab(solutely) Normal: Short Stories That Smash Mental Health Stereotypes – anthology edited by Nora Shalaway Carpenter, Rocky Callen
For readers aged 14+: published in 2023 🇺🇸
Note: This anthology of 16 works is likely to appeal to older children and families who are dealing with mental health challenges. Contributors share stories about their lived experiences through different written formats including a play script, graphic narrative, and short stories.
Ab(solutely) Normal covers such topics as bullying, grief, depression, and PTSD. And as a bonus, resources for parents and educators are available through the editor’s website.
CommonSense Media notes that, in a ‘Parents’ Guide’ to the book, “Despite references to traumatic experiences and significant mental health struggles (including suicidal ideation), this book is brimming with messages of hope for the future, courage, strength, and perseverance. Characters seek professional and personal support as well as explicitly model healthy ways to manage and improve mental health.”
In its writeup, Kirkus Reviews notes “The book’s main lessons include the messages that you are not alone and should reach out for help and follow a treatment plan.”
Published by Candlewick Press
Covers a range of topics, including: anxiety, bullying, depression, grief and loss
Featured in Menderist’s Winter 2025 list (Recommended by F. Farokhi)
Parents / Caregivers
Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents —and What They Mean for America’s Future – non-fiction by Jean M. Twenge
For adult readers: published in 2023 🇺🇸
Note: In contrast to the other 40 recommended children’s books on this list, ‘Generations’ was written for adults who want to learn more about the relationship between mental health and teen social media usage. The book was suggested by Menderist contributor Abbie Werner James.
Parents and other adults seeking to understand the challenges of the younger generation, particularly related to social media, will likely find parts of the Generation Z section within this non-fiction book helpful, notes Werner James. She observes that the book is suitable for parents and caregivers and says that it includes information “about the correlations between mental health concerns and teen social media usage (that) may be eye-opening. Sometimes data and graphs can be helpful if parents are planning to have a conversation with their kids about smart phone usage—to show them the science behind why they are concerned.”
Published by: Atria Books | Simon & Schuster
Covers a range of topics, including generational differences; cultural shifts; and data-driven insights.
Originally featured in: Menderist’s Summer 2024 list (Recommended by A.W. James)
Sources:
*Mental Health statistics are from National Library of Medicine, U.S.A. and World Health Organization
Support Independent Bookstores Online:
To support independent bookstores, consider buying from the indie store nearest you. To find and order from Canadian independent bookstores, we suggest booksellers.ca. For American independent stores, check out bookshop.org.
