Mental wellbeing books for teens

This book follows fourteen-year-old Max, a young boy living with anorexia, on his journey towards recovery. Through a gift from his brother, Max finds escapism in geocaching and writing letters to 'E', an anonymous correspondent who feels is like the only person who understands him.

From the creator of the Heartstopper comics comes the story of Tori Spring, Charlie's sister. Tori is pessimistic, and keeps mostly to herself and is coping with undiagnosed depression. Then she meets Michael Holden, a young boy who is angry at everything, and it feels like they are each exactly the person the other one needs.

Anna is thirteen and lives in London with her father. When her father passes away, she has to move to Scotland to live with her mother. With only her 'Happy Game' up her sleeve, she has to find a way to live in her new community, connect with her mother and process the grief of losing her father.

Kiko has always found it hard to say what she means and how she really feels. Struggling with anxiety and believing in herself, Kiko keeps her head down and dreams of getting into art school. But when this doesn't happen, Kiko finds a new path for herself, reconnecting with an old school friend and taking a leap into the unknown despite her fear and anxiety telling her otherwise. This is a simultaneously heartbreaking and uplifting story of self-acceptance and understanding.

A heartfelt story with relatable characters, The Sad Ghost Club celebrates friendship with sensitivity and humour. It explores challenging themes, including anxiety, loneliness, and depression, in a gentle and tender way. With its core message of speaking out and sharing how you feel, this book is vital now more than ever.

Told in narrative verse, this is a touching take on the loneliness and isolation experienced during depression. It details how small tasks such as getting out of bed or leaving the house can become mammoth. This book tells the story of Beth and how she gradually begins to trust herself again, with the help of Alice and the loveable wag-tailed dog mouse. A warm and honest account, many will empathise with the character of Beth.

At school Fred is either ignored or bullied and at home his mother is dealing with grief and depression. Desperate to escape his real life, Fred starts venting his frustrations through his online persona as a streamer. However, when he starts using his online persona to get revenge on the bullies, he has to learn how to separate the online world from reality.

Two teens are trying to find themselves – Auden has just chosen a new name and is nervous about their families reaction to their gender identity. Meanwhile, Valerie is processing her mother’s death and a distant relationship with her father. When Auden begins cooking their family’s recipes, the two begin a new connection – and a journey towards happiness.

Filled with ideas to combat self-doubt and develop your own confidence, this non-fiction guide pulls on real-life examples from science to sport and even the author’s own anecdotes. Written in an accessible and humours way, we love this book’s message that everyone is different and can find their own interests and passions.

No one in Jonas’s life knows that he is living with bulimia. Then, he makes friends with Louis, who is determined that Jonas should have the best summer possible before he moves to university. However, Jonas still has to learn how to heal on his own. A touching portrayal of living with an eating disorder, and the friendships that change us.

One morning, Ellie wakes up and feels terrified. The thought of going to school seems impossible. Even though her family and friends want to help, she feels trapped. This Barrington Stoke, designed to be an accessible read, shows Ellie’s journey through her anxiety, showing that with the right support, it’s possible to process and manage anxiety.

Shelbi is has just transferred schools – living with bi-polar depression has made school, and friendships, hard. Despite this, she soon meets Andy, and the two of them strike up a connection. Andy, however, is processing grief and trauma as well as addiction. This romance is an honest look at mental health and shows two characters realising that everyone is worthy of love.