Find your next great read for Mental Health Awareness Month by exploring my reviews of these YA books about depression and anxiety.
Today’s teens are struggling with depression and anxiety at higher levels than ever before. Suicides among our young people are on the rise.
Reading stories about depression, anxiety, and even suicide is one way to find hope in the darkness. For readers, books offer entertainment and escape, and connecting with characters who also suffer with depression, anxiety, OCD, or other mental illness can help someone recognize that they’re not alone. The young adult books about depression are as varied as the individuals who experience it.
NOTE: If you or your teen is in danger right now, you can call or text 988 in the United States to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which is available 24 hours a day.
So what are the best YA books about depression and anxiety struggles? Here are reviews of my favorites in this category.
Straight A’s by Khristina Chess
“I'm going to do it. November 4 is the last day of the grading period, and if I don't make perfect straight A’s, it's all over.“ ― Khristina Chess, quote from Straight A’s
Kim was supposed to be valedictorian. The top of her class. The girl with a future.
Then her parents split, and everything unraveled. She’s caught in the crossfire—bouncing between households, shouldering their meltdowns, and suffocating under expectations she can no longer meet.
Now she has a plan: she’s going to end it.
The semester is slipping through her fingers. A single B in calculus could shatter everything—scholarships, dreams, escape. And if there’s no escape, what’s left?
But then she meets him. The new guy in Writer’s Club. A distraction she didn’t expect. A reason to hold on.
Raw, unflinching, and ultimately hopeful, Straight A’s is an unforgettable YA novel about depression, pressure, anxiety, and the invisible weight teenagers carry. If you’ve ever searched for a story that truly understands the darkness—and dares to find light—this is it.
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
“You are all the colors in one, at full brightness.” ― Jennifer Niven, quote from All the Bright Places
Theodore Finch has more than a touch of the blues.
Violet Markey wants to escape the grief that lives in her hometown where her sister recently died.
Violet and Theodore are an unlikely couple, paired together on a school project to explore the natural wonders of their state. At first, Theodore seems to be the one helping Violet with her sadness, but Violet doesn’t have any understanding about the depth of Theodore’s despair. Along their journey, they make several unexpected discoveries about one another.
After re-reading this book a second time, I enjoyed it every bit as much as the the first. I liked the writing, the dual character viewpoints, the story, the language, and the symbolism.
Blue is a primary color.
This lovely YA book is about depression, and Niven handles all of these difficult topics with honesty and resonance. All the Bright Places is one of my all-time favorites. In fact, Jennifer Niven is such a great author that she’s on my list of Best YA Authors to Binge on Kindle Unlimited because she’s all-around amazing!
It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini
“Tentacles is my term—the Tentacles are the evil tasks that invade my life. Like, for example, my American History class last week, which necessitated me writing a paper on the weapons of the Revolutionary War, which necessitated me traveling to the Metropolitan museum to check out some of the old guns, which necessitated me getting in the subway, which necessitated me being away from my cell phone and e-mail for 45 minutes, which meant that I didn’t get to respond to a mass mail sent out by my teacher asking who needed extra credit, which meant other kids snapped up the extra credit, which meant I wasn’t going to get a 98 in the class, which meant I wasn’t anywhere close to a 98.6 average (body temperature, that’s what you needed to get), which meant I wasn’t going to get into a Good College, which meant I wasn’t going to have a Good Job, which meant I wasn’t going to have health insurance, which meant I’d have to pay tremendous amounts of money for the shrinks and drugs my brain needed, which meant I wasn’t going to have enough money to pay for a Good Lifestyle, which meant I’d feel ashamed, which meant I’d get depressed, and that was the big one because I knew what that did to me: it made it so I wouldn’t get out of bed, which led to the ultimate thing—homelessness.” ― Ned Vizzini, quote from It’s Kind of a Funny Story
That is the wonderful, funny, and utterly unique voice of the narrator of this novel, Craig Gilner, who has ambitious goals for his life but who also suffers from anxiety and depression. He’s trying. Really. But things like The Tentacles get in the way.
I loved this book! It is a humorous and hopeful novel about a boy whose suicidal episode sends him on a very interesting journey through an adult psychiatric ward in a New York City hospital.
This book is a must-read for anyone interested in YA novels about depression and anxiety.
Buy it. Read it. Ned Vizzini’s writing is masterful. It’s so incredibly sad that this author died from an apparent suicide.
By The Time You Read This I’ll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters
I want to tell them, "Chip, Kim, there is no way to suicide-proof a person.” ― Julie Anne Peters, quote from By the Time You Read This I’ll Be Dead
Daelyn is going to kill herself in 23 days.
Daelyn is a bullied girl who failed her first suicide attempt but intends to get it right the next time. A website named Through the Light provides support to wanna-be suicide “completers” like Daelyn, and she spends a lot of free time there. Counting down the days.
Then she meets a boy. She tries to ignore him, but he’s pushy. Persistent. Charming, even.
But is he charming enough to keep her from going through the light when the countdown ends?
This short, brutal novel is a fast read. It’s not easy, happy, or hopeful, but it’s a raw and real look at suicide. If you are looking for the best YA books about depression and anxiety, this one is a must-read!
This Is Not a Love Letter by Kim Purcell
Chris is missing.
While he’s gone, his girlfriend Jessie decides to write letters to him, so the entire book is a series of scenes narrated to Chris. The mystery of his disappearance deepens as more of the bullying that Chris had endured unfolds.
Heartbreaking, beautiful, and powerful, Jessie’s letters are her way of coming to terms with the fact that the boy she loved went running one night but never came home again.
Check out this hard-hitting YA book about depression and racism. It’s a great third-person look at the impact of depression on those who love the person and feel helpless to ease their suffering.
The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan
“Whose fault was it? That’s the question on everyone’s mind, isn’t it? Nobody will ever say it out loud. It’s a question people would call inappropriate. The kind of thing where everyone tells you, “It’s nobody’s fault.” But is that even true? It’s only human nature to look for a place to lay the blame. Our fingers are more than ready to do the pointing, but it’s like we’re all blindfolded and spinning. What makes a person want to die?” ― Emily X.R. Pan, quote from The Astonishing Color of After
A young girl, Leigh Chen Sanders, is grieving the death of her mother, who committed suicide. Leigh believes that she turned into a bird, and she goes on a journey to visit her grandparents in Taiwan in search of her mother, the bird, and other family secrets.
The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan is one of my top favorite YA reads. I discovered the novel after reading a Goodreads review so intriguing that I went hunting for the title during my next Barnes & Noble trip. The Astonishing Color of After was shelved under Teen Fantasy, a category where I never shop, so without seeing the great reviewer comments I might never have discovered this touching book about grief, culture, and family secrets.
This book wrecked me. The writing is so beautiful. Whether it’s the love story, the voice, the mystery, or the family culture aspect, there’s plenty of reasons why fans connect with this YA classic. I truly can’t say enough wonderful things about this amazing novel.
If you haven’t discovered it yet, you definitely want to make it one of the YA books on your list of YA books about depression. And if you have already read it, here’s my list of other great books for fans of The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan.
Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone
“Everyone's got something. Some people are just better actors than others.” ― Tamara Ireland Stone, quote from Every Last Word
I loved everything about this book. Sam is a flawed character with a story to share. Although on the surface she looks like a typical teenager with the normal set of diverse friends and interests, she is something else. She has a secret, OCD, which she hides from everyone.
Watching her new friendships and romantic relationship with AJ develop was compelling, and I was pleasantly surprised by some of the plot twists along the way. The poetry is awesome! Everything about Sam's world felt very vivid and rich--Poet's Corner, the swimming pool, Sue's office... The Odometer! There is so much depth to this novel. What a satisfying read all around.
If you are looking for YA books about anxiety struggles, this book belongs on your TBR stack!
Coywood Creek by Khristina Chess
“With an unremarkable click, like a period at the end of a sentence, the world ended.” ― Khristina Chess, quote from Coywood Creek
With that chilling opening, Coywood Creek takes off—an addictive dystopian novel that’s equal parts humor, heart, and survival.
At first, Zoey brushes off the blackout, the dead cell service, and the eerie northern lights. But as reality sets in, she knows one thing: she can’t stay in her parents’ condo alone. She sets out for Coywood Creek, hoping to find safety with her uncle and grandmother. Instead, she finds something else entirely.
Holy macaroni—this book is a page-turner! Zoey is sharp, relatable, and hilarious, navigating the collapse of civilization with her signature sarcasm (and a bag of OREO cookies). Her banter with Kent made me laugh out loud, even as the novel’s deeper themes—resilience, uncertainty, and survival—kept me hooked. But more than anything, Coywood Creek forces you to ask: How fragile are we without our technology?
If you are looking for the best YA books about anxiety (and the end of the world will definitely create some anxiety), you don’t need to look any further than Khristina Chess. In fact, all of her books are issue-driven stories about real and difficult problems, which is why I’ve included her on my Best YA Authors to Binge on Kindle Unlimited.
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
“You don’t know what goes on in anyone’s life but your own. And when you mess with one part of a person’s life, you’re not messing with just that part. Unfortunately you can’t be that precise and selective. When you mess with one part of a person’s life, you’re messing with their entire life. Everything… affects everything.” ― Jay Asher, quote from Thirteen Reasons Why
Hannah Baker committed suicide, and she left behind 13 tapes explaining why she did it.
When Clay receives these tapes, he goes on a journey to understand why she did it. It’s a terrible story involving crimes, and with every tape, there is suspense in wondering how Clay contributed to this girl’s death.
Clay is a nice guy. He has a thing for Hannah. It doesn’t seem he could have anything to do with it, but this story shows how you often don’t know what another person is going through.
Jay Asher’s popular novel, Thirteen Reasons Why, is one of the best YA books about depression and suicide, and it’s one of the most popular YA books about bullying. It became a super-popular series on Netflix; there’s a reason it has become a #1 New York Times and International Bestseller. Thirteen Reasons Why definitely belongs on the list of best banned YA books to read.
Other YA Books about Depression and Anxiety
Because this is such an important topic impacting many people, Goodreads has several popular lists, including: YA Books About/Mentioning Depression, Self Harm, and Suicide, Goodreads Depression Book Lists, and Goodreads Popular YA Suicide Books. In addition, check out my post, Diverse Collection of YA Books about Mental Illness for other great reads about mental health issues. You might also be interested in my post, Other Good Reads, which lists other reviews of YA contemporary books about tough topics for teens.
I’d love to hear from you in the comments below. Do you have any YA books about depression or anxiety struggles to add to my list?
Khristina Chess is the award-winning author of several YA novels about troubled teens turning corners. You can find her on Amazon, Goodreads, and Twitter as an active daily contributor in the #5amwritersclub.