Booklist: Tough Issues for Teens

[slayground]

One afternoon in the bookstore, a young woman in her late teens approached me and said, "Excuse me. Can you help me? I want some books like . . . " She named a few teen fiction titles that dealt with drug abuse and anorexia. She looked slightly uncomfortable but mostly excited. I told her that I could recommend many good books. Within minutes, she

Comments

[slayground]

Nice to meet you! I have yet to read any Oates. I know, I know, I should.

[slayground]

Thanks for the recommendations! :)

[dianoraek]

This list reminds me of the Lurlene McDaniel books I read over a decade ago. They all dealt with teenagers who were terminally ill, or at least potentially terminally ill. Are her books still popular these days?

[slayground]

She's still going strong.

Remind me to add the Dawn Rochelle series.

[iridescentglow]

Francesca Lia Block's The Hanged Man is about anorexia. Pretty dark stuff, but beautiful and incredibly poignant nonetheless.

I know you didn't include a list of books on drugs, but I love Melvin Burgess' Junk (or Smack, as it was published in the US) is one of my absolute favourite books. I read for the first time when I was 14 and loved it, and I've read it every year or so since and I love it more with each re-reading.

[slayground]

I have yet to read Smack (Junk) or Crank. I want to read Rx by Tracy Lynn. I have tried excerpts of Francesca and she is just not for me. Oddly enough, I lovelovelove Innocence by Jane Mendelsohn. Have you read that?

[aka_becker]

OK, I have a question. I see your list of book regarding date rape/abuse. These are fiction. For fun and practice, I've been writing an original TV series and in which one of the main characters is dealing with date rape issues. She wasn't legally raped as she never said no, but she only didn't because she was afraid of waht would happen if she did and now she feels like she was raped, but is added to that the self anger of knowing she didn't do anything to stop it. Long lead in to the question. Due to one of her friends going through a similar deal, but fighting the guy off successfully, she ends up confiding this in her and the friends' dad. In a later ep he buys her a book to read to help her deal with her issues. Do you know of a non-fiction book that would fit this, or should I just make one up. The character was 15 at the time and is 16 at the time she gets the book

[cawriter]

Strong at the Heart by Carolyn Lehman is recently published nonfiction on healing from sexual abuse--written with YA's in mind.

[aka_becker]

Thank you. :)

[slayground]

I have not read any sociology, psychology, or psychotherapy books nor textbooks nor official clinical studies that specialize in the subject matter, so I don't want to recommend one sight unseen.

For fiction, I will strongly recommend SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson - teen fiction - and the television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

I do recommend that you research and mention RAINN and the Joyful Heart Foundation. They are both real organizations that do a lot of good. You've probably heard of RAINN. Mariska Hargitay is active with JHF.

I have yet to see Thirteen.

[queen_of_ocd]

Great! Thanks for posting the list!

[slayground]

You are welcome. :)