It is hard enough watching a loved one fight an illness; it can be even harder to fight illness on one’s own. With illness an inevitability in human society, many turn to books to help manage the emotions that accompany personal or external trauma. When reading about someone else’s experience, even if it is a fictional character, humans can better empathize and process the emotions they feel in their own life. This book list includes a selection of fiction novels about teenage characters living with a variety of illnesses. It also includes several non-fiction titles to help teenage readers learn more about managing illnesses on their own. These books are best suited for readers aged 13-17.
Contributed by: Mary Lanni

	Before I Die By: Jenny Downham A terminally ill teenaged girl makes and carries out a list of things to do before she dies.
	Challenger Deep By: Neal Shusterman As he struggles with schizophrenia, a teenage boy believes he is on a journey to reach the bottom of Challenger Deep, the deepest place on Earth.
	Easy for You to Say: Q & As for Teens Living with Chronic Illness or Disability By: Miriam Kaufman A book of advice for teenagers with a wide range of illnesses–including cancer, asthma, spina bifida, and cerebral palsy–as well as those who are visually or hearing-impaired or HIV-positive. It also answers questions on such subjects as growing up, sex, and drugs.
	Everything, Everything By: Nicola Yoon The story of a teenage girl who’s literally allergic to the outside world. When a new family moves in next door, she begins a complicated romance that challenges everything she’s ever known. The narrative unfolds via vignettes, diary entries, texts, charts, lists, illustrations, and more.
	Fear of Missing Out By: Kate McGovern Despite the loving intentions of her mother and boyfriend, sixteen-year-old Astrid wants to make the decisions about her life and death when her cancer returns, including exploring the possibility of cryopreservation.
	Forever Hellos, Hard Good-Byes By: Axel Dahlberg and Janis Russell Love When facing a life-challenging or even terminal illness, it’s all about being normal. That’s what kids and teens want for themselves and from the people around them. With wit, wisdom, and courage, young people ages 7–21 tell in their own words what it’s like to be ill while trying to live each minute of their daily lives. Their true stories offer hope and insight to anyone touched by serious illness; their advice is of value to all those who know, love, and treat young people with illnesses or disabilities. For families, friends, classmates, and teachers of affected children and teens; for colleges that offer classes in disability studies; and for doctors and hospitals who want to share hope with their patients.
	Get Well Soon By: Julie Halpern When her parents confine her to a mental hospital, an overweight teenage girl, who suffers from panic attacks, describes her experiences in a series of letters to a friend.
	Living with an Illness in the Family By: Tabitha Wainwright and Viola Jones Family structures are shaken up by illness. Whether the illness is short- or long-term, whether it’s expected or a shock, routines change, and family members take on new duties. The illness of a parent may mean that money is tight. Kids might have to pitch in, cook meals, and clean the house while maintaining their schoolwork and other responsibilities. They may receive less attention from their parents or feel guilty for being healthy. This resource addresses the practical changes that result when a family member falls ill and guides readers through the emotional process of dealing with the illness of a loved one.
	Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac By: Gabrielle Zevin After a nasty fall, Naomi realizes that she has no memory of the last four years and finds herself reassessing every aspect of her life.
	Somebody Up There Hates You By: Hollis Seamon Seventeen-year-old prankster Richard Casey, who is dying of cancer in a hospice, has big plans for his final days.
	Ten Miles One Way By: Patrick Downes In the wake of a near-fatal car accident, Isaac Kew, twenty, recalls a very long walk he took three years earlier with his bipolar girlfriend, Nest.
	A World Without You By: Beth Revis After the unexpected loss of his girlfriend, a teenage boy suffering from delusions is convinced that he can travel through time to save her.

Though it is not easy to talk about, young children experience grief just like adults do. However, it is newer to them and may not be something that they have the tools to manage. Books are a great way to help children understand what grief is, that it is ok to grieve, and how to continue living while still honoring the memory of a loved one. These books are for elementary school children and include a variety of titles about this subject.
Contributed by: Mary Lanni
 
 
 
 
 

	The Birdman By: Veronika Martenova Charles Illustrated by: Annouchka Gravel Galouchko When his family dies suddenly, Noor Nobi, a humble tailor in Calcutta, India, finds a way to mend his broken heart by purchasing, healing, and releasing illegally caged birds. Based on a true story.
	The Blue House Dog By: Deborah Blumenthal Illustrated by: Adam Gustavson A boy whose beloved dog has died, and a dog whose owner also died, find each other and slowly begin to trust one another.
	French Toast Sundays By: Gloria Spielman Illustrated by: Inbal Gigi Bousidan After the loss of her beloved grandmother, Mina finds solace in stories told by family and friends, but her grief is turned into joy when she surprises everyone with Grandma’s famous French toast.
	The Memory Box: a book about grief By: Joanna Rowland Illustrated by: Thea Baker Grieving over the death of a special person, a young child creates a memory box to keep mementos and written memories of the loved one. Includes a guide for parents with information from a Christian perspective on helping manage the complex and difficult emotions children feel when they lose someone they love, as well as suggestions on how to create their own memory box.
	The Memory String By: Eve Bunting Illustrated by: Ted Rand While still grieving for her mother and unable to accept her stepmother, a girl clings to the memories represented by forty-three buttons on a string.
	Michael Rosen’s Sad Book By: Michael Rosen Illustrated by: Quentin Blake A man tells about all the emotions that accompany his sadness over the death of his son, and how he tries to cope.
	My Big, Dumb, Invisible Dragon By: Angie Lucas Illustrated by: Birgitta Sif The day a young boy loses his mother, an invisible dragon swoops in and stays with him, weighing him down day and night until, at last, their relationship changes.
	One Wave at a Time: a story about grief and healing By: Holly Thompson Illustrated by: Ashley Crowley A boy dealing with the loss of his father describes the many waves of emotion that come with the grieving process: sad waves, mad waves, fear waves, even happy waves. As the boy and his family learn to adjust to life without Dad, the waves still come, but with help from friends, they learn to cope and heal.
	Rafi’s Red Racing Car: explaining suicide and grief to young children By: Louise Moir Rafi loves playing with his racing cars with his father, so when Daddy becomes sick and takes his life, Rafi needs help understanding and coping with his feelings. Includes notes for caregivers.
	Saying Goodbye to Lulu By: Corinne Demas Illustrated by: Ard Hoyt When her dog Lulu dies, a girl grieves but then continues with her life.
	The Three Lucys By: Hayan Charara Illustrated by: Sara Khan A young Lebanese boy must learn to cope with loss and hope for a peaceful future after losing one of his beloved cats because of The July War. Based on the month-long conflict between Lebanon and Israel during the summer of 2006.
	Umbrella Summer By: Lisa Graff After her brother Jared dies, ten-year-old Annie worries about the hidden dangers of everything, from bug bites to bicycle riding, until she is befriended by a new neighbor who is grieving her own loss.
	Walking Backward By: Catherine Austen Twelve-year-old Josh, his four-and-a-half-year-old brother Sammy, and his Dad struggle to find their own way to grieve his mother’s death after she dies suddenly in an automobile accident but finds that sharing memories and being close as a family is what works best.
	What I Came to Tell You By: Tommy Hays Watching his family fall to pieces after his mother’s death, Grover cares for a younger sibling and finds solace in creating intricate bamboo weavings while bonding with neighbors and seeking guidance from a presence that visits Grover in his darkest moments.