Books About Anxiety & Worry for Ages 12–18

Anxiety in adolescence can be paralyzing. Social anxiety, performance anxiety, the spiral of worst-case thinking that feels impossible to interrupt. These 560 books take all of it seriously and offer characters who are learning to function alongside the worry rather than waiting for it to disappear.

560 books

Someday Angeline #2

Dogs Don't Tell Jokes

Louis Sachar

For the middle grader learning to embrace their true self while navigating the tricky world of friendships and fitting i

Ages 10–14

Sonny's War

Valerie Hobbs

Fourteen-year-old Cori navigates profound changes in the late 1960s as she grapples with her father's unexpected death a

Ages 10–14

Anastasia Krupnik #7

Anastasia Off Her Rocker

Lois Lowry

Anastasia Krupnik is sure her parents are making her crazy and her hormones are to blame. Convinced she needs psychiatri

Ages 8–12

Anastasia Krupnik #4

Anastasia, Ask Your Analyst

Lois Lowry

For the child navigating the chaotic, often hilarious, journey of self-discovery, school projects, and family quirks in

Ages 10–13

The Star Shards Chronicles #1

Scorpion Shards

Neal Shusterman

Six outcast teenagers discover an evil force has taken control of them, feeding on their destructive desires. They must

Ages 8–12

Dan Clifford #1

The Third Instinct

Kent Lester

Dan Clifford, a prediction scientist, is thrust into a high-stakes global conspiracy involving bio-hackers, ancient Roma

Ages 16–18

A Resurrection of Magic #2

Sacred Scars

Kathleen Duey

Exiled Somiss hoards ancient magic while Sadima and Franklin secretly record it. Generations later, students Hahp and Ge

Ages 12–18

The Lost

Natasha Preston

When Piper and Hazel investigate a classmate's disappearance, they are kidnapped and trapped in a sinister building. Eve

Ages 12–18

Boston Jane #3

The Creek

Jennifer L. Holm

As Penny approaches her thirteenth birthday, her suburban Philadelphia neighborhood is terrorized by a psychopath. Every

Ages 10–14

Troublemaker

Andrew Clements

Clay, a sixth-grader, decides to turn over a new leaf after his older brother faces serious consequences. However, his p

Ages 8–12

My Thirteenth Winter

Samantha Abeel

Samantha Abeel shares her personal journey through seventh grade, battling anxiety attacks and academic challenges befor

Ages 10–14

Metamorphosis #1

Metamorphosis Junior Year

Betsy Franco

Ovid, a high school artist, uses his journal to transform his peers' lives into modern Roman mythology. Beneath the surf

Ages 14–18

They Hurt, They Scar, They Shoot, They Kill: Toxic Characters in Young Adult Fiction

Joni Richards Bodart

This book examines how YA fiction features characters like bullies, manipulators, and predators, helping adults understa

Ages 12–18

The Teenage Guy's Survival Guide

Jeremy Daldry

This updated survival guide offers real talk on everything teenage boys want to know, from dating and shaving to peer pr

Ages 12–18

The Silence Between Us

Lila Thompson

Sixteen-year-old Lane has survived high school by staying silent, but an anonymous rumor account threatens to expose her

Ages 12–18

Poe: Stories and Poems

Gareth Hinds

Experience the dark genius of Edgar Allan Poe through this compelling graphic novel. Featuring adaptations of 'The Raven

Ages 12–18

The Last Race

Celeste Walters

Philippa, a talented swimmer, has qualified for the Olympics, but her triumph is overshadowed by her best friend and riv

Ages 12–18

Thorn Season #1

Thorn Season

Kiera Azar

In a world where magic is feared, Alissa Paine, a secret Wielder, is thrust into a glittering royal court. She must hide

Ages 12–18

The Map to Myself

Eliza Northwood

Fifteen-year-old Kira Hale avoids crowds by mapping safe routes, until a mysterious compass leads her to explore Northbr

Ages 12–18

Bad Kitty

Bad Kitty Goes to the Vet

Nick Bruel

Even the naughtiest kitties get sick, leading to a dreaded vet visit. Follow Bad Kitty's hilarious, anxiety-filled, and

Ages 8–12

Stuntboy #1

Stuntboy, in the Meantime

Jason Reynolds

For the child grappling with big family changes, this story offers a poignant and humorous look at a boy trying to save

Ages 8–12

This Cookie Will Change Your Life

Ann Dee Ellis

When a group of lonely classmates finds themselves at the library, they unexpectedly team up to start a cookie baking bu

Ages 8–12

Marvin Redpost #3

Marvin Redpost: Is He a Girl?

Louis Sachar

Marvin's world turns upside down when a friend tells him kissing his elbow will turn him into a girl. He experiments, le

Ages 8–12

Leaving Poppy

Kate Cann

For older readers seeking a chilling supernatural mystery, this book explores themes of illness and a menacing, inescapa

Ages 12–16

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Anastasia Krupnik

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