The Degenerates

A parent would reach for this book when their teenager is expressing a deep sense of injustice regarding how society treats people who are different, or when they are struggling to find their own voice within rigid systems. It is an essential read for mature teens who are interested in the history of disability rights and the darker chapters of social history. Set in the early 1900s at the Massachusetts School for the Feeble-Minded, the story follows four teenagers: Alice, Maxine, Rose, and London: who have been discarded by society for reasons ranging from physical disability to simply being 'difficult' young women. This novel explores intense themes of bodily autonomy, the cruelty of the eugenics movement, and the profound power of found family. While the setting is historical and often bleak, the emotional core is one of fierce resilience and the refusal to be defined by a label. It is best suited for older teens (14+) due to its honest depiction of institutional abuse and period-typical discrimination. Parents will appreciate how it encourages critical thinking about human rights and the importance of standing up for those the world tries to silence.