I'm joining TGIF again today. This meme is hosted by GReads. It's a chance to recap the week on our blog and answer a question.
Today's question: Issue books. Which YA books have you found that do a good job tackling tough issues?
Issue books can be hard to read, but they're important. I mean, we all have issues. Readers may find the courage to seek help after recognizing themselves or a loved one in a character and realizing they aren't alone. I look for issue books that are a) realistic and b) non-preachy. Here are some of my favorites:
Eating disorders: Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson; The Stone Girl by Alyssa Sheinmel
Teen pregnancy: How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr
Abusive relationships: Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolfe, Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker, Stay by Deb Caletti
Bullying: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, Some Girls by Courtney Summers, Sweethearts by Sara Zarr, Keep Holding On by Susane Colisanti
Also: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (recommended by Jennifer @Some Like It Paranormal)
Suicide: Saving June by Hannah Harrington, Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Beauty/Appearance Issues: My Life in Black and White by Natasha Friend, The One That I Want by Jennifer Echols, North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley, Big Girl Small by Rachel DeWoskin
Also: The List by Siobhan Vivian (recommended by Steph @ FakeSteph); The DUFF by Kody Keplinger (recommended by Cayce @ Fighting Dreamer)
Tell me about your favorite "issue books" in comments! Then scroll down and enter Freebie Friday!!Recap of this week on the blog:
Monday was all about mermaids. If you want to find out how I feel about mermaid books and/or get mermaid recommendations, click this highlighted text.
Tuesday I highlighted all the great new YA books that released this past week.
Wednesday I talked about my love for mythology and told you about Dreamless by Josephine Angelini
Thursday I went steampunk with Girl in the Clockwork Collar
Next week I'll be at BEA (Book Expo America)! I'll run some scheduled posts and try to blog updates as often as I can. It's my first time, so I have no idea what to expect. Except that I'm super-nervous.
Go Ask Alice FTW
ReplyDeleteI don't think I have ever read that one. Is it about drugs???
DeleteI have read both Thirteen Reasons Why and Saving June, both amazing books. But now I have a new favorite and it covers a bunch of real issues/scenarios. Saving You Saving Me by Kailin Gow. I can't say enough how much I love this book and even better is it's the first book of a trilogy. Everyone needs to read Saving You Saving Me, it's just that great of a book.
ReplyDeleteI have seen her books around -- she's amazingly prolific!
DeleteI'll check this one out. I still have Levithan on my summer reading pile on your recommendation!
I think I have said this before in another comments box but Courtney Summers really nails the "books with issues". I enjoy all of her books, I find the characters believable, and I would suggest them to other people to read much like I am doing now. I have Breaking Beautiful in a pile a books to read and I am pretty excited for it, since I have only heard good things despite the subject matter.
ReplyDeleteCourtney Summers is amazing -- her books are so emotionally intense and so true to life!!!
DeleteI really liked Breaking Beautiful -- hope you enjoy it too!
I loved The DUFF. It's about beauty/appearance issues.
ReplyDeleteAnd Shadows on the Moon has cutting in it.
CANNOT BELIEVE I forgot the Duff. I am adding it to the list with your name.
DeleteAnd BTW it is only $2.99 as an e-book. Tomorrow I'm running a Deals and Steals -- check it out :)
I loved Keep Holding On! I thought that was a really great book on bullying. Breaking Beautiful was really good too. I haven't really read too many issue books so I don't have a lot to go on. Great post. I will have to check out some of the books you mentioned.
ReplyDeleteBullying is a current and important issue so I'm happy it's being written about!
DeleteThere's a few on here I still need to look up, but I did add "Thirteen Reasons Why" (thought I already had) and "Some Girls Are" to my TBR. I've already got Breaking Beautiful & Keep Holding On on my TBR. Definitely want to read those. Bring on the issues!
ReplyDeleteThirteen Reasons Why is really great. I recommend the audiobook too.
DeleteGoodness gracious you have some really awesome picks! North of Beautiful, Thirteen Reasons Why, and Saving June are 3 of my all-time favorites. Some of your choices I haven't read, but I'll add them to my TBR list.
ReplyDeletehere’s my TGIF
I loved all those books!!! The others on my list are highly recommended too :)
Deleteso you're pretty much asking about activist books... I don't know if I've read one and I definitely have not read the books you've listed. I'm not much for activism. I just wanna enjoy reading.
ReplyDeleteAll the books I listed are not preachy at all. They're just really good!!!!
DeleteWait, I just saw another TGIF post and they had Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen. I read that one!! Lol, that one wasn't preachy, but I wouldn't say it was one of my favorites. It was plain compared to paranormal books to me.
DeleteI think I like issue books more than I let on. A lot of these are books I've been wanting to read! I also really like The List (body image), loved Shine (hate crimes, drugs, poverty), and Boy Toy (about a high schooler dealing with his past when he slept with his 8th grade teacher).
ReplyDeleteForgot the LIst so I'm adding it with your name.
DeleteBoy Toy -- had no idea what was what it was about. Interesting....
I've read North of Beautiful and thought it was really good! I also read The Queen of Kentucky that was a so-so for me. One of my favorite issue books is There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones about anorexia, teen pressure, and dealing with losing a loved one. It's Christian, but not enough that it wouldn't be fine in mainstream too. I've read some others too, just can't think of their titles. Can I ask what BEA is?
ReplyDeleteI haven't read There You'll Find Me but have heard of it.
DeleteBEA is Book Expo America. It's a big publishing convention. A lot of bloggers and authors will be going. Stay tuned for more news on that.
Sounds like a very fabulous place to be! :) Have fun!
DeleteI just read My Life in Black & White and it was really good. I cried quite a bit. Mostly because of her awful friends she should have never forgave. I also like Before I Fall because it really deals with bullying and suicide well. Saving June was really good too! I don't read too many of these types of books because they are really depressing. I just read What I Didn't Say and it was from a guys perspective but it was a good book to show strength in overcoming obstacles and appreciating what you have.
ReplyDeleteTHIRTEEN REASONS WHY comes first to mind. I don't read too many books with issues. I have enough angst in my life now.
ReplyDeleteThirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher is definitely one of my favorites, as well as Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. I haven't read Drowning Instinct by Ilsa J. Bick yet, although sometime in the future I hope to get a chance to read it.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I hope you have fun at the BEA! If only I lived in America....
Non preachy, YES! Definitely a turn off when a book get's all holier than thou over something. Loved Saving June, I think that's a great example. I just finished Something Like Normal and I thought that was a great example of a realistic portrayal of PTS (my father in law, a Vietnam Vet, suffers from it.)
ReplyDelete