A matter of life and death
It can often be difficult to discuss death and bereavement with teenagers, or even for teenagers to do so with parents/carers.
In the wake of debate and controversy in the media about books for teenagers exploring difficult topics such as terminal illness or suicide, we recommend some books that deal frankly with issues of life and death.
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Before I Die
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Before I Die
Stunning in its beauty and honesty, this is an exceptional and utterly compelling read.
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Ostrich Boys
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Ostrich Boys
When teenager Ross Fell is killed, his closest friends are horrified by the sham and hypocrisy of his funeral.
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My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece
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My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece
Told through the eyes of ten-year-old Jamie, My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece sensitively tackles issues around grief, terrorism…
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A Pocketful of Stars
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A Pocketful of Stars
Safiya must uncover the truth of her mother’s history to help her survive the present. A beautifully written and page-turning…
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Crongton Knights
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Crongton Knights
McKay's life on the South Crongton Estate is rough. His Mum has died, his Dad works all hours of the day to keep away the Bailiffs…
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Mind the Gap
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Mind the Gap
When Mikey's unreliable, mysterious and more than slightly dodgy dad Vinny dies, Mikey seems to lose himself and spirals into a se…
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Long Way Down
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Long Way Down
Written in verse, Long Way Down is breathtakingly gripping and spectacular. You almost read it without breathing; the ac…
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Optimists Die First
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Optimists Die First
Petula's life is ruled by anxiety, fear and pessimism after her little sister died two years before. Then she meets Jacob, and an …
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Car Wash Wish
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Car Wash Wish
Fourteen-year-old Hudson has Asperger's Syndrome, and knows his brain works differently. This entertaining and thought-provoking s…
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Anthem for Jackson Dawes
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Anthem for Jackson Dawes
Megan would never have met Jackson Dawes if she hadn't had cancer. But as the only teenagers on the children's ward, they so…
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Every Shiny Thing
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Every Shiny Thing
Alcohol addiction, non-traditional families, bereavement and social inequality are just some of the themes in this unusual coming-…
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Ghost Boys
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Ghost Boys
In Chicago, a white police officer shoots and kills black 12-year-old Jerome, mistaking his toy gun for a real one. As a ghost, yo…
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A Monster Calls
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A Monster Calls
Connor's mum has cancer and life is changing. There is the nightmare, then there is school, where people avoid him, or persecute h…
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The Fault in Our Stars
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The Fault in Our Stars
John Green tackles the subject of teenage cancer with sensitivity in this witty, life-affirming young adult romance.
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The Colour of the Sun
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The Colour of the Sun
David Almond returns to deliver a powerful story centring around the acceptance of loss of one’s childhood after a parent’s death …
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