Tweens Experiencing Change
Growing up can be challenging, these books are about the different changes that everyone goes through growing up that can be tougher to search for. Library staff are here to help you find the information you need, you can talk to a librarian at your local library, through Ask A Librarian, or even use Personalized Book Picks to find the right book for you.
You are not alone, even if it may feel like you are, these books have stories from those who have faced similar changes.
Need something we don't have? Feel free to request a physical item, or either an ebook or audiobook through our Suggest a Title form.
Facing a crisis? Youth Resources and Crisis Lifelines available from National alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
Tough Topics by Dewey Numbers
| Acne & Skin Care: 616.53, 646.726 |
Bullying: 302.343, 305.343, 371.58 |
Domestic Violence: 362.8292 |
Relationships & Dating: 306.73 |
| ADD/ADHD: 618.9285 |
Counseling: 361.06 |
Gender Identity: 306.768 |
School Shootings: 371.782 |
| Adoption & Foster Care: 362.73 |
Death & Grief: 155.937 |
Homelessness: 362.5 |
Self-Esteem: 305.235 |
| Anger/Aggression: 152.47 |
Depression: 616.8527 |
Hygiene: 613.0423-4 |
Self-Harm: 616.8582 |
| Anxiety: 152.46, 616.8522 |
Disability: 305.908, 362.41 |
Incarcerated Family: 632.82 |
Sexual Abuse (family): 362.76 |
| Autism Spectrum: 616.8588 |
Disordered Eating: 616.8526 |
Puberty/Bodily Changes: 612.661 |
Sexual Identity: 306.76 |
| Body Image: 616.852 |
Divorce: 306.89 |
Racial Profiling: 362.23 |
Suicide: 362.28 |
Growing up : an inclusive guide to puberty and your changing body
Author(s):
Greener, Rachel
Owen, Clare
Description:
"Puberty happens to everyone, but your journey from childhood to being a grown-up will be as unique as you are! ... With friendly and accessible language, ... [this book] can be shared or read independently, making it the perfect stepping stone to open conversation about what it really means to be growing up"--Flap page 1 of dust jacket.
Format:
Book
Call Number:
J 612.661 Gre
The story and science of hope
Author(s):
Curtis, Andrea
Suárez, Ana,
Description:
"Hope is more than a feeling -- it can change the world! Discover how new science and ancient knowledge can help us face an uncertain world. All over the world, kids are struggling with grief, anxiety and fear about the climate crisis, war, and a future that seems out of their control. Sometimes it's hard to have hope - but hope may be the one thing that can change the world! Modern researchers - called Hope Theorists - are helping us to understand that we can use hope to improve our own lives and those of our neighbors, friends and even the planet. The Story and Science of Hope is an illustrated non-fiction book for middle-grade readers that weaves together ancient history with surprising new scientific research showing hope is more than a feeling -- it's essential for our well-being. People who are high in hope are happier and healthier, they live longer, do better in school and have stronger friendships."--
Format:
Book
Call Number:
J 152.4 Cur
Ghost Boys
Author(s):
Description:
"After seventh-grader Jerome is shot by a white police officer, he observes the aftermath of his death and meets the ghosts of other fallen black boys including historical figure Emmett Till"-- Provided by publisher.
Format:
Book
Call Number:
J FIC Rho
Weirdo
Author(s):
Weaver, Tony, Jr
Wibowo, Jacinta
Description:
"Eleven-year-old Tony Weaver, Jr. loves comic books, anime, and video games, and idolizes the heroic, larger-than-life characters he finds there. But his new classmates all think he's a weirdo. Bullied by his peers, Tony struggles with the hurt of not being accepted and tries to conform to other people's expectations. After a traumatic event shakes him to his core, he embarks on a journey of self-love that will require him to become the hero of his own story."--Back cover.
Format:
Book
Call Number:
J FIC Wea
We need to talk about death : an important book about grief, celebrations, and love
Author(s):
Chavez, Sarah,
Le Large, Annika,
Description:
Death is an important part of life, and yet it is one of the hardest things to talk about--for adults as well as children. Historian and museum curator Sarah Chavez is determined to create a book that sparks wonder and curiosity about dying, instead of fear and shame. In this informative book, illustrated by Annika Le Large, children will marvel at the flowers different cultures use to represent death. They will find out about eco-friendly burials, learn how to wrap a mummy, and go beneath the streets of Paris to witness skull-lined catacombs! Readers will also ride a buffalo alongside Yama, the Hindu god of death, come face-to-face with the terracotta army a Chinese emperor built to escort him to the afterlife, and party in the streets to celebrate the Day of the Dead in Mexico. (7/8)
Format:
Book
Call Number:
J 155.9 Cha
Crenshaw
Author(s):
Description:
When Jackson and his family face living in their minivan, Jackson's imaginary cat Crenshaw returns to help him.
Format:
Book
Call Number:
J FIC App
Masks : a graphic novel
Author(s):
Rae, Margaret (Comics author),
Philipson, Thomas,
Description:
Poe, Rice, and Shelley are three monster kids who hide from the outside world. But when they learn about Halloween, they realize it's their one night of the year where they can be their true selves -- scales and all. (9/29)
Format:
Book
Call Number:
J FIC Rae
The Gray
Author(s):
Baron, Chris (Christopher Leigh)
Description:
"It's been a tough year for Sasha--he's been bullied at his middle school and his anxiety, which he calls the Gray, is growing. Sasha's dad tells him to "toughen up"--and he does, but with unfortunate, hurtful results. His parents and therapist agree that a summer in the country with his aunt might be the best medicine, but it's the last place he wants to be. He'll be away from his best friend, video games, and stuck in the house that reminds him of his beloved uncle who died two years earlier. His aunt is supportive, and there are lots of places to explore, and even some potential new friends. When Sasha is introduced at a local ranch to a horse coincidentally--incredibly--nicknamed the Gray, he feels he's found a kindred spirit. But his own Gray is ever-present. When one of his new friends disappears, Sasha discovers that the country is wilder and more mysterious than he imagined. He tries to muster enough courage to help in the search . . . but will the Gray hold him back?" --
Format:
Book
Call Number:
J FIC Bar
Forever Ripley
Author(s):
Hoyle, McCall
Tarkela, Johanna,
Description:
As German Shepherd Ripley's health declines, she realizes she must give her human Charlie the confidence to carry on.
Format:
Book
Call Number:
J FIC Hoy
Free lunch
Author(s):
Description:
"A distinctive new voice: Rex Ogle's story of starting middle school on the free lunch program is timely, heartbreaking, and true. Free Lunch is the story of Rex Ogle's first semester in sixth grade. Rex and his baby brother often went hungry, wore secondhand clothes, and were short of school supplies, and Rex was on his school's free lunch program. Grounded in the immediacy of physical hunger and the humiliation of having to announce it every day in the school lunch line, Rex's is a compelling story of a more profound hunger -- that of a child for his parents' love and care."--
Format:
Book
Call Number:
J 362.7092 Ogl
The tear collector
Author(s):
Romero, R. M. (Rachael Maria), 1987-
Iredale, Julia,
Description:
"In a post-apocalyptic world created by climate change, Malka and her brother, Ezra, learn to survive on an isolated island, where people afflicted by a mysterious illness change into monsters"-- Provided by publisher.
Format:
Book
Call Number:
J FIC Rom
You-ology : a puberty guide for every body
Author(s):
Holmes, Melisa
Lowe, Kathryn,
Description:
"Did an adult just give you this book? Did you roll your eyes or laugh a little? Either reaction would be normal because this book is going to give you a lot of information that may seem awkward. It can also be a little funny, but it's really important. It's about puberty--that time when your body starts changing to look more grown up. Sometimes it may seem as if you are the only one dealing with body changes, but EVERY body goes through puberty. When you understand what's happening to your body, you worry less and you better care for yourself. And whether you're learning about your own body or about bodies that are different from yours, it's normal to be curious, and it's great to understand that puberty is for EVERY body. Learning about this stuff might make you feel excited, interested, embarrassed, or just plain awkward. However, your feeling is normal. Keep reading. The more you learn, the more comfortable you'll be."-- Provided by publisher.
Format:
Book
Call Number:
J 612.6 Hol
Mixed-up
Author(s):
Garcia, Kami
Smith, Tyler
Description:
"Stella knows fifth grade will be the best year ever. Her closest friends, Emiko and Latasha, are in her class and they got the teacher they wanted. Then their favorite television show, Witchlins, announces a new guidebook and an online game! But when the classwork starts piling up, Stella struggles to stay on top of it. Why does it take her so long to read? And when she can't deal with the text-heavy Witchlins guidebook, she can't keep up with her friends in the game. Her loving teachers and her family recognize that Stella has a learning difference, and after a dyslexia diagnosis, she gets the support and tools she needs to succeed." --
Format:
Book
Call Number:
J FIC Gar
Onyx & beyond
Author(s):
Description:
Award-winning author Amber McBride explores being young and Black in America in this middle-grade novel about a boy dealing with his mother's descent into early-onset dementia, set amid the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s.
Format:
Book
Call Number:
J FIC McB
Harbor Me
Author(s):
Description:
When six students are chosen to participate in a weekly talk with no adults allowed, they discover that when they're together, it's safe to share the hopes and fears they have to hide from the rest of the world.
Format:
Book
Call Number:
J FIC Woo
To Night Owl From Dogfish
Author(s):
Holly Goldberg Sloan
Meg Wolitzer
Description:
Unhappy about being sent to the same summer camp after their fathers start dating, Bett and Avery, eleven, eventually begin scheming to get the couple back together after a break-up. Told entirely through text messages.
Format:
Book
Call Number:
J FIC Slo
The Miscalculations Of Lightning Girl
Author(s):
Description:
A lightning strike made Lucy, twelve, a math genius but, after years of homeschooling, her grandmother enrolls her in middle school and she learns that life is more than numbers.
Format:
Book
Call Number:
J FIC McA
Puzzled : a memoir of growing up with OCD
Author(s):
Description:
Pan Cooke is ten years old when anxious thoughts begin to take over his brain like pieces of an impossible puzzle. What if he blurts out a swear word while in church? What if he accidentally writes something mean in his classmate's get-well card? What if his friend's racy photo of a supermodel ends up in his own homework and is discovered by his teacher? More and more, he becomes hijacked by fears that can only be calmed through exhausting, time-consuming rituals. Pan has no way of knowing that this anxiety puzzle and the stressful attempts to solve it are evidence of a condition called Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. This is his story of living with and eventually learning about OCD. Told with endearing honesty and humor, Puzzled shows the reader the importance of empathy for oneself and those going through something they don't yet understand. (4/23)
Format:
Book
Call Number:
JB Coo
