7 young adult novels tackle growing pains of teens

What happens when a teen experiences something formative, something appalling, something that stays with them forever? Mental health problems, suicide, bullying, abuse, violence and sexual assault are all very real traumas that far too many young adults experience, but bringing these problems out in the open is an important step in their eradication.

These books focus on teens who aren’t living the perfect life. Some are darker than others, but all provide a unique perspective and lessons to be learned. Though these are no fairy tales, some actually have a bit of a happy ending and hope for a brighter future.

Reading the rainbow

In winter, people start craving color. Here are 10 books to remind us that eventually our landscape will be filled with color again.