The best MG & YA books about girls seeking bodily agency & body confidence

I loved Natalia Sylvester’s tender and gripping YA novel about a young woman living with hip dysplasia yearning to be a mermaid because it reminded me of the big dreams I had as a young teenage girl.

Verónica will do just about anything to get a job as a real-life mermaid at Mermaid Cove, however her parents are not having it. They want Verónica to be a “serious” young woman and pursue jobs and opportunities that will benefit her future and they think they know what’s best for her body and her disability.

I resonated with this deeply because I too pursued goals and dreams that my parents were often not in favor of and have had to advocate for myself and what my body needs.

Charlie’s mom is anything but accepting of her weight. And that’s unfortunate because Charile really does want to love her body and wants to be accepted for who she is no matter what.

In a world where thin social media influencers, models, and actors perpetuate harmful ideals about weight and size, Charlie shows us someone who is capable of loving their whole curvy and quirky self. I was rooting for Charlie to find romantic love and self-love no matter what, throughout this entire funny, fast-paced, and heart-warming YA novel.

Iveliz is angry and depressed, about a lot of things, including the death of her father. In an attempt to help Iveliz manage her anger and depression she sees a therapist and takes medication.

Iveliz knows taking her medications will help her, but what if the meds aren’t helping anymore? And what if seeing a therapist and talking about her problems isn’t what Iveliz wants to do? Why does no one want to listen to what she wants?

Iveliz struggles to say no and to advocate for herself and she pours all her thoughts and feelings into her journal, until she realizes that maybe using her voice is a better way to be heard. I loved the way Iveliz’s emotional journey and mental health are chronicled and treated with respect and care in this award-winning middle-grade novel in verse.

There is nothing more confusing, exciting, or scary than a young girl’s first period.

As an adolescent I couldn’t wait for my first period to arrive and “make me a woman.” But Celi Rivera is not looking forward to it because getting her first period means participating in a moon ceremony (a Mexica ritual done after a girl’s first period arrives).

While Celi’s mother is insistent and excited about it, Celi struggles to find the words to tell her mother that she doesn’t want a moon ceremony or at least that having one should be her choice.

Told in verse with wit, humor, and sensitivity, Salazar weaves us a story that brings us back to the tumultuous and vulnerable times of our youth while offering us hope and light.

Ellie has been bullied about her weight for some time and her mom insists on dragging her to doctors who can help her “manage her weight.”

Ellie wants to stand up to her bullies and her mom but sometimes she just doesn’t know how. While Ellie struggles to find the words she needs to advocate for herself, she finds solace in swimming. Because under water is where she feels the most weightless and free and it’s when she loves herself and her body the most.

With therapy and the help of her new best friend, Ellie shows us how true body confidence and bodily agency can be achieved even when it feels like it’s impossible.