The best books to survive your teenage years while living with anxiety

Sara Jo Cluff Author Of Daphne's Questionable Bet
By Sara Jo Cluff

Who am I?

I’ve been living with anxiety since I was a child. I had no idea what it was back then, or how much it controlled my life. I wish I had the numerous resources that we have today, and all the knowledge at our fingertips. For me, the way to really truly understand something is through a story. Seeing a beautifully chaotic life unfold before me, and riding alongside the characters, offers me so much hope and lets me know I’m not alone in this. You are not alone in the anxiety battle. By working together, sharing our stories, we’ll find a way through the darkest times and embrace the light.

I wrote...

Daphne's Questionable Bet

By Sara Jo Cluff,

Book cover of Daphne's Questionable Bet

What is my book about?

When sixteen-year-old Daphne Richards moves back to her hometown, she finds herself next door to her mom's high school rival – with a daughter the same age as Daphne. Eager to redeem her mother's name, Sierra offers Daphne a simple bet: Who can get the gorgeous and charming Bentley Anderson to ask her to prom?

Confident in her ability, and unable to turn down a challenge, Daphne takes the bet. Both girls quickly go to work, doing everything in their powers to woo Bentley – while sabotaging the other. Only, another guy at school quickly catches Daphne's eye, and her ever-building anxiety mounts when a picture involving Care Bear underwear risks getting out. If Daphne can't sift through her emotions and figure out how to handle the bet, she'll not only risk social suicide, but the chance at true love.

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The books I picked & why

By Your Side

By Kasie West,

Book cover of By Your Side

Why did I love this book?

Going through anxiety can be tough and lonesome. I know most of us are stubborn and want to go things alone, just like Autumn does in this book. West paints a picture of how keeping our trials to ourselves can hold us back and keep us from growing. It can damage friendships and relationships. By giving your close friends and family a chance to see the world through your eyes, you’re giving them a way to truly and deeply understand you, which is all anyone really wants.

By Your Side

By Kasie West,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked By Your Side as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An irresistible story from Kasie West that explores the timeless question: What do you do when you fall for the person you least expect?

When Autumn Collins finds herself accidentally locked in the library for an entire weekend, she doesn’t think things could get any worse. But that’s before she realizes that Dax Miller is locked in with her.

Autumn doesn’t know much about Dax except that he’s trouble. Between the rumors about the fight he was in (and that brief stint in juvie that followed it) and his reputation as a loner, he’s not exactly the ideal person to…

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Finding Audrey

By Sophie Kinsella,

Book cover of Finding Audrey

Why did I love this book?

Anxiety can be paralyzing. Like make getting out of bed and stepping out into the world seem like the most terrifying thing in the world. Kinsella captures that debilitating fear perfectly through Audrey’s eyes. She also discusses the psychology behind it and the benefits of having a well-educated therapist. Kinsella doesn’t skirt around the awful truth. Instead, she pulls us right into it in such a raw and refreshing way, which I absolutely admire.

Finding Audrey

By Sophie Kinsella,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Finding Audrey as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A New York Times Bestseller & A ZOELLA Book Club Pick!

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Shopaholic series comes a terrific blend of comedy, romance, and psychological recovery in a contemporary YA novel sure to inspire and entertain.
 
An anxiety disorder disrupts fourteen-year-old Audrey’s daily life. She has been making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah, but when Audrey meets Linus, her brother’s gaming teammate, she is energized. She connects with him. Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she’s never been able to do with anyone before. As their…

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The Words We Keep

By Erin Stewart,

Book cover of The Words We Keep

Why did I love this book?

Oh my goodness, this book hits all the feels. Stewart is a beautiful writer. Her unique style is refreshing and captivating. This definitely deals with the darker side of anxiety, including self-harm and suicide. Stewart perfectly nails that inner beast, that voice in our heads telling us we’re not going enough. That voice questioning everything anyone says or does, thinking it’s directed at us. This book is heavy and dark, yet light and uplifting. It’s brilliant.

The Words We Keep

By Erin Stewart,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Words We Keep as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A beautifully realistic, relatable story about mental health—anxiety, perfectionism, depression—and the healing powers of art--perfect for fans of Girl in Pieces and How it Feels to Float. Whatever you struggle with, you are not alone and you are already enough—just the way you are.

It's been three months since The Night on the Bathroom Floor--when Lily found her older sister Alice hurting herself. Ever since then, Lily has been desperately trying to keep things together, for herself and for her family. But now Alice is coming home from her treatment program and it is becoming harder for Lily to ignore…

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Meet Me There

By Judy Corry,

Book cover of Meet Me There

Why did I love this book?

Even the people we least expect have anxiety. We are all dealing with hidden battles, even those that look so perfectly put together. So much pressure can be put on teenagers, to fit in, to live up to a certain standard, to get the highest grades, and sign-up for every extra-curricular activity known to mankind. I love how Corry dives into that world, really grasping the core of it all and how it affects all of our relationships, and showing us we don’t have to go it alone.

Meet Me There

By Judy Corry,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Meet Me There as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A dark Chemistry lab. A fake British accent. It's all fun and games until somebody falls in love.

When sixteen-year-old, Ashlyn Brooks, runs into a sweet British guy in the dark Chemistry lab, she has no idea she's actually sitting in the pitch black room with her longtime rival, Luke Davenport. She also doesn't know that she's stepped into another one of the football captain's pranks. It isn't long before she's sharing things she's never told anyone, and starting to fall for the mysterious guy with a sexy accent who seems to understand her in a way no one ever…

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Eliza and Her Monsters

By Francesca Zappia,

Book cover of Eliza and Her Monsters

Why did I love this book?

Anyone with anxiety knows that sometimes it can be so much easier to deal with people in the confines of your own room, safely behind a computer screen, instead of face-to-face. Socializing can be draining and confusing. Eliza’s monsters are so real and relatable. You truly understand her fear. This book is about finding that balance of having your alone time but also being a contributing member of society. Zappia’s format is creative and fun, and boy, does she know how to pull at the heartstrings.

Eliza and Her Monsters

By Francesca Zappia,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Eliza and Her Monsters as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"A love letter to fandom, friendship, and the stories that shape us, Eliza and Her Monsters is absolutely magical."-Marieke Nijkamp, New York Times-bestselling author of This Is Where It Ends


Eighteen-year-old Eliza Mirk is the anonymous creator of the wildly popular webcomic Monstrous Sea, but when a new boy at school tempts her to live a life offline, everything she's worked for begins to crumble.

Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl meets Noelle Stevenson's Nimona in this acclaimed novel about art, fandom, and finding the courage to be yourself. "A must-have."-School Library Journal

In the real world, Eliza Mirk is shy, weird, and…

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5 book lists we think you will like!

The best YA books about a teen girl finding herself in the midst of chaos
The best young adult books with secret places
The best books that make me LOL
The best books for older kids who worry too much
The best books to manage bloody anxiety

Interested in anxiety, mental disorders, and webcomi?

9,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about anxiety, mental disorders, and webcomi.

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And, 3 books we think you will enjoy!

We think you will like Anne Frank, The Poet X, and The Secret Garden if you like this list.

Book cover of Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl Book cover of The Poet X Book cover of The Secret Garden