Needed now more than ever: a guide that includes 500 diverse contemporary fiction and memoir recommendations for preteens and teens with the goal of inspiring greater empathy for themselves, their peers, and the world around them.u003cbru003e u003cbru003e As young people are diagnosed with anxiety and depression in increasing numbers, or dealing with other issues that can isolate them from family and friends-such as bullying, learning disabilities, racism, or homophobia-characters in books can help them feel less alone. And just as important, reading books that feature a diverse range of real-life topics helps generate openness, empathy, and compassion in u003ciu003eallu003c/iu003e kids. u003ciu003eBetter with Booksu003c/iu003e is a valuable resource for parents, teachers, librarians, therapists, and all caregivers who recognize the power of literature to improve young readers' lives.u003cbru003e u003cbru003e Each chapter explores a particular issue affecting preteens and teens today and includes a list of recommended related books-all published within the last decade. Recommendations are grouped by age: those appropriate for middle-grade readers and those for teens.u003cbru003e u003cbru003e Reading lists are organized around:u003cbru003e Adoption and foster careu003cbru003e Body imageu003cbru003e Immigrationu003cbru003e Learning challengesu003cbru003e LGBTQIA+ youthu003cbru003e Mental healthu003cbru003e Nature and environmentalismu003cbru003e Physical disabilityu003cbru003e Poverty and homelessnessu003cbru003e Race and ethnicityu003cbru003e Religion and spirituality
