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Books for Financial Hardship for Ages 12–18 – Wonderlit | Wonderlit

Browse → Ages 12–18 → Life Moments → Financial Hardship → Ages 12–18

Books for Financial Hardship for Ages 12–18

Teenagers from families facing financial hardship carry burdens their peers often can't see. These 1,576 books explore what that looks like: the jobs, the trade-offs, the things you learn not to ask for, and the particular determination of building something from limited resources.

1,576 books

Cover of Camp Launchpad

Absolute Zeros #1

Greg Smith, Michael Tanner

For the child feeling the weight of high expectations or the need to save something they love while finding their own pl

Cover of In Search of Safety: Voices of Refugees

In Search of Safety: Voices of Refugees

For the teenager seeking to understand global crises through the lens of human resilience and the personal reality of se

Cover of Mel

Seventeen-year-old Mel copes with her mother's breakdown by fixing up the house and starting a neighborhood cleanup, eve

1...6 7 8 9 10...66

Cover of Gold Dust

Gold Dust

Geraldine McCaughrean

For the child grappling with how greed can change a community, this evocative story explores the impact of a gold rush o

Ages 9–12

Cover of Louisiana's Way Home

Louisiana's Way Home

For the child grappling with family secrets or the feeling of being uprooted. A moving story about defining yourself apa

Cover of All of the Above

All of the Above

Shelley Pearsall

Four inner-city students find themselves bonded by a surprising goal: building the world’s largest tetrahedron while nav

Cover of Ask Me No Questions

Ask Me No Questions

For the teen navigating the heavy weight of family secrets and the fear of separation. A moving look at the reality of l

Cover of Rebel McKenzie

For the child who feels like a fish out of water in social circles, this humorous tale follows a science-loving tomboy n

Cover of Slave Spirituals and the Jubilee Singers

Slave Spirituals and the Jubilee Singers

Michael L. Cooper

For the young history buff or music lover ready to explore how art and resilience can change the world. A moving look at

Cover of Southern Rainbow

Southern Rainbow

Phyllis Piddington

For the child facing a major move or a fresh start. Follow Lucy May as her family leaves England for the rugged, unknown

Cover of This Is My America

This Is My America

With her father on death row and her brother now a fugitive, Tracy Beaumont fights to uncover the racist secrets of her

Cover of The One O'Clock Chop

The One O'Clock Chop

For the teenager navigating the unspoken boundaries of social class while discovering the grit and pride found in honest

Cover of Following My Own Footsteps

Following My Own Footsteps

Mary Downing Hahn

Gordy moves in with his strict grandmother to escape an abusive home, finding a new perspective through her no-nonsense

Cover of Between Two Skies

Between Two Skies

Joanne O'Sullivan

Sixteen-year-old Evangeline loves her quiet life in a Louisiana fishing town until a massive storm changes her world and

Cover of The Jade Dragon

Historical Tales: A Story of Ancient China #1

The Jade Dragon

Jessica Gunderson

For the child who needs to find their inner strength when their world literally starts to shake and everything they know

Cover of The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind

The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind

Sonia Ocampo flees the heavy burden of being her village's luck charm, only to risk everything on a dangerous journey to

Cover of Quicksand Pond

Janet Taylor Lisle

Twelve-year-old Jessie’s summer at Quicksand Pond is upended by a new friendship and a reclusive neighbor’s connection t

Cover of Boy O'boy

For the young reader navigating a complex world where adult behavior is confusing and home isn't always a sanctuary. A s

Cover of Then Again, Maybe I Won't

Then Again, Maybe I Won't

Thirteen-year-old Tony struggles with his family's new wealth, social pressures, and the physical anxiety of growing up.

Cover of Miracle at Clement's Pond

Miracle at Clement's Pond

Patricia Pendergraft

Three friends leave a baby on a neighbor's porch, triggering a wave of belief in a town miracle that leaves thirteen-yea

Cover of A Real American

A Real American

For the child navigating changes in their community and learning to see past local prejudices when new neighbors arrive

Cover of The Other Side of the River

The Other Side of the River

For the child adjusting to a major move or seeking their place in a new community, this moving story explores finding ho

Cover of Freedom Stone

For the child grappling with the weight of unfairness and the hope for a better future. This story blends the harshness

Cover of A Handful of Thieves

A Handful of Thieves

When a con man steals his grandmother’s savings, Fred and four of his friends form a committee to track him down and tak

Financial Hardship for Other Ages

Books for Financial Hardship for Ages 0–3(16)