Families who loved Turtles All the Way Down by John Green often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Reach for this book if your teenager is struggling with intrusive thoughts, anxiety, or the feeling that they are trapped inside their own mind. It offers a profoundly honest and unflinching look at obsessive-compulsive disorder through the eyes of sixteen year old Aza Holmes. While there is a mystery involving a missing billionaire, the true heart of the story is Aza's internal battle to remain present for her friends and family while her mind spirals into cycles of worry. Parents will appreciate how the book validates the exhausting reality of mental illness without offering easy or unrealistic cures. It explores the complexities of friendship, first love, and the frustration of being a caregiver or a friend to someone who is struggling. It is a sophisticated, deeply empathetic choice for older teens navigating their own mental health journeys or seeking to understand the experiences of others.