The Shelves

Depression Books

Books selected for readers looking for depression books.

27 booksApril 2, 2026

Part of 500+ tracked lists·1 crossover shelf·90% reader overlap with Eating Disorders & Body Image Books

1. Holding Up the Universe
Jennifer Niven
Included for strong teen alignment with this depression list.
Shelf signal: Teen Suicide
2. Anatomy of a Misfit
Andrea Portes
Included for strong book club alignment with this depression list.
Shelf signal: Depression for Teens
3. All the Bright Places
Jennifer Niven
Included for strong book club alignment with this depression list.
Shelf signal: Death & Grief for Teens
4. Dear Evan Hansen
Val Emmich, Steven Levenson
Included for strong young alignment with this depression list.
Shelf signal: Teen Suicide
5. Nice Try, Jane Sinner
Lianne Oelke
Included for strong book club alignment with this depression list.
Shelf signal: TV & Radio for Teens
6. Made You Up
Francesca Zappia
Strong fit for this depression list in the mental illness for teens lane.
Shelf signal: Mental Illness for Teens
7. Sisters in Sanity
Gayle Forman
Included for strong young alignment with this depression list.
Shelf signal: Surviving Sexual Abuse
8. Optimists Die First
Susin Nielsen
Included for strong young alignment with this depression list.
Shelf signal: YA Illness & Disease Stories
9. The Quiet and the Loud
Helena Fox
Included for strong teens alignment with this depression list.
Shelf signal: Mental Illness for Teens
10. The Cartographers
Amy Zhang
Included for strong book club alignment with this depression list.
Shelf signal: Teen Suicide
11. Sometimes the Girl
Jennifer Mason-Black
Included for strong adult alignment with this depression list.
Shelf signal: Mental Illness for Teens
12. Have a Nice Day
Julie Halpern
Fits this list for its focus on depression.
Shelf signal: YA Illness & Disease Stories
13. This Book Is Not Yet Rated
Peter Bognanni
Included for strong realistic alignment with this depression list.
Shelf signal: Film & Movies for Teens
14. Every Star That Falls
Michael Thomas Ford
Included for strong contemporary alignment with this depression list.
Shelf signal: Teen Suicide
15. To Be Honest
Maggie Ann Martin
Included for strong teen alignment with this depression list.
Shelf signal: Eating Disorders & Body Image for Teens
16. Everyone Sux But You
K. Wroten, Kenny Wroten
Included for strong anxiety alignment with this depression list.
Shelf signal: YA LGBT Comics
17. The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky
Josh Galarza
Included for strong american alignment with this depression list.
Shelf signal: Eating Disorders & Body Image for Teens
18. Dr. Bird's Advice for Sad Poets
Evan Roskos
Fits this list for its focus on depression.
Shelf signal: Teen Suicide
19. Love & Other Carnivorous Plants
Florence Gonsalves
Included for strong book club alignment with this depression list.
Shelf signal: Eating Disorders & Body Image for Teens
20. Dear Universe
Florence Gonsalves
Included for strong teen alignment with this depression list.
Shelf signal: YA Illness & Disease Stories
21. The Symptoms of My Insanity
Mindy Raf
Included for strong comedy alignment with this depression list.
Shelf signal: YA Illness & Disease Stories
22. The Fault in Our Stars
John Green
Included for strong book club alignment with this depression list.
Shelf signal: Death & Grief for Teens
23. Dear Heartbreak
Heather Demetrios
Included for strong short story alignment with this depression list.
Shelf signal: Teen Suicide
24. Tin Heart
Shivaun Plozza
Included for strong teen alignment with this depression list.
Shelf signal: YA Illness & Disease Stories