Tragedy is an unfortunate part of life that most people have to contend with at one point or another. For most of us, tragedy has played a much greater role in the past few years due to the pandemic. Many of us have lost loved ones to COVID and have to go through an entirely new grieving process because of the way everything operates during a pandemic. So, while tragedy is a universal experience, the way each person deals with it is different.
Dealing with these events when you’re younger, for example, can look quite different from doing so as an adult. This is why it’s more important than ever that there are young adult novels that portray grief and loss, and show us the ways in which teens deal with the grieving process. Thankfully, there are many YA books that portray grief and loss in a multitude of ways. Check out six of them below.
The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore
The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore (Yearling)
A young twelve-year-old Lolly Rachpaul is on the cusp of decisions that will choose how his life will lead. Lolly’s older brother died recently in a gang related incident, and he and his mom aren’t doing so well. When Lolly is given two large bags filled with Legos, it gives him the chance to step out of his old world where he’s pressured to join a gang, and into a new world where he can build a Lego city at his community center.
When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller
When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller (Random House Books for Young Readers)
Lily’s grandmother is sick. So when her family moves in to take care of her grandmother, a magical tiger also arrives. The tiger needs Lily to go on a mission, and make a deal that could save Halmoni’s life. It turns out that long ago Lily’s grandmother stole something from the tiger and stored it away. Once Lily learns the truth she attempts to trap the tiger instead, and along the way learns more about her Halmoni, how to deal with loss, and how to discover her own story.
Dear Diary Franklin by Jake Ryan
Dear Diary Franklin by Jake Ryan (Arbitrary Press)
When her dad undergoes emergency open-heart surgery after collapsing at his gym, it’s pretty much the worst thing that’s ever happened to 11-year-old only child Hannah Brody. In response, she turns to a long-unopened diary that becomes the outlet for her deepest fears and darkest secrets. To her surprise, she finds that not only is she not alone, but that support can come from the most unexpected places. Funny, richly textured, and moving, Dear Diary Franklin is a story of resilience in the face of near tragedy, an inspiring tale for middle-graders and others on how to cope when confronted with life’s unexpected twists and turns.
Read our full review of the story here.
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson (Penguin Young Readers Group)
Adrift after her sister Bailey’s sudden death, Lennie finds herself torn between quiet, seductive Toby — Bailey’s boyfriend who shares Lennie’s grief — and Joe, the new boy in town who bursts with life and musical genius. Each offers Lennie something she desperately needs. One boy helps her remember. The other lets her forget. And she knows if the two of them collide, her whole world will explode.
As much a laugh-out-loud celebration of love as a nuanced and poignant portrait of loss, Lennie’s struggle to sort her own melody out out the noise around her makes for an always honest, often uproarious, and absolutely unforgettable read.
You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thao
You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thao (Wednesday Books)
Seventeen-year-old Julie has her future all planned out. But when her boyfriend Sam tragically dies, everything changes. Heartbroken, Julie tries to forget him, but then a message Sam left behind forces memories of him back to her mind. She calls Sam’s phone just to listen to his voicemail one last time. And Sam picks up. This emotional story about losing a loved one unexpectedly, with a magic twist, will definitely tug at heartstrings and make you shed a few tears.
We Are Okay by Nina Lacour
We Are Okay by Nina Lacour (Penguin Books)
Marin hasn’t spoken to anyone from her old life since she left everything behind. Nor has she dealt with the truth herself. But when her best friend Mabel comes to visit her in college, Marin will finally be forced to confront the tragedy, grief and truth from the life she’s been trying to escape. Told in Nina LaCour’s beautiful and evocative prose, We Are Okay is a novel that will leave you in tears but with hope in your heart. It’s a profound novel about grief, tragedy and love.
