2021, Depression in adolescence
WISE Score
Eighth grade brings a fresh wave of anxiety and social landmines for Shannon in this graphic memoir that treats middle school mental health with total honesty.
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If your kid is currently navigating the social minefield of middle school, this book is a lifeline. It’s the third in a series, but it stands on its own as a deeply personal look at anxiety and the realization that 'fitting in' is a rigged game.
Shannon Hale doesn't pull punches about how lonely eighth grade can feel, but she also provides a roadmap for coming out the other side. It’s one of those rare books that makes a kid put it down and think, 'Oh, it’s not just me.'
Best for the 8-14 crowd. It's the sweet spot for kids entering the 'social comparison' phase of middle school. While younger kids can read it, the eighth-grade themes of boyfriends and existential dread might fly over their heads.
It models deep emotional honesty and the difficult work of self-acceptance. While it depicts social friction and internal struggle, the tone remains grounded and ultimately hopeful.
LeUyen Pham’s art is top-tier, using visual metaphors to represent abstract feelings like anxiety and depression in ways that stick with a reader.
Graphic memoirs are inherently safe, but this one handles 'heavy' topics like adolescent depression. It’s handled with care, but it’s real-world heavy, not sanitized.
This is a masterclass in social-emotional literacy. It gives kids the vocabulary for mental health struggles that they often feel but can't name.
In the world of middle-grade graphic memoirs, Shannon Hale’s Real Friends series has always been the gold standard for social-emotional honesty. But Friends Forever goes a step further by tackling the internal weather of mental health. This isn't just about who is sitting with whom at lunch; it's about the intrusive thoughts and the crushing weight of perfectionism that many kids start to feel as they hit 13.
LeUyen Pham’s art continues to be the secret weapon here. She manages to illustrate depression not just as sadness, but as a lack of color and a sense of being 'underwater.' For a parent, it’s a useful diagnostic tool—you can read this with your kid and ask, 'Does it ever feel like that for you?'
We often see kids inhaling Dog Man or Wings of Fire, but the graphic memoir genre (pioneered by Raina Telgemeier) serves a different purpose. It’s the gateway to empathy. By seeing Shannon's internal monologue played out in speech bubbles, kids learn to identify their own 'mean' internal voices.
If your kid has already devoured Real Friends and Best Friends, this is the natural conclusion. If they haven't, they can still jump in here, though the emotional payoff is stronger if they've seen Shannon grow up from kindergarten. It’s a top-tier pick for any kid who feels like they’re performing a version of themselves just to keep their friends happy.
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