Teen Memoirs

All Becky wanted was a summer job. And when the perfect opportunity presents itself, fifteen-year-old Becky is on top of the world. Yet, within hours of her newfound employment, a graphic, heart wrenching journey begins. Becky is raped…brutally raped. But her attacker isn’t a stalker, a jealous boyfriend, or even a pervert met online. He is the father of the five children she has been entrusted to watch over. Roy is a ruthless narcissist without a soul. He sexually assaults Becky again and again and again, chipping away at her humanity. Not only does Roy rob Becky of her innocence, he ...

Ashley Rhodes-Courter spent nine years of her life in 14 different foster homes. As her mother spirals out of control, Ashley is left clinging to an unpredictable, dissolving relationship, all the while getting pulled deeper and deeper into the foster-care system. In this inspiring, unforgettable memoir, Ashley finds the courage to succeed - and in doing so, discovers the power of her own voice.

Tyler Feder had just white-knuckled her way through her first year of college when her super cool mom was diagnosed with late-stage cancer. Now, with a decade of grief and nervous laughter under her belt, Tyler shares the story of that gut-wrenching, heart-pounding, extremely awkward time in her life. Dancing at the Pity Party is a frank and refreshingly funny look at what it’s like to grieve - for anyone struggling with loss who just wants someone to get it.

During World War II, Silence Could Mean Survival…or Death Tens of thousands of Jewish children were forced into a world of shadows and secrecy. Hidden in attics, cellars, forest bunkers—or living in plain sight under false identities—they clung to life with every whispered word, every careful movement, every heartbeat measured against the threat of discovery. For these children, survival was never guaranteed. The Children in the Attic brings their hidden lives into the light. Drawing on survivor testimonies, secret diaries, and archival records, this book traces the extraordinary ...

I escaped once. From that house. That street. That place. And my parents. As a teenager - struggling with my sexuality after years of bullying and abuse - I left home and moved to another city, put together a new life and became a different person, while keeping my mental health struggles hidden from everyone. I came out and made friends. I fell in love and was cheated on. But it was life and I was finally getting to live it. Then a violent attack changed everything, so I ran away from it all. I moved abroad on my own. But even on an island in the sun I couldn't escape myself or my past. So...

Alexander Rosenberg was a smart and curious teenager who spoke many languages, and lived a pampered life with his parents in a tranquil Czechoslovakian town. The rise of fascism and Nazi Germany causes his protected existence to collapse, alongside the illusion of secular Jewish assimilation in 1930s Europe. Using their last reserves of wealth and influence to escape extermination, the Rosenbergs go underground to avoid the Gestapo. Eventually exposed, captured, and taken to Buchenwald, the largest concentration camp in Germany, Alexander and his father collaborate to survive one day at a time

In this New York Times bestselling memoir, Malala Yousafzai—the youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize—inspires young readers with her stunning story of resilience and power. I Am Malala. This is my story. Malala Yousafzai was only ten years old when the Taliban took control of her region...

Raven St. Clair writes a heart-wrenching account of her life as an alcoholic. She graphically recounts her journey from teen to adult in the grips of alcohol at every step. Through college life, marriage, motherhood, and the pain and dysfunction caused by alcohol. Amid shattered relationships and squandered opportunities she is unable to resist the allure of drinking. This is an ultimately hopeful journey and is a recommended read for anyone who is struggling with alcohol addiction.

Life at 15 isn't easy for a girl if she's shy and hates the way she looks. Each day is heaven or hell, depending on who talks to her, or who doesn't. So when she's finally accepted by a group, she doesn't refuse their party games, even if it means taking LSD. Soon she's taking little pills to wake up and others to go to sleep, and the days begin to blur. Based on a 15-year-old's diary, Go Ask Alice is the intimate account of one girl's fatal journey into the world of drug addiction.

In this captivating memoir, one woman's journey unfolds - from the darkest depths of teenage abuse and addiction to the heights of personal and professional success. Her brave and vivid narrative, skillfully blending laughter and tears, reveals the enduring beauty that can emerge from life's darkest moments. Marked by scars and illuminated by triumphs, this is a gripping listen for anyone who has faced adversity, dared to hope, and believes in the boundless power of redemption.

As a 15-year-old, struggling with severe bullying, ADHD, adoption trauma, and undiagnosed autism, Meg became one of the unfortunate 120,000–200,000 youths who are funneled into the lucrative Troubled Teen Industry (TTI) every year. Over the next 3.5 years Meg was abused in two separate facilities that masqueraded as “treatment”. Over two decades later, Meg Appelgate has evolved into an advocate, activist and passionate spokesperson for survivors across the United States.

Have you ever felt lost, searching for purpose and hope? In "Called by Name: My Journey of Faith as a Christian Teen," 15-year-old Thomas shares his powerful testimony of transformation, struggles, and victory in Christ. This book is a blend of personal memoir and devotional, written for teens, new believers, and anyone wrestling with faith, temptation, and the challenges of living for God in today’s world. Thomas opens up about his battles with sin, his journey to break free from worldly influences like secular music and habitual sin, and how he found peace and purpose in Jesus. Through ...

In September 2007, Elissa Wall, the star witness against polygamous sect leader Warren Jeffs, gave captivating testimony of how Jeffs forced her to marry her first cousin at age 14. This harrowing account proved to be the most compelling evidence against Jeffs, showing the harsh realities of this closed community and the lengths to which Jeffs went in order to control the sect's women. Now, in this courageous memoir, Wall tells the incredible story of how she emerged from the confines of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints and helped bring one of America's most notorious criminals to justice.

If Naomi had picked tails, she would have won the coin toss. She wouldn’t have had to go back for the yearbook camera, and she wouldn’t have hit her head on the steps. She wouldn’t have woken up in an ambulance with amnesia. She certainly would have remembered her boyfriend, Ace. She might...

When Kurt Cobain died by his own hand in April 1994, it was an act of will that typified his short, angry, inspired life. Veteran music journalist Charles R. Cross fuses his intimate knowledge of the Seattle music scene with his deep compassion for his subject in this extraordinary story of artistic brilliance and the pain that extinguished it.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The twentieth anniversary edition of the classic story of an incredible group of students and the teacher who inspired them, featuring updates on the students’ lives, new journal entries, and an introduction by Erin Gruwell Now a public television documentary...

In this intimate national bestselling memoir, actress and musician Jamie Lynn Spears opens up for the first time, telling her unfiltered story on her own terms. You’ve read the headlines, but you don’t know Jamie Lynn Spears. The world first met Jamie Lynn as a child star, when it was her...

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER From the critically acclaimed author of Girl in Pieces comes a stunning novel that Vanity Fair calls “impossibly moving” and “suffused with light”. In this raw, deeply personal story, a teenaged girl struggles to find herself amidst the fallout of her...

As a reality TV stalwart and one of the original stars of what's become a massive franchise, Amber Portwood has been the subject of media curiosity and public scrutiny for almost thirteen years of her life—since the age of seventeen. Throughout the years, Amber has struggled with up to five severe mental disorders that, especially when grouped together, would bring even the heartiest among us to their knees. Now, she is finally ready to share the painful and emotional journey that has brought her to the more stable and productive life she's leading today.

May 10, 1940. The Netherlands was swarming with Third Reich troops. In seven days it's entirely occupied by Nazi Germany. Joining a small resistance cell in the Dutch city of Haarlem were three teenage girls: Hannie Schaft, and sisters Truus and Freddie Oversteegen, who would soon band together to form a singular female underground squad.