Top 13 Self Help Books For Teens Updated 04 /2024

People say that "new year, new you" is a little bit of a bad cliché, but the start of a new year can still be a good time to make changes or work on yourself, no matter what your age. There are a lot of self-help books out there for adults, but there aren't as many for teens, who may need help and advice more than adults. Because teens often figure out who they are and what they want in life during their teen years, there aren't as many books for them. There are also a lot of new things to deal with, like new schools and courses, changes in friendships, and, for some, their first romances. There are a lot of good tips in these self-help books for teenagers about how to deal with things like school, family and friendships, and how to deal with anxiety or negative emotions.

Self-help books like these will help the teenagers in your life get through the highs and lows of adolescence. Even though everyone will make mistakes or have bad times, these books will help them learn how to cope and become more resilient as they figure out what they want from the world and who they are.

The Mindfulness Journal for Teens by Jennie Marie Battistin

Sometimes it's hard to know where to start when you start journaling. It's a good way to process your thoughts and think about things that bother you. To help with anxiety and work through whatever life throws at them, this journal is full of prompts, breathing exercises, meditations, and more. Teens can use these to deal with everything from schoolwork to going out with friends.

Dr Christian’s Guide to Growing Up by Christian Jessen

As a doctor, Dr. Christian Jessen breaks down and makes sense of all the physical changes that happen during puberty and how they can affect a teen's body, mind, and emotions. They can read these pages to feel better about their bodies and know that no matter how they feel or what's going on, they're not alone.

A Year of Black Girl Magic by Eboni Morgan

If you're a Black girl or young woman, this journal-based book will help you through the year with daily exercises on self-reflection and affirmation. It will help you get through the year. Images, CBT and mindfulness are used in A Year of Black Girl Magic to talk about everything from facing your fears to setting boundaries. Quotes and reflections from inspiring Black women are also found in the book.

Totally Me: The Teenage Girl’s Survival Guide by Sandy Rideout and Yvonne Collins

Teen girls should read this book because it's written by two best friends who have been friends since they were teenagers. It's a guidebook for how to deal with your friends, relationships, schoolwork and your parents. It has a lot of quizzes for teenagers to work through alone or with their friends.

Badass Black Girl: Quotes, Questions, and Affirmations for Teens by MJ Fievre

Good for Black teens who are dealing with issues like body image, stereotypes, schoolwork, and what they want for the future, Badass Black Girl is a great book. It has great quotes, interesting journal questions, and a lot of affirmations to help you get through bad times.

Let That Shit Go: Anxiety Journal for Teens

It's a journal-based self-help book, but this one is a little sweary. It's good for teens who want to start dealing with their anxiety. It's full of coping strategies, mood trackers, and ways to deal with triggers. Let That Shit Go is a great workbook for young people who are anxious.

Think Confident, Be Confident for Teens by Leslie Sokol and Marci Fox

Many teenagers and adults have a hard time with confidence and self-esteem. Think Confident, be Confident for the sake of the people you care about Teens use CBT techniques to help people change their negative thoughts, calm down in social situations, and deal with self-doubt.

Grown: The Black Girls’ Guide to Glowing Up by Melissa Cummings-Quarry and Natalie A. Carter

This book, written by the founders of the Black Girls' Book Club, is called a "celebration of Black British girlhood." It's meant to help young Black girls be more powerful and nurturing in a world where they are often misrepresented or not represented at all. Candice Carty-Williams, a brilliant author, and Mel B, a former Spice Girl, are just two of the many inspirational Black women who speak out in Grown. The book talks about everything from hair politics to figuring out what you want to do in the future.

Blame My Brain: The Amazing Teenage Brain Revealed by Nicola Morgan

It can be hard for everyone to understand their brains, but this is even more true when your hormone levels are changing all the time and a lot of your body and life is changing. When you read Blame My Brain, you learn about the changes that happen in your brain when you're a teenager. You'll learn about strong emotions, risk-taking, and why teenagers need so much sleep.

What’s the T? The No-nonsense Guide to All Things Trans And/or Non-Binary for Teens by Juno Dawson

More and more teenagers are coming out as trans and non-binary. Unfortunately, in many places, the world hasn't caught on to the fact that they exist, and there isn't much information about them. In good news, What's the T? goes into great detail about what it's like to be trans, including how to come out and relationships. As a book for both trans kids and their allies, What's the T? is honest, funny, and a lot of fun to read.

You Are A Champion: How to Be the Best You Can Be by Marcus Rashford

Footballer and campaigner Marcus Rashford wrote You Are a Champion, which is part memoir and part advice book. It tells stories from Rashford's life and gives advice on how to learn from your mistakes, help others, and be happy with yourself. The book You Are A Champion is a must-read for teens who are trying to figure out who they are. It focuses on empathy, community, and positivity.

The Trans Teen Survival Guide by Fox Fisher and Owl Fisher

Trans and non-binary teenagers will find the Trans Teen Survival Guide a good source of information. It has tips and advice for how to deal with being a trans person when you're a teenager. This guide talks about self-care, coming out, family relationships, and friendships. It also talks about some of the medical and physical aspects of transition, like how to get blockers and hormones.

The Teenager’s Guide to Life, the Universe and Being Awesome: Super-Charge Your Life by Andy Cope

Hitchhiker's Guide references are always fun, and this guide for teens has the same sense of fun as Douglas Adams' work while giving young people useful advice. Cope says that you don't need to change yourself to be happy because you're already great. He gives advice on how to improve the things about yourself that you like and work on the things that make you feel bad, so you can live the happiest life possible.

Yay! You’re Gay! Now What? by Riyadh Khalaf

To help gay and bi boys and teens who aren't sure what they want to do, the book Yay! You're gay, right? Then what? A lot of young LGBTQ+ men want help with relationships, mental health issues, sex and consent, and a lot of other things. This book talks about all of these things and more. A section for parents is also included in the book. It was written by the author's mom and dad, and it gives advice on how people can help their LGBTQ+ sons.

Overcoming Procrastination for Teens by William J. Knaus

There are a lot of teenagers who have trouble with procrastination, especially when it comes to their homework (and not just teens). This book teaches teens how to avoid procrastination and get their work done while they're still in school, which will make the experience easier and set them up for the rest of their lives, so they can enjoy their time in school more.

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