Young Adult Fiction, Social Themes, Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance
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Rocky Rulers
by S.J. Terra
Petra, daughter of Pete, has spent her entire life in the safety of the Mountain Realm she calls home. Raised in the warm darkness of her father’s homefire den, her eyes have never seen the light of day. Petra has never known her mother; still,...
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Spelldrifts
by A-M Mawhiney
Life has changed at Life of Hope in the decades since Earth tipped back to a flourishing biome. People work together, connected through a telepathic network, to keep their planet healthy. Each person develops additional magical powers in their...
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Scars
by LG Morales
In Zaphia’s life there are two kinds of scars. The ones you can see on the outside- like the visible line she has running down her arm- and the ones no one can see – like heartaches and heartbreaks, hurts and hardships. Zaphia knows she can count...
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#TheyUsedTo
A short story about empathy, inspiration and strength by Stephanie Dimitrievski
What is it that moves someone to action? For high-school student Clara Louis, it’s the difference between hearing something and understanding it. Although impressed by her teacher Mrs. Walsh’s words about the importance of believing in oneself...
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Redemption Summer
by Payne Schanski
School is out for the summer, and with a life-changing ghost hunt and yearlong punishment behind him, fifteen-year-old JB is finally looking forward to the future. With a renewed sense of idealism, he jumps out of bed one morning, envisioning...
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Oh, Monkey
by Mary Ann Burrows
Oh, Monkey is an introduction to the concept of our inner critic. Written for young adults, this story follows the journey of young girl who grows tired of hearing her monkey chatter in her ear every day, telling her what to do. She sits down and...
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Gracie's Wheels
by Helene Vandeloo
Gracie's Wheels shares the story of a young girl who lost both her legs in a car accident. Prior to her accident Gracie was naturally athletic. After the accident Gracie was determined to compete again, in her wheelchair. As the story unfolds we...
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Some Place Better Than Here
by Landen Wakil
It’s early summer, and in a small community on the central Jersey Shore, a black car screeches to a halt outside the Wright Bros grocery. Danny looks up from where he’s working at the carwash to see the driver rifle out of the car and chase a...
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