What Are You Looking For?

A teen’s attempt to turn grief into a list of brave experiences drives this novel. Drawing, friendship, family strain and a developing crush all shape Georgia’s search for what living fully means to her.

This is a friendship story shaped by serious illness and anticipated loss. Jory’s changing relationships and her struggle with anger sit alongside the practical and emotional support the characters offer one another.

Gerald’s loyalty to Angel and efforts to withstand abuse sit alongside bereavement and family instability. The story also includes trusted support from Aunt Queen and Mr Washington, rather than focusing only on danger.

Glorieta wants her mother remembered and buried with the family. Her efforts bring her into conflict with an aunt over faith and the possibility that her mother is in Hell.

This is a family-and-rodeo story about a boy drawn towards his father’s ambition while afraid of the danger involved. Jana and Layne’s younger sister help him confront that conflict.

This is a story of grief, adjustment and friendship, set against risky bike stunts and activism. Grey and his friends use online attention to challenge prejudice and police pressure, while their choices raise questions about the costs of becoming more visible.

The story follows a bereaved girl adjusting to a remote island, where a new friendship and her bond with a wild horse become important as the horse family faces a threat.

Expect family friction, Hollywood satire and a newcomer navigating celebrity attention. Molly and Brooke’s relationship is central, alongside the effects of Molly’s bereavement and her move into an unfamiliar family.

Brady’s friends are implicated in the fatal kayak incident, and Brady learns that he unwittingly gave them the idea for their prank. His reluctance to betray them conflicts with his sense of responsibility.

A school project draws Haley into a mystery involving her family’s past, a haunted glove and possible vampire activity. Alongside the supernatural investigation, she is grieving her cousin’s impending death and adjusting to a changed family.

This character-led story brings together bereavement, adoption and pregnancy through two young women whose hopes and family circumstances differ.

The story centres on Daniel’s guilt and bereavement after a hunting accident kills his uncle. At home, his father’s drinking and temper add strain, while Daniel tries to find a way forward.

A fantasy premise turns an expected future upside down: Liz must find her place in an afterlife where people grow younger. Her adjustment brings grief and frustration alongside friendship, love and personal choices.

Fishkill uses violence to intimidate other pupils and obtain food. A friendship with Duck-Duck and help from her mother create a possible alternative, while Fishkill’s mother’s return complicates that fragile arrangement.

A supernatural adventure follows Sarah as she inherits a demon-hunting mission after her parents die. Her dreams, developing powers and uncertain trust in a newly arrived cousin shape her attempt to face the threat.

This story combines an imaginative out-of-body premise with a child’s experience of bereavement. Its central appeal may be the way supernatural events and the longing for a lost friend sit alongside one another.

A friendship-led supernatural mystery turns into horror as Laine investigates Debbie’s death through the board. Expect a focus on eerie events and a threatening presence rather than a light account of friendship.

This combines zombie attacks and an evolving undead threat with school, work, college plans and friendships. Courtney’s attempt to fund her future by selling a zombie-derived drug gives the survival plot a morally complicated starting point.

A fantasy adventure centred on a boy and a cat whose unexplained disappearances lead towards ancient Egypt.

A lively premise brings Greek-myth-inspired supernatural danger into modern Perth, with Sadie taking an active role rather than waiting to be rescued. The adventure may appeal to readers who enjoy action and mythological creatures.

This is an emotionally intense story about a teenager’s eating disorder, self-harm, grief and family relationships, with a thread of hope around recovery.

A reflective story about Ruby’s grief and regret, with friendship tensions and a quirky town celebration alongside the serious feelings.

This is a melancholy coming-of-age story about sisterhood under pressure, told in two forms. Its myth-inspired comics strand offers another way into the story, though the strands may take time to make sense together.

This is a family and coming-of-age story in which Rachel’s time with Izzy brings them closer. A first romance runs alongside the central relationship, rather than replacing its focus on family and loss.

A historical story about a girl’s attachment to a Japanese doll during wartime, and the pressure to choose between that personal bond and national loyalty.

This is a speculative story about unusual experiences, medical scrutiny and a meeting shaped by bereavement. Emery’s wish for an ordinary life sits alongside the mystery of her loops.

Expect a supernatural quest shaped by Lela’s determination to reach Nadia, with danger from the city’s inhabitants and a developing connection with Malachi.

This is a character-led romance about two teenagers challenging family expectations, with Carly’s efforts to reunite her family and Arden’s grief shaping their paths.

A paranormal Jack the Ripper mystery follows Abbie from bereavement and hospital volunteering into visions, murder investigations and a dangerous hunt. A romance also develops alongside the historical setting.

Expect a clue-following mystery told through a character’s journal, rather than a straightforward narrative: readers are invited to piece together Cathy’s story from mixed materials.

This is a vampire-horror story driven by Rashel’s pursuit of revenge and her unexpected connection to Quinn. It may suit readers interested in supernatural danger and romance, though the relationship’s development is unclear.

This is a story about bereavement and the effort to maintain happiness and close relationships. A rare plant Tessa’s mother entrusted to her care also features in the plot.

This is a story about bereavement, family strain and a young person facing pressure to protect people and institutions around her after an assault.

This is a fantasy about a child hoping to repair a family in distress, with consequences that reach beyond her home. Its blend of magic, loss and jeopardy may appeal to readers who enjoy emotionally rooted adventures.

This is a contemporary school story in which grief and panic intersect with students’ collective response to policing and school rules. Its central tension is how Moss might respond to anger after further tragedy.

This is a horse-centred story about bereavement, caring for a vulnerable foal and Joelle's changing feelings. Her hoped-for show success also matters to her, alongside her attachment to Dance Away.

This fantasy centres on conscience, grief and an unlikely bond, set against danger to a kingdom’s survivors. Its central tension is whether Jordam can resist his violent impulses.

A humorous identity story that puts self-image and outside expectations at its centre, alongside the pain of grief and changing relationships.

This is a road-trip story shaped by bereavement and a move to Connecticut. Its focus is Amy’s struggle with the past and her developing connection with Roger.

At its heart, this is a story about a bereaved teenager whose life begins to shift through an unexpected friendship with an adult neighbour.

A fantasy journey centres on finding a way home and deciding whom to trust. The bears’ different hopes and doubts give the group’s choices a personal as well as practical stake.

A first-person story follows Rose as she navigates bereavement, family strain, anger and a potentially complicated school romance. Her sharp, self-aware voice includes wordplay and direct asides to the reader.

As the second book in the Divergent trilogy, this continues Tris Prior’s story.

This is a grief-centred story about a student trying to move forward while feeling responsible for a family tragedy. Helping others offers Lacey a new focus, but the synopsis signals that it is not a simple or painless solution.

A moody mystery about a teenager adjusting to a rural home, a child's death, and her determination to investigate. The river and surrounding woods contribute to an atmosphere of isolation and unease.

This is a gentle, emotionally serious story about grief. Its imaginative central image—a hare-shaped absence—gives difficult feelings a visible form, while memories and friendship bring warmth without removing the sadness.

Mog dies, watches her family mourn, and helps a new kitten settle before moving on into the sun. The story combines grief with humour and a gentle, imaginative afterlife. It offers a way to talk about remembering a pet, death, mourning and continuing family life, while still potentially feeling upsetting.

This is a direct, emotionally serious story about a child living through her mother’s death. It offers language for grief, shows that support can coexist with loneliness, and uses a familiar garment to represent continuing love and memory.

This offers a clear way into talking about death without euphemisms. The birds’ shared rituals and differing reactions may help a child recognise that grief can look and feel different.

A quiet story about losing someone important, carrying grief, and finding understanding. Bear’s friendship with the Wildcat offers companionship without demanding that he simply forget, while music and memory accompany his movement towards healing.