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Independent book recommendations for young readers ages 0-18.

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Theme

overcoming adversity

Books about overcoming adversity for readers of all ages.

Cover of The lightkeeper's daughters

The lightkeeper's daughters

Jean Pendziwol

Ages 13–18family secretsresilience

Cover of Joker and the Thief, The

Joker and the Thief, The

Raymond Obstfeld

Ages 12–16self-perceptionidentity

Cover of Golden spirit

Golden spirit

Stephanie Perry Moore

Ages 10–16faithfamily

Cover of Heart on a chain

Heart on a chain

Cindy C. Bennett

Ages 13–18bullyingresilience

Cover of Hello darkness

Hello darkness

Anthony McGowan

Ages 13–18self-discoveryschool challenges

Cover of Grounded

Grounded

Sheena Maria Wilkinson

Ages 13–18resiliencesocial inequality

Cover of Scratch

Scratch

Walter Sorrells

Ages 9–14survivalresilience

Cover of Out of the blue

Out of the blue

Victor Cruz

Ages 10–16perseveranceovercoming adversity

Cover of Uncle Jed's Barber Shop

Uncle Jed's Barber Shop

Margaree King Mitchell

Ages 5–10perseverancedreams

Cover of Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln

Carol Greene

Ages 7–12leadershipperseverance

Cover of Suck it up

Suck it up

Brian Meehl

Ages 10–14identityself-acceptance

Cover of Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey

Gary Jeffrey

Ages 8–14perseveranceovercoming adversity

Cover of The last laugh

The last laugh

Jose Aruego

Ages 3–8bullyingcleverness

Cover of Little Kit, or, The Industrious Flea Circus girl

Little Kit, or, The Industrious Flea Circus girl

Emily Arnold McCully

Ages 5–10perseveranceingenuity

Cover of Life is fine

Life is fine

Allison Whittenberg

Ages 10–15resiliencefamily relationships

Cover of The bone dragon

The bone dragon

Alexia Casale

Ages 12–17resiliencehealing

Cover of Peeling the onion

Peeling the onion

Wendy Orr

Ages 10–14courageresilience

Cover of Melody

Melody

Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards

Ages 10–14perseveranceblindness

Cover of Sneak attack!

Sneak attack!

Nathan Aaseng

Ages 8–12friendshipcourage

Cover of A Better Tomorrow

A Better Tomorrow

Dorothy Lilja Harrison

Ages 9–14hopefaith

Cover of Abraham Lincoln, the backwoods boy, or, How a young rail-splitter became president

Abraham Lincoln, the backwoods boy, or, How a young rail-splitter became president

Horatio Alger, Jr.

Ages 9–14perseverancehard work

Cover of Trapped in the old mine

Trapped in the old mine

Alvena Seckar

Ages 9–14family bondssurvival

Cover of Going the distance

Going the distance

Stephanie Perry Moore

Ages 9–14faithfamily

Cover of Escape From Mercy Hall

Escape From Mercy Hall

Max Stasyuk

Ages 9–14courageescape