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Quick answer: If you loved Kathleen Glasgow, read Kathleen Glasgow's Girl in Pieces, then Laurie Halse Anderson's Wintergirls, Speak and The Impossible Knife of Memory, then Ellen Hopkins's Crank and Glass, and Louise Gornall's Under Rose-Tainted Skies and Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why. All are raw, honest young adult novels.
Kathleen Glasgow writes YA novels such as Girl in Pieces, about self-harm and recovery. These picks share its honesty.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Girl in Pieces | Kathleen Glasgow | 15+ | older teens |
| Wintergirls | Laurie Halse Anderson | 15+ | older teens ready for heavy topics |
| Speak | Laurie Halse Anderson | 13+ | readers who want a modern classic |
| Crank | Ellen Hopkins | Teen | addiction in verse |
| Glass | Ellen Hopkins | Teen | the sequel to Crank |
| Under Rose-Tainted Skies | Louise Gornall | 14+ | readers who want a close-up of anxiety |
| Thirteen Reasons Why | Jay Asher | Teen | issue-driven stories |
| Hate List | Jennifer Brown | Teen | aftermath of a shooting |
| The Impossible Knife of Memory | Laurie Halse Anderson | 14+ | readers who want family stories |
| Smack | Melvin Burgess | Teen | teens and heroin |
| Before I Die | Jenny Downham | Teen | bucket-list stories |
| Fat Kid Rules the World | K.L. Going | Teen | music and friendship |
| Love Letters to the Dead | Ava Dellaira | 14+ | writing as healing |
| I Wish You All the Best | Mason Deaver | 14+ | readers who want a hopeful story |
| Girl, Interrupted | Susanna Kaysen | Adult | readers who like short memoirs |
1. Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow
Charlotte, a teen who self-harms, leaves a treatment center and tries to build a life. Intense and moving, with heavy content.
Best for: older teens.
2. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Lia struggles with anorexia after the death of her friend Cassie. Haunting and heavy, with strong content notes.
Best for: older teens ready for heavy topics.
3. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Melinda stops talking after an assault at a summer party. A classic about trauma and speaking up.
Best for: readers who want a modern classic.
4. Crank by Ellen Hopkins
A girl falls into addiction. Raw and harrowing.
Best for: addiction in verse.
5. Glass by Ellen Hopkins
Kristina's addiction deepens. Intense and fast.
Best for: the sequel to Crank.
6. Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall
Norah has agoraphobia and OCD, and her life changes when a new neighbor reaches out. Raw and sensitive.
Best for: readers who want a close-up of anxiety.
7. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Clay receives tapes from a classmate who died, explaining why she ended her life. Controversial and hard to forget.
Best for: issue-driven stories.
8. Hate List by Jennifer Brown
A teen faces the fallout of her boyfriend's shooting. Hard and honest.
Best for: aftermath of a shooting.
9. The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson
Hayley's father returns from war with PTSD, and she tries to protect him and herself. Powerful and tender.
Best for: readers who want family stories.
10. Smack by Melvin Burgess
Two runaways fall into addiction. Gritty and honest.
Best for: teens and heroin.
11. Before I Die by Jenny Downham
A girl with terminal cancer makes a list of things to do. Honest and sad.
Best for: bucket-list stories.
12. Fat Kid Rules the World by K.L. Going
A heavy teen who nearly jumps in front of a train is rescued by a punk guitarist and joins his band. Raw and funny.
Best for: music and friendship.
13. Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira
Laurel writes letters to dead celebrities as she deals with her sister's death. Gentle and honest.
Best for: writing as healing.
14. I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver
Ben, who is nonbinary, is kicked out of their home and moves in with a sibling. Hopeful and heartfelt.
Best for: readers who want a hopeful story.
15. Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen
Kaysen's brief memoir of her stay in a psychiatric hospital in the 1960s. Short and sharp.
Best for: readers who like short memoirs.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Kathleen Glasgow: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to Kathleen Glasgow. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most.
How to Choose
For hard topics, read Wintergirls or Speak. For verse, try Crank. For recovery, pick Under Rose-Tainted Skies.
Related: Kathleen Brooks Printable Book List · 12 Dystopian Books Like the Hunger Games | Best Books to Read Like Hunger Games
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Kathleen Glasgow?
An American YA author.
What is her best-known book?
Girl in Pieces.
Are her books heavy?
Yes, they deal with trauma and self-harm.
Which book here is best for readers who like short memoirs?
Try Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen, which suits readers looking for readers who like short memoirs.
Which book here is best for readers who want a hopeful story?
Try I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver, which suits readers looking for readers who want a hopeful story.
Which book here is best for writing as healing?
Try Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira, which suits readers looking for writing as healing.
Which book here is best for music and friendship?
Try Fat Kid Rules the World by K.L. Going, which suits readers looking for music and friendship.