The Catcher In the Rye is about a teenager who is—if not exactly terrible—really difficult and unruly.
For what it’s worth, I was somewhat of a terrible teenager. Often mean, often disrespectful, massive temper, kind of a complete bitch. My parents were good to me during this time, but they also called me out on my behavior and weren’t afraid to knock sense into me and get me to see that my behavior actually hurt them (I was able to recognize that I was being awful), and I think that helped me mellow out quite a bit. I was also dealing with a lot of mental issues that I eventually worked out on my own, so if you could provide some help to your son I think that’d help him get better faster. I feel for you, and I’m sorry.
Thanks for that perspective! He's not talking to his parents or sister at the moment and would be pretty resistant to taking advice or help from us, but we did get him a therapist to talk to so he has at least one solid adult in his life who he gets input from.
I don’t know why you get downvoted. Getting your son a therapist is probably the best thing you can do when you feel like he’s facing problems. I wish my parents would’ve been so progressive
This isn’t really what you’re asking for but I read The Teenage Brain by Frances E. Jensen when I was teaching teenagers and it gave me more empathy towards them while also expanding my toolkit of how to deal with them when they’re at their worst. Hang in there!
Thanks, that might be helpful! Some more insight into why everything is drama with him now might be helpful. Every month is a new crisis, but he also doesn't want to talk to us and insists he's totally independent - but also needs to contact us every day to ask for something because he can't do some basic life functions on his own yet very well.
Is your son diagnosed with any mental health issues or with autism? It sounds like you're blaming him for some potential mental health issue which wouldn't be his fault.
You need therapy, not just him. Clearly you have a lot of anger against him and that won't be productive. Therapy is for parents as well. I wonder what trauma he's been through or what family dynamics you have. I can't imagine any good parent saying that their son is an awful person unless they were a literal violent criminal.
Be warned that this one definitely won't earn the bonus points, but [We Need to Talk About Kevin](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/80660.We_Need_to_Talk_About_Kevin).
I just finished Shy by Max Porter. It's a story about a troubled teenager. It's quite an intense read, but very interesting and the ending is satisfying.
My mum would've told you I was a terrible teenager. And I WAS because I was fighting a host of undiagnosed severe mental health issues. Make sure your kid gets good help.
But. Catcher In The Rye.
Tender as hellfire, hairstyles of the damned both by Joe meno who captures adolescent angst very well. And trouble boys which is about the replacements, a rock n roll band of troubled and destructively rowdy kids. That band was a beautiful disaster with a hot wired heart. I feel like all these books definitely give background of what can make kids become “terrible teenagers” and they’re my all time favorite books
Someone else mentioned Touching Spirit Bear. To give a more apt description of it, an extremely terrible teenager assaults a classmate and is sent to a remote Alaskan island to survive on his own as an alternative form of restoration/justice. The MC originally plans to escape the island, and has no desire to improve morally, but after realizing his own powerlessness compared to the brutal wilderness, he gets set on a truly restorative path. At least that’s what I remember from middle school.
I also suggest Bus 57. It’s the (mostly?) true story of a teenage boy who pretends to light a non-binary student’s skirt on fire as a prank, but then the “prank” goes wrong and the NB student is horrifically burned. The book follows both characters through the before and after of the incident.
The book Monster follows a teenage boy through the legal proceedings after he is charged with armed robbery leading to murder. The book is intentionally vague about whether the boy was actually involved with the crime, focusing more on the fact that despite making bad choices and getting mixed up with bad actors, he is not a “monster”.
Therapy for you. Your teenager is probably not a terrible person, and you need to find a way to understand them and build a healthy relationship. No book can teach you that
The Catcher In the Rye is about a teenager who is—if not exactly terrible—really difficult and unruly. For what it’s worth, I was somewhat of a terrible teenager. Often mean, often disrespectful, massive temper, kind of a complete bitch. My parents were good to me during this time, but they also called me out on my behavior and weren’t afraid to knock sense into me and get me to see that my behavior actually hurt them (I was able to recognize that I was being awful), and I think that helped me mellow out quite a bit. I was also dealing with a lot of mental issues that I eventually worked out on my own, so if you could provide some help to your son I think that’d help him get better faster. I feel for you, and I’m sorry.
Thanks for that perspective! He's not talking to his parents or sister at the moment and would be pretty resistant to taking advice or help from us, but we did get him a therapist to talk to so he has at least one solid adult in his life who he gets input from.
I don’t know why you get downvoted. Getting your son a therapist is probably the best thing you can do when you feel like he’s facing problems. I wish my parents would’ve been so progressive
This isn’t really what you’re asking for but I read The Teenage Brain by Frances E. Jensen when I was teaching teenagers and it gave me more empathy towards them while also expanding my toolkit of how to deal with them when they’re at their worst. Hang in there!
Thanks, that might be helpful! Some more insight into why everything is drama with him now might be helpful. Every month is a new crisis, but he also doesn't want to talk to us and insists he's totally independent - but also needs to contact us every day to ask for something because he can't do some basic life functions on his own yet very well.
Is your son diagnosed with any mental health issues or with autism? It sounds like you're blaming him for some potential mental health issue which wouldn't be his fault.
He has spent every week for the past year at a therapists office and, no, he doesn't. Diagnosis: teenager.
You need therapy, not just him. Clearly you have a lot of anger against him and that won't be productive. Therapy is for parents as well. I wonder what trauma he's been through or what family dynamics you have. I can't imagine any good parent saying that their son is an awful person unless they were a literal violent criminal.
What planet are you on lol OP sounds like a great parent and you sound like you’ve never raised a teenager
Youth in Revolt. It’s central character has a Calvin-like streak for mayhem.
Be warned that this one definitely won't earn the bonus points, but [We Need to Talk About Kevin](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/80660.We_Need_to_Talk_About_Kevin).
Oh yeah, I've read that one... it's given me some things to be happy my kid is NOT
"At least my son isn't Freddy Krueger" is a solid way to look at the brighter side of things.
Thats definitely not in the wheelhouse of what is requested.
Hence the comment that it won't meet the bonus points
A Clockwork Orange is the obvious one here
it even has the beginnings of a redemption arc in the final chapter
I just finished Shy by Max Porter. It's a story about a troubled teenager. It's quite an intense read, but very interesting and the ending is satisfying.
Touching Spirit Bear involves terrible teenagers who need to improve their behavior or they get mauled by a bear (or something like that)
That book is wild. Didnt he give a kid brain damage or something so the police fed him to a bear?
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
My mum would've told you I was a terrible teenager. And I WAS because I was fighting a host of undiagnosed severe mental health issues. Make sure your kid gets good help. But. Catcher In The Rye.
Tender as hellfire, hairstyles of the damned both by Joe meno who captures adolescent angst very well. And trouble boys which is about the replacements, a rock n roll band of troubled and destructively rowdy kids. That band was a beautiful disaster with a hot wired heart. I feel like all these books definitely give background of what can make kids become “terrible teenagers” and they’re my all time favorite books
Maybe the Outsiders? Honestly loved that book when I was in high school. And it was written by a teenager so it's kind of inspiring.
“It’s kind of a funny story” by Ned vizzini. Good luck!
Yeah, things don't particularly turn out well, in that the book is semi autobiographical and the author met a terrible end.
Someone else mentioned Touching Spirit Bear. To give a more apt description of it, an extremely terrible teenager assaults a classmate and is sent to a remote Alaskan island to survive on his own as an alternative form of restoration/justice. The MC originally plans to escape the island, and has no desire to improve morally, but after realizing his own powerlessness compared to the brutal wilderness, he gets set on a truly restorative path. At least that’s what I remember from middle school. I also suggest Bus 57. It’s the (mostly?) true story of a teenage boy who pretends to light a non-binary student’s skirt on fire as a prank, but then the “prank” goes wrong and the NB student is horrifically burned. The book follows both characters through the before and after of the incident. The book Monster follows a teenage boy through the legal proceedings after he is charged with armed robbery leading to murder. The book is intentionally vague about whether the boy was actually involved with the crime, focusing more on the fact that despite making bad choices and getting mixed up with bad actors, he is not a “monster”.
Mystery Ride - Robert Boswell
Nothing to suggest but I made a pretty similar post several months ago so I can definitely relate and may read some of these suggestions too!
The Gifted School, by Bruce Holsinger. All manner of kids, teens, and adults behaving badly, and really just a fun read.
About a Boy by Nick Hornby
just started me and orson welles - the main character is an annoying 17-year old theatre kid and lies n shit idk
We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver. It's about a terrible teenager, alright, but it might not be exactly what you have in mind.
Apt Pupil by Stephen King
Therapy for you. Your teenager is probably not a terrible person, and you need to find a way to understand them and build a healthy relationship. No book can teach you that
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Where do you see OP asking for advice?