"Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter" by Adeline Yen Mah

Wu Mei or Adeline (her English name) was the youngest of five siblings, born into a wealthy family in Communist China. Because her mother died giving birth to her, Adeline is considered "bad luck" by her family. Her father remarries a woman named Niang, and they have two children together, who are spoiled rotten. Adeline and her original siblings are often neglected and ignored. Niang controls the family dynamics and she's decided that Adeline is not worth much of anything. Adeline's great aunt and grandfather offer some love and support, but as they are financially dependent on Niang, they must be discreet in showing any affection. Adeline is sent away to boarding school for much of her childhood, and is completely cut off from her family emotionally. She years to be loved by her father and gain respect from Niang, but she feels invisible in their eyes. While not physically abused by her parents, their emotional neglect is heartbreaking to Adeline, and she immerses herself into her studies and books to forget the pain. This is a heartbreaking true "Cinderella" story. A good example of life in China in the 1940s during World War II.

Stick Figure - A Diary of My Former Self

Lori Gottlieb is 11 years old and lives in fabulous Beverly Hills . Her dad is a stockbroker, and her mom is your average housewife, obsessed with her weight, appearance, and shopping.

In school, Lori notices her friends starting to act weird. Instead of focusing on school and tests, everyone seems to be more interested in hairstyles, clothes and boys. Lori could care less.

Lori's mom is always trying to get her to work on her appearance. Her hair isn't exciting enough, and her clothes are not fashionable at all. Lori is constantly told that if her looks don't improve, she'll have problems finding a husband, and will have to go to secretary school.

Fed up with all of the interference in her life, and her parents' inability to listen, Lori starts a regime of strict dieting. She becomes obsessed with counting calories, reading diet books, and exercising. She finds herself repulsed by the thought of food, and is convinced she can gain weight by just smelling delicious foods.

Lori's parents become concerned when her weight drops dangerously low. They force her to see a psychiatrist, who doesn't seem to get Lori's logic. She is unwilling to follow her doctor's orders, and doesn't put on any weight. In face, her dieting gets worse, and she gets even skinnier, eventually resulting in hospitalization.

This is Lori Gottlieb's true story about her struggle with anorexia when she was 11 years old. Lori found her old diaries in her parents' house and pieced them together to form "Stick Figure: A Diary of My Former Self." This is a great read for anyone who enjoyed Laurie Halse Anderson's "Wintergirls." Lori entertains the inconsistencies between what society tells young girls to strive for, and what is healthy and good for our bodies.

"The Burn Journals" by Brent Runyon

When Brent was 14 years old, he poured gasoline on himself and lit himself on fire. He survived but suffered from severe burns over 85% of his body. The Burn Journals is Brent's story of the year following this fateful day and his journey towards recovery. After a year of working on physical therapy and struggling with counseling sessions, Brent re-enters high school and the life he left. This is a true story of his suicide attempt, its affect on his family, and his change in outlook on life and living. This is a true story and reminded me of Girl Interrupted and Patricia McCormick's Cut. Intriguing memoir, probably best for 8th grade and up.

"Blankets" by Craig Thompson

There is something satisfying about finishing a 582 page book in 2 days. I love graphic novels! This is Craig Thompson's autobiography about growing up in a strict, Christian home in rural Wisconsin. He meets Raina, and immediately falls in love. He's feeling conflicted about his new feelings and the teachings of his church. Craig's illustrations are absolutely gorgeous and the scenes in the Wisconsin snow are magical and surreal. Craig and Raina's love story is beautifully told, but not sappy, and I only wish I had read this book years ago.

"Tweak: Growing up on Methamphetamines" by Nic Sheff

Oprah let me know about this one. She had both Nic and his dad on her show to talk about how drugs can tear a family apart. Nic grew up privileged in San Francisco, with all opportunities available to him. He took his first drink at age 11, and quickly started a downward spiral into deep addiction. This book is dark and gave me the creeps. No details are left out, so I wouldn't recommend this to anyone with a queasy stomach, methamphetamines are not pretty. It really showcased the struggle of overcoming an addiction and how easy it can be to relapse. Nic's dad wrote his own memoir as well called "Beautiful Boy."

"Always Running - La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A." by Luis J. Rodriguez

This powerful memoir recounts Rodriguez's youth as a gang banger in the barrios of East L.A. in the early 1960's. He served time in prison for attempted murder, had near-death experiences involving crack and heroin, and witnessed the premature death of many friends and neighbors. His language is raw and powerful, this autobiography was written to help deter his own son from following in his gang footsteps. Rodriguez found support within his community, and was able to break free of his gang activity. He is now a leading Chicano author. "Always Running" won a Carl Sandburg Literary Award, and was a New York Times Notable Book. In 1999 the American Library Association called Always Running one of the 100 most censored books in the United States.

"Grief Girl - My True Story" by Erin Vincent

This is Erin Vincent's true autobiography about how her life completely changed when she was 14. Both of her parents were killed in a car accident, leaving Erin's older sister Tracey in charge of her and their younger brother Trent. Erin struggles with her loss and her sense of responsibility regarding her parents' untimely death. This book makes you realize how powerful of an emotion grief can be, and how each of us handles it differently. Erin uses a LOT of language to describe her feelings. Other than that, I think it's good for high school, maybe middle school, and even adults!