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I recently finished rereading The Hunger Games for the millionth time, and it got me wondering: What's the saddest, most traumatizing book you've ever read? Which one left you emotionally scarred?
I'm barely human, but here are 10 books that (briefly) made me feel a human emotion. The kids, dogs, and parents die in these books! I'm warning you now!
The Saddest Books Ever
The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
Young Adult Fiction
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.
Why I recommend it: Like many young bookworms, I went through a John Green phase in my late teens and early 20s. I enjoyed the irreverent way he writes about serious subjects. He's also very good at putting abstract feelings and topics into words. His books always leave you with something to ponder.
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Bridge To Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Middle Grade Fiction
Jess Aarons has been practicing all summer so he can be the fastest runner in the fifth grade. And he almost is, until the new girl in school, Leslie Burke, outpaces him. The two become fast friends and spend most days in the woods behind Leslie's house, where they invent an enchanted land called Terabithia. One morning, Leslie goes to Terabithia without Jess and a tragedy occurs. It will take the love of his family and the strength that Leslie has given him for Jess to be able to deal with his grief.
Why I recommend it: That ending. It destroyed me as a child. I was not prepared! This is one of my favorite books of all time. It's an entertaining story for children, but it also has a lot for adult readers to think about. It explores the issues surrounding poverty vs wealth and change vs tradition. The book shows how some parents relate differently to female children and male children. It shows the difficulties of male/female friendship in elementary school. It confronts issues about gender and how society believes that boys and girls should behave. Best of all, it shows that imagination is important, fears can be conquered, and belief in yourself is essential.
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The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
Middle Grade Fiction
According to Ponyboy, there are two kinds of people in the world: greasers and socs. A soc (short for "social") has money, can get away with just about anything, and has an attitude longer than a limousine. A greaser, on the other hand, always lives on the outside and needs to watch his back. Ponyboy is a greaser, and he's always been proud of it, even willing to rumble against a gang of socs for the sake of his fellow greasers—until one terrible night when his friend Johnny kills a soc. The murder gets under Ponyboy's skin, causing his bifurcated world to crumble and teaching him that pain feels the same whether a soc or a greaser.
Why I recommend it: This book was forced upon me by my middle school English teacher, and I didn't hate it! Even though the book was first published in the 1960s, I think it'll always be relatable because it's about loyalty, friendship, and kids attempting to do the right thing.
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The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Young Adult Historical Fiction
It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will be busier still.
By her brother's graveside, Liesel's life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger's Handbook, left behind by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordion-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever there are books to be found.
But these are dangerous times. When Liesel's foster family hides a Jew in their basement, Liesel's world is both opened up, and closed down.
Why I recommend it: It's the kind of book that makes you sit in stunned silence for a few seconds after finishing it. The story is a familiar one, but the writing is poetic. There were several times where I stopped and reread sentences or whole paragraphs because I liked them so much. This is some of the most interesting writing I've ever seen. The strangeness of the language totally fits Death, the odd, nonhuman narrator.
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The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Young Adult Dystopia
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
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Looking For Alaska by John Green
Young Adult Fiction
Miles Halter is fascinated by famous last words—and tired of his safe, boring and rather lonely life at home. He leaves for boarding school filled with cautious optimism, to seek what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called the "Great Perhaps." Much awaits Miles at Culver Creek, including Alaska Young. Clever, funny, screwed-up, and dead sexy, Alaska will pull Miles into her labyrinth and catapult him into the Great Perhaps.
Why I recommend it: Because of the way the author captures emotion. Even though I can't stand Alaska, I can believe that Miles is infatuated with her. He’s built her up in his mind and made her something greater than she actually is. I think that’s realistic behavior, especially for a teenager who’s never been in love before. I can feel Miles’ awkwardness when he is trying to get Alaska’s attention, and I can feel his grief when he can’t have her. It takes a very talented author to make me feel something while I read. That doesn’t usually happen.
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Where The Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
Middle Grade Fiction
A boy and his two dogs.
Old Dan had the brawn, Little Ann had the brains—and Billy had the will to train them to be the finest hunting team in the valley. Glory and victory were coming to them, but sadness waited too. And close by was the strange and wonderful power that's only found . . .
Where the Red Fern Grows—An exciting tale of love and adventure you'll never forget.
Why I recommend it: Um . . . I guess I should warn you that the dogs die at the end.
I would have loved this book as a kid because it's full of danger, adventure, and determined characters.
The author tells the story like it's a tall tale. Even the title is a reference to a legend. The dogs are super dogs that always succeed. Everything goes right for them. Well . . . it goes right for them until the end. The writing style is fun because children think about their dogs in legendary ways. My childhood dog was a super dog that could accomplish anything.
Well . . . he could accomplish anything until the end.
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A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
Middle Grade Fiction
Conor has the same dream every night, ever since his mother first fell ill, ever since she started the treatments that don't quite seem to be working. But tonight is different. Tonight, when he wakes, there's a visitor at his window. It's ancient, elemental, a force of nature. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor. It wants the truth.
Why I recommend it: I knew I needed this book as soon as I saw the illustrations. I didn’t care what the story was about. I couldn’t pass up those pictures.
Luckily, the story is just as beautiful as the illustrations.The writing and the story are so good. Conor’s emotions are raw and realistic, but the story has a whimsical quality. It’s written like a modern-day fairytale, and it’s brilliant.
Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk
Even though the morals are in the background, they’re my favorite part. Sometimes heroes don’t look like heroes, and victims don’t look like victims.
Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
Adult Historical Fiction
Set against Iceland's stark landscape, Hannah Kent brings to vivid life the story of Agnes, who, charged with the brutal murder of her former master, is sent to an isolated farm to await execution.
Horrified at the prospect of housing a convicted murderer, the family at first avoids Agnes. Only Tóti, a priest Agnes has mysteriously chosen to be her spiritual guardian, seeks to understand her. But as Agnes's death looms, the farmer's wife and their daughters learn there is another side to the sensational story they've heard.
Why I recommend it: The best word I can use to describe this book is “visceral.” It'll shock you. The novel is description-heavy and subtly suspenseful. You know at the beginning that Agnes will be executed eventually, and you spend the entire book waiting for it to happen. Agnes doesn’t know when she will be killed, so the reader and the character are both dreading the moment when someone shows up at the door to lead Agnes to her death.
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What's the saddest book you've ever read?
Where the Red Fern Grows made me sob when I was a kid.
ReplyDeleteHere is our Top Ten Tuesday.
Bridge to Terabithia still makes me tear up if I think about it too much.
ReplyDeleteI think this is why I don't read John Green. I'm aware of many of these, and I've read The Hunger Games and its sequels, but way too tough on the emotions. Thanks for sharing, Aj.
ReplyDeletehttps://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2025/08/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-things.html
I watched Bridge to Terabithia when it came out years ago and was devastated by the ending, especially because I was not expecting it at all. I have been wanting to read the book but I'm still not sure I'm ready!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea for topic, I tend to love sad books. I've read quite a few from your list and Burial Rights is on my TBR.
ReplyDeleteI would never have thought to do this topic, I love it. Certainly not the easiest books to read.
ReplyDeleteEven now all these years later I'm getting choked up at the thought of Bridge to Terabithia. :)
ReplyDeleteSeriously, there are so many devastating books in children's lit. The first book that came to mind for me was The Nightingale, but I cry a lot.
ReplyDeleteI've read the Bridge to Terabithia and The Hunger Games. I'm now pondering what is the saddest book I read. I remember reading "A Portrait of Jennie" in high school and that seemed very sad.
ReplyDeleteOMG, don't get me started on Bridge to Terabithia - sob fest!
ReplyDeleteWhere the Red Fern Grows was my son's favourite book in 3rd grade, despite the sad ending.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what it says about me but I love a book that can sucker punch my emotions and make me ugly cry! 🤠I've heard of a few of these and read some of them too (and I agree they had the waterworks free flowing!) but some are still on my TBR and I'm keen to check them out, lol.
ReplyDeleteI’ve read some of these! I could add Out of the Dust.~Carol @ ReadingLadies
ReplyDeleteHi AJ - I've been meaning to get here ... The Book Thief was an eye opening book ... and then the others you mention - I get 'the meaning' ... the saddest books of all time ... I'd like to add one:
ReplyDeleteThe Book Collectors of Daraya - by Delphine Minoui. A band of Syrian rebels, their underground library, and the stories that carried them through a war. (Told about their lives as the barrel bombs fell during Assad's regime) ... heartbreaking, yet inspiring - as sad books can be.
I don't know what I'd do in times like these - thanks for your lists - cheers Hilary
Absolutely yes to TFIOS, Book Thief, and THG! Sobbed like a baby! Looking for Alaska I remember crying at too. Now unlike you, I am composed of at least 80% tears and feels, so I am probably not as reliable? But now I want to do a deep dive into the MOST feely books and make my own list. I'm going to, in fact! Thanks for the idea!
ReplyDeleteBridge to Terabithia killed me as a kid, too. I didn't realize Wolf Hollow was that sort of book - just might have to read that one now too!
ReplyDelete