Brave Face
A Memoir
Readers rate it 4.6 (8 on Hardcover)
384 pages · Released Jun 16, 2020 · Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Content report card
Brave Face parent’s guide: what’s inside
What it offers
Educational value
A note for parents
This is a powerful YA memoir about a teen's battle with depression and attempted suicide, his identity as a gay man, and his recovery. The book is unflinchingly honest about mental health struggles, self-harm, and suicidal ideation, making it best suited for older teens with some maturity and resilience. Hutchinson models vulnerability, self-acceptance, and the importance of seeking help, offering genuine hope and wisdom rather than platitudes. The educational and emotional value is substantial for readers ready to engage with these themes.
Analyzed by AI · 1 month ago
Read it with your kids?
Rate it and suggest an age to help other parents.
From the publisher
“[P]rofound…a triumph—a full-throated howl to the moon to remind us why we choose to survive and thrive.” —Brendan Kiely, New York Times bestselling author of Tradition “Razor-sharp, deeply revealing, and brutally honest…emotionally raw and deeply insightful.” —Booklist (starred review) The critically acclaimed author... “[P]rofound…a triumph—a full-throated howl to the moon to remind us why we choose to survive and thrive.” —Brendan Kiely, New York Times bestselling author of Tradition “Razor-sharp, deeply revealing, and brutally honest…emotionally raw and deeply insightful.” —Booklist (starred review) The critically acclaimed author of We Are the Ants opens up about what led to an attempted suicide in his teens, and his path back from the experience. “I wasn’t depressed because I was gay. I was depressed and gay.” Shaun David Hutchinson was nineteen. Confused. Struggling to find the vocabulary to understand and accept who he was and how he fit into a community in which he couldn’t see himself. The voice of depression told him that he would never be loved or wanted, while powerful and hurtful messages from society told him that being gay meant love and happiness weren’t for him. A million moments large and small over the years all came together to convince Shaun that he couldn’t keep going, that he had no future. And so he followed through on trying to make that a reality. Thankfully Shaun survived, and over time, came to embrace how grateful he is and how to find self-acceptance. In this courageous and deeply honest memoir, Shaun takes readers through the journey of what brought him to the edge, and what has helped him truly believe that it does get better.
Shelved under
- Young Adult Nonfiction
- emotional
- dark
- informative
- Young Adult
- LGBTQ
- Nonfiction
- Memoir
Share this guide
ISBN 9781534431522 · Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers