November is National Youth Homeless Awareness Month, and it's time to think about this growing problem.  The recession is causing more families to lose their homes and putting more kids and teens onto the streets.  Read more about the causes of youth homelessness in this article.  You can help homeless teens in Topeka by volunteering at the Topeka Rescue Mission or participating in the Topeka Rescue Run.

Some YA books that address the issue of homelessness are:

Tyrell by Coe Booth- Fifteen-year-old Tyrell, who is living in a Bronx homeless shelter with his spaced-out mother and his younger brother, tries to avoid temptation so he does not end up in jail like his father.

Stormy Fall by Betty Barclift- In the midst of an effort by the wealthy to keep a house adjacent to their church from becoming a homeless shelter, a theft is blamed on a homeless friend of Katie Barnes, whose own poverty is still keeping her from being accepted by many classmates.

Pitch Black by Youme Landowne- After meeting on a subway platform in New York City, Landowne and Horton share a conversation about art and life while riding uptown and downtown. Youme listens carefully as Anthony tells his story of living on the streets after being abandoned by his adoptive family.

photo courtesy of standupforkids.org