Today’s teens--Generation Z--are making headlines for their politics and their protests. The YA books that speak to them have followed suit. Lisa Koch shares three of her favorite recent young adult books that are speaking to a wider world of culture and politics. And: Old school guidance counselors sit behind their desks, giving one-on-one sessions that can feel like pulling teeth for moody kids. Natoya Haskins’ days as a guidance counselor were spent on her feet, in the hallways, in group sessions, and getting kids excited to see their counselor. Now, Haskins studies how this hands-on approach to school counseling can be an act of social justice.

Later in the show: Eve Ettinger says that by the time they were 13, their childhood was essentially over. As the oldest of nine kids in an extremist religious household, Ettinger’s homeschooling was sidelined so they could be another parent, caring for siblings, cooking, and cleaning. Years later, Ettinger has left the religion they were raised in and is devoted to writing and helping other young people find their own path.

Plus: Why do teens make the choices they make? And why do they take the risks that they take? Pearl Chiu and Brooks King-Casas have new research that seeks to unlock some of the mysteries of the teenage brain. They’re looking at how much teens’ decisions are influenced by the kids around them.