YA literature doesn’t shy away from hard topics. Sexual assault, death, substance abuse, eating disorders, violence, unplanned pregnancy…these are things that play a role in many lives. How do you about writing about some of these real-life problems? How do you research such a book? How do you negotiate some of these rough scenes in the most effective way possible? How can books help people heal? And why do so many people want to ban books that discuss the realities of life? This panel will contain discussion of topics that may be difficult for some—but these are things that need to be talked about.