We won't pretend that Thirteen Reasons Why is easy. It's dark. It's depressing and very tricky to discuss because this topic has the potential to connect with your students on a deeply personal level (usually a good thing, but a little scary here). Will you wonder a few times why you chose this particular challenge? Probably. So let us remind you: teen suicide is an important topic, and Shmoop believes that when we avoid important-yet-difficult topics, bad things happen to our youngsters.

So, approach with caution, but don't give up. Keep your eyes open for any students who seem especially emotional about the subject, and keep the school counselor's number handy. It's not even a bad idea to invite your school counselor to speak to your class. It's okay if you stumble a few times in these tricky conversations, just as long as the conversation is happening.