9 Uplifting Books by My Favorite YouTubers

July 24 2020
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Up until 2018, I didn’t consider myself much of a fan of any YouTuber. Sure, I was aware of users nigahiga and Fred, as their videos were staples of early 2010s popular culture, but my early interactions with YouTube were few and far between, limited to the occasional binge of WatchMojo Top 10 videos.

My relationship with YouTube changed when I studied abroad in the fall of 2018. I bonded with my floormates over the expose The Mind of Jake Paul, which Shane Dawson had produced on Jake Paul and Team 10. As we all watched the videos, I found myself increasingly fascinated by YouTube culture and amazed by the power a YouTuber can have to bring people together. After the series ended, I began spending more time on YouTube, and soon started subscribing to YouTubers.

Much like my favorite YouTubers’s channels, their books—whether heartfelt memoirs or thought-provoking fiction—are sure to be uplifting and create a sense of community.

This post was originally published on GetLiterary.com.

Sorted
by Jackson Bird

Jackson Bird’s YouTube channel is geared toward LGBTQ+ nerds, in which he primarily produces videos on LGBTQ+ life, books, and waffles. In his videos, Jackson is candid about his experiences as a trans, bisexual man, discussing topics such as transition updates, how to change your name and gender markers on official documents, and trans male visibility in the media.

Jackson brings the same candid energy to Sorted, taking us through his life as he protests against wearing a dress to the Daddy-Daughter Dance in favor of a suit; attempts to figure out how to have a chest binder delivered to his NYU dorm room; and takes shots of testosterone and undergoes top surgery. Through the book, Bird takes the time to clearly explain trans terminology and facts concerning gender and sexuality.

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Sorted
Jackson Bird

An unflinching and endearing memoir from LGBTQ+ advocate Jackson Bird about how, through a childhood of gender mishaps and an awkward adolescence, he finally sorted things out and came out as a transgender man in his mid-twenties.

When Jackson Bird was twenty-five, he came out as transgender to his friends, family, and anyone in the world with an internet connection. Assigned female at birth and having been raised a girl, he often wondered if he should have been born a boy. Jackson didn’t share this thought with anyone because he didn’t think he could share it with anyone. Growing up in Texas in the 1990s, he had no transgender role models. He barely remembers meeting anyone who was openly gay, let alone being taught that transgender people existed outside of punchlines.

Today, Jackson is a writer, YouTuber, and LGBTQ+ advocate living openly and happily as a transgender man. So how did he get here? In this remarkable, educational, and uplifting memoir, Jackson chronicles the ups and downs of growing up gender confused. Illuminated by journal entries spanning childhood to adolescence to today, he candidly recalls the challenges he faced while trying to sort out his gender and sexuality, and worrying about how to interact with the world. With warmth and wit, Jackson also recounts how he navigated the many obstacles and quirks of his transition––like figuring out how to have a chest binder delivered to his NYU dorm room and having an emotional breakdown at a Harry Potter fan convention. From his first shot of testosterone to his eventual top surgery, Jackson lets you in on every part of his journey—taking the time to explain trans terminology and little-known facts about gender and identity along the way. Through his captivating prose, Bird not only sheds light on the many facets of a transgender life, but also demonstrates the power and beauty in being yourself, even when you’re not sure who “yourself” is.

Part memoir, part educational guide, Sorted is a frank, humorous narrative of growing up with some unintended baggage.

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The Ideal Planner
by Emma Chamberlain

Emma Chamberlain has taken YouTube by storm with her unique editing style and her candid videos covering topics such as mental health and her daily routine. Her ambition is also remarkable. She’s only 19 years old, yet she’s already created the podcast Stupid Genius and runs a coffee company when not producing videos.

If you find that you’re just as busy as Emma, then The Ideal Planner is, well, ideal for you! The planner is distinct in that there are no dates, so you can just fill it in whenever, in case you happen to skip days here and there. Additionally, The Ideal Planner contains journal pages, mood boards, and puzzles, serving as an all-in-one journal, scrapbook, and planner. It comes out on August 18 so mark your…planners…

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The Ideal Planner
Emma Chamberlain

From the internet phenomenon whose aesthetic has influenced millions of young people around the world comes an undated planner to help you keep your life in order your way.

Emma Chamberlain is a lot of things. The Atlantic calls her “The Most Important YouTuber Today.” W Magazine calls her “The Most Interesting Girl on YouTube.” But what does she call herself? A girl in desperate need of The Ideal Planner!

Until now, it seemed like every planner was for “that perfect girl.” But what if you’re just muddling through? What if you’re kind of weird, a little obsessed, definitely silly, love art and fashion, and sometimes accidentally skip days or weeks or months in your planner but don’t want those pages to go to waste? Emma looked everywhere but could not find such a planner. So she decided to make one herself and share it with the world.

With guided journal pages, custom mood boards, puzzles, games, lists, corny quotes, cool designs, and silly messages from Emma, it’s a diary, scrapbook, guided journal, coloring book, and planner all in one. And because you fill in the dates you want, it never becomes outdated.

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9 Uplifting Books by My Favorite YouTubers

By | July 24, 2020

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Axiom’s End
by Lindsay Ellis

Lindsay Ellis’s channel focuses on video essays on topics ranging from Disney movies to product placement, with her latest one covering the protest music of the Bush era. Also, her three-part docuseries The Hobbit Duology earned her a nomination in the 2019 Hugo Awards category of the Best Related Work.

Axiom’s End is not the traditional “YouTuber book,” as it is a science fiction novel Lindsay began working on ten years ago before she rose to YouTube stardom. In the fall of 2007, protagonist Cora Sabino is attempting to stay out of the spotlight her whistleblower father created after he revealed that the U.S. government had made contact with an extraterrestrial presence. As Cora further gathers information about this alien existence, she realizes that the best way to uncover the truth is to not act as a whistleblower herself, but as an intermediary between mankind and the extraterrestrial.

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Axiom’s End
Lindsay Ellis

Lindsay Ellis’s channel focuses on video essays on topics ranging from Disney movies to product placement, with her latest one covering the protest music of the Bush era. Also, her three-part docuseries The Hobbit Duology earned her a nomination in the 2019 Hugo Awards category of the Best Related Work. Axiom’s End is not the traditional “YouTuber book,” as it is a science fiction novel Lindsay began working on ten years ago before she rose to YouTube stardom. In the fall of 2007, protagonist Cora Sabino is attempting to stay out of the spotlight her whistleblower father created after he revealed that the U.S. government had made contact with an extraterrestrial presence. As Cora further gathers information about this alien existence, she realizes that the best way to uncover the truth is to not act as a whistleblower herself, but as an intermediary between mankind and the extraterrestrial.

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9 Uplifting Books by My Favorite YouTubers

By | July 24, 2020

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A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor
by Hank Green

At this point, Hank Green and his brother, John, are practically YouTube royalty. The two catapulted to fame in YouTube’s early days with their Vlogbrothers channel, and have since co-founded VidCon, a conference featuring YouTube’s most popular creators, as well as Crash Course, the educational channel now ubiquitous in classrooms.

Until recently, John was the sole Green brother who wrote books, having penned YA classics such as The Fault in Our Stars. However, 2018 saw the release of Hank’s first book, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, a science fiction novel about a woman named April May who receives viral acclaim on social media after discovering an unknown alien robot presence. This year its highly anticipated sequel was published, out now! A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor sees friends Andy, Maya, and Miranda reeling from the disappearance of both the robots and April May, and expands upon its predecessor’s commentary of how we treat the unknown.

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A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor
Hank Green

At this point, Hank Green and his brother, John, are practically YouTube royalty. The two catapulted to fame in YouTube’s early days with their Vlogbrothers channel, and have since co-founded VidCon, a conference featuring YouTube’s most popular creators, as well as Crash Course, the educational channel now ubiquitous in classrooms. Until recently, John was the sole Green brother who wrote books, having penned YA classics such as The Fault in Our Stars. However, 2018 saw the release of Hank’s first book, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, a science fiction novel about a woman named April May who receives viral acclaim on social media after discovering an unknown alien robot presence. This year its highly anticipated sequel was published, out now! A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor sees friends Andy, Maya, and Miranda reeling from the disappearance of both the robots and April May, and expands upon its predecessor’s commentary of how we treat the unknown.

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9 Uplifting Books by My Favorite YouTubers

By | July 24, 2020

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Dandelion
by Gabbie Hanna

With over six million subscribers, Gabbie Hanna is one of the most popular comedians on YouTube, most noted for her storytime and DIY videos. She has recently begun developing her singing career too, releasing the Billboard-charting album 2WayMirror last year and Bad Karma this year.

Dandelion, named from a single released on Bad Karma, is Gabbie’s second illustrated poetry collection, coming out on October 13. Expanding upon themes written in her bestselling Adultolescence in 2017, Dandelion is a deeper look into Gabbie’s life. It contains personal essays and drawings that depict stories from her childhood, past relationships, mental health struggles, and ultimately her self-acceptance.

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Dandelion
Gabbie Hanna

New York Times bestselling author Gabbie Hanna delivers everything from curious musings to gut-wrenching confessionals in her long-awaited sophomore collection of illustrated poetry.

This edition includes a collection of uncomfortably honest personal essays about Gabbie’s childhood and relationships.

In this visually thrilling installment of the inner-workings of Gabbie’s mind, we’re taken on a journey of self-loathing, self-reflection, and ultimately, self-acceptance through deeply metaphorical imagery, chilling twists on child-like rhymes, and popular turns of phrase turned on their heads. Through raw, provocative tidbits, Dandelion explores what it means to struggle with a declining mental health in a world where mental health is both stigmatized and trivialized. The poems range from topics of rage and despair to downright silliness, so if you don’t know whether to laugh or cry, just laugh until you cry.

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9 Uplifting Books by My Favorite YouTubers

By | July 24, 2020

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The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl
by Issa Rae

Before Issa Rae produced and starred in the HBO hit series Insecure, she was the mastermind behind the viral YouTube comedy series The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl. The series served as the thematic origins for Insecure, showcasing the main character J’s struggles in everyday situations, from navigating the workplace to relationships.

Issa takes her signature refreshingly relatable brand of comedy to her bestselling book The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl. Filled with even more of her awkward moments, from catfishing in the early days of the Internet to her thoughts on public displays of affection, each essay is sure to make you laugh.

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The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl
Issa Rae

The “brilliantly wry” (Lena Dunham) and “lovably awkward” (Mindy Kaling) New York Times bestseller from the creator of HBO’s Insecure.

In this universally accessible New York Times bestseller named for her wildly popular web series, Issa Rae—“a singular voice with the verve and vivacity of uncorked champagne” (Kirkus Reviews)—waxes humorously on what it’s like to be unabashedly awkward in a world that regards introverts as hapless misfits and black as cool.

I’m awkward—and black. Someone once told me those were the two worst things anyone could be. That someone was right. Where do I start?

Being an introvert (as well as “funny,” according to the Los Angeles Times) in a world that glorifies cool isn’t easy. But when Issa Rae, the creator of the Shorty Award-winning hit series The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, is that introvert—whether she’s navigating love, the workplace, friendships, or “rapping”—it sure is entertaining. Now, in this New York Times bestselling debut collection written in her witty and self-deprecating voice, Rae covers everything from cybersexing in the early days of the Internet to deflecting unsolicited comments on weight gain, from navigating the perils of eating out alone and public displays of affection to learning to accept yourself—natural hair and all.

The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl is a book no one—awkward or cool, black, white, or other—will want to miss.

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You’re Not Special
by Meghan Rienks

Meghan Rienks began her channel in 2010, promising her audience “weird and awkward” beauty tutorial videos. Today she is one of the most popular lifestyle YouTubers, discussing topics such as makeup, beauty, and mental health with her over two million subscribers. She also hosts a call-in advice podcast called Don’t Blame Me! and has starred in the movie The Honor List and the Hulu show Freakish.

Like Meghan’s YouTube channel, You’re Not Special is very approachable; she describes it as a self-help book from the perspective of a friend or an older sister you can trust. From her worst dates to her struggles with mental health, she is here to tell you that you may not be special in the problems you face, but you are also not alone.

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You’re Not Special
Meghan Rienks

In her first-ever (sort of) memoir, the beloved actor and YouTube sensation gets personal about everything from mental health to drunken debaucheries.

As an only child raised in a town of less than 8,000 people and without a Starbucks in sight, Meghan Rienks has always been pretty good at entertaining herself. Then one day—cue the dramatic voiceover—her life changed forever.

On June 12th, 2010, Meghan was diagnosed with mononucleosis. Mono is basically just a really bad case of the flu, right? Wrong. To a party crazed sixteen-year-old, mono is social suicide. More than anything, it’s just plain boring. So, Meghan opened up her 2009 MacBook, used the webcam for something other than a bad Andy Warhol–style photobooth session, and recorded her first YouTube video. Since then, Meghan has shared the ups and downs of her life with the internet, documenting her teenage years for the whole world to see.

Now that she’s (mostly) through her awkward stage, Meghan’s here to tell you that it gets better. You’re not alone in the thoughts you think. Sometimes a bad hair day feels worse than a punch in the gut and asking a boy out seems about as difficult as achieving that perfect dewy glow. But despite what you’ve been told, your problems are not unique, your struggles have taken form in everybody else’s life too, and somebody else has felt the way you feel right at this very moment.

You’re not special. But you’re also not alone on the bumpy road to adulthood.

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9 Uplifting Books by My Favorite YouTubers

By | July 24, 2020

Our 28 Most Anticipated Reads of Summer 2020

By Get Literary | May 19, 2020

Our 11 Most Anticipated New Reads of May 2020

By Get Literary | April 27, 2020

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How to Be a Bawse
by Lilly Singh

Lilly Singh began her YouTube channel ||Superwoman|| in 2010, wanting to make entertaining videos as a means of combating her depression. Her skits depicting everyday scenarios skyrocketed her popularity; her most popular video, “Three Girls, One Elevator,” has garnered over 45 million views. She has also made history by becoming the first openly LGBTQ+ individual and first person of Indian descent to host a late-night talk show on a major American network.

How to Be a Bawse is Lilly’s guide to conquering life and loving yourself unapologetically. She discusses fifty lessons she’s learned to reach her goals, including scheduling time to be creative and surrounding herself with people who know more than she does. Lilly’s bold voice propels this self-help book, inspiring readers to do the hard work necessary to attain success.

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How to Be a Bawse
Lilly Singh

Never Have I Ever begins with Devi wanting to change her image and appear less nerdy and more cool among her high school friends. She devises a “rebrand” plan for herself and her friends to enhance their social status, by selecting “attainable yet status-enhancing people” for them to date. Devi is determined that by dating people above their social strata, they will become cooler by association. So we think she could learn a thing or two from Lilly Singh’s How to Be a Bawse. Like Devi, growing up, Lilly was an awkward South Asian girl trying to find her place in the world. Lilly was able to play on her strengths of humor, intellect, and dazzling personality to develop her online persona as a YouTuber. Lilly Singh is a true BAWSE, as she displays in her collection of inspirational essays, and Devi could be too if she could learn to embrace her true self instead of trying to morph into someone she thinks would make her more popular. Because as Devi tries to shift into this alternate persona, she burns some bridges and risks losing her friends. via GIPHY

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9 Uplifting Books by My Favorite YouTubers

By | July 24, 2020

Never Have I Ever…Loved a Show This Much!

By Saimah Haque | May 14, 2020

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The Hidden Power of F*cking Up
by The Try Guys

Ever since I watched “Keith Eats Everything at Olive Garden,” I have been hooked on the Try Guys. Whether they’re photoshopping one another in crazy scenarios, or attempting to replicate a celebrity’s makeup, their exuberance and positivity make the Try Guys my favorite YouTube channel.

What appeals to audiences about the Try Guys is their willingness to try anything; in fact, they are built on fearlessness, having left their jobs at BuzzFeed to start an independent company and channel. In The Hidden Power of F*cking Up, Keith, Ned, Zach, and Eugene talk about overcoming fears in their own lives and give practical advice to readers. From becoming (mostly) vegan to developing closer relationships with family, the Try Guys show that it is when we embrace embarrassment and overcome self-doubt that we gain the courage to try anything.

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The Hidden Power of F*cking Up
The Try Guys

Ever since I watched “Keith Eats Everything at Olive Garden,” I have been hooked on the Try Guys. Whether they’re photoshopping one another in crazy scenarios, or attempting to replicate a celebrity’s makeup, their exuberance and positivity make the Try Guys my favorite YouTube channel. What appeals to audiences about the Try Guys is their willingness to try anything; in fact, they are built on fearlessness, having left their jobs at BuzzFeed to start an independent company and channel. In The Hidden Power of F*cking Up, Keith, Ned, Zach, and Eugene talk about overcoming fears in their own lives and give practical advice to readers. From becoming (mostly) vegan to developing closer relationships with family, the Try Guys show that it is when we embrace embarrassment and overcome self-doubt that we gain the courage to try anything.

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9 Uplifting Books by My Favorite YouTubers

By | July 24, 2020

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