Realistic/ Issue-Driven YA Novels

Sometimes labels are helpful, sometimes not and sometimes it is difficult to label because labels overlap. I have created a separate category for mystery, humor and sports stories, but really, aren't they all realistic stories? Can we have a story set in a contemporary setting not be issue driven or a "downer book," to borrow the words of one parent? I have divided the realistic/ issue-driven novels into various themes, some of which overlap.