About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is navigating the complexities of a changing family dynamic or processing the weight of a first significant loss. Through the intimate diary entries of 14-year-old Catherine, this story provides a safe space to explore the bittersweet reality of growing up, specifically the tension between honoring the past and accepting a new future. As Catherine adjusts to her father's remarriage and mourns the sudden death of her best friend, she also grapples with the quiet moral courage required to help a runaway slave in 1830s New Hampshire. This Newbery Medal winner is ideal for middle schoolers who appreciate a slower, more reflective pace. While the language mimics the formal tone of the 19th century, it serves as an excellent mirror for children who feel their own lives are shifting in ways they cannot control. It is a gentle, grounded choice for discussing grief, integrity, and the enduring strength found in community and family bonds.
