A Ring of Endless Light

Reach for this book when your teenager is grappling with the heavy weight of mortality or navigating the confusing transition from childhood to the complexities of adult relationships. Set on a picturesque island where the beauty of nature and marine biology contrasts with the stark reality of a dying grandfather, the story follows fifteen-year-old Vicky Austin through a summer of deep emotional growth. It is a profound exploration of grief, the ethics of science, and the spiritual questions that arise when we face loss. While the book deals with terminal illness and the aftermath of a suicide attempt, it does so with a poetic and life-affirming lens. Parents will appreciate how it treats teenage emotions with dignity, validating the intensity of first loves and the spiritual curiosity of youth. It is most appropriate for mature middle schoolers and high school students who are ready to engage with serious themes of life and death, all anchored by a supportive, multigenerational family structure.