About This Book
Reach for this book when your teenager is processing profound trauma, displacement, or is struggling to understand the roots of self-destructive behavior. It is a powerful tool for parents navigating the aftermath of loss, as it provides a raw but ultimately hopeful lens into how young people cope with grief that feels too big to carry. The story follows Laurel, a girl who loses her mother and grandmother to Hurricane Katrina and eventually spirals into methamphetamine addiction as a way to numb her pain. While the subject matter is intense, Jacqueline Woodson's lyrical prose offers a safe container for exploring themes of shame, recovery, and the long road back to self-love. This is an appropriate choice for mature high schoolers who need to see that even the deepest mistakes can be forgiven and that healing is a communal process. It serves as an essential conversation starter about the dangers of drug use without being didactic or preachy, focusing instead on the emotional 'why' behind the choice.
