Choke

Reach for this book if you are concerned about the hidden social pressures of middle school or if your child is beginning to distance themselves from long-time friends in favor of a cooler, riskier crowd. It provides a vital opening to discuss the dangerous choking game, a real-world trend often obscured by peer secrecy. The story follows Windy, an eighth-grader who feels stagnant and invisible. When she is befriended by a charismatic new girl, she is thrilled to be part of the in-crowd until she realizes the price of admission is a life-threatening activity. It is a deeply relatable look at the intersection of self-acceptance and the desperate need to belong. This novel is a powerful tool for parents of pre-teens to validate the intense pressure to fit in while equipping them with the language to recognize and resist dangerous peer influence. It is best suited for ages eleven to fourteen due to the realistic depiction of risky behavior.