Inland

A parent might reach for this book when their teenager is struggling with the physical toll of anxiety or grief, or when a family is navigating the long-term aftermath of losing a parent. It is a haunting, atmospheric story about Callie, a girl who has spent her life literally suffocating from a mystery illness that mimics the drowning she witnessed as a child. As she returns to the coast with her father, the story explores the blurred lines between medical trauma, psychological repression, and the supernatural. This is a sophisticated Young Adult novel that uses a dark, folkloric lens to examine family secrets and the process of reclaiming one's identity after a tragedy. It is best suited for ages 14 and up due to its intense emotional weight and eerie, sometimes unsettling tone.