Kentucky Daughter

Reach for this book if your teen is navigating a major life transition, struggling with feeling like an outsider, or facing an environment where their background is misunderstood. It is particularly valuable for discussing personal boundaries and the courage to speak up against authority figures. The story follows Mary Fred, a young woman from a struggling Kentucky mining town who moves to a city in Virginia for school. She quickly realizes that escaping home doesn't mean escaping hardship, as she faces class-based prejudice and an inappropriate encounter with a teacher. It is a realistic, grounded look at building self-worth in the face of stereotyping. Recommended for ages 12 and up due to mature themes of consent and social isolation.