Ripple

A parent would reach for this book when their teenager is struggling with the weight of secret mistakes or feeling overwhelmed by a caregiver's mental health struggles. This story follows Tessa and Jack, two teens who use risky behaviors like cheating and vandalism to cope with intense domestic pressure and a sense of powerlessness. It is an honest, high-school-aged exploration of how shame drives poor decisions and how honesty serves as the only path toward true relief. Parents might choose this for a teen who feels they have to be 'perfect' or for one who is acting out as a way to scream for help. It models the difficult process of taking accountability and finding healthy ways to reclaim one's agency.