About This Book
Reach for this book when your teenager is struggling with a profound loss and seems to be retreating into a mask of maturity or isolation to cope. The story follows Laura, a high schooler who is grieving the death of her mother. Unable to connect with her father or sister, she begins sneaking away to Atlantic City, using her mother's makeup and clothes to pose as a sophisticated adult in the high-stakes world of casinos. It is a poignant exploration of the ways grief can distort our sense of self and the risks we take when we try to outrun our pain. While the setting is glamorous, the core message is deeply grounded in the realistic need for connection and the process of letting go. It is a sophisticated read for older teens that validates the messiness of mourning and the search for identity during life's hardest transitions.
