About This Book
A parent might reach for this book when their teenager is exploring complex themes of resilience, moral ambiguity, and the crushing weight of adult responsibilities. It is a stark, wintery survival story about Jack, a boy desperately trying to keep his younger brother out of foster care by searching for his incarcerated father's hidden drug money. Along the way, he meets Ava, a girl controlled by her own dangerous, silent father. This is a visceral and often brutal story that examines the thin line between right and wrong when your life is on the line. It is best suited for older teens (14+) who are ready for mature themes including intense violence, poverty, and systemic failure. Parents would choose this to validate a teen's feelings about the unfairness of the world or to spark deep conversations about personal ethics during a crisis.
