Families who loved After the Wreck, I Picked Myself Up, Spread My Wings, and Flew Away by Joyce Carol Oates often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
A parent would reach for this book when their teenager is grappling with the isolating aftermath of a sudden tragedy or struggling with intense survivor's guilt. Following fifteen-year-old Jenna after a horrific car accident that killed her mother, the story explores the 'raw' reality of post-traumatic stress and the dangerous ways young people try to numb their pain. This is a heavy, sophisticated look at grief that doesn't offer easy answers, making it appropriate for older teens who need to see their complex, messy emotions reflected. Parents might choose this to validate a child's feelings of being 'broken' while opening a door to discuss healthy versus destructive coping mechanisms.
