Blank appeals to readers through its mystery of self discovery as a teenager uses social media and old mementos to reconstruct her lost identity after a brain injury. It offers a vulnerable look at invisible disabilities and the freedom found in choosing who to become. Books in this family share themes of memory loss, internal reinvention, and personal investigations into the past.
A parent would reach for this book when their teenager is struggling to reclaim their identity after a major medical trauma or life-altering change. Blank follows fifteen year old Jessica as she navigates the confusing world of a traumatic brain injury (TBI). With her memories wiped and her old personality feeling like a stranger's, Jessica must decide if she wants to try and fit back into her old life or build an entirely new one from scratch. This story offers a realistic look at the grief, loneliness, and eventual hope that comes with hidden disabilities. It is deeply appropriate for middle and high schoolers, providing a compassionate mirror for those who feel 'different' and a window for peers to understand the invisible struggles of recovery. Parents will value how it validates the slow, often frustrating process of rebuilding self-confidence.
