Families who loved Carly's Buck by C. S. Adler often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Reach for this book when your middle schooler is retreating into a shell of silence or isolation following a major life loss. This story follows thirteen year old Carly, who is navigating the raw aftermath of her mother's death from cancer while adjusting to a new town. To cope with her loneliness, she forms a secret, delicate bond with a wild buck in the woods, finding more comfort in nature than in her human peers. This realistic contemporary novel explores the complexities of grief and the friction between different ways of valuing wildlife. It is highly appropriate for ages 10 to 14, providing a gentle yet honest mirror for children who feel that no one truly understands their sorrow or their need for a private sanctuary.