Families who loved Carry Me Home by Janet Fox 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 child is beginning to notice social inequities or if the family is navigating a period of profound transition and loss. It is an essential resource for children who feel the weight of 'adult' secrets or who struggle with the fear that asking for help might make a situation worse. Carry Me Home follows twelve-year-old Lulu and her younger sister, Serena, as they live out of a van in a Montana town while waiting for their father to return. The story beautifully balances the harsh realities of homelessness and grief with a powerful sense of hope and sisterly devotion. Best suited for middle-grade readers aged 8 to 12, this novel provides a safe space to explore themes of housing insecurity, the importance of community support, and the resilience required to keep moving forward when life feels unstable.