Families who loved Dear Mom, You're Ruining My Life by Jean Van Leeuwen 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 child starts rolling their eyes at your jokes, walking ten paces ahead of you in public, or suddenly viewing your once-charming quirks as major social liabilities. It is a perfect bridge for the 'tween' years when the parent-child dynamic begins to shift from idolization to independent scrutiny. Samantha Slayton is eleven years old and navigating the agonizing self-consciousness of early puberty. Between being the tallest girl in her dance class and losing her very last baby tooth, she feels that her mother is a walking embarrassment who is single-handedly ruining her life. This story offers a humorous, lighthearted mirror for children experiencing the 'mortification phase' of adolescence. It helps parents and children laugh together at the universal awkwardness of growing up, normalizing the push-pull of seeking independence while still needing a soft place to land at home.
