Families who loved Lila and Hadley by Kody Keplinger 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 is facing a significant life change, particularly a medical diagnosis or a family transition that feels out of their control. Hadley is struggling with immense anger as her vision fades due to retinitis pigmentosa and her mother is incarcerated. Forced to live with an estranged sister, she finds an unexpected outlet for her frustration in Lila, a rescue pit bull who is just as misunderstood as she is. This moving story explores how helping another creature can be the first step in helping ourselves. It provides a realistic, non-sentimental look at disability and family trauma for readers aged 8 to 12. Parents will appreciate how it validates big emotions like anger and resentment while gently guiding the reader toward acceptance and resilience.