Families who loved Lost Girls by Ann Kelley 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 navigating a shift in their relationship with authority or beginning to test their own leadership capabilities. This historical survival story follows a group of young girl scouts stranded on a forbidden Thai island during a 1974 storm. As their adult leader proves incompetent, the girls must transition from following orders to making life or death decisions. It is an excellent choice for children who feel overlooked or are struggling to find their voice in a group. The narrative explores themes of grit, group dynamics, and the sobering reality of personal responsibility. While the peril is high, the story provides a powerful model for how young people can organize and support one another in the face of adult failure.