Books Like Marly's Ghost
Families who loved Marly's Ghost by David Levithan often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Families who loved Marly's Ghost by David Levithan 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 teenager is struggling to move forward after a significant loss, particularly the death of a first love or a close peer. This modern reimagining of A Christmas Carol shifts the setting to Valentine's Day, following Ben as he is visited by the ghost of his girlfriend, Marly, and three spirits. Through these encounters, the story explores the complex stages of grief, the pain of memory, and the necessity of re-engaging with the living. It is a secular, emotionally resonant choice for 12 to 18-year-olds that validates the intensity of teenage emotions while offering a pathway toward healing and redemption. Parents will appreciate how it uses a familiar literary structure to tackle the heavy, often silent burden of adolescent mourning.
