Families who loved My Secret Guide to Paris by Lisa Schroeder 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 processing the sudden loss of a grandparent and needs a gentle, hopeful narrative about honoring memory through action. This story follows twelve-year-old Nora, who finds a series of hidden clues and airline tickets left behind by her beloved Grandma Sylvia. While the book begins with the heaviness of grief, it quickly transforms into a vibrant scavenger hunt through the streets of Paris. It is a perfect choice for middle-grade readers (ages 8 to 12) because it validates the sadness of loss while demonstrating how the love of a family member continues to shape our lives even after they are gone. Parents will appreciate how it facilitates a healthy transition from mourning to celebration, using travel and discovery as a metaphor for healing.