Families who loved Octavia Boone's Big Questions about Life, the Universe, and Everything by Rebecca Rupp 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 child is beginning to question family traditions or is caught in the middle of a philosophical divide between parents. It provides a safe space for children to explore how to maintain their own identity when the people they love most hold vastly different worldviews. Octavia is a middle schooler whose world is upended when her mother joins a conservative Christian church while her father remains a devotee of Thoreau and Transcendentalism. The story explores themes of intellectual independence and the nuance of faith versus philosophy. It is an excellent choice for families navigating interfaith dynamics or for children who feel pressured to choose a 'side' in a household disagreement. It models how to love someone while disagreeing with their core beliefs.
