Families who loved Outside In by Karen Romano Young 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 starts noticing that the world is a lot bigger, messier, and more unpredictable than they once thought. Set against the backdrop of 1968, Outside In captures the specific anxiety of a preteen watching her safe neighborhood bubble pop as national unrest and local peer dynamics collide. It is an essential read for children who feel they are losing their childhood 'best friends' to the pressures of growing up or who are struggling to reconcile the scary news they see on TV with their daily lives. The story deals with shifting loyalties and the realization that the people we look up to are often flawed. It is ideal for middle schoolers (ages 10 to 14) who are beginning to develop a social conscience and need to see their own 'growing pains' reflected in a historical context.