Families who loved Prince William, Maximilian Minsky, and Me by Holly-Jane Rahlens 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 grappling with the pressure to be cool while nurturing an intense, nerdy interest or questioning their place within family traditions. Set in contemporary Berlin, the story follows thirteen year old Nelly Sue Edelmeister as she balances her obsession with astronomy and a crush on Prince William with the daunting reality of her upcoming Bat Mitzvah and a spot on the basketball team. It is an honest and humorous exploration of the messy intersection between religious identity and secular teenage life. Parents will appreciate the way it validates the awkwardness of early adolescence while modeling the courage required to define oneself on one's own terms. It is highly appropriate for ages eleven to fifteen, offering a sophisticated but accessible look at cultural belonging and self acceptance.
