Families who loved Reasons to Stay by Margaret Walden Froehlich often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
A parent might reach for this book when their child is navigating the grief of losing a parent and is simultaneously learning that the parent they idolized was a complex, imperfect person. Set after the sudden death of her mother, twelve-year-old Babe's world is upended again when she learns of her mother's secret past, including a previous marriage and another child. This quiet, introspective novel explores the profound sadness of grief, the confusion of discovering family secrets, and the difficult process of rebuilding one's identity. For mature middle-grade readers, it offers a gentle, validating space to process that the people we love are multi-faceted and that our love for them can endure even after difficult truths come to light.