Families who loved The Lifters by Dave Eggers 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 grappling with the unseen burdens of adulthood or feeling like an outsider in a new environment. This magical realism adventure follows Gran, a boy who has just moved to the struggling town of Carousel. There, he discovers a secret underground world of tunnels and the Lifters, a group of children working to prevent the town from literally sinking under the weight of its own despair. Through its exploration of community, responsibility, and the quiet heroism of young people, the story offers a powerful metaphor for how children process the stresses and financial hardships they witness in the adults around them. It is perfectly suited for middle grade readers who are beginning to look beyond their own needs toward the health of their community.