Families who loved The Second Chance of Benjamin Waterfalls by James Bird 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 struggling with self-worth, making poor choices, or feeling disconnected from their family and roots. It is a powerful resource for the 'difficult' kid who feels misunderstood and needs to see a path toward redemption. The story follows Benjamin, a boy caught in a cycle of shoplifting and trouble, who is sent to live with his estranged father on an Ojibwe reservation. Through the lens of Indigenous culture and the raw beauty of the wilderness, the book explores how finding one's identity can heal a broken heart. It is a deeply moving, realistic contemporary novel for middle-grade readers that emphasizes that no one is beyond a second chance. Parents will appreciate the honest look at shame and the hopeful, restorative power of heritage and nature.
