Families who loved The Vandal by Ann Schlee 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 teenager begins to question the status quo or feels stifled by the rigid expectations of school and social structures. It is a powerful tool for discussing the balance between personal memory and collective harmony. In a future where history is erased daily to prevent conflict, Paul commits a random act of vandalism that awakens his suppressed emotions and his desire for a real identity. This story explores themes of justice, the importance of the past, and the price of a peaceful society. It is appropriate for middle and high schoolers who are ready for a thought-provoking, slightly melancholic look at what it means to be truly free in a world that values conformity above all else.