A Million Ways Home

Reach for this book when your child is facing a sudden, destabilizing family crisis, particularly the hospitalization or relocation of a primary caregiver. It is a lifeline for children feeling the weight of 'kinship care' or the foster system, offering a mirror for the intense frustration and helplessness that comes when adults make big life decisions without them. Poppy's story follows her journey from a cozy life with her grandmother to a sterile children's home after her grandmother suffers a stroke. While it contains a suspenseful mystery involving a crime Poppy witnesses, the heart of the book is her search for a sense of belonging and her bond with a special dog named Gunner. It provides a safe space to discuss grief, the definition of home, and the reality that life doesn't always go back to exactly how it was, but it can still be good. This is a gentle yet honest choice for ages 8 to 12.