
Reach for this book when your teenager is feeling 'uprooted' by a family crisis or a sudden move. It is particularly resonant for families navigating the emotional fallout of a parent's serious medical diagnosis. The story follows Matilda, a girl who is forced to move from the vibrant culture of New York City to a tiny, quiet town while her father undergoes treatment for Lyme disease. It beautifully captures the resentment and loneliness that comes with forced change. You might choose this book to help your child process the invisible weight of a parent's illness and to show them that it is okay to feel angry about circumstances beyond their control. It is a realistic, contemporary story for ages 12 to 17 that focuses on art as a tool for healing and the slow process of finding belonging in unexpected places.
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Sign in to write a reviewOccasional realistic teen dialogue.
The book deals directly and realistically with chronic illness (Lyme disease) and the resulting financial and emotional strain on a family unit. The approach is secular and grounded in reality. The resolution is hopeful but honest, acknowledging that recovery is not always a straight line.
A middle or high schooler who feels like an outsider, particularly one who is dealing with a 'new normal' due to a parent's health issues and feels they have to sacrifice their own needs for the family.
This book can be read cold. Parents may want to be prepared to discuss the frustration children feel when they aren't the 'center' of the family's attention due to a medical crisis. A parent might see their child withdrawing, acting out with uncharacteristic sarcasm, or expressing deep resentment about a recent move or a shift in family dynamics caused by illness.
Younger teens will focus on the social hierarchy of the new school and the feeling of 'missing out' on city life. Older teens will likely pick up on the more nuanced layers of the parents' relationship strain and the financial realities of chronic illness.
Unlike many 'sick parent' books that focus on terminal illness, this explores the specific, exhausting grind of chronic, long-term illness and how it erodes a family's daily joy and sense of security.
Matilda is an artistic teenager struggling with her family's move from New York City to the small, rural town of Prague, New York. The move is precipitated by her father's debilitating struggle with chronic Lyme disease, which has left the family's finances and emotional health strained. While Matilda misses her old life and artistic community, she eventually begins to find her footing through new friendships and her own creative expression.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.