Almost Paradise

Reach for this book when your child is navigating a family crisis, especially one involving the legal system, or if they feel like their home life has suddenly become unpredictable. Ruby Clyde is a resilient twelve year old who finds herself under the care of her estranged aunt, a nun, after her mother is sent to jail. While the premise deals with heavy themes of incarceration and financial hardship, the story is infused with Southern charm and a dry humor that makes the medicine go down easily. It is an ideal choice for middle grade readers (ages 8 to 12) who need to see that 'family' can be redefined and that hope persists even when parents make mistakes. You might choose this to normalize feelings of displacement and to show that a child's worth is not defined by their parents' actions.