Ballad & Dagger

Reach for this book if your teenager is struggling to bridge the gap between their family's heritage and the modern world they inhabit every day. It is an ideal choice for the child who feels like an outsider even within their own community, or for the young person searching for their unique voice in a crowded, noisy environment. The story follows Mateo, a piano-playing teen in Brooklyn whose life is upended when he witnesses a supernatural murder and discovers he is part of a hidden diaspora of people from a sunken Caribbean island. As the narrative unfolds, it explores deep emotional themes of cultural displacement, the weight of ancestral secrets, and the courage required to claim one's own power. While the setting is steeped in urban fantasy and mythology, the heart of the book is about a young man finding his rhythm through music and community. Parents will appreciate how it handles the complexities of identity with nuance and energy, making it a sophisticated but accessible read for high schoolers navigating their own path toward adulthood.