Child of the Owl

Reach for this book when your child is grappling with the realization that their parents are fallible, or when they are struggling to find their place within a culture they do not yet fully understand. While the story is set in 1960s San Francisco, its exploration of a child forced into the role of the 'responsible one' due to a parent's addiction is timeless and deeply moving. It provides a safe space to discuss the complicated mix of love and resentment that comes with family instability. Twelve-year-old Casey has always lived a nomadic life with her father, Barney, until his gambling addiction leaves them with nothing. Sent to live with a grandmother she barely knows in Chinatown, Casey must navigate a world that feels foreign despite it being her own heritage. This Newbery Honor book is best suited for readers aged 10 to 14, offering a realistic and ultimately hopeful look at resilience, the power of ancestral stories, and the process of building a home from the pieces of a broken past.