Cinder

A parent would reach for this book when their teenager feels like an outsider or is struggling with a sense of not belonging within their own family or society. It is an ideal choice for a child who feels 'different' or 'othered,' whether due to physical differences, neurodivergence, or social status. The story follows Cinder, a talented mechanic and cyborg living in a futuristic New Beijing, who is treated as a second-class citizen by her stepmother and the law. As she navigates a budding romance with a prince and a global plague, the book explores profound emotional themes of self-worth, the ethics of social hierarchies, and the courage to claim one's true identity. Parents will appreciate how it uses a familiar fairy tale framework to tackle complex issues of bodily autonomy and systemic prejudice. While there are themes of illness and loss, the narrative is ultimately an empowering journey of a young woman discovering she is more than the labels others have forced upon her.