Dear Shrink

Parents might reach for this book when their highly imaginative child feels misunderstood or unfairly blamed by the adults in their life. Dear Shrink follows siblings Oliver, Lucy, and William, who are sent to live with their uninterested aunt and uncle after their botanist parents disappear in the Amazon. Feeling like burdens, the children run away and create an elaborate secret life, documenting their frustrations and triumphs in a series of hilarious letters to a made-up child psychiatrist named 'Shrink.' This classic story validates the feeling of being an outsider in one's own family, celebrating creativity and resilience as powerful tools for coping with loneliness and uncertainty. It’s a wonderful choice for kids who appreciate witty humor and need to see their complex inner worlds reflected on the page.