In Honor of Broken Things

A parent would reach for this book when their child is navigating the messy aftermath of a major life transition, such as a family divorce, a move, or the profound loss of a loved one. It is a compassionate choice for the middle schooler who feels like they are falling apart and needs to see that being broken is not a permanent state of failure, but a starting point for something new. Through the story of three eighth graders in a pottery class, the book explores how Oscar, Cally, and Noah deal with grief and change. It uses the metaphor of clay and ceramics to show how things can be shattered and then reconstructed into something even more meaningful. Parents will appreciate the balance of gentle humor and deep emotional honesty, making it an excellent tool for normalizing complex feelings of sadness and loneliness in the 10 to 14 age range.