Mel

A parent might reach for this book when their teenager is coping with the sudden shock and uncertainty of a parent's mental health crisis. This story follows seventeen-year-old Mel after her mother's mental breakdown and hospitalization. Left on her own, Mel channels her anxiety into action: she impulsively redecorates the entire house, launches a neighborhood clean-up, and even navigates a new romance with a local rock star. The book explores themes of resilience, the different forms family love can take, and the journey of forging one's own identity amidst chaos. It's a great choice for older teens (14+) as it validates the complex feelings of a child thrust into a caregiving or overly independent role, modeling a proactive, if sometimes avoidant, way of coping.