Metal Fish, Falling Snow

Reach for this book when your teenager is grappling with a significant loss or feels like an outsider within their own family. It is an ideal choice for a young person who processes the world through a unique, perhaps neurodivergent lens and is searching for a sense of belonging after their world has been turned upside down. The story follows Dylan, a girl who loses her mother and must embark on a road trip with her mother's boyfriend to find the French father she never knew. Through a blend of realism and a rich internal fantasy life, the book explores themes of grief, multiracial identity, and the courage it takes to be oneself. It is a poignant, sophisticated read for ages 13 and up that validates the messy, non-linear process of healing.