My Name is Mina and I love the Night

Reach for this book when your child feels like a square peg in a round hole or is struggling with the rigid structure of traditional schooling. It is a profound choice for the creative, introspective preteen who prefers the quiet of the night or the company of their own thoughts to the noisy social pressures of middle school. The story is presented as the private, non-linear journal of Mina, a girl who has been pulled out of school to be homeschooled by her mother. Through her stream-of-consciousness writing, the book explores themes of neurodivergence, grief for a lost father, and the beauty of an unbridled imagination. It serves as a powerful validation for kids who think differently, reassuring them that their unique perspective is not a deficit, but a gift. Parents will find it an excellent bridge for discussing mental health, the pressures of conformity, and how to find wonder in the everyday world.