Peach Rebellion, The

Reach for this book when your teen is struggling with social cliques or questioning why certain groups are kept apart by adult prejudices. Set in post-Depression California, the story follows the unlikely friendship between a wealthy banker's daughter and a migrant worker's daughter during a tense peach harvest. It explores deep themes of class tension, gender expectations, and the courage required to defy societal norms for the sake of justice. While the setting is historical, the emotional weight of finding one's own voice and standing up for others is timeless. This is an excellent choice for a mature 12 to 17 year old who is beginning to notice the systemic inequities in their own world and needs a roadmap for empathy and rebellion against unfair rules.