The Places We Sleep

Reach for this book when your child is feeling the weight of the world, specifically when news events or sudden changes make their daily life feel fragile. This novel in verse follows twelve year old Wes as she navigates the confusing transition to middle school during the fall of 2001. When her father, a military officer, is called away after the September 11 attacks, Wes must learn to find her own voice through art and poetry while grappling with fear and uncertainty. It is a gentle, lyrical choice for children ages 10 to 14 who are highly sensitive or artistic. It provides a safe space to process how national tragedies ripple into personal lives, offering a hopeful roadmap for finding stability when the ground feels like it is shifting.