Raymie Nightingale

Reach for this book when your child is processing a sudden family fracture, such as a father leaving or a divorce, and is struggling with a sense of powerlessness. Set in 1975, the story follows Raymie Clarke, who devises a plan to win a pageant to get her father to notice her and come home. Along the way, she forms a deep bond with two other girls, each carrying her own quiet burden. This is a masterful exploration of how children navigate adult abandonment through friendship and internal resilience. It offers a gentle, secular space to discuss sadness and the reality that while we cannot control others, we can find strength in those who walk beside us. Best for ages 8 to 12, it provides profound comfort without offering easy or unrealistic solutions.