Rocky Road

Reach for this book when your middle-grade child is struggling to understand why a loved one's moods are unpredictable or when your family is facing a period of instability. It provides a vital mirror for children who feel they have to be the 'grown-up' in the house due to a parent's mental health challenges. The story follows Tess, a resilient twelve-year-old who moves to a small town in New York where her mother opens an ice cream shop. While the shop is a sweet dream, the reality of her mother's bipolar disorder creates a world of 'up' days and 'down' days that Tess and her younger brother must navigate. It is a deeply compassionate look at the burden of being a young caregiver, the importance of community support, and the realization that while you can't fix a parent, you can still love them. This is an essential read for fostering empathy and providing comfort to children living in similar high-stakes domestic situations.