Roller Skates

Reach for this book when your child expresses a fierce desire for independence or feels stifled by the rigid expectations of school and home. Set in 1890s New York, it follows ten-year-old Lucinda, who is left in the care of two kind but permissive guardians while her parents travel. This temporary freedom allows her to explore the city on her roller skates, forming deep, cross-cultural friendships with everyone from a fruit vendor to a young girl in a tenement. While the setting is historical, the emotional core is timeless: the joy of self-discovery and the expansion of one's world through empathy. It is a gentle but profound read for children ages 8 to 12 who are starting to navigate their own neighborhoods and social circles. Parents will appreciate how it validates a child's competence while navigating complex themes like class, loneliness, and the loss of a friend with grace and honesty.