Saints of the Household

A parent would reach for this book when their teenager is navigating the silent, heavy burden of household instability or the complex guilt of protecting a sibling from an abusive parent. It is a profound choice for a child who feels like they have to keep secrets or who is struggling to reconcile their love for their family with the pain that family causes them. The story follows two brothers, Max and Jay, as they navigate the aftermath of a physical altercation while trying to process their Bribri Indigenous heritage and their father's cycles of violence. Through verse and prose, it explores themes of shame, redemption, and the courage it takes to break a cycle of trauma. It is most appropriate for high schoolers due to its raw, realistic depiction of domestic abuse and its mature emotional depth. Choosing this book offers your teen a mirror for their most difficult feelings and a path toward imagining a future where they are defined by their own choices rather than their father's actions.