Something Like Home

Reach for this book if your child is grappling with the uncertainty of a family transition or feeling like an outsider in their own home. It is a deeply compassionate choice for preteens who are navigating the complex emotions of foster care, kinship care, or separation from parents due to substance use and recovery. The story follows Laura, a young girl placed with an estranged aunt while her parents are in rehab. Writing in verse, Arango captures the raw, quiet moments of displacement and the surprising way a connection with a stray puppy can provide the first sense of stability. It validates the 'messy' feelings of missing a parent who has caused pain, while offering a hopeful path toward building a new kind of family. It is an essential read for building empathy and understanding the invisible burdens many children carry.