Tales of the Madman Underground

Reach for this book when your teenager is struggling with the weight of labels, a chaotic home life, or the feeling that they are trapped by their past. It is a deeply honest look at Karl Shoemaker, a high school senior determined to escape the shadow of his school-mandated group therapy sessions and his mother's alcoholism. Set in 1973, it explores the messy reality of self-reinvention and the realization that normal is a moving target. While the language is gritty and the situations are raw, the book provides a powerful mirror for kids who feel they must be the adults in their own homes. It is best suited for older teens due to its uncensored narrative style and heavy themes of substance abuse and grief.