The Grief Keeper

A parent would reach for this book when their teen is processing heavy burdens, whether from personal loss, immigrant identity, or the feeling that they must sacrifice their own happiness for their family. This story follows Marisol, a seventeen-year-old fleeing El Salvador for the United States. To secure asylum for herself and her younger sister, she agrees to participate in a secret medical experiment where she becomes a grief keeper, literally absorbing the emotional trauma of another person into her own body. This speculative premise serves as a powerful metaphor for the invisible labor of caretaking and the weight of undocumented life. It is deeply appropriate for older teens, offering a raw yet hopeful look at queer identity, sisterhood, and the courage it takes to heal from past trauma. It is an essential choice for discussing the intersection of systemic struggle and personal worth.