The Jade Notebook

Reach for this book when your teenager is grappling with the complexities of family secrets or feels a deep pull toward discovering their ancestral heritage. Zeeta, a seventeen-year-old girl, travels to the vibrant mountains of Oaxaca, Mexico, hoping to finally uncover the truth about her father's past. As she navigates her nomad-like life with her free-spirited mother, she experiences the rush of first love and the heavy weight of hidden family histories. This story beautifully balances the excitement of a travel adventure with the quiet, internal work of forgiveness and self-discovery. It is an ideal choice for older teens (14+) who appreciate lyrical writing and stories about finding where one truly belongs in a vast world.