The Light Fantastic

Reach for this book when your teenager is feeling overwhelmed by the news cycle or struggling to find their place in a world that feels increasingly volatile and interconnected. Sarah Combs weaves together seven distinct narratives of high school students across the country on a single, fateful day. The story explores the heavy weight of shared trauma, the influence of social media on mental health, and the thin line between isolation and community. While the book touches on dark themes like school violence and grief, its ultimate goal is to validate the anxieties of modern youth while offering a path toward redemption and human connection. It is best suited for mature readers aged 14 and up due to its intense subject matter and sophisticated nonlinear structure.