The Lily Pond

Reach for this book when your child is navigating the complex emotions of being an outsider or feeling the heavy weight of family expectations and separation. While set against the backdrop of World War II, it is primarily a story about the quiet courage required to build a new life when your heart is still in another place. Stephie, a thirteen-year-old Jewish refugee in Sweden, faces the universal trials of middle school: new friendships, first love, and academic pressure: while also carrying the deep anxiety of her parents' safety in Nazi-occupied Vienna. This novel offers a sophisticated exploration of the transition from childhood to adolescence, making it an excellent choice for 10 to 14 year olds. It normalizes feelings of longing and loneliness while modeling resilience and the importance of finding a surrogate community. Parents will appreciate how it handles historical trauma through a personal, relatable lens, providing a bridge to discuss both history and modern-day experiences of displacement and belonging.