The Secret Keepers

Reach for this book when your teen is grappling with the silent pressure of family expectations or the heavy feeling of carrying secrets that are not theirs to hold. Following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, fifteen-year-old Jackson Lim finds himself responsible for his family's survival in a world that has literally crumbled. This historical ghost story uses the supernatural to explore very real themes of cultural identity, generational trauma, and the courage it takes to speak one's truth in the face of tragedy. It is an ideal choice for the mature middle schooler or high schooler who feels older than their years. Parents will appreciate how it validates the struggle of balancing personal integrity with the duty to protect one's family, especially within the context of the Chinese American immigrant experience during a period of intense discrimination.