Vicky Angel

Reach for this book when your child is processing the sudden loss of a peer or struggling with an intense, perhaps even controlling, friendship that has been cut short. It addresses the overwhelming weight of survivor's guilt and the feeling that a lost friend is still 'there,' whispering in your ear. Jacqueline Wilson explores the life of Jade after her vibrant best friend Vicky is killed in a traffic accident. The story navigates the 'ghost' of Vicky, who continues to influence Jade's choices from beyond the grave. It is a secular, highly realistic look at grief that doesn't shy away from the complicated truth: sometimes the people we love are also the people who held us back. This is an essential read for middle-schoolers needing to find their own voice while honoring a memory.