Relationships between teens and parents aren’t always simple. In these six books, recommended for middle- and/or high-school readers, those varied and evolving bonds play a central role.

Breaking into Sunlight
by John Cochran
Middle School    Algonquin    304 pp.
6/24    9781523527298    $17.99
e-book ed.  9781523529049    $9.99

Seventh grader Reese Buck has never told his best friends, Tony and Ryan, about his father’s drug addiction problems; he doesn’t want to be ostracized or seen as “that kid everyone felt sorry for.” When Reese finds his father unconscious on the bathroom floor after a near-fatal overdose, his mother has finally had enough. She takes Reese to live, reluctantly, in a trailer on the farm of “the church lady,” Mrs. Smith, and her grandchildren: thirteen-year-old Meg and fifteen-year-old Charlie, who has Down syndrome. Cochran ably constructs a sensitive portrayal of a self-involved, if well-meaning, adolescent who thinks he knows what’s right and his tentative steps toward letting other people in. The healing power of community is at work here, as Meg and Charlie help in their own ways, and Tony and Ryan, absent for much of the story, appear for a grand time in the country, with friends old and new. An extensive author’s note details the massive scale of the substance use and addiction crisis in the United States, where one child in eight under the age of eighteen lives with at least one parent dealing with a drug or alcohol problem. DEAN SCHNEIDER

Grace Notes: Poems About Families
by Naomi Shihab Nye
Middle School, High School    Greenwillow    240 pp.
5/24    9780062691873    $19.99
e-book ed.  9780062691897    $11.99

Nye’s (most recently Everything Comes Next, rev. 1/21) latest collection of free verse poems is divided into two parts: “No Age Is Empty” and “Sometimes We Need a Bigger Family.” Her focus is on growing up and her own personal family circle, particularly her mother. The 117 lyrical poems reveal the many ways that families, friends, culture, and memories shape us. One of the book’s major themes is posited at the start: the beauty of living with “the fact that we exist at all / is a random grace note / of a forgotten symphony.” The poems ask deep questions such as “Who are we all, in the big picture?” or about “who you might / become, / how you might / unfold.” Nye does not shy away from addressing some of life’s difficulties, including her mother’s depression, the constraints of having strict grandparents, and even the impact of war. In “Everyone,” each of the three parts offers a powerful revelation: “Everyone has burdens”; “Everything is a mystery”; and “Everyone has secrets.” The verse is vulnerable, channels emotions that are universal, and raises existential questions and observations in reflective and comforting ways: “Life / is full of mysteries. / They’re not mine, not yours. / They’re life’s.” Full of love, empathy, and compassion, these poems are thoughtful, honest, and uplifting. SYLVIA VARDELL

Everything We Never Had
by Randy Ribay
High School    Kokila/Penguin    288 pp.
8/24    9780593461419    $18.99
e-book ed.  9780593461433    $10.99

Perspectives in this novel alternate among members of the Maghabol family from four different generations. In 1929, Francisco has recently emigrated from the ­Philippines to Watsonville, California, where he picks produce and eventually becomes a major labor organizer. In 1965, his son, Emil, has grown up without the presence of his constantly traveling father. Emil finds his way out of poverty by committing to academic and professional excellence. In 1983, Emil’s son, Chris, struggles with pressures from his father, who expects him to assimilate and focus on school — but a class project leads Chris to uncover deep and difficult histories of the Philippines, which is met with Emil’s disapproval. And in 2020, Chris’s son Enzo witnesses the effects of generational differences, rifts, and trauma when his grandfather moves in with the family as a precaution at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to exploring complex father-son relationships, Ribay takes the reader on a journey through Filipino American history, from the Manong Generation (young, single men who came to the U.S. in the early twentieth century) to the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes in 2020. A brief historical note and resources are appended. GABI KIM HUESCA

Eighteen Roses
by Shannon C.F. Rogers
High School    Feiwel    304 pp.
7/24    9781250845733    $20.99
e-book ed.  9781250845740    $11.99

Seventeen-year-old Lucia Cruz loves the consistency of her daily routine. During a trip to San Diego for her cousin’s debut — a traditional Filipino coming-of-age party in which Luz has no interest — her world is turned on its head. Her best friend, Esme, reveals her discontent with their customary patterns, and Luz finds out that her mom has been planning her debut, complete with an Eighteen Roses ceremony, behind her back. She returns home to contend with the possibility of trying new things, connecting with classmates besides Esme, and cobbling together an extravagant birthday celebration. Throughout Luz’s last year of high school, Rogers sheds light on the overwhelming nature of self-discovery as well as the messiness of conflict between friends and of complicated families (Luz and her younger sister begrudgingly split their time between their Filipina mom and white dad, who is remarried to a younger, ­now-pregnant Filipina woman). Many of the protagonist’s critical observations are based on fear and anxiety and, as it turns out, can be transformed into humor. Despite feeling abandoned by Esme, Luz manages to develop connections with classmates through a stand-up comedy club. And with the power of TikTok, she puts together a unique ­Eighteen Roses ceremony that fits her personality and style. While she often feels powerless, Luz’s courage allows her to build unexpected connections, self-confidence, and community. gabi kim huesca

Brownstone
by Samuel Teer; illus. by Mar Julia; color by Ashanti Fortson
Middle School, High School    Versify/HarperCollins    320 pp.
6/24    9780358394754    $26.99
Paper ed.  9780358394747    $18.99
e-book ed.  9780358393764    $12.99

In this empathetic coming-of-age graphic novel, nearly-fifteen-year-old Almudena reluctantly spends the summer of 1995 with Xavier, her Guatemalan father whom she’s never met, so that her (non-Latine) mother can accept a dream job in Europe. June starts off unpleasantly — Almudena’s stereotypical view of Latine culture alienates her Guatemalan neighbors, and her unfamiliarity with Spanish causes frustratingly stilted communication with Xavier as they spend their days renovating his rundown brownstone. But as the summer months pass, Almudena makes genuine efforts to embrace the heritage she’s never known — from chile relleno to her own quinceañera — and build relationships with the brownstone’s prospective new tenants as they share their challenges surrounding gentrification, racism, and homophobia. Father and daughter gradually improve in their communication, culminating in bittersweet yet hopeful revelations surrounding his absence from her life and in her reassessing what she considers to be a “perfect family.” The earth-toned illustrations warmly depict Xavier’s metropolitan neighborhood and are full of affectionate detail, from refinement of the brownstone throughout its restoration to Almudena’s resemblances to both parents. Spanish dialogue is either untranslated, paraphrased into English, or represented through Almudena’s observations (“rapid-fire Spanish-sounding stuff”). Teer shows his characters’ shortcomings without framing anyone as an antagonist and omits most period-specific references in favor of concentrating on timeless emotions related to overcoming cultural imposter syndrome. EMMA SHACOCHIS

Where Wolves Don’t Die
by Anton Treuer
Middle School, High School    Levine/Levine Querido    256 pp.
6/24    9781646143818    $18.99

Fifteen-year-old Ezra Cloud wishes he were on the rez at Nigigoonsiminikaaning First Nation with Grandpa Liam. Instead, he is stuck in northeast Minneapolis, being bullied by Matt Schroeder. When Matt’s house burns down just hours after they have a fight, Ezra’s father worries about suspicion falling on his son and decides that Ezra should go to the rez to be with his grandparents in Canada while the police investigate. As Ezra learns more about Ojibwe culture and activities (including hunting and trapping), he begins to heal from the loss of his mother a year earlier and let go of his long-held anger toward his father. He also learns family secrets that change how he understands himself and those around him. In his introspective and compelling debut YA novel, Treuer weaves Ojibwe history and traditions with contemporary concerns for Ojibwe teens. Readers also bear witness, via the grandfather character’s memories, to the violent impact of the residential schools on families and children. Back matter includes an Ojibwe glossary and an author’s note that acknowledges changes made to real-life stories and customs for narrative effect. NICHOLL DENICE MONTGOMERY

From the September 2024 issue of Notes from the Horn Book.