More kids these days are exposed to traumatic experiences thanks to school shootings, an uptick in mental health disturbances, and of course, cyberbullying. If you’ve been looking for middle grade books about trauma recovery, the books on this list may help. I’ve tried to include stories about a wide range of experiences, including traumatic loss, school shootings, domestic violence, and injury/accident recovery. Hopefully, these stories help kids who are recovering from trauma of all kinds.
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12 Middle Grade Books About Trauma Recovery
Table of Contents
Here are 12 great middle grade books about kids recovering from traumatic experiences:
Recovering from a School Shooting
The stories in these books feature kids trying to cope after school shootings.
The Shape of Thunder
Published: May 11, 2021
The Shape of Thunder follows two former best friends Quinn and Cora whose lives have been altered by a tragic event. Quinn’s brother Parker killed Cora’s sister in a school shooting. Understandably, this created a rift between both girls, even though they still deeply care for each other and have been friends since kindergarten. As they approach the first anniversary of the shooting, Quinn thinks she’s found a way to undo what happened and reaches out to Cora to work with her.
The story is told from alternating points of view (Quinn and Cora) as both girls try to figure out time travel, while processing the grief and trauma they both hold. This is a very moving book and so well written too. So many readers — both of middle grade and adult books — were fans of Warga’s Other Words for Home. This is a much different book, but just as brilliant. It also tackles a (sadly) timely topic in a realistic, age-appropriate way.
AfterMath
Published: September 7, 2021
In the aftermath of her little brother’s death, Lucy and her parents move to a small town that is still healing from a school shooting four years ago. It’s jarring for Lucy to be around all these kids who lost friends when they were in the third grade, but it’s even harder because, unlike the situation in her home, the kids talk a lot about the shooting, their grief, and seeing therapists. But in all their sharing, the students have cast the shooter’s younger sister and their classmate, Avery — whom Lucy befriends — as an outsider. Will Lucy ever find her place and deal with her grief?
Despite my hesitation about the author narrating, I listened to this on audio and loved it! Lucy is a deeply introspective character with a serious love for math. It’s how she makes sense of the world around her. This is a powerful, heartbreaking, and hopeful middle grade book about the impact of school shootings, grief, and friendships. Lucy’s love for math and the math jokes throughout this book will appeal to kids who like STEM middle grade books.
Simon Sort of Says
Published: January 31, 2023
After surviving a school shooting, Simon and his parents (one a priest, the other a mortician) move to a town in America’s National Quiet Zone with no internet or TV. As Simon tries to stay under the radar, new friends, a new mission, and a warm community draw him out in this funny, quirky, and moving release about science and PTSD.
Recovering from an Accident or Injury
Here are some stories about middle schoolers or their parents recovering from a traumatic accident or injury:
The Sea in Winter
Published: January 5, 2021
The Sea in Winter is the story of 12-year-old ballet dancer Maisie Cannon who is recovering from a torn ACL. Maisie is Native American and part of a blended family; her mom remarried after her father’s death, and she has a younger half-brother. With regard to her heritage, her mom is Makah, her father was Piscataway, and her stepfather, Jack, is from the Elwha Klallam Tribe.
Maisie is miserable because her two closest (and only) friends Eva and Hattie are also ballerinas, and now that she isn’t dancing, it’s too difficult to maintain her friendships with them. She’s also struggling with how slowly she’s recovering and is a bit depressed in general because of how much she loves ballet and how tightly woven into her identity it was.
Maisie’s family takes a trip during winter break to hike a bit and also learn more about her ethnic history. During the trip, things come to a head emotionally for her, and she’s forced to address many unpleasant emotions and reconnect with her family.
Aniana Del Mar Jumps In
Published: March 14, 2023
Aniana Del Mar Jumps into her love for swimming despite her mother’s disapproval. Aniana is a child of Dominican parents growing up on Galveston, an island in the state of Texas. Her mom has undiagnosed PTSD from the death of her (Aniana’s mother’s) brother years ago in a storm back in their home country, so she doesn’t want her daughter near the water. Aniana’s father wants his daughter to pursue her passion and takes her to swim meets without her mother’s knowledge. But when Aniana wakes up one day with painfully swollen joints and other weird symptoms after swimming, their secret is exposed, and Aniana is faced with a new diagnosis that may threaten the one sport she loves.
This is a verse novel with a lot of fun experimentation (I have no idea what they’re called, but the author makes shapes out of some of the verses). I think the verse format lends itself well to the author’s storytelling.
The Hurricane Girls
Published: August 29, 2023
Greer, Joya, and Kiki are three best friends born just after Hurricane Katrina. Now 12 years after the catastrophe, they’re dealing with personal life struggles. Greer feels responsible for an accident that left her sister paralyzed from the waist down and has stopped running track–something she loved dearly before the accident, Kiki is grappling with an absentee father, and Joya is trying to help her financially strained family. Kiki decides that the three girls will sign up for a triathlon to get Greer back into running, but the plan ends up changing all three girls’ lives.
The Hurricane Girls is a warm, stirring, and sparkling middle grade book about female friendships, body image, sports, and self-forgiveness. Set in the lively New Orleans, this story celebrates family, sisterhood, perseverance, and the grit required to recover from tragedy. This is one of my favorite books this year and I highly recommend it.
Recovering from a Racist Attack
The kids in these stories have to cope after a racist attack on their loved ones:
Rain Rising
Published: September 27, 2022
13-year-old Rain is dealing with several issues. First, her best friend has been acting like a frenemy lately. Then, she’s just so sad all the time and can’t stop feeling negative about her body — thinking she’s ugly and too big. Her single source of solace is her family. When the thoughts become too tough to handle, her mother and brother Xander, especially, bring light to her day, even without knowing her challenges. But when Xander gets beaten up in a racially motivated attack during a potential college visit, Rain feels the walls closing in on her. Can she and her family find their way back to normalcy?
Rain Rising is a powerful debut middle grade verse novel about mental health, body image, family, and healing. This book tackles tough topics like colorism, racism, and self-harm with compassion, sensitivity, and authenticity.
The Probability of Everything
Published: June 27, 2023
Kemi Carter is a scientific facts aficionado who lives with her parents and her little sister, Lola. They’ve recently moved to a better neighborhood but don’t feel particularly welcome. The story opens with readers learning that an asteroid is predicted to hit Earth in four days. To prepare for the end of the world as she knows it, Kemi prepares a time capsule to preserve her most important memories and mementos about her family — including her dad who is the center of her world.
This is one of those books that’s best to go into as blindly as possible. Just know the book is good and it is definitely not sci-fi about the end of the world. This is a deeply poignant middle grade book about grief, racism, and finding the way forward after tragedy.
Recovering from Parental Abuse
Here are some great books about kids recovering from parental/domestic abuse:
The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn
Published: July 11, 2023
Maudie is a sweet, autistic girl spending the summer with her dad. When her dad’s home is razed in a California wildfire, they move to the small beach town where her father grew up. Throughout the summer, as Maudie makes new friends, starts learning to surf, and enters a surfing contest, a secret tugs at her–one her mother has asked her to keep from her dad.
I loved this book. Maudie’s voice is quiet but riveting. The beach setting is super atmospheric, and all the characters are so well drawn they feel like real people. This is a vivid, triumphant, and authentic coming-of-age story about discovering one’s inner strength.
The War That Saved My Life
Published: January 8, 2015
Ten-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada’s twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn’t waste a minute—she sneaks out to join him.
So begins a new adventure for Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan—and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?
Recovering from Traumatic Loss
These books feature kids recovering from a traumatic loss:
Iveliz Explains It All
Published: September 13, 2022
Iveliz is set to have a great 7th grade experience, but her life is going to plan. She’s still recovering from the tragic accident she was in with her dad, her pills for depression aren’t working, and her mom isn’t sure therapy is even worth it for Iveliz. On top of that, her abuela is moving in with them from Puerto Rico. Can Iveliz share her feelings even when it seems like no one wants to hear them?
Tiger Daughter
Published: August 15, 2023
Wen is a first-generation daughter of Chinese immigrants living in Australia. Her dad is angry because he hasn’t been able to re-qualify as a medical professional in Australia, and he tries to control Wen and her mother’s lives. Wen plans to go to high school far away from their town — she and her best friend at school, another first-generation immigrant kid. But when a tragedy occurs in Henry’s family, Wen and her mother must step up to support him if they want to achieve their dreams.
I typically avoid emotionally challenging stories, but I found Wen’s voice so compelling. This is a brilliant new middle grade book about chasing dreams, unwavering friendships, and the value of community, especially in immigrant communities. (TW: A parent takes their own life in this story.)
There they are: 12 of the best middle grade books about trauma recovery. Which of these books have you read and loved? What did I miss?
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