Closer to Nowhere

Ellen Hopkins tells this middle-grade story in alternating verse chapters — Hannah's life turned upside down when traumatized cousin Cal moves in, Cal fighting PTSD from years of abuse he can barely name. The 'Fact or Fiction' and 'Definition' chapter frames are clever without being gimmicky, and Hopkins draws on real family experience that gives the emotional beats genuine weight. Both kids grow in empathy at a pace that feels earned rather than forced. Fair warning: parental addiction, death, and PTSD are central, not background — this is meaty material for the 10-14 range, and sensitive younger readers may need a trusted adult alongside. But for the right reader, it's a rare story that makes hard things feel survivable.