Violets Are Blue

Barbara Dee handles parental opioid addiction with a rare combination of honesty and gentleness — Wren's confusion and denial feel true to life, and the special-effects makeup thread gives her a vivid, believable identity beyond her family's crisis. A starred PW review and a state book award back up what the premise promises. Parents should know the subject matter going in, but this is exactly the kind of book that helps a kid who's living something similar feel less alone.