Books like 'Six Goodbyes We Never Said'
Readers who enjoyed Six Goodbyes We Never Said by Candace Ganger also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary realistic lgbtq grief poc-mc friendship
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When Aidan Became A Brother by Kyle Lukoff
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsWhen Aidan was born, everyone thought he was a girl. His parents gave him a pretty name, his room looked like a girl's room, and he wore clothes that other girls liked wearing. After he realized he was a trans boy, Aidan and his parents fixed the parts of life that didn't fit anymore, and he settled happily into his new life... -
The Vanderbeekers Lost and Found by Karina Yan Glaser, Robin Miles
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWhen autumn arrives on 141st Street, the Vanderbeekers are busy helping Mr. Beiderman get ready for the New York City Marathon and making sure the mysterious person sleeping in the community garden gets enough to eat... -
Your Name Is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFrustrated by a day full of teachers and classmates mispronouncing her beautiful name, a little girl tells her mother she never wants to come back to school. In response, the girl's mother teaches her about the musicality of African, Asian, Black-American, Latinx, and Middle Eastern names on their lyrical walk home through the city... -
Blood Is Thicker by Paul Langan, D.M. Blackwell
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsHakeem Randall can't take it anymore. First he learns that his father is sick and that his parents can no longer afford their home. Then he finds out he has to leave his friends at Bluford High and move in with his uncle in faraway Detroit--where he has to share a bedroom with his moody, secretive cousin Savon... -
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I Love My Hair! by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA modern classic, this whimsical story has been celebrating the beauty of African-American hair for 20 years!In this imaginative, evocative story, a girl named Keyana discovers the beauty and magic of her special hair, encouraging black children to be proud of their heritage and enhancing self-confidence... -
Jamie by L.D. Lapinski
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA beautiful and uplifting story from L.D. Lapinski, author of The Strangeworlds Travel Agency, about how to make your own place when the world doesn't think you fit anywhere. For fans of Me, My Dad and The End of The Rainbow.Jamie Rambeau is a happy 11-year-old non-binary kid who likes nothing better than hanging out with their two best friends Daisy and Ash... -
Tryin' to Sleep in the Bed You Made by Virginia DeBerry, Donna Grant
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFrom the time they were young, Gayle and Patricia were raised like sisters, as close as two friends could be. But they each had dreams that would take them far away - and far away from each other. Gayle was the beauty who believed that a man could make her world complete. Patricia was the intellectual who thought that rising to the top of her career would make her happy... -
The Day After Forever by Erin Skiffington
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe Day After Forever is an emotional story centering around four teenagers who discover and demostrate the true meaning of friendship. It illustrates the agony surroundingf horrific events and how friendship will always stand strong against the circumstances. Jeff has leukemia... -
Pieces of You by Tablo
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsEpik High leader Tablo's short stories weave together the secrets and anxieties of youth, whispering words of solace to a lost generation... -
I Promise by LeBron James
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsNBA champion and superstar LeBron James pens a slam-dunk picture book inspired by his foundation’s I PROMISE program that motivates children everywhere to always #StriveForGreatness.Just a kid from Akron, Ohio, who is dedicated to uplifting youth everywhere, LeBron James knows the key to a better future is to excel in school, do your best, and keep your family close... -
Fierce Fragile Hearts by Sara Barnard, Charlie Sanderson
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFierce Fragile Hearts is the stunning companion novel to Sara Barnard's YA bestseller Beautiful Broken Things. It is about leaving the past behind, the friends who form your future, and learning to find love, in all its forms.Two years after a downward spiral took her as low as you can possibly go, Suzanne is starting again. Again... -
Julian at the Wedding by Jessica Love
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe star of Julián Is a Mermaid makes a joyful return--and finds a new friend--at a wedding to be remembered. Julián and his abuela are attending a wedding. Better yet, Julián is in the wedding along with his cousin Marisol... -
Saturday at the Food Pantry by Diane O'Neill
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMolly and her mom don't always have enough food, so one Saturday they visit their local food pantry. Molly's happy to get food to eat until she sees her classmate Caitlin, who's embarrassed to be at the food pantry... -
Message Not Found by Dante Medema
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAn emotionally complex portrayal of secrets, loss, and grief from Dante Medema, Indies Introduce author of the Indie Next Pick title The Truth Project.Bailey and Vanessa shared everything: laughter, secrets, and packets of Pop Rocks to ward off bad days. But that all changed the night Vanessa left Bailey’s, headed for home, and ended up swerving off a cliff nowhere near her house... -
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Working Man by Melanie Schuster
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFunny and feisty true-crime writer Dakota Phillips has "almost" everything she wants. She's still looking for the perfect man: very tall, very educated and very cultured--all wrapped up in rich chocolate brown. So far, her insecurities about her generous curves and her independent streak have kept her searching. Nick is a self-made mogul who works hard, plays hard and loves life's finer things... -
Jaded by Monica McKayhan
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhat Jade Morgan wants: for her parents to get back together. Instead her dad proposes to his new girlfriend, who has the nerve to ask Jade to be a bridesmaid. Like that'll ever happen. Her new boyfriend, Terrence, thinks she should give her future stepmom a chance, try to get to know her. Yet Jade barely knows Terrence—who is cute and cool, but is seriously hiding something... -
For the Love of April French by Penny Aimes
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsApril French doesn't do relationships and she never asks for more.A long-standing regular at kink club Frankie's, she's kind of seen it all. As a trans woman, she’s used to being the scenic rest stop for others on their way to a happily-ever-after. She knows how desire works, and she keeps hers carefully boxed up to take out on weekends only.After all, you can't be let down if you never ask... -
Shrink to Fit by Dona Sarkar
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLosing weight is the solution to all basketball-star Leah Mandeville's problems, or so she thinks. Getting superthin a) help her jump shotb) make her look like America's Next Top Modelc) get the attention of the high school hottie who ignores any girl with a little junk in the trunkAnd it's working, isn't it? Her boo is now crushing on her. Everyone says how good she looks... -
We, The Wildflowers by L.B. Simmons
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratings“Their strength and ferocity stem from below the surface where their roots are forever tangled, interwoven in such a way that for the remainder of time they bloom together …”GenesisAdamChloeLukasNo one loves them, no one cares about them, no one even sees them until they end up in Mary Rodriguez’s home, an outpost for Sacred Heart’s troubled youth program... -
My Maddy by Gayle E. Pitman
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA child celebrates her Maddy, who is neither mommy nor daddy but a little bit of both, like so many things in nature. Includes note to parents... -
On Herring Cove Road: Mr. Rosen and His 43Lb Anxiety by Michael Kroft
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsOnce an amusing extrovert with a reputation as a prankster, Mr. Rosen is entering his retirement years as a stoic thirty-year converted introvert who has no interest in people, despises change, and is more than content to have his wife navigate his life... -
Never Meant to Stay by Trisha Das
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA bighearted romantic comedy about family and finding the perfect match set against the exuberant backdrop of contemporary Delhi.Home has always been a temporary arrangement for Samara Mansingh, a wayfaring wedding photographer and the daughter of a diplomat. When her father is uprooted once again, Samara needs a place to stay in Delhi. Next stop: the Khanna family... -
Caitlin's Lucky Charm by Lisa Schroeder
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFour best friends, one lucky bracelet, and an utterly charming new middle-grade series!Caitlin would stay at summer camp forever if she could. Her new best friends in the world, Hannah, Mia, and Libby are there... -
Bryce by L.A. Witt
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAlecI don’t do love. I don’t do relationships. What I do is tour with my band and enjoy the life we worked so hard to earn. When I’m home, my favorite escort is always happy to join me in bed.Except he’s not an escort anymore. He has, however, hand-picked someone to replace him. I’m dubious because I hate change, but I’ll give this new guy a chance.And I will not fall in love with him... -
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Azar on Fire by Olivia Abtahi
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFinding her voice takes on a whole new meaning when fourteen-year-old Azar Rossi sets out to win her local Battle of the Bands contest in this heartfelt and hilarious contemporary YA.Fourteen-year-old Azar Rossi’s first year of high school has mostly been silent, and intentionally so... -
Afterglow by Phil Stamper
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAfter a summer of life-changing, these four friends are finally ready for senior year.Gabriel is thrilled to create his school's first LGBTQ+ advocacy group, but his long-distance relationship is fading from summer love to something else... Heath feels secure for the first time in years, but with his future riding on a baseball scholarship, each pitch triggers his anxiety.. -
I'd Rather Burn Than Bloom by Shannon C.F. Rogers
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsPacked with voice, this is a powerful coming-of-age YA novel about a Filipina-American teen who tries to figure out who she really is in the wake of her mother's death.Some girls call their mother their best friend. Marisol? She could never relate. She and her mom were forever locked in an argument with no beginning and no end... -
Barbie Chang by Victoria Chang
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBarbie’s cultural artifice is unmasked by Victoria Chang’s imagination, lifting the struggle of Asian American experience to mythic levels... -
The Impossibility of Us by Katy Upperman
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe last thing Elise wants is to start her senior year in a new town. But after her brother’s death in Afghanistan, she and her mother move from San Francisco to a sleepy coastal village.When Elise meets Mati, they quickly discover how much they have in common. Mati is new to town too, visiting the U.S. with his family... -
Jumped In by Patrick Flores-Scott
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSam has the rules of slackerhood down: Don't be late to class. Don't ever look the teacher in the eye. Develop your blank stare. Since his mom left, he has become an expert in the art of slacking, especially since no one at his new school gets his intense passion for the music of the Pacific Northwest—Nirvana, Hole, Sleater-Kinney...Categorized as:
realistic friendship poc-mc young-adult contemporary high-school coming-of-age male-mc -
The Flick by Annie Baker
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIn a rundown movie theater in central Massachusetts, three underpaid employees sweep up popcorn in the empty aisles and tend to one of the last thirty-five-millimeter projectors in the state. With keen insight and a ceaseless attention to detail, The Flick pays tribute to the power of movies and paints a heartbreaking portrait of three characters and their working lives... -
Tiffany Sly Lives Here Now by Dana L. Davis
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsI’ve got seven days to come clean to my new dad. Seven days to tell the truth…For sixteen-year-old Tiffany Sly, life hasn’t been safe or normal for a while. Losing her mom to cancer has her a little bit traumatized and now she has to leave her hometown of Chicago to live with the biological dad she’s never known... -
Violet in Bloom by Lauren Myracle
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsKatie-Rose, Violet, Milla, and Yasaman—four girls with seemingly little in common but their flower names—are nurturing their new friendship and are busy building luvyabunches.com, their very own social-networking site. Their first flower-power task? A doomed campaign to get their school to serve healthier snacks... -
P.S. I Really Like You by Nancy E. Krulik
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBestselling author Nancy Krulik takes an inside look at what it takes to survive middle school.Jenny has been getting gifts, cards, and notes from a secret admirer. Who could the mystery boy be? While Jenny is dealing with her admirer, Rachel and Felicia stop speaking following a basketball game in which Rachel refused to pass the ball to Felicia, and then missed the winning basket... -
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Fifteen Lanes by S.J. Laidlaw
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsNoor has lived all of her fourteen years in the fifteen lanes of Mumbai’s red light district. Born into a brothel, she is destined for the same fate as her mother: a desperate life trapped in the city’s sex trade. She must act soon to have any chance of escaping this grim future.Across the sprawling city, fifteen-year-old Grace enjoys a life of privilege... -
Don't Forget Me by Victoria Stevens
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSeventeen-year-old Hazel Clarke is no stranger to heartbreaks, and being sent to live with a father she’s never met is the latest in a string of them. Even the beauty of eastern Australia isn’t enough to take her mind off her mother and the life she had to leave behind in England... -
Also Known as Elvis by James Howe
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSkeezie Tookis navigates a pivotal summer of first crushes and tough choices in this conclusion to the bestselling and acclaimed quartet that began with The Misfits.Skeezie Tookis, also known as Elvis, isn’t looking forward to this summer in Paintbrush Falls...Categorized as:
friendship lgbtq realistic children children-books coming-of-age contemporary fiction -
Sweet Thirteen by Annie Bryant
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCharlotte's thrilled -- Sophie's on her way from Paris to meet the BSG, and Charlotte's writing a special story as a welcome gift... -
Bear Necessity by James Gould-Bourn
Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA heartwarming, poignant, and charming debut novel for fans of Nick Hornby and The Rosie Project, about a father and son overcoming their grief in surprisingly inventive ways.Danny’s life is falling apart. He’s become a single father to eleven-year-old Will—who hasn’t spoken since the death of his mother in a car crash a year earlier—and Danny has just been fired from his construction job... -
The Together Tree by Aisha Saeed, LeUyen Pham
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAll Are Welcome meets Be Kind in this poignant and accessible picture book about the power every bystander—no matter how small—has to extend kindness and stand up in the face of intolerance.At his new school, quiet Rumi feels small and unwelcome, and a few kids bully him for being different and wearing bright shoes... -
I Got the Rhythm by Connie Schofield-Morrison
Rated: 3.92 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsOn a simple trip to the park, the joy of music overtakes a mother and daughter... -
Finding Jupiter by Kelis Rowe
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSparks fly when Orion and Ray meet for the first time at a roller rink in Memphis. But these star-crossed souls have a past filled with secrets that threaten to tear them apart before their love story even begins. Found poetry, grief, and fate collide in this powerful debut. Ray: Just once I'd like my birthday to be about me, and not the day my father died. I want to be Ray Jr... -
Just Kidding by Annie Bryant
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt's Spirit Week at Abigail Adams Junior High, but the IM gossip chain has gotten way out of control, and poor Isabel is the target! Mean messages and whispering classmates are popping up all over -- and of course, the Queens of Mean are in the thick of it. Everybody claims to be "just kidding," but it's not funny at all... -
Between Takes by Alex Evansley
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsDebut author Alex Evansley delivers a sweet summer romance in this inventive novel about a young heartthrob and teen author falling in love. Teddy Sharpe is kind of famous. He might actually be on his way to being really famous, especially if he'd nailed an audition for the lead role in the movie adaption of the newest bestselling young adult book series... -
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DJ Rising by Love Maia
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe first thing I hear is music. The first thing I've always heard is music.Meet Marley, an unassuming high school junior who breathes in music like oxygen. In between caring for his heroin-addicted mother, and keeping his scholarship at a fancy prep school, he dreams of becoming a professional DJ.When chance lands Marley his first real DJ job, his career as "DJ Ice" suddenly skyrockets... -
We Could Be Something by Will Kostakis
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsPart Coming-Out Story.Part falling-in-love story.Part falling-apart story.Harvey's dads are splitting up. It's been on the cards for a while, but it's still sudden. Woken-by-his-father-to-catch-a-red-eye sudden. Now he's restarting His Life In A New City, Living Above A Cafe With The Extended Greek Family He Barely Knows.Sotiris is a rising star... -
Girl, 16: Five Star Fiasco by Sue Limb
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe teenage world of Jess Jordon is looking characteristically chaotic: Mum has joined an online dating programme and has recruited Jess as advisor, while Jess's best friend Flora has a rich new boyfriend who Jess can't possibly keep up with. Then Jess's own boyfriend, Fred, does something unbelievably treacherous and spineless... -
Kaleidoscope Song by Fox Benwell
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSouth Africa is loud. Listen. Do you hear the song and dance of it? The chorus of Khayelitsha life? Every voice is different, its pitch and tone and intonation as distinct as the words we choose and how we wrap our mouths around them. But everybody has a voice, and everybody sings…Fifteen year old Neo loves music, it punctuates her life and shapes the way she views the world... -
3 by Hannah Moskowitz
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsYou just have to be a brave and certain kind of person, and I don't think that I am. I'm sarcastic and loyal and a little shy. I'm quietly and slightly Catholic. I'm a daughter trying to learn how to be a sister. I'm a virgin. I'm a butterflier.I've never been in love.Taylor Cipriano had everything figured out, back when she lived with her single mother in Miami... -
Two Can Play That Game by Leanne Yong
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFunny and romantic, an upbeat YA novel about gaming, goals and getting even from a fresh new voice in contemporary fiction.How did I let my sister talk me into going out when I have a game to fix and a jerkface to destroy?Sam Khoo has one goal in life: create cool indie games. She's willing to do anything to make her dream come true - even throw away a scholarship to university...
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