Books like 'The Thing About Jellyfish'
Readers who enjoyed The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary mystery realistic coming-of-age friendship grief children family animals bullying
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Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 42 ratingsFor fans of A Man Called Ove, a charming, witty and compulsively readable exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope, tracing a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus.After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up... -
![Finding Billie Romano by Jean Grainger]()
Finding Billie Romano by Jean Grainger
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsUSA Today bestselling author wants to take you to Ireland for a story that will leave you wanting more long after you turn the last page... Twenty-five year old Billie Romano is struggling. She is grieving the death of her beloved dad and nothing in her life is going right... -
![Have You Seen Luis Velez? by Catherine Ryan Hyde]()
Have You Seen Luis Velez? by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsRaymond Jaffe feels like he doesn't belong. Not with his mother's new family. Not as a weekend guest with his father and his father's wife. Not at school, where he's an outcast... -
![Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake, Chloe Cannon]()
Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake, Chloe Cannon
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWhen a tornado rips through town, twelve-year-old Ivy Aberdeen's house is destroyed and her family of five is displaced. Ivy feels invisible and ignored in the aftermath of the storm--and what's worse, her notebook filled with secret drawings of girls holding hands has gone missing... -
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![Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt]()
Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsWhen Jack meets his new foster brother, he already knows three things about him:Joseph almost killed a teacher.He was incarcerated at a place called Stone Mountain.He has a daughter. Her name is Jupiter. And he has never seen her.What Jack doesn’t know, at first, is how desperate Joseph is to find his baby girl.Or how urgently he, Jack, will want to help.But the past can’t be shaken off... -
![The Ladies' Midnight Swimming Club by Faith Hogan]()
The Ladies' Midnight Swimming Club by Faith Hogan
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThree women. Three different stages of life. United by one thing: the chance to start again.'Uplifting, emotional and brimming with warmth and humour' – Cathy BramleyWhen Elizabeth's husband dies, leaving her with crippling debt, the only person she can turn to is her friend, Jo. Soon Jo has called in her daughter, Lucy, to help save Elizabeth from bankruptcy... -
![An Unfinished Story: A Novel by Boo Walker]()
An Unfinished Story: A Novel by Boo Walker
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsA grieving widow and a disenchanted writer form an unexpected bond in a novel about second chances and finding the courage to let go of the past. It’s been three years since Claire Kite lost her husband, David, an aspiring novelist, in a tragic car accident. Claire finally finds the courage to move on; then she discovers among the remnants of her shattered world her husband’s last manuscript... -
![Fresh Water for Flowers: A Novel by Valérie Perrin]()
Fresh Water for Flowers: A Novel by Valérie Perrin
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsViolette Toussaint is the caretaker at a cemetery in a small town in Bourgogne. Casual mourners, regular visitors, and sundry colleagues—gravediggers, groundskeepers, and a priest—visit her to warm themselves in her lodge, where laughter, companionship, and occasional tears mix with the coffee she offers them. Her life is lived to the rhythms of their funny, moving confidences... -
![Mr. Terupt Falls Again by Rob Buyea]()
Mr. Terupt Falls Again by Rob Buyea
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsThe kids and teacher of Because of Mr. Terupt are back in this warm-hearted sequel.Fifth-grade was full of unforgettable events for Mr. Terupt and his class at Snow Hill School. Seven students were particularly affected by Mr. Terupt... -
![Night Road by Kristin Hannah]()
Night Road by Kristin Hannah
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 41 ratingsJude Farraday is a happily married, stay-at-home mom who puts everyone’s needs above her own. Her twins, Mia and Zach, are bright and happy teenagers. When Lexi Baill enters their lives, no one is more supportive than Jude. A former foster child with a dark past, Lexi quickly becomes Mia’s best friend. Then Zach falls in love with Lexi and the three become inseparable... -
![All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook by Leslie Connor]()
All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook by Leslie Connor
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsJunior Library Guild Selection * Kids’ Indie Next List PickFrom Leslie Connor, award-winning author of Waiting for Normal and Crunch, comes a soaring and heartfelt story about love, forgiveness, and how innocence makes us all rise up. All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook is a powerful story, perfect for fans of Wonder and When You Reach Me... -
![Brave Girl, Quiet Girl by Catherine Ryan Hyde]()
Brave Girl, Quiet Girl by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsAn Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestseller.From New York Times bestselling author Catherine Ryan Hyde comes a gripping and emotional novel about friendship, motherhood, and the journey toward finding a place to call home.Brooke is a divorced single mom, financially strapped, living with her mother, and holding tight to the one thing that matters most: her two-year-old daughter, Etta... -
![Invisible Girl by Jill Childs]()
Invisible Girl by Jill Childs
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA heartbreaking story of family secrets from the USA Today bestselling author of Gracie’s Secret. Perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult and Diane Chamberlain.I know you. I know you in a way you can’t even imagine. I have been searching for you in the years since you wrote that letter – the letter that told me you were looking for me too... -
![The Ethan I Was Before by Ali Standish]()
The Ethan I Was Before by Ali Standish
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsEthan had been many things. He was always ready for adventure and always willing to accept a dare, especially from his best friend, Kacey. But that was before. Before the accident that took Kacey from him. Before his family moved from Boston to the small town of Palm Knot, Georgia.Palm Knot may be tiny, but it’s the home of possibility and second chances... -
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![The Butterfly Garden by Sophie Anderson]()
The Butterfly Garden by Sophie Anderson
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI blamed my son for the death of my daughter…When twenty-five-year-old Erin flees London for Cornwall and takes a job at Hookes End, a huge house clinging precariously to the Cornish cliffs, all she knows about it are the stories people tell. The owner, reclusive novelist and butterfly enthusiast Maggie, has kept the curtains of her dusty house drawn for many years... -
![A Million Things by Emily Spurr]()
A Million Things by Emily Spurr
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA tender, funny, and heartbreaking story of how we cope with grief. For as long as Rae can remember, it’s been her and Mum, and their dog, Splinter; a small, deliberately unremarkable, family. They have their walks, their cooking routines, their home. Sometimes Mum disappears for a while to clear her head but Rae is okay with this, because she always comes back... -
![Killer in the Kiwis by Dale Mayer]()
Killer in the Kiwis by Dale Mayer
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsRiches to rags. ... Chaos again. ... Winning is important, ... at least for some!Doreen is overwhelmed with joy when she sees all the volunteers who show up to help get her deck addition built. Most of the men are cops, friends of Corporal Mack Moreau’s, and are happy to help Mack’s special friend and the lady who has helped solve so many crimes for them with a spot of home renovation... -
![Sara and the Search for Normal by Wesley King]()
Sara and the Search for Normal by Wesley King
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratings“It’s the vivid, insightful depiction of Sara’s internal struggles that readers will remember.” — BooklistIn this prequel to the Edgar Award–winning OCDaniel , fan-favorite Sara quests for “normal” and finds something even better along the way.Sara’s Rules to Be Normal1. Stop taking your pills19. Make a friend137. Don’t put mayonnaise on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches...Categorized as:
realistic family friendship bullying coming-of-age mental-illness middle-grade fiction -
![Recipes for Melissa: The heartbreaking story of a mother's goodbye to her daughter by Teresa Driscoll]()
Recipes for Melissa: The heartbreaking story of a mother's goodbye to her daughter by Teresa Driscoll
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIs it ever too late for the gift of goodbye? As I write now, you are eight years old – asleep in the bed next door in princess pyjamas, with a fairy costume discarded on the floor.Twenty-Five. The age I had you. The age our story began. And the age, I hope, that will see you truly ready for the things that I need to say to you… Melissa Dance was eight years old when her mother died... -
![The Coach Trip by Izzy Bromley]()
The Coach Trip by Izzy Bromley
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIn this heartwarming story of hope and second chances, Emma and Mel are about to discover that sometimes life is about the journey, not the destination…Classic forgetful Emma—she’s done it again, this time accidentally ruining a Valentine’s Day surprise for her best friend Mel. Desperate to make up for it, she promises Mel a birthday trip to Edinburgh—a girls’ weekend to end all girls’ weekends... -
![The How & the Why by Cynthia Hand]()
The How & the Why by Cynthia Hand
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA poignant exploration of family and the ties that bind, perfect for fans of Far From the Tree, from New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Hand.Today Melly had us writing letters to our babies…Cassandra McMurtrey has the best parents a girl could ask for. They’ve given Cass a life she wouldn’t trade for the world. She has everything she needs—except maybe the one thing she wants... -
![Mink River by Brian Doyle]()
Mink River by Brian Doyle
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsLike Dylan Thomas’ Under Milk Wood and Sherwood Anderson’s Winesburg, Ohio, Brian Doyle’s stunning fiction debut brings a town to life through the jumbled lives and braided stories of its people... -
![One Minute Later: A Novel by Susan Lewis]()
One Minute Later: A Novel by Susan Lewis
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsInternational bestselling author Susan Lewis’ riveting, unforgettable novel of a woman whose life changes in an instant and the handsome young man with whom she shares a secret history—perfect for readers of Jodi Picoult, Diane Chamberlain, and Susan Wiggs. How well do you know the people you love? For one young woman returning to the past, the answer could be heart-shattering.. -
![Lost and Found by Anne Schraff]()
Lost and Found by Anne Schraff
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWelcome to Bluford High. This widely acclaimed teen series set in an urban high school features engaging, accessible writing and appealing, contemporary storylines.Darcy Wills is in big trouble. And she does not know where to turn for help. First there was the mysterious stranger who started following her. Then there was the threatening note left on her desk at Bluford High School... -
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![Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner]()
Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsWhat if you could spend one last day with someone you lost?One day Carver Briggs had it all—three best friends, a supportive family, and a reputation as a talented writer at his high school, Nashville Academy for the Arts.The next day he lost it all when he sent a simple text to his friend Mars, right before Mars, Eli, and Blake were killed in a car crash... -
![The Keeper of Stories by Sally Page]()
The Keeper of Stories by Sally Page
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsA charming, uplifting debut novel—full of humor and depth—that has taken readers around the world by surprise. Everyone has a story to tell. But does Janice have the power to unlock her own?She can’t recall what started her collection... -
![Where The Story Starts by Imogen Clark]()
Where The Story Starts by Imogen Clark
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsA strange encounter. An unlikely friendship. But will it survive when they both know the truth?As single mother Leah struggles to get her children ready one morning, the doorbell rings. Standing on the doorstep of their terraced house in Whitley Bay is a well-dressed stranger, Clio, who feels an emotional tie to the house that she can’t explain... -
![Postcards from a Stranger by Imogen Clark]()
Postcards from a Stranger by Imogen Clark
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsWhat if everything you thought you knew about your life turned out to be a lie? A dark secret nestles at the heart of Cara's family but it is only when her dominating father becomes ill with Alzheimer's that the lies begin to unravel. When Cara stumbles across a box of old postcards, she is forced to question everything she thought she knew about her past... -
![Message Not Found by Dante Medema]()
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... -
![The Best Liars in Riverview by Lin Thompson]()
The Best Liars in Riverview by Lin Thompson
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsIn the woods of a small Kentucky town, Aubrey sets off on a journey about growing up, self-discovery, and acceptance while searching for their missing best friend—perfect for fans of King and the Dragonflies and Three Times Lucky .Aubrey and Joel are like two tomato vines that grew along the same crooked fence: weird, yet the same kind of weird. But lately, even their shared weirdness seems weird... -
![What They Don't Know by Nicole Maggi]()
What They Don't Know by Nicole Maggi
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThree secrets. One decision. A friendship that will change everything.Mellie has always been the reliable friend, the good student, the doting daughter. But when an unspeakable act leads her to withdraw from everyone she loves, she is faced with a life-altering choice―a choice she must face alone.Lise stands up―and speaks out―for what she believes in... -
![Tonight We Rule the World by Zack Smedley]()
Tonight We Rule the World by Zack Smedley
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIncludes an exclusive reader's guide from Zack SmedleyFrom the critically acclaimed author of Deposing Nathan comes an explosive examination of identity, voice, and the indelible ways our stories are rewritten by others.In the beginning, Owen’s story was blank . . . then he was befriended by Lily, the aspiring author who helped him find his voice... -
![The Passing Storm by Christine Nolfi]()
The Passing Storm by Christine Nolfi
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsA gripping, openhearted novel about family, reconciliation, and bringing closure to the secrets of the past.Early into the tempestuous decade of her thirties, Rae Langdon struggles to work through a grief she never anticipated. With her father, Connor, she tends to their Ohio farm, a forty-acre spread that itself has enjoyed better days... -
![The Art of Hiding by Amanda Prowse]()
The Art of Hiding by Amanda Prowse
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsWhat would you do if you learned that the life you lived was a lie? Nina McCarrick lives the perfect life, until her husband, Finn, is killed in a car accident and everything Nina thought she could rely on unravels.Alone, bereft and faced with a mountain of debt, Nina quickly loses her life of luxury and she begins to question whether she ever really knew the man she married... -
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![Call the Canaries Home by Laura Barrow]()
Call the Canaries Home by Laura Barrow
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThree estranged sisters reconnect in their Louisiana hometown to face an unresolved past in a heartfelt novel about family, grief, secrets, and forgiveness.Savannah was four years old when her twin sister, Georgia, went missing from their small Louisiana town, fracturing their family... -
![The Last Summer in Ireland: A gripping and emotional page-turner by Noëlle Harrison]()
The Last Summer in Ireland: A gripping and emotional page-turner by Noëlle Harrison
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA lost girl. A mysterious house in Ireland. An invitation that changes everything.Twenty years ago, at the end of a long hot Irish summer, three sisters submerge themselves in the cool lake at their home, Swan Hall. As Maeve and Aisling watch their beautiful younger sister Nuala laughing and splashing, droplets of water clinging to her dark hair, it is hard to hide their envy of her... -
![The Audacity of Goats: A Novel by J.F. Riordan]()
The Audacity of Goats: A Novel by J.F. Riordan
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAll is not well north of the tension line. A series of unsettling nighttime incidents have left the islanders uncertain whether to be nervous or annoyed... -
![Wedding Duress by Elizabeth Lynn Casey]()
Wedding Duress by Elizabeth Lynn Casey
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLibrarian Tori Sinclair is tying the knot—as long as a murder doesn’t unravel her plans…Tori is ecstatic to become Mrs. Milo Wentworth in a few days, but she has a lot to do before she sashays down the aisle. Favors need to be sewn, vows need to be written—and a mystifying murder needs to be solved... -
![After Zero by Christina Collins]()
After Zero by Christina Collins
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratings"Powerful and poetic." —John David Anderson, author of Posted and Ms. Bixby's Last Day Elise carries a notebook full of tallies, each page marking a day spent at her new public school, each stroke of her pencil marking a word spoken. A word that can't be taken back. Five tally marks isn't so bad. Two is pretty good. But zero? Zero is perfect... -
![Somewhere Between Luck and Trust by Emilie Richards]()
Somewhere Between Luck and Trust by Emilie Richards
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhere Luck Meets Trust, Miracles Can Happen... Christy Haviland served eight months in prison, giving birth behind bars to the child of the man who put her there and might yet destroy her. Now she's free again, but what does that mean? As smart as she is, a learning disability has kept her from learning to read. And that's the least of her hurdles... -
![Invisible by Jeff Erno]()
Invisible by Jeff Erno
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsChase Devereaux is a fifteen year old boy under a great deal of stress. He has to give a speech today for his Oral Communications class, and he's terrified of public speaking. Worse yet, he's being bullied by one of the most popular kids at school. He just has to make it through his third-hour gym class and then give his speech, and everything will be all right... -
![The Truth About Twinkie Pie by Kat Yeh]()
The Truth About Twinkie Pie by Kat Yeh
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThere's something about asking for Impossible Things. For one little second, they feel Possible. Take two sisters making it on their own: brainy twelve-year-old GiGi and junior-high-dropout-turned-hairstylist DiDi. Add a million dollars in prize money from a national cooking contest and a move from the trailer parks of South Carolina to the North Shore of Long Island... -
![Among the Lesser Gods by Margo Catts]()
Among the Lesser Gods by Margo Catts
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 16 ratings“Tragedy and blessing. Leave them alone long enough, and it gets real hard to tell them apart.”Elena Alvarez is living a cursed life. From the deadly fire she accidentally set as a child, to her mother’s abandonment, and now to an unwanted pregnancy, she knows better than most that small actions can have terrible consequences... -
![Nancy Clancy, Super Sleuth by Jane O'Connor]()
Nancy Clancy, Super Sleuth by Jane O'Connor
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsNancy Clancy is growing up and ready for a whole new adventure . . . in her chapter book debut! Nancy and her best friend, Bree, have everything they need to solve a mystery, from their totally professional trench coats to their top-secret code...Categorized as:
children family female-mc friendship realistic audiobook children-books contemporary -
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![What I Lost by Alexandra Ballard]()
What I Lost by Alexandra Ballard
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsA searing yet ultimately uplifting young adult novel about a teenage girl's recovery from anorexia.Sixteen-year-old Elizabeth has honed a dangerous skill: starving herself. Even when her parents send her to a treatment center, she can't stop. Then she begins receiving packages from someone she doesn't know... -
![If Only I Could Tell You: A Novel by Hannah Beckerman]()
If Only I Could Tell You: A Novel by Hannah Beckerman
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsHannah Beckerman pens a life-affirming novel that tells the story of a family divided and the secret that can possibly unite them—a must for fans of This Is Us. “I loved it (even though it made me cry)... -
![One True Thing by Anna Quindlen]()
One True Thing by Anna Quindlen
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsA mother. A daughter. A shattering choice. From Anna Quindlen, bestselling author of "Black and Blue," comes a novel of life, love and everyday acts of mercy. "A triumph... -
![The Secret Daughter by Kelly Rimmer]()
The Secret Daughter by Kelly Rimmer
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsAs I saw my new-born baby’s face for the first time I tried desperately to capture her face in my mind—to stamp it onto my eyelids. As she was taken from me I knew I might never see my daughter again. 38 years later… ‘You were adopted’. Three short words and Sabina’s life fractures. There would forever be a Before those words, and an After... -
![Bigger than a Bread Box by Laurel Snyder]()
Bigger than a Bread Box by Laurel Snyder
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA magical breadbox that delivers whatever you wish for—as long as it fits inside? It's too good to be true! Twelve-year-old Rebecca is struggling with her parents' separation, as well as a sudden move to her Gran's house in another state. For a while, the magic bread box, discovered in the attic, makes life away from home a little easier...Categorized as:
bullying children coming-of-age family female-mc friendship realistic action-adventure -
![The Survival Kit by Donna Freitas]()
The Survival Kit by Donna Freitas
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWhen Rose’s mom dies, she leaves behind a brown paper bag labeled Rose’s Survival Kit. Inside the bag, Rose finds an iPod, with a to-be-determined playlist; a picture of peonies, for growing; a crystal heart, for loving; a paper star, for making a wish; and a paper kite, for letting go...
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