The daily activities in the life of 12-year-old Willow Chance include hanging with her high school friend, Mai, speaking Vietnamese, being fascinated with botany, and attending appointments with the school counselor, Dell Duke. Willow is immersed in the drama of middle school until one horrible, stark, life-altering event changes her perspective on everything.

The girl arrives home one day and sees police vehicles in her driveway.

The dreaded words arrive: There has been a car crash.

Willow after the tragedy defies Willow before the tragedy.

The preteen feels as if she is in a hole. She does not want to take part in any activity that reminds her of normal living, including getting up and going to school. She becomes home-schooled. The void left in her soul from her parents' painful departure from this world is deep and palpable. Willow lacks interest in investigating things about which she previously would have been incessantly curious. Thoughts of her parents eclipse all the motivation she once possessed.

Luckily, Dell Duke, Mai, and Pattie Nguyen rally around the heartbroken girl. They ensure that she is comfortable, receives schooling in a manner she can psychologically tolerate, and has a nice place in which to live. It is so terrific for Willow to be surrounded by love, but it is hard for her to feel and experience the warmth while grief envelops her. Living with the Nguyens is only temporary—the girl does not know where she will go or what she will do next.

Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan, 2013

I loved the portrayal of such a highly gifted, interesting protagonist in this book.

Holly Goldberg Sloan's website
Books about kids who have lost parents

Caroline's mother is thrilled to be offered a position with OneVision so she can provide eye surgery to those who need it most in Egypt—it has been her dream for a long time to be able to work for the company. This means the entire family is moving to Cairo for Caroline's senior year of high school. It is quite a travel adventure, and the culture is much different than that of America. 

Caroline is less than thrilled about the moving news. For one thing, she has been dating Owen for three years… happily, and does not want to leave him. She also does not wish to depart from her friends and everything she has known for her entire life, for this most pivotal year. The sexual harassment, inappropriate commentary, and general societal expectations of women in Egyptian culture startle the young woman unpleasantly. When she goes out walking with her father, though, no one seems to bother her. 

Caroline spends her summer days seeing the cultural sites with her driver, Adam, who also happens to be quite the gentleman, kind and good-looking. She meets his family, who is Muslim. She learns about the religion and a different way of life. The women explain the meaning of hijabs to her. Throughout this journey, her parents provide support, reason with her, and sometimes annoy her, as Caroline embarks on a life away from her childhood.

In a Perfect World by Trish Doller, 2017

I loved the glimpse that this work provides into Egyptian life.

Books about Egypt
Trish Doller's website

When Ruth lived in Cuba, people thought she was intelligent. That's not the case in Queens, NY. People call her dumb because she does not know much English. She struggles to assimilate, but there's one area of her life where no one can make her feel bad: hopscotch. Playing that game with friends is one of the joys of her life. Then everything changes in the blink of an eye, and the youngster can no longer jump, run, or even walk. 

Cars crashing into one another like a stack of dominos wreaks havoc on her life. The pile-up results in several fatalities and a broken leg for Ruth. The girl is told she is one of the lucky ones, but she does not feel so lucky having to be in a body cast. To prevent one leg from growing longer than the other, Ruth must remain in bed for six months. She is completely dependent on others for even basic needs.

Ruth strives to keep a positive attitude and present such to the world. The girl does not want everyone to feel her anguish and be aware of her suffering. Certain days shine a light into her darkness; the festivities, gifts, and cake that are bestowed upon her on her birthday make her blissful. Ruth cannot wait until she can walk once again.

Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth Behar, 2017

I love  immigrant stories, and this one does not disappoint.

Books about Cuba
Ruth Behar's website