Books like The agony of Bun O'Keefe by Heather Smith

In 1986, fourteen‑year‑old Bun O’Keefe lives hidden in a cramped, unsanitary house with her compulsive hoarder mother. With little contact with the outside world, Bun’s only companions are random books and old VHS tapes that her mother brings home. When her mother finally tells her to leave, Bun embarks on a perilous journey by hitchhiking. She lands on the streets of St. John’s, where her first encounter is with Busker Boy, a street musician who sees her naivety and takes her in. Together with an eclectic group of roommates—Chef, a hopeful hotel dishwasher; Cher, a drag queen with a tragic past; Big Eyes, a Catholic schoolgirl attempting reinvention; and a mysterious landlord Bun is warned to avoid—Bun learns that the world extends beyond her mother’s walls. Through their shared struggles and revelations, she discovers the joy of belonging to a new family of friends who care for her and help her grow into adulthood.

First publish date: 2017