Books like Family of strangers by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Abby, a sixteen‑year‑old, uses letters and essays to document her growing desperation inside a family where the parents appear emotionally distant. Her two older sisters embody stark contrasts: one flounders in self‑destructive behaviors, while the other maintains an outward image of perfection. Through intimate correspondence, the novel explores the challenges of sibling dynamics, parental neglect, and the struggle to find identity amidst family conflict.
First publish date: 1992
Genre: Children's Fiction/Early Readers
Authors: Susan Beth Pfeffer
★
★
★
★
★
4.0 (1 community ratings)
How are these books recommended?
The books recommended for Family of strangers by Susan Beth Pfeffer are shaped by reader interaction. Votes on how closely books relate, user ratings, and community comments all help refine these recommendations and highlight books readers genuinely find similar in theme, ideas, and overall reading experience.
Have you read any of these books?
Your votes, ratings, and comments help improve recommendations and make it easier
for other readers to discover books they’ll enjoy.
Books similar to Family of strangers (26 similar books)
In Suzanne Collins’ debut dystopian novel, 16‑year‑old Katniss Everdeen of Panem faces the annual Hunger Games—a televised, death‑match competition in which one boy and one girl from each of the nation’s twelve districts are chosen by lottery.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
A weary father and his young son journey across a bleak, post‑apocalyptic America, battling cannibals, starvation, and a harsh winter in a desperate quest for safety and a glimpse of remaining civilization.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
A dystopian novel about a woman named Offred in a totalitarian theonomic society called Gilead, exploring themes of subjugated women and resistance.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
After a catastrophic pandemic, former actress Kirsten Raymonde joins a traveling troupe that performs Shakespeare for scattered communities, only to confront a ruthless prophet in a desperate quest for survival.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
An unforgettable love story in a future overrun by genetic engineering.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
When everyone disappears except the young, teens must survive a world without adults, technology, and order, while new powers arise and hostile forces emerge.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
When an asteroid strikes the Moon, Miranda’s ordinary life and family are upended; she fights to survive and to keep hope alive amidst the global fallout.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
Three girls from a Pennsylvania middle school go on a real-life adventure to bury a doll made from the ashes of a dead girl.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
Three siblings in separate homes grapple with addiction, longing, and a distant mother, in this lyrical YA novel that follows the tragic fallout of a family torn apart by drugs.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
Two identical twins, Kaeleigh and Raeanne, grow up in a seemingly perfect California family; each harbors painful secrets that threaten to tear their bond apart as they struggle with favoritism, substance use, and hidden trauma.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
When thirteen‑year‑old Callie is admitted to a psychiatric hospital, she confronts the secrets behind her self‑harm and begins healing along with her family and caregivers.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
A story of a dog thief, told by Barbara O'Connor, 0374334978
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
A family chronicles their fight for survival after a sudden increase in the moon’s gravity unleashes massive natural disasters, leaving the world without cities or sunlight and raising the desperate question: are we alone?
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
Eleven‑year‑old Primrose of a small British Columbia fishing village learns about life, love and loss after her parents vanish at sea, discovering the power of family and self‑reliance along the way.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
A coming-of-age story of a young girl who struggles with family secrets and the consequences of her family's wartime history in Florida, set against the backdrop of World War II and involving a secret love affair with a returning soldier and a stepfather who is fighting in the war, revealing the devastating impact of these events on the lives of the characters and their families.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
After their parents' sudden death, sisters Beth and Mollie grow apart as each is adopted by a different family. When Beth visits Mollie years later, she confronts grief, family bonds, and the lasting impact of loss.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
Seventeen‑year‑old Alex, a veteran Tom, and eight‑year‑old Ellie fight to survive after an EMP wipes out most of humanity, leaving the survivors to contend with zombies and newfound superhuman senses.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
Hayley Morgan rejects unwanted advances at her job, only to find herself drawn to the enigmatic new boss, Marcus Maury. What begins as a workplace flirtation threatens the professional boundary she vowed to protect.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
A touching exploration of generosity and compassion, following a hospital volunteer who offers a life‑saving kidney donation and the ripple of impact on the families she encounters.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
Fifteen-year-old Camilla struggles as her parents drift apart, forcing her to choose between loyalty and conviction. With the help of Frank, her best friend’s brother, she learns to find her own voice and grow toward independence.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
Andi Kaplan, a loner in a suburban high school, meets Frank, a mysterious new student who awakens her sense of self. Together they confront isolation and the trials of adolescence, reshaping Andi’s view of herself.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
A young girl journals her family's hardships—her father's job loss, the sale of their home, and the emotional toll of moving—capturing the resilience of family life amid financial crisis.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
Have a similar book in mind? Let others know!
Please login to submit books!