Books like Can't get there from here by Todd Strasser
In Todd Strasser’s teen novel, a group of runaway and homeless youths—often called “trich” by their peers—cohabit in the harsh streets of New York City, forging a makeshift family out of shared hardship. Abused, abandoned, and forgotten by society, they fight for survival against cold, hunger, and danger. One member of the group tries to help a newcomer named Tears, deepening the bonds and stakes within their community.
First publish date: 2004
Genre: Children's Fiction/Children's Adventure
Authors: Todd Strasser
★
★
★
★
★
5.0 (4 community ratings)
How are these books recommended?
The books recommended for Can't get there from here by Todd Strasser 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 Can't get there from here (27 similar books)
The story of a greaser and his friend, who are torn apart by the world's two types of people and must learn to cope with their differences.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
Annabeth, daughter of Athena, must overcome her fears and protect her Greek friends from the Roman camp during the quest to find the Mark of Athena.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
Alex Rider infiltrates the isolated Point Blanc Academy to uncover the truth behind the deaths of two world leaders, using disguise and gadgets to expose the sinister plans of its ruthless head, Dr Grief.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
A high school drama that dramatizes a classroom experiment where students create a fascist society, forcing the narrator to confront authority and peer pressure.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
After a fateful mishap in her hometown, teen Jinx Honeychurch flees to Manhattan to escape a lifetime of misfortune. There she finds family, high‑school drama, and a dangerous secret that may turn her curse into a lifesaver.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
High‑school senior Madison investigates the mysterious disappearance of her friends after they vanish from an anonymous blog, all while she battles an online and real‑life stalker in suburban New York.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
High‑school students in the Bronx unite through weekly poetry, each poem exposing their true selves and challenging the school’s hidden biases.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
A graphic‑novel take on a dystopian world where teens are slated to undergo a beauty transformation at sixteen, exploring themes of friendship, conformity, and identity.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
College freshman Cal Thompson’s life turns into a hunt when a parasite turns his girlfriends into ravenous vampires—"Peeps"—and he must stop them from spreading.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
In the harsh inner‑city streets of the Frederick Douglass Project, teen DeShawn must choose between staying in school and the lure of gang life, all while his family struggles with basic survival.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
A teenage boy is sent to a brutal boot camp for unruly youths, where he must endure physical and psychological abuse while struggling to preserve his dignity and hope of escape.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
A young photographer’s world shatters when three girls who booked her dad’s studio go missing—she must untangle the mystery and defend her father’s name.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
In a private New York school, fifteen‑year‑old black Jeremiah meets white Ellie. Amid family turmoil, the two fall in love and navigate classmates’ reactions and their own growing feelings.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
After the sudden death of Miah, his friends and family in New York confront the reality of grief and the effort to move forward.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
A collection of poems in which seven teenagers confront issues like pregnancy, closeted homosexuality, and abuse, each finding new homes and understanding through verse.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
After a family tragedy, Leila embarks on a cross‑country road trip in her red car, meeting Hudson the mechanic, Bree the petty thief, Elliot the planner, and Sonia the teen, each drifting toward self‑discovery.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
A fourteen‑year‑old Bangladeshi girl and her family travel to New York, only to find their visas expired and their lives shattered by September 11, 2001, confronting loss, fear, and the struggle for belonging.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
A coming‑of‑age tale where the arrival of newcomer D Foster opens Queens teenagers Neeka, Tessa and Mr. Y’s lives to themes of friendship, foster care and the enduring influence of Tupac Shakur’s music.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
In Harlem, writer Darius and runner Twig forge an unlikely friendship as they confront bullying, family hardship, and their own dreams of a brighter future.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
In the quiet town of Carp, senior students face the perilous game Panic—an epic competition that tests courage, friendship, and love.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
When Callie Carson discovers a body on a dark street, she is thrust into a race against time to prove her innocence before the real killer is caught. A tense mystery of friendship, love, and justice.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
Lauren would love to be part of the popular crowd at school, and when an attractive new girl seems to befriend her and offers a chance at popularity, Lauren does not recognize how she is being manipulated.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
Akilah and Victoria, raised in Queens, New York, are inseparable best friends—until Victoria returns from a Nigerian summer, where she participates in a coming‑of‑age ceremony. Now she behaves differently, raising questions about identity and change.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
When fifth graders George and Lilly split into rival teams for Spirit Week, their friendship is tested as practical jokes threaten the school's prize—and the risk of being caught could lead to detention for the entire year.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
Some Other Similar Books
Jumping to Conclusions by Todd StrasserThe Accidental Hero by Todd Strasser
Help! I Have a Vampire Problem by Todd Strasser
The Wave: Revisited by Todd Strasser
The Best of Times by Todd Strasser
The Other Way Around by Todd Strasser
How I Survived My Summer Vacation by Todd Strasser
Have a similar book in mind? Let others know!
Please login to submit books!