Recs if you like May B....

Alternative Xmas reading — think downbeat stories, family dysfunction, holiday loneliness, seasonal depression, black comedy. There's a gift from me to you under the tree in the comments.

Other winter-holiday books welcome as long as they're cranky!

Is your cynicism chronic? Check out my list Bleakness Is My Weakness...

Orphan Fantasy Fiction™. This list isn't about found family, it's about kids living independently/unsupervised and taking care of themselves.

alternative titles: girlhood in colonial america, young girls in young america, little house alternatives

goal: to curate a list of little house alternatives, with big appreciation for the diverse peoples and cultures.

including books appropriate for middle school and YA readers