The "This Is Us" of YA Literature
If your teen is tired of dystopian rebellions or sparkly vampires and wants something that actually feels like real life, this is the gold standard. Robin Benway managed to snag a National Book Award for this, and it isn’t hard to see why. It’s a character study disguised as a "missing siblings" mystery. While the plot moves at a steady clip, the real engine here is the internal friction of three kids who share DNA but zero history.
It’s often compared to This Is Us, and the comparison holds water. It’s sentimental without being cheesy, and it treats teen emotions with the kind of gravity usually reserved for adult memoirs. If your kid is the type to get deeply invested in character arcs and "all the feels" TikToks, this will be an immediate favorite.
Three flavors of family trauma
The brilliance of the book is that it doesn't give you one "adoption story." It gives you three distinct, often conflicting perspectives.
- Grace is the "perfect" daughter who is currently drowning in the secret of her own teen pregnancy.
- Maya is the loud, snarky sister who feels like a literal outsider in her family of redheads.
- Joaquin is the heart of the book—a kid who has been chewed up by the foster care system for seventeen years and has the emotional callouses to prove it.
Joaquin’s storyline is particularly vital. While many adoption stories focus on the "blissful" infant placement, Benway doesn't shy away from the jagged reality of the foster system. His fear of "aging out" and his struggle to accept love because he’s waiting for the other shoe to drop is some of the most honest writing in the genre. For a deeper look at how critics viewed these portrayals, the Common Sense Media review notes its "poignant and emotionally rich exploration" of these dynamics.
Not your average "problem novel"
In the 90s and 2000s, books about teen pregnancy or foster care often felt like "Afterschool Specials"—preachy, cautionary, and a little bit hollow. Far from the Tree avoids that trap by making the characters’ circumstances part of their identity rather than their entire personality.
Yes, Grace gave a baby up for adoption, but the book is more interested in her identity as a middle child she didn't know she had. It’s less about the "mistake" and more about the ripple effects. If your teen is navigating their own complex family tree—whether through divorce, adoption, or just general household friction—they’re going to find pieces of themselves here.
Why it sticks the landing
The 4.4 rating on Amazon reflects a rare consensus: it’s a heavy read that doesn't leave you feeling miserable. Benway avoids the "trauma porn" trap by giving these kids a sense of agency. They aren't just victims of their circumstances; they are active participants in building a new kind of family.
It’s the kind of book that’s perfect for a "read-along" if you have a teen who is open to it, mostly because the conversation starters are endless. You aren't talking about "don't get pregnant"; you're talking about "what makes a family a family?" It’s a sophisticated, elevated take on the genre that proves YA can be just as rigorous as any adult contemporary fiction.
