If your kid is a Stranger Things completionist, this isn't just a 'nice to have'—it’s probably the best book in the franchise. It swaps out the constant jump-scares for a genuine look at what it’s like to be a teenager who has seen too much and is just trying to survive freshman year.

It’s rare for a tie-in novel to feel this essential. Suyi Davies manages to make Lucas’s internal struggle feel just as high-stakes as a fight with a Mind Flayer. It’s a solid, smart read that respects the reader's intelligence and the character's history.