This is one of those books that punches you in the gut and stays with you for years. Jeannette Walls tells her story with unflinching honesty and zero self-pity, which makes it all the more devastating and beautiful.

It's not safe in the traditional sense—there's child neglect, molestation, fire injuries, and parents who are equal parts brilliant and maddening. But it's enriching as hell. You'll finish it with a deeper understanding of poverty, addiction, resilience, and the impossible tangle of loving people who fail you.

This is absolutely not for middle schoolers or younger teens unless they're exceptionally mature. Even then, tread carefully. But for older high schoolers and adults? It's a must-read. Just go in knowing it's heavy, and that's the point.