Books How to Make Friends with the Dark  by Kathleen Glasgow (Author)

"How to Make Friends with the Dark" by Kathleen Glasgow follows the story of 16-year-old Grace “Tiger” Tolliver who is grappling with the sudden death of her mother. The novel explores her deep grief as she is thrust into the foster care system and struggles to find stability.

Initially, Tiger is placed in a harsh foster home but is soon moved to a kinder environment with a foster parent named LaLa. As she processes her mother’s death, Tiger experiences emotional turmoil, spiraling into dark thoughts and risky behaviors. She learns about her father, who is in prison, and discovers she has a 20-year-old half-sister, Shayna, who eventually becomes her guardian despite a complicated family history.

Tiger attends grief counseling where she finds a sense of community with others experiencing loss, but also confronts challenges like bullying and self-destructive behavior. A traumatic incident involving Shayna’s abusive ex-boyfriend forces Tiger to flee and experience further upheaval, including time in juvenile detention before returning to Shayna’s care.