Have you experienced moments in parenting when you realized your children are carrying pain you can’t fix.
When our family moved, my daughter didn’t just lose her school—she lost her closest friend. The one person who truly understood her. And there was nothing I could do to change it. She loved God. She trusted Him. But she was angry with me. Deeply angry. How do you forgive a parent who chose a job over your happiness?
That question stayed with me.
Middle school introduces kids to unfair situations—ones they didn’t choose and can’t control. For Christian families, forgiveness can feel especially complicated. Kids may wonder if forgiving means pretending it didn’t hurt, or if faith means suppressing anger. We certainly talked about these issues around our dinner table. Stories that treat forgiveness honestly and show a path to forgiveness matter.
In The Gift Is Me, Simone faces choices that don’t come with easy answers. Forgiveness is part of her journey—but it’s slow, emotional, and deeply human. Faith doesn’t erase her pain. It walks with her through it. The Gift is Me tackles the complexity of making hard choices and forgiving when it hurts.
If you are looking for Christian books for kids ages 9–13 that honor emotional truth or middle grade books with Christian values, consider adding The Gift Is Me to your collection. It’ll show your tween that faith doesn’t mean life won’t hurt—it means they don’t have to walk through the hurt alone.
Middle school is a season of becoming—for kids and parents alike. Forgiveness, courage, and trust often grow in uncomfortable soil. Stories that reflect that reality help families heal, talk, and grow together.