Tears of a Tiger
by Sharon M. Draper
Young adult · ages 12–18 · grades 7–12 · 780L · 180 pages · 1996
Why we'd hand it over
Still the essential entry point for teens processing sudden loss and survivor guilt—honest about suicidal ideation without romanticizing it, and the multi-perspective structure (prose, poems, letters) lets different kids find their own way in.