What I Leave Behind

Sixteen-year-old Will walks the streets of Los Angeles at night, trying to cope with his father’s suicide three years earlier and wondering if he could have stopped the group rape of his best friend Playa at a party if he hadn’t left early. Will decides to take control over what he can and he commits random acts of kindness on his walks which help him gain the courage to visit places he fears, including the bridge where his father killed himself. This contemporary novel for grades 8-12 deals with loss, grieving, and the power to connect with others, and can be used for literature circles or independent reading.