My Grandma Hazel is a heartwarming coming-of-age novel about twelve-year-old Jake Matelic, a shy and imaginative boy from Michigan who struggles to find his place-at school, in his family, and within himself. On the verge of being sent to summer school, Jake is given one last chance: write an essay about his hero. That assignment leads him to an unexpected spring break with his reclusive and sharp-tongued grandmother, Hazel Romanowski-a woman he barely knows.
What begins as an awkward visit quickly becomes a deal. Jake helps clean Hazel's cluttered home, and in return, she shares the story for Jake's essay of her own mother and hero, Helena-a Polish teenager who fled an abusive home in 1911 and risked everything to start a new life in America. As Hazel recounts Helena's story, Jake begins to see his family-and himself-through a new lens. He discovers that not all heroes wear capes; some carry scars, make impossible choices, and still find a way forward.
Told in a dual timeline that intertwines Jake's present-day challenges with Hazel's vivid retelling of Helena's past, Hazel is a tender exploration of family, resilience, and the quiet courage found in ordinary lives. Blending humor, nostalgia, and emotional depth, this middle grade novel is perfect for fans of Bridge to Terabithia, The Thing About Jellyfish, and The War That Saved My Life.
