If you loved

Books like Lila and Hadley

A tender, emotionally resonant journey about a frustrated girl and a rescue dog who help each other heal. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with Lila and Hadley.

frustrated
hopeful
heartwarming
tender

01
Count all her bones
April Henry
A tense, high-stakes thriller where a blind protagonist flips the script to rescue the boy who once held her captive.
Shares:
- earnest
02
Girl, stolen
April Henry
A claustrophobic, sensory-driven thriller that traps you in the dark and forces you to feel your way out.
Feels:
- claustrophobic
- suspenseful
- desperate
03
Follow My Leader
James B. Garfield
A tender, step-by-step journey out of the dark, guided by the steady harness of a loyal dog.
Shares:
- hopeful
- heartwarming
- earnest
- resilient
04
Things Not Seen
Andrew Clements
A grounded, suspenseful exploration of what it means to disappear and the quiet miracle of finally being noticed.
Shares:
- heartwarming
- earnest
05
Jake and Lily
Jerry Spinelli
A heartfelt exploration of the bittersweet growing pains that come when two deeply connected people must figure out who they are on their own.
Shares:
- earnest
06
Maggie by My Side
Beverly Butler
A heartwarming and grounded exploration of trust, independence, and the profound partnership between a person and their guide dog.
Shares:
- hopeful
- earnest
07
Light a Single Candle
Beverly Butler
A quiet, deeply empathetic journey of a young girl finding her footing in the dark with the help of a loyal canine companion.
Shares:
- hopeful
- earnest
- compassionate
- resilient
08
The Tiger Rising
Kate DiCamillo
A quiet, misty exploration of bottled-up grief and the fierce, wild necessity of letting feelings out.
Shares:
- tender
- earnest
09
Molly's Story
W. Bruce Cameron
A tender, secretive exploration of the fierce loyalty and quiet comfort found in a forbidden friendship with a dog.
Shares:
- heartwarming
- earnest
10
How to Make Friends with the Dark
Kathleen Glasgow
A raw, unflinching exploration of the suffocating weight of sudden loss and the slow, painful process of letting the light back in.
Shares:
- tender
- earnest
11
The million dollar throw
Mike Lupica · 2009
A high-stakes sports story wrapped around a tender core of friendship and family resilience.
Shares:
- hopeful
- heartwarming
- earnest
- coping with disability
12
Because You'll Never Meet Me
Leah Thomas
An intimate, letter-based exploration of an impossible friendship shadowed by a sinister shared history.
Shares:
- earnest

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