My Tiki Girl by Jennifer McMahon

I thought this was such a wonderful book about the need to feel loved, whether it is by a friend, someone who needs that same feeling at a given time, etc.  Maggie has survived an accident that killed her mother. She now walks with a gimp and considers herself "Frankenstein Girl". She was once one of the most popular girls in school, but has retreated, and her classmates have sort of pushed her aside, maybe because they don't know how to deal with her loss and change.  Maggie comes to recognize the alienation of a girl who is new to the school, Dahlia. She approaches her and they slowly become friends. Maggie becomes involved in Dahlia's rather strange home life. Maggie's mother is very weird, with dolls that hold witching powers, Dahlia's brother is 10 and considers himself a wizard, dressing as such.  To me the essence of this book was the feel to be wanted and understood by somebody. It brought to the forefront teenage angst and just needing to have someone care about you.  https://jennifer-mcmahon.com/