After a frightening night forces eleven-year-old Mardella to start over, a run-down senior living center becomes the unlikely place where she learns to face her fears and find her voice.

This heartfelt, realistic novel for middle-school readers handles a serious topic with care. - Our verdict GET IT - Kirkus Reviews

Best Children's Book, Best Realistic Fiction, Best Preteen Book - Firebird Book Award
Middle Grade Fiction Winner - Purple Dragonfly Book Award
IBPA Silver Medal for Children's Fiction

When eleven-year-old Mardella Houston arrives in the small town of Haven, Minnesota, she isn't just unpacking boxes-she's carrying a heavy secret about her family and a lot of guilt she doesn't know what to do with.

The only place her mom can find work comes with an unexpected bonus: a place to live at Rest Haven Senior Living. It's not exactly the fresh start Mardella imagined. The halls are dull, the building smells funny, and everyone is over sixty-five. Still, Mardella decides that if this is home for now, she's going to make it brighter.

As Mardella takes on small projects to bring color and cheer to Rest Haven, she begins to form surprising friendships-and slowly, she starts to feel safe again. But safety can be fragile. When reminders of her difficult home life resurface, Mardella must face the fear and blame she's been carrying all along.

In a heartfelt story about resilience, found family, and finding your voice after everything falls apart, HAVEN shows how a preteen can find strength in unlikely places-and discover that home isn't just where you live, but where you're truly seen.

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This story addresses a challenging family situation with sensitivity and care, focusing on resilience, emotional growth, and the healing power of kindness. It's a hopeful, heartfelt middle grade novel for fans of Wish and The Thing About Bees, about finding belonging after a difficult beginning.