A Place to Belong

A Place to Belong

Penny’s world is quiet, structured, and familiar. She knows where things belong, how her days unfold, and what to expect. Living with ADHD and autism , she has built a life that makes sense to her and one that feels safe. But everything changes when Tom, her mum’s boyfriend , moves in. Suddenly, the house isn’t just hers anymore. It’s louder, less predictable, and on weekends it fills with Tom’s children: Leo , who never stops moving, and Sophie , who seems to shine in every room she enters. Penny isn’t sure how to feel about Tom, his kids, or the idea of sharing her family. She misses a dad she barely remembers and wrestles with feelings she can’t always name. Yet slowly, through quiet moments and unexpected kindness, she begins to see that belonging doesn’t always come in the shape you expect . A Place to Belong is a gentle, heartfelt story about blended families, step-parent adoption, and the messy, beautiful process of learning to trust . It reminds young readers (ages 10+) that love doesn’t have to be perfect to be real and that everyone deserves a place to belong.