Copefield

 By: T.L. Simpson  

Location: FIC SIM

Genre: Realistic Fiction

A stunning gut-punch of a coming of age story. Blew me away.

“Only by understanding our hurts can we truly overcome them.”

A 2026 Printz Honor Book
Top 100 Books of 2025, Kirkus Review
Top 3 TAYSHA’S READING LIST
2026 In the Margins Book Award
Foreward Indies Finalist
YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Top 10 Selection

Melissa gave 5 reasons why you should read this book:

𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐏𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐋𝐃

1. Have you ever had to pretend to be someone you weren’t out of fear of repercussions? You’ll understand how Craw feels.
2. If you’ve ever had to serve community service, you should check this book out.
3. Have you ever had a friend you could talk to about anything and everything? Craw finds that in Hannah.
4. If you’ve ever felt misunderstood, you should check this novel out.
5. Lastly, if you enjoy books that feel realistic, this one is for you!

Crawford “Craw” Cope has anger issues. Or so they say.

When Craw is sentenced to community service for hitting his father in the head with a baseball bat, he accepts his punishment without objection, knowing he’s actually lucky. If he weren’t the son of a famous former baseball player, he’d probably have gotten it a lot worse. So, Craw keeps his mouth shut and takes what life gives him. Like always.

But when he arrives at community service, which frustratingly turns out to be repairing a dilapidated ball field to be named after his father, he meets Hannah Flores, a punk rock enthusiast trapped in the Ozarks with zero filter. As Craw navigates his own explosive home life, he learns more about hers. And as their friendship blossoms into something more, he begins to understand the importance of speaking his truth, even when doing so might destroy the only life he’s ever known.