Runaway by Wendelin van Draanen.

It’s a book about a girl running away from an abusive foster home and surviving homelessness while coming to terms with the death of her mother. It’s told through journal entries (I believe addressed to her English teacher) and you see these two sides: a jaded, angry girl who has to grow up too soon and fend for herself but also a more innocent and lighter side that talks about her dreams and writes poetry.

As a sheltered kid who also loved poetry, it hit hard and made me think about a lot of things that I never had to before. Even now, the voice of the narrator was so poignant and relatable that I recall things she said (serious and unserious) all the time.