The Whispers by Greg Howard

Eleven-year-old Riley attempts to find his missing mother by leaving tributes for magical creatures, but realizes that his search is a manifestation of traumatic grief following her death. Throughout this journey, Riley grapples with religious guilt, his sexual identity, and a fractured relationship with his father. 

This book contains: alcohol/abuse, alternate gender/sexual ideologies, animal cruelty (themes), body shaming, bullying, child abuse, childhood traumatic grief, controversial gender, racial, religious and social commentary, death, deception, drugs (referenced), horror, lying, physical body decay, repressed trauma, sexual activities (not explicit), sexualized commentary, smoking, theft, toxic relationships, violence and voyeurism.