Kathleen Glasgow is a young adult fiction writer whose work consistently tackles difficult topics like mental health struggles, addiction, and self-harm. While her stories are decidedly fiction, she is inspired by real-life experiences (“FAQ.” Kathleen Glasgow). How to Make Friends With the Dark is no exception in this regard.

Similar to June Tolliver’s experience in the book, Glasgow’s own mother lost a parent at a young age. As she details in the Author’s Note, she was then separated from her younger sister, who was given to relatives, while she and her brother were placed in an orphanage after their mother’s death. Although she was eventually adopted into a happy family, Glasgow’s mother didn’t talk about her time in the orphanage, just like June (413). Small triggers, like the smell of certain foods, would sometimes trigger emotional outbursts even later in her life, and this is reflected in Tiger’s experiences following her mother’s death.

Glasgow’s mother’s experiences inspired Glasgow to write about children who are abruptly left bereft of family; this informs the context of foster care within the book as well. She presents the darker side of both family and foster care through the experiences of characters like Sarah, Leonard, Thaddeus, and even Brownie and Blondie.