Maybe "Summer in Orcus" by T. Kingfisher (a completely not-secret alternate pen name of Ursula Vernon)? It's a portal fantasy with a young-teen protagonist on a quest who assembles a found-family to help her get it done, and it's basically for adults, though I might try reading it to my older child one day.
I mean, I think Ursula Vernon basically entirely writes stories about people doing their best to solve the problems in front of them with the skills they have to hand, and generally being kind rather than assholes, and I tend to keep going back to them whenever I feel in need of some hope. I just read the entire Hamster Princess series to my younger child over the last three weeks, and it was a great experience.
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http://www.redwombatstudio.com/portfolio/writing/books-for-adults/summer-in-orcus/
I mean, I think Ursula Vernon basically entirely writes stories about people doing their best to solve the problems in front of them with the skills they have to hand, and generally being kind rather than assholes, and I tend to keep going back to them whenever I feel in need of some hope. I just read the entire Hamster Princess series to my younger child over the last three weeks, and it was a great experience.