untitledfornow's review against another edition
5.0
Some of my favorite books are the ones that are a little bit sad. Okay a lot a bit sad. Ones that are painfully realistic, but culminate in a resounding message of hope. I love middle grade novels that show the strength kids possess. We'd like to think that people under a certain age are shielded from dealing with tough "grown up" things, but that's just not true. Whether it's dealing with anxiety, loneliness, poverty, abuse, absent parents, moving, or sudden changes to family, there's no age restrictions. The characters in this novel are all struggling to figure out how to live with their own individual misfortunes. The voice is authentic, the characters relatable. Tessa's growth throughout the novel happens at such a perfect pace, changing subtly as she tries to find footing in her life.
dustilane's review against another edition
5.0
Tessa just wants to be a normal middle schooler. She is in so many ways except for the fact she has a compulsion to collect missing kids off of milk cartons and she just can’t make herself stop. It all started after her mom passed away. Then, her dad comes home with a big announcement, and her entire life changes once again. She has to learn how to deal with the changes, handle her deep grief, and make (and hopefully keep) new friends.
What a powerful, simple MG novel. This book will rip your heart to shreds as you ache for Tessa and feel her struggle. Many of us who have struggled with grief will see ourselves reflected in Tessa and really that's what makes this such an important book. The book also touches on abuse, blended families, and ocd (though not by name).
I would definitely recommend this book. Easy to physically read but very heavy on the heart. Well done Grimes! 5/5 stars.
What a powerful, simple MG novel. This book will rip your heart to shreds as you ache for Tessa and feel her struggle. Many of us who have struggled with grief will see ourselves reflected in Tessa and really that's what makes this such an important book. The book also touches on abuse, blended families, and ocd (though not by name).
I would definitely recommend this book. Easy to physically read but very heavy on the heart. Well done Grimes! 5/5 stars.
readingwithmeredith's review against another edition
3.0
This is a middle grade book that reminds me of a lot of other books out there. It follows the story of 7th grader Tessa who is struggling to cope with grief after the loss of her mother. Her dad, a character I really didn’t like, gets a 23 years old pregnant and they decide to get married. The same day Tessa meets this woman is the same day she finds out she is going to have her as a step mother with a sibling on the way. She also will have to move to a new state! This book has strong themes of dealing with grief, change, and hard times. However, I didn’t connect as much to Tessa as a character. I felt an emotional disconnection because there was more of a focus on her obsession with kids on milk cartons than her emotions. It fell flat compared to other middle grade books that I’ve read in other similar themes. The themes reminded me of The Truth About Jellyfish or the Miscalculations of Lightning Girl, both I really enjoyed. This book was decent and an easy read but fell a little flat to me.
Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my review!
Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my review!
309804490's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
becca_willie04's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
naomiysl's review against another edition
4.0
I don't love the end, which leaves two children dangling from it. Other than that though, this novel rings true on a number of levels. Nothing is perfect, everyone is a bit complex and also a bit fuzzy around the edges of our main character's understanding, and the plot isn't so complex as to feel fabricated in any way. A lovely piece of realism
sdertinger's review against another edition
4.0
Set in the 1980's, 7th-grader Tessa lives in Denver, Colarado with her dad. Her mother died of cancer a few months ago. Since then she's been struggling with her anxiety; she copes best with her milk cartons. The problem is that every time she sees a crate of milk cartons she has to flip over every single one in case she find a kid who she doesn't have in her collection. On the back of all milk cartons are the faces of children who are missing, courtesy of The National Center of Missing and Exploited Children. She has a collection of these kids and memorizes their faces and facts as if she went to school with them.
When things couldn't get worse, her dad has her go downstairs to meet someone. This someone happens to be Tessa's new 23-year-old stepmother because they are getting married, and she's pregnant. It takes a lot of courage and strength to take this head on. A lot of change is thrown at her all at once, including moving to California.
Along the way she learns a lot about herself, how to make friends, and how to go with the motions. Her feelings are up and down, left and right, but most of all she realizes that "it's okay".
What makes this story so different is the completely tangled up mess Tessa is fighting through. Even though this may seem like an extreme, I think a lot of kids can connect to this character. Loss of a friend, death of a parent, parent moving on, only child to a big sister, sense of belonging, keeping secrets that are hard to keep, and domestic abuse. I believe this book would be most appropriate for students in 6th grade through young adult.
When things couldn't get worse, her dad has her go downstairs to meet someone. This someone happens to be Tessa's new 23-year-old stepmother because they are getting married, and she's pregnant. It takes a lot of courage and strength to take this head on. A lot of change is thrown at her all at once, including moving to California.
Along the way she learns a lot about herself, how to make friends, and how to go with the motions. Her feelings are up and down, left and right, but most of all she realizes that "it's okay".
What makes this story so different is the completely tangled up mess Tessa is fighting through. Even though this may seem like an extreme, I think a lot of kids can connect to this character. Loss of a friend, death of a parent, parent moving on, only child to a big sister, sense of belonging, keeping secrets that are hard to keep, and domestic abuse. I believe this book would be most appropriate for students in 6th grade through young adult.
christina_reads20's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
tamarareads's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
flordemaga's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death of parent, Mental illness, Child abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Bullying
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