A review by untitledfornow
Center of Gravity by Shaunta Grimes

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.