Happy & Sad & Everything True
by Alex Thayer (Author)
With charm and sincerity reminiscent of Judy Blume and Rebecca Stead, this debut middle grade novel is a heartfelt, hopeful story about a girl finding herself through secretly giving out advice to classmates.
Back when Dee and Juniper were still friends, Dee never hid in the bathroom. Now, at the beginning of sixth grade, Dee finds herself there often. The dripping faucet is annoying, and there are other places she'd rather be--like at home and in her room with her cat, Norman. But at least Dee is safe from overenthusiastic teachers and having to see Juniper walking through the halls with her new friends. Dee would rather be alone than witness that.
But it turns out Dee isn't the only one hiding from something. There are kids all over the school worrying in secret and needing someone to talk to. After Dee helps a second grader with spelling advice, more students begin coming to Dee with their problems. It turns out she's a good listener, and she likes helping people. And when she starts receiving mysterious notes, it seems someone out there wants to be her friend--if only they would reveal themselves.
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Publishers Weekly
Now that they're in different sixth grade classes, Desdemona "Dee" Hiller worries about her friendship with bestie Juniper, who's grown distant following an embarrassing incident involving Dee's mother. While hiding in the bathroom during "snack and stretch" time, counting beige tiles and thinking about Juniper, Dee is interrupted by a noise coming from the grate: her classmate Harry, upset about his father, is kicking the grate in the boys' bathroom. The two start talking through the opening, and Dee offers support and a listening ear. Demand for Dee's impromptu therapy sessions soon spreads throughout the school, and as she begins helping other kids, she realizes that she has "no room to feel lonely," despite still longing to reconnect with Juniper. When Dee starts receiving notes from an anonymous admirer, she wonders if it's Juniper trying to mend their friendship, prompting Dee to uncover the identity of the sender. A persuasive blend of observant and oblivious stream-of-consciousness riffs punctuates Dee's first-person narration, throughout which debut author Thayer explores summarily developed school-based elements and subplots. Juniper, Dee, and Harry read as white. Ages 10-up. Agent: Alexander Slater, Sanford J. Greenburger Assoc. (Nov.)
Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.
Kirkus
A compassionate window into the awkward and isolating stages of growing up.
Review quotes
Happy & Sad & Everything True has a sincere earnestness that brings you right back to the halls of middle school. Kids will absolutely love this sweet-yet-strong story. —Claire Swinarski, author of What Happened to Rachel Riley?
Alex Thayer's delightful debut could not be more perfectly named. I experienced all the feels watching Dee navigate mean-girl cliques, lose her best friend, handle her eccentric single mother (who is maybe dating her PE teacher) all the while staying open to new possibilities. A charming, entertaining, and true book that gently illustrates how so many of life's problems can be improved by a large dollop of generosity. I would follow Dee's advice any time.—Gayle Forman, author of Frankie & Bug and Not Nothing
JUV013060 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Parents
JUV026000 - Juvenile Fiction | Love & Romance
