The Memory of Forgotten Things

Gr 5-8--Sometimes our lives are not what we expect them to be. Zhang explores what it would be like to live an alternate version of our lives; one that we would wish for. Sophia has a few precious memories of her mother, including a joy-filled memory of the cake her mother made for Sophia's 10th birthday. Unfortunately, the memory can't possibly be real; her mom died when she was six. Nevertheless, Sophia holds on dearly to these remembrances of what seems like an alternate life in which her mother never died. A real event, an upcoming solar eclipse, might provide a chance to leap from one place in time to another. Sophia, along with friends D.J. and Luke, think they might be able to use the eclipse to travel to alternative lives where their tragic losses and hurts never happened. The idea of an alternate universe is popular and very appealing to the target audience for this book; tweens are looking for a way to fit in and to create a world of their choosing. Although the conclusion is not as polished as the rest of the story, the writing more than makes up for it. Zhang's prose is lyrical and the plot unique and intriguing. VERDICT A heart-tugging and mind-bending exploration of time and possibility.--Christina Paolozzi, Bonaire Elementary School, GA

Sophia remembers her mother in impossible ways, fragments of a life that never was after her mom died when she was six. But the images are so vivid that Sophia, now 12, is convinced they're real. During a group project, Sophia discovers that a boy from school has similar prophetic visions and that they share a birth date. They join forces with another classmate, whose sister died at 17, to unravel the mystical science at work during a partial eclipse and try to find a way to cross over into a parallel world. In this moving examination of life-altering moments, explored through the "what if" lens of an alternate universe, Zhang guides readers and the trio of misfit characters through the important lessons of letting go, the myth that there's a better life waiting somewhere else, and the unintended consequences of each action and reaction. Against this vivid yet otherworldly backdrop, Sophia embraces everything she's missing while taking a closer look at what she would sacrifice in the exchange for a different reality. Ultimately, Zhang's story is filled with real-world lessons on compassion and kindness with a sci-fi twist--a skillfully rendered framing device for exploring deeper issues of loss, longing, and acceptance. Ages 8-12. Agent: Emmanuelle Morgan, Stonesong. (May)