by Nicole Melleby (Author)
From the acclaimed author of Hurricane Season, an unforgettable story about what makes a family, for fans of Hazel's Theory of Evolution and Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World.
Eleven-year-old Joey is angry. All the time. And she doesn't understand why. She has two loving moms, a supportive older half brother, and, as a triplet, she's never without company. Her life is good. But sometimes she loses her temper and lashes out, like the time she threw a soccer ball--hard--at a boy in gym class and bruised his collarbone. Or when jealousy made her push her (former) best friend (and crush), Layla, a little bit too roughly.
After a meltdown at Joey's apartment building leads to her family's eviction, Joey is desperate to figure out why she's so mad. A new unit in science class makes her wonder if the reason is genetics. Does she lose control because of something she inherited from the donor her mothers chose?
The Science of Being Angry is a heartwarming story about what makes a family and what makes us who we are from an author whose works are highly praised for their presentation of and insights into the emotional lives of tweens.
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Impulsive Joey often feels uncontrollably angry, a sensation whose intensity confuses her and causes her to react "with her fists," straining relationships. Her family is kicked out of their apartment after Joey punches a security guard, and the 12-year-old feels isolated at school after pushing her best friend and crush, Layla. Carried by their Mama after IVF, fraternal triplet Joey and her identical brothers are not genetically related to their Mom; when her science class explores nature versus nurture during a genetics unit, Joey becomes anxious that Mom could possibly "fall out of love" with her, and curious about a possible genetic link to her rage. As part of a group assignment, Joey secretly researches her mothers' sperm donor to find out if her anger might have biological roots. Though some details are passed over (Joey appears to have sensory sensitivities, but a possible relationship to her emotional dysregulation is never investigated), Melleby (How to Become a Planet) persuasively, sensitively depicts Joey's internal turmoil and the effects of the overwhelming emotions on her relationships, in an affecting story of a girl struggling to untangle her place in her family. All characters are portrayed as white. Ages 9-12. Agent: Jim McCarthy, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (May)
Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.Gr 4-8--What do you do when you're angry all the time, and you don't know why? Eleven-year-old Joey Sennet-Cooper doesn't know anyone who gets mad like she does. Not her moms, even though they can be stubborn and stern; not her brothers, even when they get frustrated with Joey's outbursts; and not her best friend Layla, who Joey ghosted after realizing she might have more than just friendship feelings for her. When Joey gets angry, she can't control her words or actions and people around her get hurt, physically and emotionally. A school science project on nature versus nurture makes Joey wonder about tracking down her sperm donor for potential genetic causes to her anger, but the investigation spawns even more problems for brown-haired, light-skinned Joey and her family. How will Joey find the answers she needs before she pushes away the people she loves most? While her actions are often deeply frustrating, Joey has scrappy determination, and readers can't help but be charmed by her and her lovable and well-developed cast of family and friends. Joey's inner thoughts and desperation to better understand her impulses builds empathy for those grappling with similar struggles. VERDICT A strong recommendation for readers who enjoy contemplative, character-driven stories like those by Ashley Herring Blake.--Darla Salva Cruz
Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Impressive ... powerfully crafted with a satisfying conclusion, and it tackles uncommon but critical themes with nuance and complexity. A strong novel about strong feelings.
An important and expertly layered novel.
—New York Journal of Books