First published 2006
Nathan moves across the street from Liz Scattergood with devastating news. His mother has leukemia and chose their town as the place to spend her final days. Nathan has a younger sister who adores him, and both siblings need friendship during this difficult time. Liz wants to help but struggles with what to say to someone facing such loss. Her own family deals with death differently. After Liz's grandmother Bunny passed away, her mother began attending a spiritualist church that promises communication with the dead. Liz questions whether these supernatural claims are real, but she sees how the services comfort her grieving mother when nothing else can. As summer progresses, Liz and Nathan grow closer while confronting impossible questions about death, faith, and what lies beyond. Their friendship becomes a source of strength as they navigate loss together. Though easy answers remain elusive, their bond offers something precious amid the pain.
Genres: literary-fiction, grief, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, grief
Setting: Town
288 pages · Hardcover · Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Content warnings: death, terminal-illness