The Kidney Hypothetical

January 26, 2015
The downward spiral of popular high-school senior Higgs Boson Bing, named after the elusive “God particle,” begins when a classmate asks him a hypothetical question about his willingness to donate a kidney to his girlfriend, Roo. Higgs’s hesitant answer does not bode well for his relationship with Roo, resulting in their breakup and a full-blown hate campaign against him. Now all of Higgs’s accolades—debate team captain, prom king, co-valedictorian, etc.—carry little weight, with someone at school bent on ruining his life with pranks, brutal criticisms, and more. Suddenly friendless, Higgs feels hopeless until he meets Monarch, a girl who has taken up residence in an abandoned Airstream trailer. Monarch doesn’t offer Higgs pity but rather hard questions that force him to rethink himself and his future. Alternately heart-wrenching and hilarious (“The Asian Jewish English American thing was a real stumper when it came to filling out my college applications,” Higgs reflects), Yee’s (Absolutely Maybe) portrait of a flawed superstar introduces a cast of vibrant, memorable characters and an eloquent message about following one’s desires. Ages 12–up. Agent: Jodi Reamer, Writers House.

Starred review from January 1, 2015
A perfect, glowing ending to a stellar high school career veers off course when debate-team captain Higgs Boson flunks girlfriend Roo's easy question: If she needed a kidney, would he give her one?Yee turns her clever, insightful humor on one wounded family: There's the dentist dad, retired NASA scientist mom, Higgs, named after "the God particle, the missing link, the answer to all the questions of the universe"-and who could forget little sister Charlie? Well, pretty much everyone; tragically dead older brother Jeffrey is still eerily center stage despite Charlie's straight-A grades and Higgs Boson's acceptance to Harvard, the path Jeffrey was supposed to tread. (Next step? Dental school.) But while Higgs Boson may be the answer, he doesn't have the important-to-teens answer: "Roo's kidneys are fine and I'm not into hypotheticals" leads to an epic breakup, the loss of his best friend, troubles at school and home, and a chance encounter with an intriguing homeless girl wise enough to joke about his name. She forces the self-reflection and introspection Higgs has avoided; now, instead of the iconic happy, hazy final days of high school, he's "buying cigarettes for a tattooed stranger" and taking life-threatening risks. Yee captures the intensity of popularity measured in yearbook pages and the strength of genuine teen melodrama; Mom's "Robe of Depression" and Higgs' therapeutic garden add touching depth; ironic twists save the finale from predictability. Smart, funny-but-ruthless teens and self-absorbed, grieving adults prove to be enormously appealing. (Fiction. 13-18)

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December 1, 2014

Gr 7 Up-It all began when Higgs Boson Bing's girlfriend asked if he would hypothetically give her a kidney. Until then, Higgs (named after the infamous God particle) had everything: great grades, a popular girlfriend, and an acceptance letter to Harvard. Now with only seven days until graduation, everything is falling apart. He immediately loses his girlfriend and his best friend; he learns that his teachers and classmates never really liked him; and even his acceptance to Harvard is called into question. Yee starts strong with Higgs's situation immediately spiraling out of control. The underlying issue of Higgs dealing with his older brother Jeffrey's death, and subsequently trying to live up to Jeffrey's achievements, adds substance. The story begins to suffer when Monarch, a manic pixie goth girl, shows up. She merely serves as a device to help Higgs see the error of his ways and loosen up a bit. After her arrival, the story becomes a bit unfocused. The hijinks that ensue with Higgs and Monarch creates a laundry list of plot elements that tend to detract rather than add. Fortunately, the author redeems herself with a hopeful, yet not happily-ever-after ending that, while expected, is still satisfying. This is a story that has a few missteps, but still gets a lot right.-Kimberly Castle-Alberts, Hudson Library & Historical Society, OH

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2015
Grades 9-12 After Higgs Boson Bing's (you read that right) girlfriend asks a hypothetical question about him donating a kidney, Higgs finds himself without said girlfriend, his popularity waning, his friendships on the rocks, and the entire school splattered in Higgs Is a Dinky Dick posters. Add in the facts that Harvard is questioning his admission status and his parents' marriage is getting rockier, and Higgs is having the worst week ever. When he meets a mysterious girl named Monarch, Higgs begins to question if he has been making choices for himselfor if he was following a path that was already planned for him. With whip-smart writing, a fast-paced plot, plenty of humor, and just enough mystery to keep readers on edge, this is an emotional journey about breaking free of family, friends, and duty to discover what makes you happy. One week isn't enough time for Higgs to discover all of the answers, but he is on a journey to get there, and it's a journey readers will enjoy taking with him.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)