After the Worst Thing Happens

March 15, 2020
A girl heartsick over her dog's death finds solace in helping others. A serious animal lover, 12-year-old Army agonizes for her dog, Maybe, feeling responsible for the accident that caused his death. When Madison, a young girl with autism, moves into her neighborhood, Army stumbles into helping Madison's mom, who also has twin infants, look after her. In short chapters told from Army's earnest first-person perspective, she finds new ways to negotiate with her caring but emotionally reserved parents and steps out of her own comfort zone; this exploration of family dynamics is where the novel shines. Madison's experience with nonverbal autism is a fairly sparse sketch; an author's note at the end speaks about the sources she consulted to understand neurodiversity more fully. The detail emphasized most is that Madison often finds her way around locked windows and doors, leading Army to believe she must take action to help the family. While Army's trajectory is a believable one, the unsubtle messaging of this story, which also includes Army's finding a new friendship with a girl she'd previously not understood very completely, feels pedantic. All of the main characters seem to be white. A realistic but somewhat heavy-handed portrayal of finding a way through grief. (Fiction. 9-12)

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April 27, 2020
Army Morand adores her dog, Maybe, so when Maybe dies after eating the chocolate cupcakes Army left out, the 12-year-old is wracked with guilt and sorrow. It doesn’t help that her unemotional mother, who works with her father to repair homes and businesses after natural disasters, wants Army to move on too quickly. As the girl tries to grieve, she also attempts to avoid Elsie, an unpopular classmate interested in Army, and helps out next door, bonding with a new family—overwhelmed mom Irene, baby twins, and a daughter, Madison, with nonverbal autism. But Irene’s struggles may require more than just Army’s assistance, and it takes a hurricane hitting their New Jersey town for Army to realize that she can both effectively help others and learn to forgive herself. With moments of humor, Vernick (Two Naomis) weaves together a well-paced story that explores grief in all its raw pain, as well as the power of friends, family, and community to help heal. Ages 9–12. Agent: Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary.

April 1, 2020
Grades 4-7 Twelve-year-old Army's world revolves around her beloved pup, Maybe, and after Maybe passes away, she doesn't know how to cope with grief. Everyone has advice, but Army can't imagine moving on so quickly. As the community prepares for an actual storm gathering in the background, a few surprise turns conspire to pull Army back into the world of the living. A new resident in need of assistance, an odd classmate, and a young autistic neighbor crack her heart open to possibilities and new kinds of love. Vernick's story covers so much, but it manages to weave the different elements into a cohesive whole, with Army at the bright center of it all. The subjects are heavy, but Army's young voice infuses them with humor and warmth, even when her path forward seems uncertain. Just go with it and make things happen before you totally understand how to do all of it, Army suggests, a hard-won lesson that young readers will take to heart.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

October 2, 2020

Gr 4-6-The worst thing that happens to 12-year old Army Morand is that her beloved pup Maybe dies as a result of something she did, and Army is not sure that she can ever get over her guilt and grief. Army's family is very supportive, but when a destructive storm threatens their town, they are busy with their business that helps people prepare for, clean up, and recover from disasters and damages. Army becomes distracted from her own problems when she accidentally befriends the new neighbor whose autistic daughter, Madison, has a habit of wandering away from home, climbing trees, and sitting on rooftops while her mother is busy with twin babies. Several threads weave together as Army helps prepare for the storm, becomes friends with someone who reaches out to her, and tries to find a way to protect Madison from harm (as she wishes she had protected her dog). With a wonderful supporting cast and a quirky-yet-loving family (including a brother named Navy), a story that might have become maudlin or saccharine is instead exciting, relatable, and heartwarming, from its tragic start to its very happy ending. VERDICT There is a lot packed into this story of friendship, loss, and family relationships, but it all gels into one bittersweet, uplifting tale of a young girl who finds strength that she didn't know she had.-MaryAnn Karre, Binghamton, NY

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