Book Review: The Thing About Jellyfish
A Rapid Review
Books for Young Readers
The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin
Publisher: Little, Brown | September 2015
Format: Hardcover | 352 pages | Rating: 5 stars
After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy is convinced that the true cause of the tragedy was a rare jellyfish sting. Retreating into a silent world of imagination, she crafts a plan to prove her theory–even if it means traveling the globe, alone.
When 12-year-old Suzy’s best and only real friend Franny dies, she becomes obsessed with proving the reason for her death was from a jellyfish sting.
This is a very thoughtful story that touches on the many emotions Suzy is feeling. Told in the first person, I could easily relate to her love of science and how she didn’t quite fit in with the “cool kids”. The story alternates between Suzy’s thoughts about her friend and how their friendship had changed in the past year, and her science project on jellyfish, where she sets out to prove a sting could be fatal.
The story can be a little dark and heartbreaking at times, but also hopeful as Suzy works her way through her grief for Franny and her sadness over both Franny’s death and their disintegrating friendship in the months before.
Beautifully written and wonderful characters — I loved this book.
——————————–
Source: Review copy provided by Little, Brown.
© 2015 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
Advertisements appearing on this site are placed by WordPress and are not endorsed or approved by me.
Under My Apple Tree 
Both of the reviews I’ve read of this book have been glowing – I need to give it a try.
LikeLike
I loved this book as well. I’ve read a lot of MG books about kids dealing with death, and this was the best I’ve encountered so far.
LikeLike