
A parent should reach for this book when their child is navigating the messy, quiet aftermath of a significant loss and struggling to reconnect with the hobbies or passions they once shared with that loved one. It is a deeply resonant choice for children who feel stuck in their grief while the rest of the world seems to be moving on without them. The story follows Quinnen, a young baseball player who has stopped playing the game she loves following the sudden death of her sister, Haley. As Quinnen navigates a summer filled with memories, a new friendship with a boy named Brandon, and the pressure of a local baseball camp, she begins to realize that moving forward doesn't mean forgetting. This is an excellent tool for normalizing the 'waves' of grief, where sadness and joy can exist at the same time. While it deals with a heavy subject, the tone remains grounded and hopeful, making it appropriate for readers in the middle-grade range who are ready for a realistic look at family healing.
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Sign in to write a reviewDepicts deep grief, parental withdrawal, and the heavy emotional atmosphere of a mourning home.
The book deals directly with the death of a sibling. The approach is realistic and secular, focusing on the psychological and social impact of loss rather than spiritual explanations. The resolution is hopeful but grounded: the grief doesn't disappear, but the characters learn to carry it.
A 10 to 12 year old who is a 'quiet sufferer.' This is for the child who tries to be the 'good kid' during a family crisis but is secretly struggling to find their own identity apart from the tragedy.
Read the scenes involving the 'hot seat' (a family tradition) as they are emotionally charged. The book can be read cold, but be prepared for questions about why the parents in the book are so distant. A parent might see their child withdrawing from a former passion (like sports or music) or notice the child becoming overly concerned with the parent's emotional state instead of their own.
Younger readers (8-9) will focus on the baseball and the friendship with Brandon. Older readers (11-12) will pick up on the nuance of the parents' failing marriage and the complexity of 'survivor guilt.'
Unlike many grief books that focus on the immediate aftermath, this one explores the 'long tail' of loss: how it settles into everyday life and affects a child's sense of play and competition.
Quinnen Lawson was once a dedicated baseball player, but she quit the sport after her older sister, Haley, died in a tragic accident. The story takes place during the first summer without Haley. As Quinnen's parents struggle with their own silent grief, Quinnen befriends Brandon, a boy staying with a local minor league pitcher. Through this friendship and the slow realization that her family is fracturing under the weight of unspoken pain, Quinnen must decide if she can face the pitcher's mound again and what it means to keep her sister's memory alive.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.