World Made of Glass

Ami Polonsky's "World Made of Glass" is a deeply moving coming-of-age novel set during the early years of the AIDS pandemic. It follows Iris, a young girl whose father is dying from AIDS, a condition shrouded in fear, misinformation, and prejudice. Iris grapples with immense grief and anger, trying to maintain a semblance of normalcy at school while her world crumbles. The story beautifully portrays her journey from private sorrow to public activism, as she resolves to speak out against the injustice and find deeper connections to her father's legacy. This lyrical and tender book offers a powerful exploration of love, loss, resilience, and the courage to stand up for what is right, making it suitable for middle-grade readers ready for complex emotional themes.

An "inspiring" (Kirkus, starred review), "heartfelt" (The Horn Book, starred review) coming-of-age novel about a girl finding her way to activism in the early years of the AIDS pandemic, from award-winning author Ami Polonsky. Iris tries to act normal at school, going through the motions and joking around with her friends. But nothing is normal, and sometimes it feels like she'll never laugh again. How can she, when her dad is dying of a virus that's off-limits to talk about? When she knows that soon all she'll have left of her kind, loving dad are memories, photos, and a binder full of the poems they used to exchange? In a sea of rage and grief, Iris resolves to speak out against the rampant fear, misinformation, and prejudice surrounding AIDS--and find the pieces of Dad that she never knew before. Along the way, Iris might just find new sides to herself. Critically-acclaimed author Ami Polonsky has crafted a lyrical, tender, earth-shattering novel that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page.