Title: The List of Things That Will Not Change
Author: Rebecca Stead
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary, Fiction
Page Count: 224
Published by: Wendy Lamb Books
Date Published: April 7, 2020
You can find it here: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
When Bea’s parents divorced they gave her a green notebook entitled, The List of Things That Will Not Change, which included their love for her and that they will always be a family.
Fast forward a couple years and ten year old Bea is about to get a major wish, her dad is marrying his long time partner Jesse and he has a daughter just her age … a sister! But the road to making a new family isn’t always easy, nor straight forward.
Bea struggles with anxiety, worries, and the guilt of her past decisions; many of these insights coming through her continued sessions with her long time therapist. But weaving throughout her challenges is the support of her family, the love of her family, and the solidity that comes from knowing that that will never change. It’s on the list after all.
Discussion
While appearing unassuming and simple, this little middle grade is packed full of emotional intelligence, complexity, diversity, inclusion and ultimately hope. I always praise middle grade novels that can open up important conversations (in this case divorce, LGBTQ+ relationships, anxiety, and therapy) with a story that is actually interesting.
Bea is such an instantly connectable character and my daughter and I loved her precociousness, her fierce spirit, and her all to relatable flaws. Her therapy sessions are so honest, bringing genuine insight as well as passing on very helpful coping mechanisms. Even more, Rebecca Stead does all this without every passing into “preaching” territory. We never felt we were being handed a packaged response or a forced narrative.
This story is loving, it is heartfelt, it is insightful, it is entertaining, and it is genuinely just so dang good. It is the great cure for whatever sadness is ailing you and will guaranteed leave you smiling. I adore Bea.
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