Every Shiny Thing is everything I love in middle grade fiction. It’s a book I enjoyed reading as well as a book I’ve been loving reading to my class of 5th graders. The strong writing and emotion of the story allow readers to connect with the story. I love finding books I can read to my students while also enjoying them myself! Definitely a must read!

Lauren is having a hard time coming to terms with her parents sending her brother, who has autism, off to a boarding school, while Sierra is adjusting to life with her new foster family and hoping that her neglectful mother will step up so that they can be together again. Lauren draws Sierra into her well-intentioned plan to raise funds for kids who don't have the resources her own family does, but will the plan backfire and bring Sierra down with it?

I can't say enough good things about this book! The characters are well developed and the plot is realistic and really hooks you in - wondering what is going to happen to these two girls in the end!

Every Shiny Thing is very unique. Told from alternating POV, one in prose and one in verse, the characters' stories complement each other. Lauren is struggling to deal with her brother with autism moving away to attend a specialized school, as well as the inequities she is beginning to notice around her. Sierra is struggling to deal with her mother's ongoing broken promises. Lauren befriends Sierra and provides friendship when Sierra needs it most, but her own (illegal!) problems begin to weigh the girls down. Unfortunately, good intentions don't undo bad deeds.

Every Shiny Thing has a strong diversity game going on. Kids in care, addictions, same-sex parents, bi-racial families, Quaker philosophies, and children with special needs all make for a diverse cast of characters, but yet, doesn't overwhelm the story. It is a well-crafted story about loss, social justice, friendship, growing up, and making difficult choices.

I recommend Every Shiny Thing for school libraries serving grades 5-8.

I felt that this was a perfect way for two authors to collaborate as each author took a different style of writing and a different that voice that still meshed so well together. The two characters form an unlikely friendship, coming from extremely different circumstances, but when good deeds turn troublesome, how will the girls be perceived when they're found out? This story takes a close look at privilege and social conscience in an accessible way for middle grade readers.

Every Shiny Thing isn’t just a book, it’s truly something special. Told half in prose, half in poetic verse, this heartfelt, yet totally heartbreaking story of friendship and growing up will give you all the feels.

From the moment we first heard about Every Shiny Thing, we knew it had the potential to be extraordinary, and we were so lucky to receive an advanced copy and be able to work with the authors to help them celebrate this emotional story. After just a few chapters, we found ourselves connecting with this story on a deep level. We’ve read a LOT of middle grade books before, and while this one definitely shares similarities to other books in the genre, it shines so brightly and is unlike anything we’ve ever read before. Sierra and Lauren may not always make the “right” decisions and are definitely a bit flawed, but what middle schooler isn’t? When you’re facing the uncertainty of growing up alongside family troubles that are difficult to handle, let alone understand, it’s easy to feel alone in the world. Sierra and Lauren are never alone, the bond between them is everything.

Every Shiny Thing shines a light on important themes like addiction, autism, growing up in foster care, and the consequences of shoplifting. We felt such compassion for these two girls and their less than perfect situations, even when they were making misguided choices because their hearts are always in the right place. It’s a gorgeous, unique, and authentic story that we fell absolutely in love with. Plus, how can you resist such a shiny, metallic cover?!

I like the parallel between Lauren's shoplifting and Sierra's mother's drinking, especially Sierra's role as an enabler. We see these different unhealthy relationships, Lauren's obsession with knowing best and how that causes friction. We have, of course, the dichotomy of poverty and privelege as well. I see using this one to spark a conversation about morals and Robin Hood, to ask the question if theft is ever justified, as well as a character's motivation.

Five big shiny stars for EVERY SHINY THING. I loved so many things about this multi-layered and rich story, including the prose/verse format, character development, and a very real look at the complex teenage mind. This will definitely find a place in my favorite #MGlit of 2018.

Every Shiny Thing is a uniquely structured novel told in alternating points of view. Told in prose, Lauren comes from an affluent family and is struggling with her parents’ decision to send her brother to a residential school for autistic teens. Told in verse, Sierra is the foster child of Lauren’s neighbors as well as her new classmate. While her father has been in jail, Sierra’s mother was recently arrested and needs to complete rehab as a condition of her sentence.

With her Quaker school’s theme of simplicity and her new friendship with Sierra, Lauren becomes increasingly cognizant of her privilege. She embarks on a project to help autistic children from less affluent families and enlists Sierra to help her. While well intentioned, Lauren becomes consumed with raising money at any cost which begins to negatively affect her friendship with Sierra. Sierra is also grappling with her own personal battle of always taking care of everyone but herself. She finally learns that sometimes the best thing you can do for anyone is to let them fall.

I absolutely adored this beautifully written novel on so many levels. The use of both prose and verse was perfect to share each character’s point of view. I applauded Lauren’s altruism but I was so worried observing how easily the lines between right and wrong became blurred for her. Due to her family circumstances, my heart broke for Sierra but I was touched by the fact that she remained courageous and hopeful. Sierra’s story was definitely a window for me because I know she could be a mirror for many students I teach.

Told in alternating voices this is the story of Sierra and Lauren.
Lauren has always been a help to her family. Her brother is autistic and she has worked on helping him communicate and negotiate through his frustrations. But now he is gone to a boarding school and Lauren hates it. To make matters worse, her best friend doesn't seem to understand. In an effort to cope she focus her attention on raising money to get help for other autistic kids. But her means of getting the money - stealing things and then selling them online is hardly the way to go.
Sierra has had a rough upbringing. Her dad is an addict and in jail and her mom is an alcoholic and after the latest episode is in rehab and Sierra is living with foster parents next door to Lauren.
The girls finds solace and friendship with each other but Sierra ends up covering for Lauren just like she used to cover for her mom. Can both girls get what they need?
I enjoyed the mixed format of this book and the story overall was well done and had some good themes. My one issue was how fast Lauren's issue took root and bloomed from merely taking things from home that no one seemingly wanted to shoplifting and stealing. Maybe realistic but it seemed a big, quick jump to me. Kids won't mind though...

Sierra’s mom is once again struggling with her addiction to drugs, alcohol, and poorly chosen men while her father is serving jail time for similar vices. Placed in the foster care system, Sierra moves in with a kind, mysteriously heartbroken interracial couple next door to Lauren, a tween fraught with compassion and her rapidly changing family dynamics. Lauren’s autistic brother has just moved to NC in hopes that a specialized school will better meet his needs. No longer a shadow or crutch, Lauren must determine who she is as well as how to function in an unfair world full of homelessness and privilege. As these two characters navigate their friendship through typical school drama, Lauren begins to lose control and fall into emotional instability, seeking solace in shoplifting and stealing her wealthier friends’ and families’ extravagances. Even with somewhat innately good intentions—hoping to sell these items to donate money for autistic children who cannot afford better therapy—Lauren frustratingly self-destructs in her own desire to escape the pain of her brother growing up without her.

Written by two impressive authors, Every Shiny Thing is a middle grade novel carefully constructed with alternating viewpoints. Sierra’s story is told in verse, emphasizing her kaleidoscope-like, emotional world while Lauren’s chaotic emotions and thought stream are portrayed in longer sentenced prose. A modern narrative with nontraditional families, coming of age questions, and how to find a place in a less than fair society, Jensen and Morrison create a strong realistic fiction story that tweens can relate with and look to for inspiration in a less than perfect world.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Amulet Books/ABRAMS kids for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. Every Shiny Thing will hit bookshelves April 17, 2018.

Every Shiny Thing by Cordelia Jensen and Laurie Morrison [Amulet Books 2018]

This is easily one of the most realistic, relatable middle grade novels I have read in a long time. It has been a couple of decades since I was the age of these characters, but they were so well written that I was instantly transported back to that state of mind while I was reading.

While I disagreed with so many of the choices Lauren was making, (my “mom voice” shouting) I could understand her motivations and feel like I was a very similar, confused but compassionate kid. I think so many young girls can relate to Sierra and her desire to keep their friends, no matter what they have to do.

I loved the dual perspective, especially that one side was told in verse. I have never read a story told in this way, but I definitely plan to again. The perspectives were so much more distinct because each girl had her own “voice.”

My favorite part of the story was the way that so many topics usually either shied away from or made “issue plots” in middle grade (race and sexual orientation, especially) were just naturally woven into the story. There were characters of many racial backgrounds, mixed race couples, and same sex couples that just *existed* without a big deal being made. I think all of this is so important for young readers to see such a diverse world being written as normal (because it is!)

Other “big topics” were handled just as well. Sierra’s life as a foster child was educational to the reader, but it wasn’t her only defining characteristic, which was refreshing to read. The setting of a Quaker school was so unique, and something I hadn’t read before, especially not in a middle grade book.

Thank you to Netgally for sending me an eARC if the story in exchange for my honest review.

I love alternating POV books. This one did not disappoint. I loved the differences between the girls as well. Great book. Perhaps a little too long for intended audience, but sensitive and authentic.

Every Shiny Thing
by Cordelia Jensen, Laurie Morrison
ABRAMS Kids

Amulet Books
Children's Fiction
Pub Date 17 Apr 2018

I am reviewing a copy of Every Shiny Thing through Amulet Books and Netgalley:

Lauren prides herself on being a good sister, to her brother who is on the spectrum, when Lauren's parents place her brother in a boarding school for teens on the spectrum.

Sierra moves into Lauren's neighborhood after her Mother is arrested and she is placed into a foster home in the same wealthy neighborhood Lauren lives in. The girls are lost and hurting and find comfort in each other but soon Lauren recruits Sierra to help her with a Robin Hood scheme to help raise money for Autistic kids who do not have the resources her family does, but if anything goes wrong both girls can find themselves in deep trouble.

Lauren will have to learn that it is not just good intentions that matter when battling injustice, and Sierra learns that she sometimes needs to take care of herself not just everybody else.

I give Every Shiny Thing five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

In Every Shiny Thing, the POV switches from Lauren, a wealthy, privileged girl who missies her brother who is autistic and sent away to a special school, and Sierra, whose parents are both in jail, forcing her into foster care. Lauren's chapters are written in prose while Sierra's are in verse, which can be a compelling storytelling technique. However I thought Sierra's chapters were much more engaging and well-written than Lauren's, and I feel that if we just stayed in Sierra's POV and Lauren was a side character, this book would have been more effective. While Sierra's character was flawed she was still a good person and you could still root for her. Lauren, meanwhile, was pretty insufferable. Even when she was trying to do something good, she was being terrible, and not a good friend at all. I also thought the "diversity" was just sort of tacked on, and that we always learned if someone was black or Asian but no one that I recall was described as a white girl. This book is okay and the writing of the poetry was really solid, but it was too preachy and too much of an "issues" book and I don't think I'll be recommending this to any middle grade readers.

This story begins with Lauren and her family. Her brother has just been sent to a special boarding school for autistic children and she is understandably upset. She then begins stealing from her wealthy classmates/stores in the hopes of donating the money for Autism research. I guess I read this from a different point of view as a homeschool parent. I thought that the storyline of sending your autistic child away from home was heartbreaking and could see how Lauren could react that way. The novel is written partly in narrative and partly in verse. The verse sections are from Sierra's point of view. Sierra is a foster child who lives with a couple in Lauren's neighborhood and goes to her school. Sierra's Mom is an addict so much of her story centers on that. I liked this story- I felt overwhelmed at times as it seemed to try and hit every single diversity and issue out there all in one story. It's getting great reviews everywhere else so your mileage may vary.

E ARC from Netgalley.com



Lauren is angry with her well-to-do parents because they have sent her brother Ryan, who is on the autism spectrum, off to a residential school. She misses him, and thinks her parents just got tired of dealing with Ryan's problems. She attends a private Quaker school that preaches simplicity even though most of the students are from very rich backgrounds and don't necessarily follow these teachings. Sierra's father is in jail, and her mother is an alcoholic who has finally found herself unable to take care of Sierra. Anne and Carl, neighbors of Lauren's, are fostering Sierra, who goes to the same school that Lauren does. Used to taking care of herself as well as her mother, Sierra is surprised at the level of affluence, but is glad that Lauren befriends her and helps her navigating the different environment. However, Lauren's anger turns into a plan to appropriate unused items from the well-to-do and sell them in order to donate money to a program for autistic teens. Lauren starts not only stealing from friends, but from stores as well. While Sierra doesn't want to help Lauren, she doesn't want to lose her as a friend, either. There are several projects going on at school, and lots of drama as Lauren and her friend Audrey fall out. Sierra's mother struggles with rehab, and Sierra tries to stay in contact with her friend Cassidy, but Lauren's issues imperil her own progress. Eventually, Sierra realizes that in order to help the people you care about, you sometimes have to bring their misdeeds to light.

Strengths:
Weaknesses: I had a little bit of trouble believing that Lauren would really miss her brother than much, and the level of affluence (which I definitely saw when I taught at a private school) might be utterly baffling to my students! Could have done without the "verse" style, but it does help to delineate Sierra's story.
What I really think: The shoplifting story alone made this book worth reading-- it's a topic not covered well enough. Add the foster care story, and this is a very readable and timely book.

This book alternates between the perspectives of Lauren, the girl who seems to have it all, but is missing her brother who is away at a school for children with autism and Sierra, a girl in the foster care system because her mother is in a jail. Lauren's chapters are told through prose and Sierra's through verse. Lauren and Sierra are relatable and realistic characters. Like many young readers, their lives are complex as they struggle with challenges in their family relationships and friendships. Neither Lauren or Sierra are perfect, but they learn from their mistakes and successfully work through bumps in their friendships. The main story line, in which Lauren does the wrong thing for the right reasons, will give readers much to think about and spark discussion. This book is beautifully written and one that can help young readers build empathy toward others and also show them something about navigating the path of growing up.