From the Publisher:
They Both Die at the End meets The Bell Jar in this haunting, beautiful young adult novel-in-verse about clinical depression and healing from trauma, from National Book Award Finalist Amber McBride.

Whimsy is back in the hospital for treatment of clinical depression. When she meets a boy named Faerry, she recognizes they both have magic in the marrow of their bones. And when Faerry and his family move to the same street, the two start to realize that their lifelines may have twined and untwined many times before.

They are both terrified of the forest at the end of Marsh Creek Lane.

The Forest whispers to Whimsy. The Forest might hold the answers to the part of Faerry he feels is missing. They discover the Forest holds monsters, fairy tales, and pain that they have both been running from for 11 years.

My Review:
McBride's first book, another novel in verse, Me (Moth) was a definite 5-star book for me. It was also my 100th book of 100 in 2021. I love to end a big reading year in verse and this was a great way to end 2021. I said of Me (Moth) the verse was fire, the end broke my heart and the cover was just beautiful.

For this book, We Are All So Good at Smiling, the cover, again, is exquisite, and McBrideʻs verse is still fire. This book keeps with the fantasy/magic of Me (Moth). It still has depression and mental health as a key theme. This will speak to dark fantasy readers like my sister Becky whose favorite book is probably still Alice in Wonderland.

Whimsy is both broken and strongly stubborn. Faery is a beautiful boy with flower tattoos peeking out of his clothes. I love the description:
Faerry rolls up his sleeves & floral tattoos/(honeysuckle, snapdragon & angelica/root)/bloom up his muscular arms.
I also love Whimsy's group therapy metaphor early on in the book when she says "I am jealous of leaves" and her explanation in the next poem about what she means. That stayed with me for days. I thought about it when I was writing a graduation message to my student teachers.

The problem I have with the book is that there was a little too much action for this genre of novel in verse. I almost wanted it to be a just a prose novel with the usual literary devices woven in. I found myself getting confused and had to borrow the audiobook to do a read along, so I really read this book 1 and a half times. The audiobook is read by the author, so it works out if you can provide both to readers.

Suggestions for Curriculum & Classroom Use
Thematic currents:

Depression
Mental Health
Familial Trauma
Racial Stereotyping
Grief, Loss of a Child/Sibling
Friendship
Activity:
Catharsis Gardening: Using the idea of our own writing as catharsis for our inner fears and turmoils, students can draw, write, create their own stories of "getting through" as a way of getting out of Sorrow's Garden. This will take a lot of support, so make sure you have created a safe environment and have lots of backup ready.
Heroes/heroines as humans: Looking at your own cultural mythology, in my case, native Hawaiian mythology, students look at the very human struggles of our heroes, like Maui, in my case. Just watch Disney's Moana. Students will actively seek out characteristics and incidences when our mythological heroes are also very human and battle the same kinds of emotions. This would be a character study into what makes someone a hero or heroine.
Save the Last Word for the Author: In this text, McBride leaves readers with both a narrator (interlude) as well as author's notes. She gets to tell her story and some of her intentions in sharing this story. For her, stories keep the world intact. That is the power of including author's notes, is that the reading transaction can also be with the author. Use this as a mentor text for when the students tell their own story. Encourage them to leave an author's notes of their own.

Publication Information:
Author: Amber McBride (also the narrator in the audiobook version)

Publisher: Macmillan Publishing Group (January 10, 2023)

Hardcover page count: 280

Whimsy and Fae's story is painful and beautifully written. This book is very much a story about depression, Amber McBride makes that clear in her "Note Before Entering the Forest" at the start of the book. It's a content warning that serves an important purpose. The book includes instances of self-harm and it's really beneficial for readers to know that before choosing to read the book. The verse novel format is the perfect choice for such a heavy topic and McBride's writing is exquisite. This book would be a great book to teach. The fairy tale references are rich and complex. A beautiful, heartbreaking, and hopeful novel in verse.

Beautiful text & amazing world building. Definitely something for readers who enjoy poetry, fantasy, and books about growing up despite tragedy. I loved the way mental health was discussed and portrayed throughout the book.

I am not the most adept when it comes to poetry and metaphors. I like things to be a bit more literal--it means what it says. As such, I didn't quite connect to We Are All So Good at Smiling and struggled in some places, but I could understand and sympathize with what Faerry and Whimsy were going through. My overall experience might have been different had it not been in verse, but having it in verse is also what drew me to the book.

It's a thoughtful dive into mental health. Being in verse gives it a unique narrative that multiples the heartbreak especially as Faerry and Whimsy learn that the only way out is through; you have to work things through and sometimes it leads to discoveries you would rather forget. While a fast read, it's not until past the halfway mark when the pace picks up and everything begins to be revealed. While it took me a while to finish, it was a meaningful story and I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to read it.

Written in verse this young adult novel delves into a complicated topic of clinical depression. Beautifully written.

In her emotionally raw YA novel We Are All So Good at Smiling, author E. E. Cooper tackles mental health challenges and the power of human connection. The book centers on Whimsy, a teenager battling clinical depression who meets a kindred spirit in Faerry while in treatment. Though their friendship begins tentatively, the two bond over their shared "magic" as well as a mysterious, frightening forest that haunts them both. Cooper beautifully weaves themes of friendship, trauma, and personal growth together in this poignant story.

Whimsy and Faerry's journey demonstrates how sharing our struggles with others can help us heal. Their realistic characterization and experiences with depression, anxiety, and PTSD add an impactful layer of insight. Collectively, We Are All So Good at Smiling is a touching exploration of the power of human connection in overcoming life's challenges. Cooper crafts an emotional yet hopeful story that will last with me. Hope you like this book as much as I did!

We Are All So Good at Smiling is a fantasy novel that doubles as an allegory for clinical depression. It includes references to fairy tales from multiple cultures (plus a glossary at the back that explains them all) and emphasizes Hoodoo magic, which I’ve seen in few fantasy novels. It is rare to see a well-done allegory, especially one not overtly religious. Whimsy and Faerry are compelling characters with real struggles, but the plot does not grovel in sadness. The novel-in-verse format makes some of the plot confusing, and I wish the larger fantasy elements came sooner in the narrative. Despite those small grievances, readers will appreciate a story that deals with mental illness while bringing hope and magic.

This was definitely an interesting take on tackling the subject of mental illness. It combined fantasy with this heavy subject. I liked that it was written in verse and that it was accessible to readers. The diversity of the main characters brings to light the fact that mental illness can affect anyone and should be addressed for all. This was a beautiful and haunting story and a quick read.

I’m not entirely sure I completely understand what I just read, but it was beautifully written either way

Definitely look up the TW before diving into this one though

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me access to the free advanced digital copy of this book.

Amber McBride did it again! Her beautiful novels in verse are so captivating and compulsory. I cannot put her books down. She tells the story of of mental illness in such a masterful, artistic way. This book is not to be missed. I can't wait for her next one!

I loved We Are All So Good at Smiling so much! It was an easy read and my students will also love it. I am excited to get this for the library.

Such a beautiful, poetic read exploring mental health! I really enjoyed Amber's previous book, Me (Moth), and was excited to pick this one up. This one is much more magical and abstract and I didn't love it quite as much, but would definitely still recommend it. I found it hard to follow at times, but I think that has more to do with me than the book itself. Perfect for fans of "Home Is Not a Country" by Safia Elhillo!

I loved their first book in verse and I loved this one even more. Just such a powerful story told in verse. I will definitely keep purchasing and recommending this author and their books.

Let me just say that I wasn't the right reader for this story. McBride does an excellent job of making the reader feel the anguish and sorrow that Whimsy is dealing with. She does this with the use of imagery, which I found to be a little heavy handed. But again, I was not the right reader. Books about clinical depression are important.

Absolutely beautiful and poignant depiction of how clinical depression can shape a person's whole being. The prose resonated with the characters, and the writing voice is one I will be following in future stories.

***Thank you to NetGalley and to the publishers for providing me with a digital copy of this book for review.***

We Are All So Good at Smiling was a poetic and beautiful book, but it was definitely a heavy, hard read too. Readers should definitely check out content warnings before digging into this quick read.

Whimsy and Faerry meet in the hospital as they are being treated for clinical depression. They feel like they have met before and discover that somehow their lives may be connected, though they can't remember how. Faerry has recently moved in across the street and develops an obsession with the forest at the end of the lane. Whimsy is terrified of the forest, but when Faerry disappears, she somehow knows that he must have gone in, so she goes searching for him. The journey in the forest is one of fairy tales coming to life that help the two teens to find their way through danger and fear to the other side where they can finally confront a few events from their lives and pasts that haunt them.

The writing in this book is lush and lovely, and the mystical events in the forest stretch a reader's imagination and carefully blend real life with fantasy. I think the combination of these elements could make it a bit confusing for some teen readers, but I know that there are others who will dive in and relish this story in all of its beauty and sadness. I will certainly buy this book for my library.

This book was absolutely fantastic. I've already added it to our list for order next year and will recommend it to students.

I read this months later than I intended to, especially since I loved Me (Moth) so much. We Are So Good at Smiling is a beautiful, stunning, heartbreaking, and hopeful exploration of grief and depression. I hardly know where to begin other than screaming about how good it is and shoving it into people's hands. This novel in verse tells the story of Whimsey and Faerry, who both suffer from depression. Throughout the story they uncover past trauma and ultimately find a path to healing. This is a powerful and important story and I will be recommending it to my students immediately!

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and Feiwel & Friends for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

"We are all so good at smiling --- like we invented it."

This book was 100% a cover request. This has to be one of the most beautiful book covers that I have ever seen. I am so glad that I requested this book though because it was absolutely beautiful!

I have really been enjoying books that are written in verse recently and this book is probably one of my favorites. This is definitely a book that will stay with you after you finish reading it. I have also heard a lot of great things about the audiobook so I will probably try to listen to the audiobook when I want to read this book again.

Please check content warnings for this book before reading it. I highly recommend this book. 4.5 stars.