I was so excited when Kate Fussner approached me with an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of her debut middle grade novel-in-verse, The Song of Us. I grew up in a time when “queer” and “gay” were especially dirty words, so suffice it to say I never read a middle grade book with explicitly queer characters until this one.

As a teenager, I devoured every single one of Ellen Hopkins’ Young Adult novels-in-verse, and I was thrilled to see Fussner had taken a similar approach for Olivia and Eden’s story. I credit Hopkins’ novels with creating my voracious desire to read in my teenage years because of the depth and complexity of her verse. I felt that same desire propelling me through The Song of Us, not just because of how easily it reads but because of the brilliant way Fussner harnesses form to deliver such stunning, thought-provoking content.

A Hidden Present

I somehow missed
and what surprises me
most is the smile she wears
as she hands it to me.

(I had forgotten how she presses
her tongue behind her teeth
when she manages
a real real smile and
it’s not like a gritted-teeth emoji,
more like flowers pressing up
through frozen earth

and maybe that is the hidden gift.)

Kate Fussner, The Song of Us
This passage I’ve reproduced from Fussner’s ARC is one of the many instances where the author’s breathtaking imagery reminded me of when I fell in love with language itself. In its complex simplicity, this moment between Olivia and her mother is so beautifully powerful, for it centers how important it is to Olivia that her mother returns to her old, “real” self. While this novel is marketed as a Orpheus and Eurydice retelling for the relationship between the two middle school girls, Olivia and Eden, in many ways, it is retold and reinterpreted through the loss and regaining of Olivia’s relationship with her mother as well.

I deeply appreciated how this book talks about the difficult topic of depression through Olivia’s mother. I haven’t read any MG books where the author was brave enough to talk about such serious content so frankly. Fussner’s intended audience is certainly of the age where they can see and understand (to a degree) their parents’ suffering, and I think it’s especially important to talk about the particular dynamic that arises when parents are not fully available to help their children through their own difficulties (in this case, Olivia’s sexuality) when they’re battling their own demons.

While no child should feel that they cannot go to their parents for emotional support, Fussner spotlights what happens to the queer child, who believes their particular brand of suffering (coming out, for Olivia) can be “pushed aside.” This is why I feel Fussner’s novel hits it out of the park: it addresses the fact that children’s (in)ability to discuss the profound turmoil of discovering one’s own queerness is often (and repeatedly) put off because the child believes that their identity is not as time-sensitive as the pressures of their parents’ day-to-day difficulties. Those who read The Song of Us will not only feel seen with regard to this struggle, but they’ll also find some hope here: even in Olivia’s mother’s darkest moments, she’s able to offer insight and support because, ultimately, her love for her child outweighs whatever she’s got going on in her own life. I adored the positivity of Olivia’s relationship with her mother, despite how dark it got at times. That, for me, was the silver lining of this darker subject matter. (The scene where Olivia finds her mother on the floor, talking about not wanting to live anymore keeps coming back to me in the weeks that have elapsed since I’ve read this book, and it hurts me anew every time. I should clarify that the pain score does not account for this scene–the purpose of this blog is to rate queer pain, not the pain of all characters in the text.)

The romance between Olivia and Eden is as exciting as I could’ve hoped for. Fussner captures the dual excitement of falling in love and coming out all at the same time, and she manages to paint middle school (at least for the first act of her novel) in such a rosy light I became momentarily nostalgic for my own middle school years. But this story is not devoid of reality–Eden is subsumed into a friend group that Olivia detests, and Eden’s desire to fit in forces her into multiple situations where she’s shoved into a closet for 7 minutes of hell with whatever boy these girls see fit. And when Olivia sees what appear to be hickies on Eden’s neck, she calls her a “slut.” While Olivia is appropriately melodramatic for a middle schooler, it doesn’t take the sting out of the insult. Olivia spends the rest of the novel trying to correct her mistake and win Eden back, but, in the end, it hardly matters.

The ending–which can be construed as the most painful part of this beautiful story about self-discovery–is difficult. I contemplated rating this book more harshly on the pain scale because of Eden’s father’s decision to transfer her to another school in hopes of “fixing” her, but I ultimately landed on 5 “violets” because both Olivia and Eden were able to recognize their time together (and apart) for what it was–a formative, sometimes beautiful, sometimes challenging first encounter with their sexualities and with love. Realistically, middle school relationships rarely last into high school, and if they do, they even more rarely last into adulthood, so I cannot fault Fussner for separating our sapphic lovers at the end of the novel. Whereas this ending in a young adult, new adult, or adult romance would send me into a tantrum, the way in which Fussner handles this separation, and the brave way in which Olivia and Eden face the fate that neither of them have the power to change, leaves me hopeful. The fact that Eden is able to compose music and post it on YouTube to “broadcast” her love across time and space back to Olivia is beautiful and brave. Although they weren’t able to be physically together, Olivia successfully repaired their friendship and relationship with Olivia’s performance at poetry night, and there is no stopping them from becoming internet pen pals.

There’s another reason why I feel that this ending is fitting for a middle-grade novel and not as damaging as it would be in a text suited for an older audience. Fussner’s target audience (11-14-year-olds) is not going to get their way at this age. Olivia and Eden couldn’t run away, and there is no way to overrule what their parents want for them. Just like Olivia and Eden, they’re going to have to take whatever connection they can find and cherish it until they are old enough to go and create their own happy endings for themselves. Portraying a situation in which children/tweens like Eden are still able to find and sustain meaningful connections with their peers despite their prejudiced parents’ wishes was the realistic (and responsible) way to go about this, for not every child/tween is as lucky as Olivia is with her own mother, who not only understands but supports her daughter in her quest to win Eden back.

In a time when the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals are on the chopping block every single day (especially in the United States), it would have been irresponsible to release a book that refuses to acknowledge all the prejudice that queer children face. Rather, Fussner’s bold decision to write a story containing realistic (although horrific) responses to children’s/tweens’ queer identities arms today’s kids with the hope that although today looks bleak, their future can–and will–be better because they will one day have the power and agency to live their lives however they want to.

I am a huge fan of teacher-authors & am excited to sing about The Song of Us, by Kate Fussner. Olivia is a poet & Eden is the new kid at school, trying to figure out where to fit in. From the moment they see each other it is love at first sight. Fussner knows how to write to a teen audience and capture the complexities of first love. Every word is badass poetry! A book about being authentically yourself, about friendship, and mending relationships, The Song of Us is a heartwarming and beautiful read!

This book is an emotional ride and so wonderfully written. Olivia writes poetry and knows who she is, but her mom has depression and having learned it can be genetic she sometimes worries the fog will swallow her up too. Eden plays keyboard and loves music, but has trouble knowing who she is or wants to be, especially stifled by a negligent, angry father and trying to fit in with a group of girls who maybe aren’t who she actually wants to be. On Eden’s first day she meets Olivia and there is an immediate connection, and immediate love. The journey of their romance, falling out, and trying to find their way back to each other and themselves is so beautiful and heartbreaking. I can definitely see the influence of Orpheus and Eurydice but it’s also a book I think that can work well if you’re unfamiliar with that myth. Overall I really enjoyed this novel in verse, and the many feelings it elicited.

This tale took my breath away... more than once. A tender exploration of first love from both sides, THE SONG OF US broke my heart and put it back together again. What a gift this book is.

I’ve wanted to read this book since I heard it was announced. The author and I have mutual friends and I was excited to see what she would do with the story of Orpheus and Eurydice for middle grades… and in verse!

I really enjoyed reading this and as a pediatrician I think it is a perfect book for middle grade students trying to understand who they are, peer pressure and friendship, the stresses of mental illness, sexuality and early attraction, and their own creativity.

I can imagine this book being part of a curriculum on Greek mythology where the original story is read, this book, and even incorporating Hadestown. During a time when books are being banned that address LGBTQ issues, this book is desperately needed. I am sure there will be places where this book is banned. And I hope being on those lists leads more children to read it.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this book. It´s written in the form of poems, which I usually don´t like, but this book was different. The format it was written in just give it more feeling and expression. I really love the themes of friendship (and a bit more than that), betrayal, and forgiveness. It really pulled you in and made you feel what the characters felt. Overall, an amazing book. I would definitely recommend.

This is a beautifully written novel in verse that tells the story of Eden and Olivia, two girls who come together in poetry club and experience the joy of first love and then the pain of estrangement. Their emotions are so real and relatable as they try to figure out who they are together and apart, and the story is poignant and gorgeously written in their two voices. Both Eden and Olivia have challenges at home that make everything more difficult and are characters readers will truly care about and root for. The novel includes themes that will serve as both windows and mirrors to young readers. I flew through this as it was so interesting and beautifully crafted. I look forward to going back and reading it again more slowly so I can savor the lovely poetry. A stunning debut.

What a delight. "The Song of Us" tells the story of Eden and Olivia through verse, and theirs is a love song for the ages—not only as an Orpheus and Eurydice retelling but as a fiercely compassionate, creative story about two girls finding their footing in the treacherous ground of middle school.

I'm cautious about quoting from ARCs, because things might yet change before the publication date, but Fussner's use of verse here is wonderful. Mostly free verse (I'm not a poet, so don't quote *me* on that either) with occasional slips into concrete/shape poetry or something more stream-of-consciousness, there are little nuggets hidden throughout to call back to the original myth (Olympus Middle School, a character acting like she's read this story in English class already, an interlude from the Chorus—I laughed out loud at the last one). I occasionally wanted a little more from some of the side characters (Eden's father, for example, remains murky to me by the end), but I think that's the price one pays for a tightly woven story in verse.

Fussner has a teaching background, and she clearly knows her audience—this feels pitch-perfect for the age range (right set of middle-school emotions and petty disagreements) while also being engaging for older readers. Highly recommend if you're looking for a power ballad, a dance song, a theme song of a book.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a free review copy through NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the ARC.

It's love at first sight for seventh graders Olivia and Eden. Navigating these new feelings with the pressures of middle school, family struggles, and self acceptance isn't easy for these two. Fussner portrays their emotions and individual issues beautifully, though the story did feel a bit brief.

The song of us is an absolutely beautifully written story, following two young girls as they find their way through the complications of school, friendship groups and first love.

Not only was this story utterly captivating and poetry from start to finish but it also delves into complexities that middle grade books usually shy away from. I loved this story and these characters and truly could only wish for more.

I think the delicate portrayal of queerness and the messiness that comes with it at that age was wonderfully done and will mean so much to a younger audience.

There were so many scenes I screenshotted to keep in my little quote bank, that just fill you to the brim with warmth. And so many scenes I had to take that extra breath just so it didn't make me cry. Be warned: you will feel many emotions!

The only issue I had (that isn't really an issue) is that it was so short and had a very linear plot line. This only took away from the story in totality very slightly but it was enough to not rate it 5 stars. So sweet, so cute and definitely one I'll pick up again.

This book is stunning. The way Kate Fussner uses language and rhythm patterns to convey the distinct voices of these vastly different human characters each struggling to be seen and loved is nothing short of magical. I devoured this book and recommend it to everyone looking for a study on how to write a compelling, gorgeous, heart-punching novel in verse.

Fussner’s use of verse was outstanding! Every word was carefully chosen to evoke emotion and connect the reader to the characters.

When Olivia and Eden first see each other, they're immediately drawn to each other. But, having to keep what they have a secret is hard and when Olivia gets jealous she pushes away the good thing she has. From there, Olivia works to fix the mistake she made while Eden struggles with whether it's more important to be herself or who her friends want her to be.

Olivia and Eden both have challenging home lives and while they don't talk too much about it, they're able to understand the desire to escape. This helps build their relationship initially. I appreciated the handling of Olivia's mom's depression which demonstrated that it wasn't always predictable. There were moments where Olivia needed to be her mom's support but also when Olivia needed it the most her mom was able to recognize it and be there for Olivia.

The structure of the novel also provides a nice contrast between Olivia and Eden's friends. After having her mother leave, Eden is excited to have been chosen by her friends but she's unable to open up and they ultimately push her away. Olivia on the other hand has found a strong group of friends who jump at the chance to help her win Eden back. Friendships can play out in so many different ways and this was showcased here.

While this is a retelling of a tragedy, Fussner was able to craft an ending that was simultaneously devastating and hopeful.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

This was such a pretty book! I loved the plot and the characters and the way the story was told. It was a beautiful interpretation of a classical Greek myth!

This book is a MUST READ! The author is obviously talented based on the writing - to be able to evoke emotion in a reader with as few words as possible is a rare skill. While the plot is available for anyone to read before diving into the book, the emotion is what drives it. A perfect example of this is the crescendo of tension into the ending scene at the coffee shop. We feel frantic with the characters as we read the verses without punctuation or capitalization, redaction that gives insight into characters' intimate thoughts, and very short verses page after page. We feel disappointed at the end (not really a spoiler for a retelling of a tragedy!) as we notice the spaces between lines. We are able to read between the lines about both characters' difficult home lives. These stylistic characteristics contribute perfectly to the voice of the book. Read this book!

THE SONG OF US is an absolutely beautiful debut that nestles itself in the reader's heart from the first stanza and doesn't let go long past the last. From the moment I heard about a MG sapphic Orpheus and Eurydice retelling in verse, I knew it was going to wreck me in the best way. Even so, it far exceeded my expectations.

It is a perfect book for kids in the way it is relatable and grounded while also being emotional and lovely. The writing is stunning, and the book is impossible to put down. I read it in one sitting (both times) and through my tears, was taken back to my own middle school years, dealing with very real issues and still finding a comfort through Eden and Olivia all these years later. I'm thrilled that kids will be able to experience this story and find that same comfort and relatability, while either developing or deepening a love of poetry through Fussner's wonderful control of language and gorgeous verse.

An absolute must for librarians, booksellers, and guardians to keep watch for, THE SONG OF US is a standout debut and probably a contender for one of the all-time greatest MG books in verse.

Olivia and Eden are young girls each grappling with change, loss, and figuring out who they are. They find the right words when they find each other, but they must learn, too, to find the right words for themselves. Bittersweet and tender, this is a beautiful book for all ages. I hung on every word.

A novel-in-verse retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice told through two seventh grade girls who fall in love at poetry club. Olivia and Eden meet, and its love at first sight. Olivia is a poet and Eden thinks she wants to be a musician one day. Eden is the new girl in town and while Eden isn’t out she does want to date Olivia... but there are rules... like the fact that she has to hide their relationship. But when jealousy creeps in, it’s Olivia’s words that push Eden away and so they begin their journey back to one another again.... but just as the classic story goes... this can only end one way. This was such an interesting retelling and adaptation of the original story. I thought the format was unique, albeit, a bit confusing as times as it goes from one girl’s perspective to the other, and sometimes it doesn’t tell you who is who and you can get lost, but overall a very unique story.

*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books, Katherine Tegen Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*