Ruby is 12 years old and is an expert on missing mothers. When Ruthie, her mother, goes missing again due to mental illness and addiction, Ruby and her aunt go into search mode to find Ruthie.

They travel from Georgia to Washington to NYC, going on adventures to find Ruthie. There are many surprises along the way.

Somebody’s Someone is a heartfelt and gripping middle-grade novel that tackles tough topics (mental illness, parental abandonment, and homelessness) with empathy and nuance. Through the eyes of 12-year-old Ruby, readers journey across the U.S. in a search for her missing mother, guided by the steady care of Aunt Marion, a librarian who becomes the emotional anchor in Ruby’s life. Along the way, they encounter a cast of memorable characters, including homeless friends Daisy and Benny, and jewelry store owner Julia, who challenge stereotypes and offer warmth in surprising ways.

What stands out most is the book’s ability to turn what could be a bleak story into one of hope, resilience, and found family. Ruby’s quiet strength and sense of responsibility are inspiring, and her bond with her aunt is both tender and believable. While some of the adult decisions in the story may feel unrealistic or raise questions about safety, the emotional arc remains strong. With its cozy settings, suspenseful twists, and powerful themes, this book is a valuable addition to middle-grade literature and a comfort to any child navigating uncertain family dynamics.

A gorgeous story about grief and growing up. Retaining that sense of childhood — a very relatable story that I wish I had had to reflect on when I was younger
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Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this advanced reader's copy and the opportunity to this early. Review has been posted on Waterstones and Goodreads.

Wonderful story one that should find its way to every school library

While I appreciate what this book was trying to do. The idea that an adult would put a child in this position unnecessarily (she had grandparents that could look after her) was hard to look past. The convenience factor was also over used. Overall not a new favorite.

This middle grade novel brings awareness to issues such as abandonment, addictions, mental illness, and homelessness.

12-year-old Ruby has never met her father, and her mother struggles with mental health issues and addictions. There are times when Ruby's mother leaves for weeks to months, leaving Ruby with her aunt Marion. Ruby knows the routine of what to do when her mom goes missing. This time, she goes with her aunt to find her Mom and travels to New York and Washington, DC Along the way, they meet some interesting and kind people who help them.

Throughout the story, situations seem unrealistic, such as giving your car keys to a person you just met or allowing random people to stay at your home after a traumatizing situation.

I would recommend this to middle-grade students comfortable with difficult topics, teachers, and anyone else who wants to see things from a new perspective.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

I really enjoyed this book and found it refreshing to find something so honest and raw in a children's book.

I especially liked Ruby's narrative voice, and seeing the story unfold through her perspective as a child caught up in the midst of these chaotic adult lives.

Once or twice, I felt the story was a little rushed, and there was suddenly an easy way out of some of the predicaments the characters found themselves in, and it felt somewhat naive that every single character they met along the way was a charming, kind person - I kinda wished they'd been faced with some less helpful characters to make it feel more believable, but I do appreciate that this was done to emphasise the theme of everyone being Somebody's Someone.

Overall, I did really enjoy this book and would recommend it.

As soon as I spotted the digital copy of Somebody's Someone on my NetGalley shelf app, I knew immediately that it was going to be a book written by an author written through a cynical perspective on a subculture which many children's book authors refuse to acknowledge even exists. However, the illustrations of the characters on the cover seem so incredibly likable, and it turns out the cover of this book is a qualifiable judge of the book's character. Young Ruby is the victim of a household where she has never met her father, and her mother often disappears for weeks (or possibly even months?!) at a time. Mostly, Ruby's primary caregiver in her Aunt Marion, a trusted adult and a librarian by profession. At the beginning of the book, the author explains how Ruby has once again been left to the care of her devoted aunt as she helps her Aunt Marion hang up Missing Person posters in their frantic search to find Ruby's mother.

The author leads her readers through a long-distance car trip through the United States from Georgia to New York City and then straight to Washington, D.C. Ruby and her Aunt Marion meet many new people including Daisy, Benny, Nixon, and Julia. Daisy and Beny are homeless people who ruby and her aunt befriend in New York City and Julia is the sole proprietor of a jewelry store. As it turns out, Julia's jewelry store has been robbed and ruby and her aunt Marion assist the police in their search for the armed thieves who stole the money and jewelry from her store. Unfortunately, the thieves may be more well-known to Ruby and her Aunt Marion than either of them would prefer. the author does write a suspenseful scenario which will leave readers well entertained and on their edge of their seats.

Linda Oatman High was successfully written dynamic characters who secretly have likable and redeemable qualities. Aunt Marion is the most unexpected yet nurturing caretaker for young Ruby. Ruby, a 12-year-old who seems to have been abandoned and deserted by both her mother and her father shows the most remarkable penchant for having a level of responsibility that far outshines any character of her profile that a reader might expect to find. Daisy and Benny are unlike any characters who happen to be homeless in New York City than might ever be expected. Even Julia, who appears to be the victim of a robbery and has every right be adopt a flair of uncivility shines through her excerpts that the author has written her throughout this novel. These people are more than believable characters-- they are people a reader might hope to find and befriend if a need ever arose.

Please pick up a copy of this book if you are looking for an unexpected twist on what an author might classify an unredeemable situation but ultimately turns into a situation where an unexpected family of blended strangers merge to teach values lessons about friendship and responsibility.

'' Each and everyone is Somebody's Someone. Each and everyone is loved, was loved, wants to be loved.''

Somebody's Someone is a reminder that the "children's fiction" category does not mean simple or that the themes explored must be without depth. The resilience of Ruby, Aunt Marion, Benny, Daisy, and Julia touched me more and more with each page I read.

The teacher in me deeply appreciated the way the author addressed mental illness using children's words. The descriptions of the settings and characters were skillfully written, allowing for clear mental imagery throughout the reading. Although the topics are quite mature, they were thoughtfully presented in a way that makes them accessible to everyone.

I highly recommend this novel to all, as it encourages critical thinking and puts everything you know in perspective.

Book Review! ✨
📕Book: Somebody’s Someone
📘 Genre: Middle Grade
📚 Review: I was excited to see the premise of this, as the reality of living with a parent with addictions and who is houseless and dealing with mental health struggles is very real for many kids, and was the reality for myself as a child. There aren’t many books that cover this topic for younger kids, so I was glad to see this. I think it’s important that these topics are represented for younger audiences, but I did have questions about some aspects of this.
The protagonist, who is 12, was not being protected by any adults in her life. She was seeing and hearing much more than she should have, and the adults should have protected her. Yes, this was a book talking about kids living with this, but the “responsible” adults should have done more, and I feel reading this may not help in the way it may be intended to. For example, why was this kid part of police procedures, staying in a house with strangers, and witnessing arrests and guns? Some kids in these situations do not have this protection, but in this book as she had an adult in her life caring for her, the protagonist should not have been subject to this and I think it could have been told a different way.
The character also was very inconsistent, at times seeming much more mature than her 12 years, and much less at other times.
Overall I think the story and writing were okay and good topics to be discussed, but I feel it could have been done differently.
💫 Rating: 2.5/5

📝 Somebody’s Someone is out March 3, 2025! Thank you NetGalley and Red Chair Press for the eARC. 📝

3/5 ✨ First of all, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of “Somebody’s someone”. This books message is very important, and the themes it touches regarding mental illness, but i found that some aspects of the story made me very angry. As i said, the issue regarding Ruby’s mother and how her mental illness affects their family’s life is very important and is well treated, but outside of that, i still cannot believe that Ruby had to be the adult one in some situations…Sometimes, even more adult than her aunt. That made me feel very angry and frustrated, and I didn’t liked it. Her aunt is supposed to be the one that has to take care of her after everything that happened with Ruby’s mother, and some of the things she did made me think she shouldn’t be able to keep Ruby.

This book is deeply moving and beautifully written story that captures the strength and resilience of a young girl navigating the emotional challenges of having a mentally ill parent. Ruby Bean’s journey to find her missing mother is not just about searching for Ruthie—it’s about finding inner strength, hope, and closure along the way.
What stands out most is the emotional depth of the characters. Ruby is authentic and easy to root for. She’s vulnerable and has a quiet strength that really shines through. Her bond with her aunt and the unexpected kindness from strangers add depth to the overall narrative. The plot is well-paced, balancing moments of tension and tenderness with just the right amount of surprise to keep you hooked.
Oatman High’s writing style is straightforward yet emotionally resonant, making complex themes like addiction, mental illness, and family bonds accessible without being overwhelming. The story doesn’t shy away from difficult truths, but it also offers a sense of hope and redemption that feels genuine rather than forced.
This book would be perfect for middle-grade readers who enjoy heartfelt stories about family, resilience, and personal growth. This will also be great for fans of realistic fiction with strong emotional cores. This was so sweet and moving...highly recommend it!

This story follows Ruby through yet another bad episode from her Mama. While Ruby and her aunt put up missing posters for her Mama, they follow leads into three different states and meet an eccentric cast of characters to help them. The narrative was straightforward enough for the genre while really getting into the mind space of a kid just trying to survive in these circumstances.

It is so valuable to see these kinds of struggles in kids’ books, both for the kids who see themselves in Ruby or for those who never thought about kids like Ruby. Every person is special to someone no matter how the cards lay.

This is the sort of book that should be on every classrooms bookshelf. The story handles the issues associated with mental health problems with great sensitivity. The story is so relatable and deals with everything in a matter of fact way. The characters feel so real and authentic. The children will love the journey taken.

I read this book in two days because every time I put it down to do something else, I couldn't stop thinking about what would happen next for Ruby and Aunt Marion. Even the side characters were engaging and when I was done reading I hoped for a follow up to the story or even a prequal.

While I loved how this story tackled the struggles of mental health, homelessness, etc., there were several moments that seemed like extremely bad decisions on the Aunt's part that kept putting them in unnecessary danger. I understand wanting to show the good in people and that not everyone is bad - but more caution is definitely needed in this story. My concern is the middle grade audience may not realize how dangerous these situations could be in real life.

I highly recommend this book but make sure your kids know that not every stranger has a heart of gold.

Absolutely fantastic plot! Could not put the book down once I began reading it. Cannot wait for it to be released. I will recommend it to everyone I know!

A short book, but one that packs a punch.
Young Ruby’s mother has disappeared, again. Her mental health issues and drug addictions prevent her from providing stability for Ruby, so Aunt Marion is her guardian. When the two go searching for the missing mom, they encounter a number of interesting people, who are surprisingly willing to offer assistance to Ruby and her aunt out of the goodness of their hearts.
A great book for middle-grade readers!

*I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*

I think this story had so much potential but ultimately fell flat in my expectations. I loved the concept of a main character navigating her feelings about having a parent with mental illness. There were many scenes where I teared up for Ruby and it could have been really impactful but it was overshadowed by the eccentric storytelling. I was very disappointed by the use of stereotypes throughout the book which could have easily been fixed with critical thinking. I was hoping that the ending would redeem the story, but ultimately all the adults in the story were unsafe and enabled dangerous behavior.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying me an advanced reader copy of Somebody’s Someone.

This book provides a wonderfully humanizing tale of a family going through hard times. Ruby Bean's search for her missing mother prompts discussion on homelessness, addiction, kid's in the care of adults who make serious, even criminal choices, and the complicated feelings of loving broken people. The author does a wonderful job navigating these difficult topics in an age appropriate way, and I believe this book will be important not just for kids in these difficult situations to see themselves reflected, but also to humanize and garner empathy in the hearts of kids not in these hard situations.

Somebody’s Someone is a deeply moving story that follows Ruby on an emotional journey to find her mother, a lost addict battling mental illness. Linda Oatman High crafts a powerful narrative filled with heartbreak, resilience, and hope. Ruby’s experiences are painful to witness. No middle grader should have to endure what she does, but her strength and determination make Ruby a compelling protagonist. The diverse cast of characters adds richness to the story, and Ruby’s growth throughout her journey is beautifully portrayed. This book brought me to tears, but it also left me with a sense of hope. A touching, unforgettable read.