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Tiny Infinities
When Alice's dad moves out, leaving her with her troubled mother, she does the only thing that feels she retreats to her family's old Renaissance tent in the backyard, determined to live there until her dad comes home. In an attempt to keep at least one part of her summer from changing, Alice focuses on her quest to swim freestyle fast enough to get on her swim team's record board. But summers contain multitudes, and soon Alice meets an odd new friend, Harriet, whose obsession with the school's science fair is equal only to her conviction that Alice's best stroke is backstroke, not freestyle. Most unexpected of all is an unusual babysitting charge, Piper, who is mute--until Alice hears her speak. A funny and honest middle-grade novel, this sharply observed depiction of family, friendship, and Alice's determination to prove herself--as a babysitter, as a friend, as a daughter, as a person--rings loud and true. TINY INFINITIES is a Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Book of the Year, a Junior Library Guild Selection, and a Mighty Girl Book of the Year.
1 pages, Audio CD
First published May 8, 2018
21 people are currently reading
3277 people want to read
About the author
J.H. Diehl
7 books30 followersJ.H. Diehl's novel, TINY INFINITIES, is a Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Book of the Year, a Junior Library Guild Selection and a Mighty Girl Book of the Year. Read more at https://www.jhdiehl.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
December 10, 2017
I adored this book. For those of you reading this review close to when I write it in 2017, I'm sorry you have to wait for the release of this book but it is completely worth it. I have to say I was a bit leery going into this one just because I knew it would rely on the characters and I'm picky with character building but the author did an amazing job of building the main characters. I especially loved Harriet. This is not your typical coming of age book but it's a great one for early teens as it's a clean book that deals with hard stuff and real relationships, including how to cope. It does a pretty good job of normalizing things that many kids struggle with and that's never a bad thing. Basically what I'm saying is if you've read the blurb on the cover and it sounds even vaguely interesting, buy it! You won't regret the read.
I would like to thank the publisher, author, and Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
I would like to thank the publisher, author, and Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 21, 2017
This is a beautiful, important book about a 13 year-old girl struggling with very real challenges. Alice desperately wants her family back together the way it was before her mother’s accident and her father and brothers moved out. She also wants to get her name on the swim club record board and earn enough money to pay for a cell phone. Life gets even more complicated when Alice meets Harriet, who seems to know more about researching fireflies than she does about making friends, and Piper, the four year-old girl next door, who has been losing her language and her connections to the rest of the world. As Alice navigates these new relationships, she makes mistakes, discovers she’s not the only one dealing with challenges, and begins to make her way through a world full of sharp thorns and firefly magic. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.
November 20, 2017
All 12-year-old Alice wants to do is focus on getting her name up on her swim team's record board, but life is way beyond her control. After a bad car accident, her mother is sullen and will barely leave her room. Her dad has moved out, and her brothers have gone to live with her aunt.
Furious and confused by the scattering of her family, Alice decides to move out to a tent in the backyard, and not move back inside until her parents come to their senses and her dad moves back home. Thus begins a long summer where Alice struggles to meet her cherished swimming goal, find a way to get her family back together, and maybe even help the little girl next door who watches Alice but never says a word.
TINY INFINITIES is a lovely, complex story which will tug at your heart and make you smile as well. Alice and Harriet, her new and confusing friend, are such real early teens, with all the complexities of figuring out both what is right and wrong, and what is right and wrong for YOU. One thing I especially love is how every other character, from Alice's mom and dad to little Piper next door, are drawn with both warm and depth, none falling into simple stereotypes or roles.
This is a phenomenal book, and I strongly recommend it for 11-14 year olds, and anybody else who remembers that age when life was complicated, out of your control, and yet full of promise. STEM friendly.
To be released in May 2018, but available for pre-order now.
Reprint from My Comfy Chair review blog. From a borrowed ARC.
Furious and confused by the scattering of her family, Alice decides to move out to a tent in the backyard, and not move back inside until her parents come to their senses and her dad moves back home. Thus begins a long summer where Alice struggles to meet her cherished swimming goal, find a way to get her family back together, and maybe even help the little girl next door who watches Alice but never says a word.
TINY INFINITIES is a lovely, complex story which will tug at your heart and make you smile as well. Alice and Harriet, her new and confusing friend, are such real early teens, with all the complexities of figuring out both what is right and wrong, and what is right and wrong for YOU. One thing I especially love is how every other character, from Alice's mom and dad to little Piper next door, are drawn with both warm and depth, none falling into simple stereotypes or roles.
This is a phenomenal book, and I strongly recommend it for 11-14 year olds, and anybody else who remembers that age when life was complicated, out of your control, and yet full of promise. STEM friendly.
To be released in May 2018, but available for pre-order now.
Reprint from My Comfy Chair review blog. From a borrowed ARC.
January 26, 2018
Alice's parents are splitting up. Her dad has just moved out to live in his own apartment. Alice's mom has been spending most of her time in bed, ever since a car accident left her deeply depressed. But this isn't a sad or dark book -- rather, it's profoundly joyful and inspiring, much more concerned with how we heal, change, and grow, rather than wallowing in sadness.
And it's also laugh-out-loud funny. Alice's new friend Harriet is an absolute delight, and so is Alice herself. I was hardly able to put this one down -- I read it in two days. And unlike many books I read that quickly, I found myself thinking of it -- remembering favorite scenes, feeling like the characters were still with me, wondering what they went on to do after the events in the book -- for days afterward. I would truly love to spend more time with all of these characters. Each one is well-defined, sharply observed, and entirely believable.
An all-around lovely book that I'd highly recommend to any middle grade readers who enjoy a good character-driven story.
And it's also laugh-out-loud funny. Alice's new friend Harriet is an absolute delight, and so is Alice herself. I was hardly able to put this one down -- I read it in two days. And unlike many books I read that quickly, I found myself thinking of it -- remembering favorite scenes, feeling like the characters were still with me, wondering what they went on to do after the events in the book -- for days afterward. I would truly love to spend more time with all of these characters. Each one is well-defined, sharply observed, and entirely believable.
An all-around lovely book that I'd highly recommend to any middle grade readers who enjoy a good character-driven story.
December 4, 2017
This book was given to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Even though I read the description of the book before I read it, I still really didn't know what to expect. I'm glad that I read this book. I think it is a perfect coming of age story where the main character is full of flaws and has a flawed life that is so relatable. We go on this summer journey with her as she deals with her life "falling apart around her" as she tries to put it back together. Alice seemed like such a mature little girl and her character was awesome. I would definitely buy this book and recommend it.
July 12, 2018
Tiny Infinities by J.H. Diehl Tiny Infinities by J.H. Diehl is a promising book about Alice, her troubled mother and her meeting an unusual new friend, Harriet. It's a middle-grade novel with unique observations about family relationships, friendship and Alice's determination to prove herself in all ways.
It's written for ages eight to twelve. I gave it five stars because it kept my full attention, start to finish.
"What I love most about backstroke is, it proves a person doesn't need to be looking straight ahead to know exactly where she's going."
The police left after Piper's parents claimed her from Alice's house. Her father was disgruntled. "He shut our front door, looking irritated and tired, as if he'd just put up with watching ten awful TV ads in a row, and now we were back to a show he didn't like anyway."
Alice met Harriet and was discussing how her parents met and she got her name from the dog. "But talking about Alice was like walking back over to that corner in my head and finding the box jammed full of mad, sad, and panic."
Alice's father is leaving. She is frustrated and upset. "Again the words came out madder than I expected, as if my voice had picked a mood without consulting me."
I received a complimentary Advanced Reader's Copy from Chronicle Books and NetGalley. That did not change my opinion for this review.
Link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/Tiny-Infinitie...
It's written for ages eight to twelve. I gave it five stars because it kept my full attention, start to finish.
"What I love most about backstroke is, it proves a person doesn't need to be looking straight ahead to know exactly where she's going."
The police left after Piper's parents claimed her from Alice's house. Her father was disgruntled. "He shut our front door, looking irritated and tired, as if he'd just put up with watching ten awful TV ads in a row, and now we were back to a show he didn't like anyway."
Alice met Harriet and was discussing how her parents met and she got her name from the dog. "But talking about Alice was like walking back over to that corner in my head and finding the box jammed full of mad, sad, and panic."
Alice's father is leaving. She is frustrated and upset. "Again the words came out madder than I expected, as if my voice had picked a mood without consulting me."
I received a complimentary Advanced Reader's Copy from Chronicle Books and NetGalley. That did not change my opinion for this review.
Link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/Tiny-Infinitie...
December 26, 2017
Alice is twelve years old, and her summer has begun tumultuously. Her father has moved out, and her younger brothers are staying at her aunt's for the summer. Alice is expected to go with her siblings, but she insists on staying at home with her mother, and pitches a tent in the backyard in protest. Her tent will bring her father home, will make her mother happy and physically well again.
Instead, Alice meets a new friend (the very scientific minded Harriet) through her swim team, as well as intriguing new neighbors with three children. She begins babysitting the youngest child, and builds a relationship with the middle one, Piper, a little girl who has mysteriously stopped talking.
I like middle grade books that tackle difficult subjects, which Tiny Infinities does with grace. By the end of the summer, Alice realizes that no amount of tents or backyard-living will heal her family. But she can, however, help Piper find her own way to heal. And just as importantly, she can help mend herself.
Thank you to Chronicle Books and Netgalley for an ARC.
Instead, Alice meets a new friend (the very scientific minded Harriet) through her swim team, as well as intriguing new neighbors with three children. She begins babysitting the youngest child, and builds a relationship with the middle one, Piper, a little girl who has mysteriously stopped talking.
I like middle grade books that tackle difficult subjects, which Tiny Infinities does with grace. By the end of the summer, Alice realizes that no amount of tents or backyard-living will heal her family. But she can, however, help Piper find her own way to heal. And just as importantly, she can help mend herself.
Thank you to Chronicle Books and Netgalley for an ARC.
January 4, 2018
Tiny Infinities is a beautiful story, exquisitely written and full of unique characters that ring real and true.
Alice has just turned 13 and everything around her seems to be falling apart. Her parents’ marriage is in shambles, her father and brothers have moved out, her mother is barely coping with the trauma resulting from a car accident, and a little girl who cannot speak has just moved in next door. Alice wants to make all of it right.
During the course of a summer, Alice learns a lot about what she can and cannot change. From the ashes of her former life, Alice builds a new one, rich with friendship, generosity of spirit and full of unexpected possibilities.
Tiny Infinities will make you laugh and cry and think deeply about the challenges of life and how we choose to face them. This is a not-to-be-missed book that will linger long after you turn the final page.
Alice has just turned 13 and everything around her seems to be falling apart. Her parents’ marriage is in shambles, her father and brothers have moved out, her mother is barely coping with the trauma resulting from a car accident, and a little girl who cannot speak has just moved in next door. Alice wants to make all of it right.
During the course of a summer, Alice learns a lot about what she can and cannot change. From the ashes of her former life, Alice builds a new one, rich with friendship, generosity of spirit and full of unexpected possibilities.
Tiny Infinities will make you laugh and cry and think deeply about the challenges of life and how we choose to face them. This is a not-to-be-missed book that will linger long after you turn the final page.
March 14, 2018
There are no simpler words to describe this book than as a tiny infinity of its own. It is understated in its beauty and brilliance. At first, you may wonder what the point of it is, because, in all honesty, nothing really happens. It isn't a grand adventure or an outright heartbreaker, but the little ways that it hurts you or lifts your spirit can almost go unnoticed if you're not paying attention. I loved every moment of it.
A nothing story told in subtle, yet beautiful, intricacies. We all need stories like these at one point or another.
(Very appropriately titled. Brava!)
A nothing story told in subtle, yet beautiful, intricacies. We all need stories like these at one point or another.
(Very appropriately titled. Brava!)
March 14, 2018
An extraordinary debut.Emotionally wrenching with nuanced characters facing realistic challenges. A dark horse for Newbery 2019.
February 1, 2018
I enjoyed reading this novel for Middle Schoolers. It would make a good read aloud touching on different types of families through memorable characters. I particularly like the resolution involving the family going through parental separation. The child finds a strategy for her- a unique one- then finds that although it doesn't work, her family can change its living arrangements without loosing touch with each other.
January 9, 2018
I enjoyed the real characters in this book and the description of the struggle to find your own place in the face of chaos.
November 29, 2018
There is so much that I loved in this middle-grade book, especially about its central character, Alice. In a world where there is so much unkindness going on these days, Alice's kindness, especially to younger children, is an important thing for middle-graders to read. Those years can be so hard, and Alice, who has just turned thirteen, shows it is not just okay to be kind, but that it can help you weather the storm of your own troubles to be kind to others.
A classic parentified child, Alice is the oldest of three. Her mother had a terrible car accident, six major operations afterward, is slow to recover, suffers from depression and her marriage to Alice's father has failed to the point that she asks him to move out. Alice processes all this from the perception of a thirteen-year-old girl. She blames her mother, even as she tries so very hard to care for her mother. She blames her father for giving up and for not sticking up for his family after he and her mother decided to settle down and have three kids. She tries to channel her anger, anxiety and sorrow into being productive- by training twice a day with her swim team and babysitting for her neighbors who have a toddler, Timmy, and an older child, Piper, who is nonverbal. Piper and Timmy's older half-brother Owen is in high school and visiting his dad's family. While Alice enjoys a good rapport with Joanna, the younger neighbor children's mother (Owen's stepmother), their father distrusts Alice because of events at the open of the book. The ambient distrust and painful fragmentation of her family (her father did indeed move out, and her younger twin brothers are spending the summer with her aunt) are very hard on Alice. She's not taking it all quietly, however. As Alice forges her way through her summer, with her new best friend Harriet in tow, she parses the infinity between how her life ought to be and how it presently is.
This book is in the category of things that are wise and wonderful. I strongly recommend it for summer reading.
I received a Digital Review Copy of this book from Chronicle Books and NetGalley, and a paper review copy.
A classic parentified child, Alice is the oldest of three. Her mother had a terrible car accident, six major operations afterward, is slow to recover, suffers from depression and her marriage to Alice's father has failed to the point that she asks him to move out. Alice processes all this from the perception of a thirteen-year-old girl. She blames her mother, even as she tries so very hard to care for her mother. She blames her father for giving up and for not sticking up for his family after he and her mother decided to settle down and have three kids. She tries to channel her anger, anxiety and sorrow into being productive- by training twice a day with her swim team and babysitting for her neighbors who have a toddler, Timmy, and an older child, Piper, who is nonverbal. Piper and Timmy's older half-brother Owen is in high school and visiting his dad's family. While Alice enjoys a good rapport with Joanna, the younger neighbor children's mother (Owen's stepmother), their father distrusts Alice because of events at the open of the book. The ambient distrust and painful fragmentation of her family (her father did indeed move out, and her younger twin brothers are spending the summer with her aunt) are very hard on Alice. She's not taking it all quietly, however. As Alice forges her way through her summer, with her new best friend Harriet in tow, she parses the infinity between how her life ought to be and how it presently is.
This book is in the category of things that are wise and wonderful. I strongly recommend it for summer reading.
I received a Digital Review Copy of this book from Chronicle Books and NetGalley, and a paper review copy.
February 11, 2018
The wonderful, quirky characters draw you in and make you care. Tiny Infinities has much to say about growing up, the strength of family (and the fear of losing it), trust, friendship, a competitive edge, and thinking outside the box. The pages are filled with warm insight and many lines will make you laugh—wry humor at its best. J. H. Diehl has a gift—connecting readers to a world full of challenges but also endless possibilities and characters who never give up.
May 14, 2018
TINY INFINITIES by J.H. Diehl is a novel for young readers that opens with a gorgeous ode to the backstroke. Washington D.C. area swimmers of all strokes, however, will relate to this story set in a fictitious Chevy Chase community pool during the summer when MCSL freestyler Alice Allyn flips over on her back to “race between walls she cannot see.”
There is no shortage of walls for Alice to scale in this compelling summer read. The book opens the night Alice’s father and twin brothers move out of the house. Her mother, angry and depressed as a result of a car accident, has not left her bed for months, and Alice’s troubles have alienated her from her carefree friends. In effort to glue her family back together, Alice pitches a tent in her backyard, pledging that she will live outside until her father and brothers return home.
Amidst the chaos of her family life, Alice clings to the familiar: summer swimming. Despite her “crummy” anatomy and ill-timed May birthday, she is determined to see her name up on the team record board in her new 13-14 age group. Enter Harriet, a Minnesota transplant and math and science whiz, who convinces Alice that statistically, becoming a backstroker will give Alice the best shot at attaining her goal. Not only does Alice break the team medley relay record, but she makes the All Star meet. How? By adhering to the adage: always bring your suit to the relay carnival. When a teammate gets sick, Alice slides right into a key backstroke slot. After the tenth time she checks the board for her new record, Alice muses, “At any moment life could give you what you most hoped for, even it came by accident.”
Diehl, a former swim mom and veteran of the MCSL world, gets the tiniest details of summer swimming right: the cheers that make no sense, the way the light hits the water at 6:30 a.m., coaches donning crazy costumes, the politics of sharing a lane, the extended All Star season, the minutiae of the MCSL relay rules, the swim team banquet awards, and more. From these details emerge the larger truths about summer swimming, sports, and life.
Like many swimmers, the pool, or, according to Alice, the “blue rectangle that holds up her body,” is a place where she can sort through the problems: “Whatever is on your mind, even if it feels like a ton, you don’t stop moving your arms and legs and let it sink you. You count on the water, and when you turn, you can depend on the walls to help you push you back in the opposite direction.” Wise Harriet offer other pearls that transcend the pool, “Good fortune takes preparation . . . if you try, you open up the possibility of succeeding.”
Through the haze of her confusing summer, Alice also discovers a truth about how little control she has over other people’s behavior. Harriet sullies her All Star dreams; the parents of a child she babysits reprimand her for overstepping, and her mother completely quits mothering. She can’t change Harriet’s plans, sleeping in a tent doesn’t bring her father home, and she comes to terms with the fact that, “No chores I did, no food I cooked, no words I said were going to fix Mom.”
TINY INFINITIES is not only chock full of truths, but it’s funny and hopeful. And toward the end of the novel, Alice suggests that swimming the backstroke may indeed direct us to our true north, “Every time I swam the backstroke now, I felt the sky expanding overhead with no limits. It seemed like you could go anywhere. At the same time, you could count on where you were going too.” Perhaps the same could be said about this beautifully crafted novel. (from the Reach for the Wall blog)
There is no shortage of walls for Alice to scale in this compelling summer read. The book opens the night Alice’s father and twin brothers move out of the house. Her mother, angry and depressed as a result of a car accident, has not left her bed for months, and Alice’s troubles have alienated her from her carefree friends. In effort to glue her family back together, Alice pitches a tent in her backyard, pledging that she will live outside until her father and brothers return home.
Amidst the chaos of her family life, Alice clings to the familiar: summer swimming. Despite her “crummy” anatomy and ill-timed May birthday, she is determined to see her name up on the team record board in her new 13-14 age group. Enter Harriet, a Minnesota transplant and math and science whiz, who convinces Alice that statistically, becoming a backstroker will give Alice the best shot at attaining her goal. Not only does Alice break the team medley relay record, but she makes the All Star meet. How? By adhering to the adage: always bring your suit to the relay carnival. When a teammate gets sick, Alice slides right into a key backstroke slot. After the tenth time she checks the board for her new record, Alice muses, “At any moment life could give you what you most hoped for, even it came by accident.”
Diehl, a former swim mom and veteran of the MCSL world, gets the tiniest details of summer swimming right: the cheers that make no sense, the way the light hits the water at 6:30 a.m., coaches donning crazy costumes, the politics of sharing a lane, the extended All Star season, the minutiae of the MCSL relay rules, the swim team banquet awards, and more. From these details emerge the larger truths about summer swimming, sports, and life.
Like many swimmers, the pool, or, according to Alice, the “blue rectangle that holds up her body,” is a place where she can sort through the problems: “Whatever is on your mind, even if it feels like a ton, you don’t stop moving your arms and legs and let it sink you. You count on the water, and when you turn, you can depend on the walls to help you push you back in the opposite direction.” Wise Harriet offer other pearls that transcend the pool, “Good fortune takes preparation . . . if you try, you open up the possibility of succeeding.”
Through the haze of her confusing summer, Alice also discovers a truth about how little control she has over other people’s behavior. Harriet sullies her All Star dreams; the parents of a child she babysits reprimand her for overstepping, and her mother completely quits mothering. She can’t change Harriet’s plans, sleeping in a tent doesn’t bring her father home, and she comes to terms with the fact that, “No chores I did, no food I cooked, no words I said were going to fix Mom.”
TINY INFINITIES is not only chock full of truths, but it’s funny and hopeful. And toward the end of the novel, Alice suggests that swimming the backstroke may indeed direct us to our true north, “Every time I swam the backstroke now, I felt the sky expanding overhead with no limits. It seemed like you could go anywhere. At the same time, you could count on where you were going too.” Perhaps the same could be said about this beautifully crafted novel. (from the Reach for the Wall blog)
November 14, 2024
March 2023: TINY INFINITIES, a Bank Street Best Book and Junior Library Guild Selection, is now an audio book, beautifully narrated by Laura Knight Keating. Published by Recorded Books and available on most audiobook platforms, including Libby and Hoopla.
https://www.libro.fm/audiobooks/97817...
March 2023: Delighted to see TINY INFINITIES at #105 on this Reader's Digest list, '106 Best Children's Books of All Time'. https://www.rd.com/list/the-best-chil...
2019:
So honored! Tiny Infinities is a 2019 Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year, starred for Outstanding Merit:
https://www.bankstreet.edu/library/ce....
Tiny Infinities is on Woman's Day Magazine's 2019 "The Best Books to Read this Summer":
https://www.womansday.com/life/entert...
Tiny Infinities is A Mighty Girl's 2018 Book of the Year:
https://www.amightygirl.com/books-of-...
20 Best Reads of 2018: Honored to be on this list. Thank you to blogger Marzie's Reads: http://marziesreads.blogspot.com/2018...
Tiny Infinities is "Smashing Stereotypes" https://bit.ly/2N9q9wW
Thank you to BookTrust UK for this nice review: "This is a very beautiful book, touching on themes of mental health, family relationships, friendships and love. Alice is a very likeable protagonist with whom we find great empathy as she slowly comes to terms with the inevitable changes in her family. We see her learn to understand when and where she can – and when she can’t. Her relationship with Piper is both touching and convincing, with a rare condition handled in a sensitive and thought-provoking way.
A gentle and memorable read."
PWChildren's Bookshelf: "Reading Poolside" https://bit.ly/2vDKCQG
Tiny Infinities is one of Woman's Day Magazine's 2018 "40 Summer Beach Reads You Won't Be Able to Put Down."
Foreword Reviews says: "Tiny Infinities by J.H. Diehl is an extraordinary and unflinchingly honest book...[It is] both meaningful and memorable, and the the lessons that Alice learns in one transformative summer are universal. Diehl's characters will live on in readers' minds long after finishing the book."
"While the innovative situations keep this plot moving, it's the character portrayals that shine... [Alice and her friends'] personal growth is seamlessly woven into a story that is as smoothly lyrical and full of ordinary wonder as it is realistic." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Lush, layered, and languidly paced . . . this is a keenly perceptive and nuanced story awaiting just the right reader." -Booklist
"Diehl has a lovely writing style and wastes no time getting readers on Alice's side." - Kirkus
I'm honored and excited that TINY INFINITIES was chosen as a Junior Library Guild Selection for Fall 2018. JLG lists TINY INFINITIES as a Middle School book in the Sports category, which is wonderful because the story's MC, Alice - aka Triple A - is a swimmer, and the novel is partly about how her sport anchors her through tough times. Thank you JLG!
https://www.libro.fm/audiobooks/97817...
March 2023: Delighted to see TINY INFINITIES at #105 on this Reader's Digest list, '106 Best Children's Books of All Time'. https://www.rd.com/list/the-best-chil...
2019:
So honored! Tiny Infinities is a 2019 Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year, starred for Outstanding Merit:
https://www.bankstreet.edu/library/ce....
Tiny Infinities is on Woman's Day Magazine's 2019 "The Best Books to Read this Summer":
https://www.womansday.com/life/entert...
Tiny Infinities is A Mighty Girl's 2018 Book of the Year:
https://www.amightygirl.com/books-of-...
20 Best Reads of 2018: Honored to be on this list. Thank you to blogger Marzie's Reads: http://marziesreads.blogspot.com/2018...
Tiny Infinities is "Smashing Stereotypes" https://bit.ly/2N9q9wW
Thank you to BookTrust UK for this nice review: "This is a very beautiful book, touching on themes of mental health, family relationships, friendships and love. Alice is a very likeable protagonist with whom we find great empathy as she slowly comes to terms with the inevitable changes in her family. We see her learn to understand when and where she can – and when she can’t. Her relationship with Piper is both touching and convincing, with a rare condition handled in a sensitive and thought-provoking way.
A gentle and memorable read."
PWChildren's Bookshelf: "Reading Poolside" https://bit.ly/2vDKCQG
Tiny Infinities is one of Woman's Day Magazine's 2018 "40 Summer Beach Reads You Won't Be Able to Put Down."
Foreword Reviews says: "Tiny Infinities by J.H. Diehl is an extraordinary and unflinchingly honest book...[It is] both meaningful and memorable, and the the lessons that Alice learns in one transformative summer are universal. Diehl's characters will live on in readers' minds long after finishing the book."
"While the innovative situations keep this plot moving, it's the character portrayals that shine... [Alice and her friends'] personal growth is seamlessly woven into a story that is as smoothly lyrical and full of ordinary wonder as it is realistic." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Lush, layered, and languidly paced . . . this is a keenly perceptive and nuanced story awaiting just the right reader." -Booklist
"Diehl has a lovely writing style and wastes no time getting readers on Alice's side." - Kirkus
I'm honored and excited that TINY INFINITIES was chosen as a Junior Library Guild Selection for Fall 2018. JLG lists TINY INFINITIES as a Middle School book in the Sports category, which is wonderful because the story's MC, Alice - aka Triple A - is a swimmer, and the novel is partly about how her sport anchors her through tough times. Thank you JLG!
December 24, 2017
This novel is recommended for Grades 5 and up, Ages 10 and up. I was granted access to an ARC of "Tiny Infinities" through Net Galley, and am pleased to offer my honest opinion on what I read.
Despite being well outside the target age range for readers, I really enjoyed "Tiny Infinities." I can easily see how this novel will appeal to middle school readers. The perspective of Alice is very genuine to everything I felt when I was that age, and what I see kids today feeling, as well. Middle school, approaching high school, is a very difficult time for kids. A time made much, much more difficult when decisions by their parents drastically change their world, and which they have no say in. Alice experience the separation of her parents. Her opinion is not listened to by her parents, despite her best efforts. That is frustrating enough, but then she experiences the added "bonus" of her parents constantly trying to interfere with other aspects of her regular routine for the sake of their own convenience.
For Alice, the summer of her 13th birthday is one of stress, strife, growth, and change. She doesn't always handle it well. In fact, she occasionally makes a pretty serious mistake and then has to face the consequences. Overall, though, she remains insightful, and strives to be open to understanding where others are coming from. She is the kind of person most of us would like to be friends with, and I feel she is a great literary role model for all kids.
Alice's newfound friend, Harriet, is a remarkable person in her own right. Though a secondary character, she experiences growth and change as a result of her friendship with Alice. Their relationship is a great example of how we may have a positive influence on each other, and how we need to be open and understanding that we are not the only ones who make mistakes. As long as we take the time to listen to each other, and remember the golden rule, Alice and Harriet show us that friends can do so much to make our lives and ourselves better.
I found this book to be extra special for my family because of, frankly, a few coincidences. It releases on May 8th, which happens to be my son's 8th birthday. A central feature of the novel are the fireflies, which are a favorite summertime treat of my kids. My own kids are little water ducklings, as well. I read "Tiny Infinities" aloud to both of them, and they really enjoyed it. My daughter felt very drawn to Piper, and wanted to play the same kinds of games she played. My daughter is four. She commented on being able to make Piper talk. My son really liked Harriet, because she is "super smart and has good numbers." I smiled every single time I read this to my children. In the end, I hope I am a little like Alice, and that I may be a person who can reach others.
Despite being well outside the target age range for readers, I really enjoyed "Tiny Infinities." I can easily see how this novel will appeal to middle school readers. The perspective of Alice is very genuine to everything I felt when I was that age, and what I see kids today feeling, as well. Middle school, approaching high school, is a very difficult time for kids. A time made much, much more difficult when decisions by their parents drastically change their world, and which they have no say in. Alice experience the separation of her parents. Her opinion is not listened to by her parents, despite her best efforts. That is frustrating enough, but then she experiences the added "bonus" of her parents constantly trying to interfere with other aspects of her regular routine for the sake of their own convenience.
For Alice, the summer of her 13th birthday is one of stress, strife, growth, and change. She doesn't always handle it well. In fact, she occasionally makes a pretty serious mistake and then has to face the consequences. Overall, though, she remains insightful, and strives to be open to understanding where others are coming from. She is the kind of person most of us would like to be friends with, and I feel she is a great literary role model for all kids.
Alice's newfound friend, Harriet, is a remarkable person in her own right. Though a secondary character, she experiences growth and change as a result of her friendship with Alice. Their relationship is a great example of how we may have a positive influence on each other, and how we need to be open and understanding that we are not the only ones who make mistakes. As long as we take the time to listen to each other, and remember the golden rule, Alice and Harriet show us that friends can do so much to make our lives and ourselves better.
I found this book to be extra special for my family because of, frankly, a few coincidences. It releases on May 8th, which happens to be my son's 8th birthday. A central feature of the novel are the fireflies, which are a favorite summertime treat of my kids. My own kids are little water ducklings, as well. I read "Tiny Infinities" aloud to both of them, and they really enjoyed it. My daughter felt very drawn to Piper, and wanted to play the same kinds of games she played. My daughter is four. She commented on being able to make Piper talk. My son really liked Harriet, because she is "super smart and has good numbers." I smiled every single time I read this to my children. In the end, I hope I am a little like Alice, and that I may be a person who can reach others.
April 11, 2018
The beginning of this book had me intrigued immediately, and the story never faltered. I loved the richness of the characters (including the secondary characters), and how the author seems to completely understand the mind of a thirteen-year old. The main character, Alice, is so likable as she navigates a difficult summer. Because of the wonderful writing, the reader completely understands why Alice sets up a tent from a Renaissance Fair in her back yard and refuses to move back into the house until her father comes back home. All of Alice's activities - babysitting, swim team, helping a friend with a Science Fair project, boy-next-door crush - are much more complicated than they appear on the surface. The underlying messages are subtle, yet powerful and universal. Highly recommended.
(ARC provided in exchange for review)
(ARC provided in exchange for review)
May 9, 2018
@kidlitexchange #partner ☄Thanks to #kidlitexchange for sharing the review copy of this book Tiny Infinities by J. H. Diehl. All opinions are my own. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Alice's messy world is fascinating, heartbreaking, and inspirational all in the same breath. Alice wants her family back, not just before her father left and her brothers too, but before the "accident" that keeps her mother barley able to function. In her rebellious fit she takes to living in a tent in the backyard until everything will reset itself. She wants her name on the Swim Team Record Books. She makes a new friend named Harriett who loves Science. Alice babysits for the neighbor, a little girl named Piper, who never says a word. Not one. Alice begins to heal while helping Piper too. A truly inspirational story with so many aspects and so many directions for middle grade entertainment. There's babysitting, swimming, chronic illness, seperation/divorce, rebellious attitudes, and healing all tied up in this book. Amazing. Review also posted on Instagram @borenbooks, Library Thing, Go Read, Goodreads/StacieBoren, Amazon, Twitter @jason_stacie and my blog at readsbystacie.com
May 1, 2018
A big thank you to Chronicle Books and to NetGalley for a digital ARC of this middle grade novel.
You can't help but root for Alice. She is so eager to be a better swimmer, be a good babysitter, be a good friend and to fix her family. When her dad moves out at the beginning of the summer, she pitches their family renaissance tent in protest hoping it will make her dad come back home. What it does is set her up for science adventures with her new friend Harriet and gives her a new appreciation for her backyard among other things. Alice makes mistakes and suffers consequences, but she also has many successes along the way and her family finds their way to a new normal. I wish there were not broken families like Alice's for thirteen-year-old girls to deal with, but there are. This book is an honest depiction of one such family that can help bring understanding to kids in this age group.
You can't help but root for Alice. She is so eager to be a better swimmer, be a good babysitter, be a good friend and to fix her family. When her dad moves out at the beginning of the summer, she pitches their family renaissance tent in protest hoping it will make her dad come back home. What it does is set her up for science adventures with her new friend Harriet and gives her a new appreciation for her backyard among other things. Alice makes mistakes and suffers consequences, but she also has many successes along the way and her family finds their way to a new normal. I wish there were not broken families like Alice's for thirteen-year-old girls to deal with, but there are. This book is an honest depiction of one such family that can help bring understanding to kids in this age group.
May 16, 2018
Diehl captures the insecurities, humor, wisdom, and strengths of an adolescent girl as she increasingly relies on herself to solve mysteries and cope with her dysfunctional family. Diehl uses such a light touch to describe the characters, firefly-filled summer nights, and swimming that I’m left missing Alice and wishing for another chapter or more.
November 22, 2018
Nothing had been the same since Alice's mother's accident, but then Alice's whole universe began to unravel. Her father had left, her brothers were gone, and her mother was trying to get rid of Alice too, but she had a plan to try and get things back to the way they used to be.
This was a really lovely story about Alice's struggles with all the changes her family was experiencing. Change is hard, and these were some huge upheavals for Alice. I found it so easy to embrace Alice. She was determined and tenacious and patient. She had a huge heart, which was especially obvious, when she was working with younger people such as her brothers, Timmy, and Piper. She was dealing with some big things and had some grown-up responsibilities placed on her. But still, she retained a youthful exuberance, which I loved.
One of the best things about this book are all the relationships that are explored - family, friendship, and even a crush are part of Alice's story. Her bond with her brothers was really special, and her aunt was a great supporter, but I think it was the dynamic between Alice and Harriet that won my heart. Harriet was quite a unique and interesting sidekick. She was quite the foil for Alice, but she was also her biggest champion. I loved the way she pushed her outside of her comfort zone and encouraged her to try new things and see things in a different way. Harriet was a quality friend.
Other things I loved:
• Swimming! Alice's enthusiasm was contagious. All her hard work and swimming aspirations had me hooked, and I found that I really enjoyed going to the pool. (Even the cheers)
• I love science, and I think I was drooling during all the Harriet science nerdy parts. I admired all her experimentation and found her entire exploration of the lightening bug enthralling.
• Dad was pretty upfront with Alice, and I appreciated that one person was honest with her. He wasn't perfect, but he tried and I felt the bond between them was quite genuine.
• Poolside picnics were often shared, and curly fries for the win
• Tent living almost sounded doable. I guess I loved the story behind the tent, and it was sort of symbolic to what Alice was trying to hold on to.
At it's core, this was a coming of age story, which was a little sad and a little heartbreaking, but realistic. Diehl addressed Alice's challenges with care and with a lot of insight.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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This was a really lovely story about Alice's struggles with all the changes her family was experiencing. Change is hard, and these were some huge upheavals for Alice. I found it so easy to embrace Alice. She was determined and tenacious and patient. She had a huge heart, which was especially obvious, when she was working with younger people such as her brothers, Timmy, and Piper. She was dealing with some big things and had some grown-up responsibilities placed on her. But still, she retained a youthful exuberance, which I loved.
One of the best things about this book are all the relationships that are explored - family, friendship, and even a crush are part of Alice's story. Her bond with her brothers was really special, and her aunt was a great supporter, but I think it was the dynamic between Alice and Harriet that won my heart. Harriet was quite a unique and interesting sidekick. She was quite the foil for Alice, but she was also her biggest champion. I loved the way she pushed her outside of her comfort zone and encouraged her to try new things and see things in a different way. Harriet was a quality friend.
Other things I loved:
• Swimming! Alice's enthusiasm was contagious. All her hard work and swimming aspirations had me hooked, and I found that I really enjoyed going to the pool. (Even the cheers)
• I love science, and I think I was drooling during all the Harriet science nerdy parts. I admired all her experimentation and found her entire exploration of the lightening bug enthralling.
• Dad was pretty upfront with Alice, and I appreciated that one person was honest with her. He wasn't perfect, but he tried and I felt the bond between them was quite genuine.
• Poolside picnics were often shared, and curly fries for the win
• Tent living almost sounded doable. I guess I loved the story behind the tent, and it was sort of symbolic to what Alice was trying to hold on to.
At it's core, this was a coming of age story, which was a little sad and a little heartbreaking, but realistic. Diehl addressed Alice's challenges with care and with a lot of insight.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
December 22, 2017
I was given this ARC as an ebook by NetGalley for an honest review.
Tiny Infinities is focused on Alice, a 13-year-old girl who, in the midst of one summer deals with her parents splitting up, her mother recovering from an accident, a girl next door who is mute and deaf, and an obsession with getting her swim times up on the record board at the pool. At first, this sounds like something that wouldn't be readable. But you would be wrong. This book is one that I think every Middle-Grade reader, and everyone else, should at sometime pick up and read.
It's said that kids have it easy, but this book proves that that's not true. It also hits on topics that many books tend to stray away from such as divorce, teenage friendships/relationships, and childhood disorders.
I absolutely loved this book. It was accurate and engaged so many topics that many children at this age are dealing with. It was a great, quick, and easy read and it’s not hard to fall in love with its characters. Alice was such a great main character that I feel many that read this book in the target age group can identify with on some level. I really hope that more books like this published. They’re needed and could be such a great resource to those dealing with issues in their own life such as the ones included in the book. This is one of those books that should be in the forefront and on top of everyone’s reading list as soon as it’s published.
Tiny Infinities is focused on Alice, a 13-year-old girl who, in the midst of one summer deals with her parents splitting up, her mother recovering from an accident, a girl next door who is mute and deaf, and an obsession with getting her swim times up on the record board at the pool. At first, this sounds like something that wouldn't be readable. But you would be wrong. This book is one that I think every Middle-Grade reader, and everyone else, should at sometime pick up and read.
It's said that kids have it easy, but this book proves that that's not true. It also hits on topics that many books tend to stray away from such as divorce, teenage friendships/relationships, and childhood disorders.
I absolutely loved this book. It was accurate and engaged so many topics that many children at this age are dealing with. It was a great, quick, and easy read and it’s not hard to fall in love with its characters. Alice was such a great main character that I feel many that read this book in the target age group can identify with on some level. I really hope that more books like this published. They’re needed and could be such a great resource to those dealing with issues in their own life such as the ones included in the book. This is one of those books that should be in the forefront and on top of everyone’s reading list as soon as it’s published.
May 14, 2018
This is my 85/100 book for since January 1st 2018. It has to be one of my favourites so far, if not my most favourite. Everything about this novel is exceedingly beautiful and tender. I read this in one sitting simply because I needed the experience of submerging myself in Alice’s world. Beautiful.
May 7, 2018
Jean is an imaginative writer who can delve into her characters feelings. She puts her heart and soul into making the reader truly involved and her words to perfectly bring the story, settings, and relationships into focus.
April 27, 2018
Another coming of age novel that seeks to examine "tiny infinities," the point at which one thing becomes another. It may seem as though there is a vast difference between hot and cold but at what point is that line crossed? At what point does an act of defiance become something good?
When Alice, the young girl at the heart of this story (NOT name for the titular character in Lewis Carroll's Wonderland saga) becomes friends with Harriet (who WAS named for the literary world's most famous child spy) she begins to examine this question. Her quest to rehabilitate a mute babysitting charge and earn her status as a record holder on her swim team become all consuming. Though her intentions are noble her actions are, at times, questionable. Does the end result outweigh the means? Is it more important to obey your parents or stand up for yourself? What defines a friendship? All of these important, life-long queries are central to this novel. Curious readers who enjoy exploring and learning will likely find Tiny Infinities to be of interest.
In light of my positive description I wanted to explain my reason for the less than stellar three star rating. Although I throughly enjoyed the story and particularly liked the characters there were times when my attention wandered. Certain parts of the book, especially the long scientific descriptions of fireflies, failed to hold my focus. However, those with a greater interest in science would likely find the opposite to be true. So, take my review with a grain of salt, read it, and decide for yourself.
When Alice, the young girl at the heart of this story (NOT name for the titular character in Lewis Carroll's Wonderland saga) becomes friends with Harriet (who WAS named for the literary world's most famous child spy) she begins to examine this question. Her quest to rehabilitate a mute babysitting charge and earn her status as a record holder on her swim team become all consuming. Though her intentions are noble her actions are, at times, questionable. Does the end result outweigh the means? Is it more important to obey your parents or stand up for yourself? What defines a friendship? All of these important, life-long queries are central to this novel. Curious readers who enjoy exploring and learning will likely find Tiny Infinities to be of interest.
In light of my positive description I wanted to explain my reason for the less than stellar three star rating. Although I throughly enjoyed the story and particularly liked the characters there were times when my attention wandered. Certain parts of the book, especially the long scientific descriptions of fireflies, failed to hold my focus. However, those with a greater interest in science would likely find the opposite to be true. So, take my review with a grain of salt, read it, and decide for yourself.
February 11, 2018
I honestly didn't expect much when I started reading it. By the time I was in chapter two I was hooked. Alice's troubles seemed surmountable, but what hooked me was Harriet. Her character just fascinated me and continued to do so throughout the book. One of the things I loved about the book was that everyone learned something and became the better for it. It wasn't all roses and sunshine at the end of the book, it was real life living. But changes of perspective and learning how to manage yourself better... Good stuff to be found here. I recommend you read it. :)
January 22, 2019
This is one of those books that you have to take your time reading. You can't just zoom through it! Which I really appreciate because every once in a while you need to slow down! It was a very intricate read with a lot of different characters. And usually a lot of characters can sometimes be confusing, but this was super easy to keep track! None of the characters sounded similar or seemed the same, I loved how diverse it was. I really liked Alice, and her way of thinking it was unique and made her feel a more real.
November 12, 2017
I really dislike Alice's Mother. She makes me want to rage. You have responsibilities you ... I loved Alice and Pipers relationship though. And the way everything turned out was great. I raged through the whole book about their mother. She just made me so angry.
July 12, 2018
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book through KidLitExchange. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Rating: 4/5
Genre: MG Contemporary
Recommended Age: 14+ (divorce, grief, drugs, drug usage, abuse, mental illness, and slight obscure mentions of sex)
Pages: 352
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: When Alice's dad moves out, leaving her with her troubled mother, she does the only thing that feels right: she retreats to her family's old Renaissance tent in the backyard, determined to live there until her dad comes home. In an attempt to keep at least one part of her summer from changing, Alice focuses on her quest to swim freestyle fast enough to get on her swim team's record board. But summers contain multitudes, and soon Alice meets an odd new friend, Harriet, whose obsession with the school's science fair is equal only to her conviction that Alice's best stroke is backstroke, not freestyle. Most unexpected of all is an unusual babysitting charge, Piper, who is mute—until Alice hears her speak. A funny and honest middle-grade novel, this sharply observed depiction of family, friendship, and Alice's determination to prove herself—as a babysitter, as a friend, as a daughter, as a person—rings loud and true.
This is another book that will probably be one of my favorites of 2018, but it’s for a different reason. It’s a cute middle grade contemporary that talks about divorce and could be a huge help for kids in a similar situation. It’s funny, it’s charming, the characters are well developed, and the book is very well structured and developed.
However, I feel like there’s more to the story than what the young readers read. From my grown-up perspective it felt like there was a whole hidden world going on that the book hints about. The book deals with a lot of issues throughout the book but never resolves them in the end. I don’t normally do this, but because of my concern about the book and about younger readers reading the book I will talk about spoilers:
SPOILERS FROM HERE DOWN
The mother has an obvious dependence on her medication and it hints at it being oxy, which a lot of people get dependent on. The mother seems to exaggerate her injuries so she can continue using the medication. The mother leaves the child entirely on her own and stops caring for the house in general. The neighbor man is a very loud and boisterous character and while the young girl’s selective mutism isn’t ever fully explained the father seems to be the cause of it. Whenever he yells or lashes out at the family they seem to cower. In a couple of points during the book when the neighbor man has had a particularly volatile episode the family members aren’t seen in the book for a scene or two. The neighbor man makes a comment about one such disappearance as the wife and the children left without the neighbor man to her family in North Carolina. The oldest child of the neighbor man openly talks about an obscure mention to him being the product of a one night stand between his parents. The father of the main character seems to be the most competent adult, but he fails to intervene to help the main character. In my opinion if this was a real story CPS should have been called a long time ago on the family and it concerns me that at the end of the book the neighbor man apologized once but still had an eerie vibe to him, the mother was still dependent on drugs, and the family was fractured and left to deal with a dependent mother while the father lives elsewhere. Sure, he says he will come everyday to mow and make the children’s lunches, but he’s left three of his kids with an addict who has shown herself to be incapable of caring for her own children. This book really concerns me and really intrigues me and I’m not sure if this is a healthy book for a child to read or if it’s so obscure in these issues that it’s okay.
Verdict: I have feelings about this book.
Rating: 4/5
Genre: MG Contemporary
Recommended Age: 14+ (divorce, grief, drugs, drug usage, abuse, mental illness, and slight obscure mentions of sex)
Pages: 352
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: When Alice's dad moves out, leaving her with her troubled mother, she does the only thing that feels right: she retreats to her family's old Renaissance tent in the backyard, determined to live there until her dad comes home. In an attempt to keep at least one part of her summer from changing, Alice focuses on her quest to swim freestyle fast enough to get on her swim team's record board. But summers contain multitudes, and soon Alice meets an odd new friend, Harriet, whose obsession with the school's science fair is equal only to her conviction that Alice's best stroke is backstroke, not freestyle. Most unexpected of all is an unusual babysitting charge, Piper, who is mute—until Alice hears her speak. A funny and honest middle-grade novel, this sharply observed depiction of family, friendship, and Alice's determination to prove herself—as a babysitter, as a friend, as a daughter, as a person—rings loud and true.
This is another book that will probably be one of my favorites of 2018, but it’s for a different reason. It’s a cute middle grade contemporary that talks about divorce and could be a huge help for kids in a similar situation. It’s funny, it’s charming, the characters are well developed, and the book is very well structured and developed.
However, I feel like there’s more to the story than what the young readers read. From my grown-up perspective it felt like there was a whole hidden world going on that the book hints about. The book deals with a lot of issues throughout the book but never resolves them in the end. I don’t normally do this, but because of my concern about the book and about younger readers reading the book I will talk about spoilers:
SPOILERS FROM HERE DOWN
The mother has an obvious dependence on her medication and it hints at it being oxy, which a lot of people get dependent on. The mother seems to exaggerate her injuries so she can continue using the medication. The mother leaves the child entirely on her own and stops caring for the house in general. The neighbor man is a very loud and boisterous character and while the young girl’s selective mutism isn’t ever fully explained the father seems to be the cause of it. Whenever he yells or lashes out at the family they seem to cower. In a couple of points during the book when the neighbor man has had a particularly volatile episode the family members aren’t seen in the book for a scene or two. The neighbor man makes a comment about one such disappearance as the wife and the children left without the neighbor man to her family in North Carolina. The oldest child of the neighbor man openly talks about an obscure mention to him being the product of a one night stand between his parents. The father of the main character seems to be the most competent adult, but he fails to intervene to help the main character. In my opinion if this was a real story CPS should have been called a long time ago on the family and it concerns me that at the end of the book the neighbor man apologized once but still had an eerie vibe to him, the mother was still dependent on drugs, and the family was fractured and left to deal with a dependent mother while the father lives elsewhere. Sure, he says he will come everyday to mow and make the children’s lunches, but he’s left three of his kids with an addict who has shown herself to be incapable of caring for her own children. This book really concerns me and really intrigues me and I’m not sure if this is a healthy book for a child to read or if it’s so obscure in these issues that it’s okay.
Verdict: I have feelings about this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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