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Every Story Ever Told
In this life-affirming novel of trauma and recovery, a girl searches for a path forward after being forced to confront the reality of gun violence, for fans of Dusti Bowling and Jasmine Warga. Stevie Jane Cohen-Kaplan’s sheltered suburban life is shattered by a mass shooting at a festival in her town. In the aftermath, her brain feels broken. She can’t bear to visit her mom, recovering in the hospital under Stevie’s dad’s watchful eye, or to be pent up in her grandparents’ nearby Manhattan apartment. To escape the apartment and her own thoughts, Stevie starts adventuring around New York City with her best friend, Avi, and a new therapy dog (in training). The trio starts chasing stories—about a neighbor’s life after the Holocaust, Stevie’s grandfathers who died of AIDS long before she was born, and even about her own mom’s activist upbringing. These stories may not bring Stevie all the way back to “normal,” but can they help her find a new version of herself? Written with compassion and care, Every Story Ever Told places readers at the center of their own story and within a larger human tapestry, as one girl tries to make sense of the unthinkable.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published October 29, 2024
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2764 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
July 24, 2024
Satisfying sequel to “A World Made of Glass.” Young Iris of the first novel is now grown up, with a husband and daughter of her own. The daughter, Stevie-Jane, experiences PTSD from a very traumatic event. With help from friends, and stories from their and her own
family’s pasts, Stevie slowly begins to accept and live in the “new normal”.
*I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*
family’s pasts, Stevie slowly begins to accept and live in the “new normal”.
*I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*
September 15, 2024
4 stars
Polonsky takes such a unique approach with this sequel to _A World Made of Glass_. While readers will recognize characters and understand that social justice is a near genetic trait in this family if they read the first novel in the series, this also works as an effective standalone.
Stevie Jane's mom, the m.c. of the first novel, is now grown and has a family of her own, including a partner and a daughter, Stevie Jane. Stevie Jane inherits the m.c. role this time, and she makes for a compelling follow overall.
Right when the novel begins, the family attends a community function at which there is a mass shooting. Why? Because they live in modern day America, and this is a hellscape. The bulk of the novel - of course - focuses on how all of the characters, those who were physically injured, those who were present but did not face bodily harm, and those who face different kinds of trauma whether they were present or not, manage the aftermath of this horrific event.
Polonsky clearly identifies for readers in advance where the in text the shooting takes place and where its ripples will be felt. Along with this traumatic event, there are also conversations hearkening back to the motifs of the first novel. There is also a lot of talk about antisemitism and even a character speaking from direct experience as a Holocaust survivor. While the topics are handled in an age-appropriate manner, they are heavy, and readers should know that upon entry.
I really enjoy this writer, and this most recent effort is no exception. Polonsky will continue to be in my queue with every subsequent book, and I look forward to recommending this timely novel to students.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Polonsky takes such a unique approach with this sequel to _A World Made of Glass_. While readers will recognize characters and understand that social justice is a near genetic trait in this family if they read the first novel in the series, this also works as an effective standalone.
Stevie Jane's mom, the m.c. of the first novel, is now grown and has a family of her own, including a partner and a daughter, Stevie Jane. Stevie Jane inherits the m.c. role this time, and she makes for a compelling follow overall.
Right when the novel begins, the family attends a community function at which there is a mass shooting. Why? Because they live in modern day America, and this is a hellscape. The bulk of the novel - of course - focuses on how all of the characters, those who were physically injured, those who were present but did not face bodily harm, and those who face different kinds of trauma whether they were present or not, manage the aftermath of this horrific event.
Polonsky clearly identifies for readers in advance where the in text the shooting takes place and where its ripples will be felt. Along with this traumatic event, there are also conversations hearkening back to the motifs of the first novel. There is also a lot of talk about antisemitism and even a character speaking from direct experience as a Holocaust survivor. While the topics are handled in an age-appropriate manner, they are heavy, and readers should know that upon entry.
I really enjoy this writer, and this most recent effort is no exception. Polonsky will continue to be in my queue with every subsequent book, and I look forward to recommending this timely novel to students.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
March 5, 2025
Big important topics covered in this one, but it was just too much for a single book.
November 23, 2025
I didn’t read the first book and that did not impact my understanding of this book. This book is definitely for older kids as it contains many heavy topics. Trauma (on many levels), gun violence, friendship, family, the Holocaust, etc. It talks about how different people cope through tragedy. This was a really well written book!
December 30, 2025
i normally dont read middle grade books but this one was a decent listen. i listened to the audiobook (kinda mad that edition isnt on goodreads but whtever). the message was really good but i think i enjoyed the authors note more than the actual novel. i kept imagining raising as a tiny rat dog that smelled idk you know the vibes
June 27, 2024
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
In this generational sequel to World Made of Glass, we meet Iris' daughter, Stevie. Stevie is very interested in the 1980s, wearing Doc Marten's even though they give her a blister, and listening to 80s music. Iris is in charge of their small New Jersey community's Kickoff to Summer celebration, and she and Stevie's dad only give Stevie a little bit of a hard time when they all head off to the festivities and Stevie is wearing a crop top and eyeliner. They are just getting ready for the festival in town when there are gunshots. Stevie and her dad hide under a taco truck, having just said good bye to the mother. They are safe, but the mother has been shot and is unconscious. A friend takes Stevie home, and her elderly neighbor, Evelyn, stays with her until her grandmother, Sarah, and her husband, Bob, can take Stevie to New York. Stevie's friend Avi gives her an emotional support puppy, Raisin, even though Stevie's dad doesn't like dogs and the grandparents' apartment doesn't allow them. Iris will be okay, but Stevie's dad won't leave her side. Stevie feels faint, and has horrible flashbacks to the shooting. Her grandmother sends her on a mission to pick up Evelyn's Star of David necklace from the museum where it has been on display; Evelyn was a child during the Holocaust and was in Auschwitz. Since she feels better going out, her grandparents let her and Avi explore New York, including her mother's old school, and The Center, which helped Iris and her father Steven when he was I'll with AIDS. Stevie learns a lot of history about both the LGBTQIA+ movement as well as the Holocaust, as Evelyn shares her story about going into the camps with a twin who was experimented on and died. Stevie decides to go by her full name, Stevie Jane, in honor of her grandfather and his boyfriend, J.R., and gets therapy for the trauma she experienced.
Strengths: The author was motivated to write this after the Highland Park Fourth of July shootings in 2022. This weaves together several different topics that are currently much discussed; stopping gun violence, LGBTQIA+ history, and the continuing struggles of the Jewish community. It's interesting to catch up with a character from another book, even if she's in a coma for most of it. Avi is a good friend, and I enjoyed the fact that Stevie was able to travel around New York City and learn some history. There is a trigger warning at the beginning of the book, and the description of the shooting at the community celebration is very circumspect.
Weaknesses: I could have used more of an introduction to Stevie and her world before the shooting happened, but I didn't realize this was a sequel until the end.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who found the history in Weissman's A Length of String or Gino's Alice Austen Lived Here interesting.
In this generational sequel to World Made of Glass, we meet Iris' daughter, Stevie. Stevie is very interested in the 1980s, wearing Doc Marten's even though they give her a blister, and listening to 80s music. Iris is in charge of their small New Jersey community's Kickoff to Summer celebration, and she and Stevie's dad only give Stevie a little bit of a hard time when they all head off to the festivities and Stevie is wearing a crop top and eyeliner. They are just getting ready for the festival in town when there are gunshots. Stevie and her dad hide under a taco truck, having just said good bye to the mother. They are safe, but the mother has been shot and is unconscious. A friend takes Stevie home, and her elderly neighbor, Evelyn, stays with her until her grandmother, Sarah, and her husband, Bob, can take Stevie to New York. Stevie's friend Avi gives her an emotional support puppy, Raisin, even though Stevie's dad doesn't like dogs and the grandparents' apartment doesn't allow them. Iris will be okay, but Stevie's dad won't leave her side. Stevie feels faint, and has horrible flashbacks to the shooting. Her grandmother sends her on a mission to pick up Evelyn's Star of David necklace from the museum where it has been on display; Evelyn was a child during the Holocaust and was in Auschwitz. Since she feels better going out, her grandparents let her and Avi explore New York, including her mother's old school, and The Center, which helped Iris and her father Steven when he was I'll with AIDS. Stevie learns a lot of history about both the LGBTQIA+ movement as well as the Holocaust, as Evelyn shares her story about going into the camps with a twin who was experimented on and died. Stevie decides to go by her full name, Stevie Jane, in honor of her grandfather and his boyfriend, J.R., and gets therapy for the trauma she experienced.
Strengths: The author was motivated to write this after the Highland Park Fourth of July shootings in 2022. This weaves together several different topics that are currently much discussed; stopping gun violence, LGBTQIA+ history, and the continuing struggles of the Jewish community. It's interesting to catch up with a character from another book, even if she's in a coma for most of it. Avi is a good friend, and I enjoyed the fact that Stevie was able to travel around New York City and learn some history. There is a trigger warning at the beginning of the book, and the description of the shooting at the community celebration is very circumspect.
Weaknesses: I could have used more of an introduction to Stevie and her world before the shooting happened, but I didn't realize this was a sequel until the end.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who found the history in Weissman's A Length of String or Gino's Alice Austen Lived Here interesting.
December 30, 2024
“Sometimes I’d smile about something, or laugh about someone to catch myself and wonder: How can I be so callous to feel joy in such a terrible world?"
"Our hearts are so big. Stevie, they're enormous. If you were to open a doorway and step inside someone's heart, you'd find a place bigger than the universe. You can feel galaxies' worth of sadness and fury, but there's still more than enough room to feel happiness. And joy."
“That is the question… That is the question.”
“The earthquakes were all around me. How did people survive them?”
“You are lit from within by a million glowsticks. I’ll love you forever.”
“For some people, going back to the place helps. For other people, it feels impossible.”
“Brick by brick. Person by person. Face by face. Story by story.”
“Time; you can’t see it, but it’s everywhere.”
“Everything before us is wrapped in everything before us in every story ever told.”
"Our hearts are so big. Stevie, they're enormous. If you were to open a doorway and step inside someone's heart, you'd find a place bigger than the universe. You can feel galaxies' worth of sadness and fury, but there's still more than enough room to feel happiness. And joy."
“That is the question… That is the question.”
“The earthquakes were all around me. How did people survive them?”
“You are lit from within by a million glowsticks. I’ll love you forever.”
“For some people, going back to the place helps. For other people, it feels impossible.”
“Brick by brick. Person by person. Face by face. Story by story.”
“Time; you can’t see it, but it’s everywhere.”
“Everything before us is wrapped in everything before us in every story ever told.”
February 12, 2025
Personally victimized by Ami Polonksy once again. I didn't even know that this in the same universe as World Made of Glass but I love that it was. I think that she just SO gets it when it comes to trauma and grief, especially the physical sensations that can manifest (like getting randomly dizzy) and also constantly being obsessed with thinking of all the "what ifs" to avoid a tragedy. I also did not know that eating sour things can help people with trauma and help regulate the brain! This poor family has been through it from AIDS to mass shootings but it was a good way for Stevie to see how other people experience trauma and how they were able to keep going. I especially got emotional over her neighbors' Holocaust stories.
April 9, 2025
Stevie Jane Cohen-Kaplan’s sheltered suburban life is shattered by a mass shooting at a festival in her town. In the aftermath, her brain feels broken. She can’t bear to visit her mom, recovering in the hospital under Stevie’s dad’s watchful eye, or to be pent up in her grandparents’ nearby Manhattan apartment.
To escape the apartment and her own thoughts, Stevie starts adventuring around New York City with her best friend, Avi, and a new therapy dog (in training). The trio starts chasing stories—about a neighbor’s life after the Holocaust, Stevie’s grandfathers who died of AIDS long before she was born, and even about her own mom’s activist upbringing. These stories may not bring Stevie all the way back to “normal,” but can they help her find a new version of herself?
To escape the apartment and her own thoughts, Stevie starts adventuring around New York City with her best friend, Avi, and a new therapy dog (in training). The trio starts chasing stories—about a neighbor’s life after the Holocaust, Stevie’s grandfathers who died of AIDS long before she was born, and even about her own mom’s activist upbringing. These stories may not bring Stevie all the way back to “normal,” but can they help her find a new version of herself?
January 20, 2025
DNF a little under half ways through.
Unfortunately, school shootings have become a bigger and bigger issue and seeing a book address this issue in a way that is approachable for middle graders is great to see.
After reading a good chunk of this book, I think it is perfect for the target audience, however it was too juvenile for me to enjoy it personally.
Unfortunately, school shootings have become a bigger and bigger issue and seeing a book address this issue in a way that is approachable for middle graders is great to see.
After reading a good chunk of this book, I think it is perfect for the target audience, however it was too juvenile for me to enjoy it personally.
February 23, 2025
This is a sequel to World Made of Glass and once again Ami Polonsky writes about trauma and grief in a way that is accessible for children and she writes about the importance of learning about history and the dangers of gun violence without being preachy. I hope that children read this and decide to learn about the pasts of family members and neighbors.
February 25, 2025
Maybe more a 4.3 The Trigger Warning about mass shooting and descriptions of events on the dedication page was very welcome and intriguing.
It is a very good representation of stress and PTSD and allows a secondary story of PTSD and healing to be told as well.
I read it in a day, which I suppose is testament to its engaging story.
Enjoy!
It is a very good representation of stress and PTSD and allows a secondary story of PTSD and healing to be told as well.
I read it in a day, which I suppose is testament to its engaging story.
Enjoy!
April 23, 2025
I listened to this one as an audiobook and I was pretty hooked towards the beginning when the shooting was the main focus. I think the author tried to address too many other systemic and social justice issues in one book, so I got a bit lost as the book continued into issues of antisemitism, the Holocaust, the LGBTQ+ community, and the AIDs epidemic.
August 29, 2025
I haven't been reading kids books for a while, but this one looked good. And Polonsky did a good job of showing the different stressed young adults often come up against, but I just felt there was too much going on. It didn't fell realistic, the main character on the audiotape became annoyingly shrill and the multiple stories going on was just too much, in my opinion.
January 30, 2025
I read this book without reading the first book that told the story of the mother. I feel like I missed something about the two parts of Evelyn's necklace. How did the two parts of the necklace get separated and come back together again?
February 17, 2025
4.5 stars!! This story NEEDED to be told. Bringing light on all of the tragedy in our world AND the emotions of people going through the aftermath is huge! Thank you Ami Polonsky for such an amazing book. I read it in one sitting!
September 17, 2024
This is a great read! So many authentic relationships and real life events fill the pages. Thoughtfully written from beginning to end.
October 31, 2024
Solid sequel/follow up to The World Made of Glass.
November 1, 2024
Another masterful work by Polonsky.
Very few books address mass shootings. Even fewer do for kids.
The reality of our lives is many kids experience trauma. This book addresses it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Very few books address mass shootings. Even fewer do for kids.
The reality of our lives is many kids experience trauma. This book addresses it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
December 3, 2024
Rounded up
December 10, 2024
intersectionality ++; history repeats itself/learning lessons from history ++; dealing with the aftermath - (not realistic enough, unfortunately)
December 19, 2024
A young Jewish teenager deals with a mass shooting and her relatives past violence. Very Good!
January 1, 2025
review to come!
March 4, 2025
This is the most important book for children who are affected by a shooting. It’s so written.
August 1, 2024
In the sequel to World Made of Glass, Iris has a family with a daughter, Stevie-Jane. When there’s a shooting and Stevie’s mom is affected, Stevie spends time with a friend trying to find ways to calm down and to not feel guilt after what happened to her mom. After seeing things her mom did in the past, Stevie feels differently now after knowing more about her mom’s past and realizes why they are important to her mom. Great book about gun violence, connections, support, and friendship.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews