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Kimmy Carson Is Not Scared
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Expected 16 Dec 25160 pages, Paperback
Expected publication December 16, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 15, 2025
In this book, we follow Kimmy, who suffers from a heart condition called “QT heart” — or as she likes to say, cutie heart — as she wants to take part in a horror maze organized by her school.
The story is written in verse, which made it a very smooth and fast read! I really enjoyed the book, although I felt that, perhaps because of the writing style, I didn’t fully connect with Kimmy on an emotional level.
It’s an ideal read for middle graders and absolutely perfect for the Halloween season.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC.
The story is written in verse, which made it a very smooth and fast read! I really enjoyed the book, although I felt that, perhaps because of the writing style, I didn’t fully connect with Kimmy on an emotional level.
It’s an ideal read for middle graders and absolutely perfect for the Halloween season.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC.
October 22, 2025
“It pounds.
I can feel it.
I’m so attuned to the pulsing.
I so rarely let it race.”
Summary:
Kimmy, who has a fragile heart condition, has been told her whole life that she can't be scared, because fright could potentially cause her heart to stop. She limits her activities (much to her dislike, pressured by her mom) to low-risk things like chess and online role-playing games.
But Kimmy's greatest desire is to go to her school’s Halloween horror maze with her friends. Knowing her mother will consider it too risky, the plot revolves around Kimmy's attempt to prove to herself and her parents that her heart is strong enough to overcome her fear.
My thoughts:
This book is written in a beautiful poetic format, though the verses are a bit awkward and clunky at times. Despite this, the overall read is smooth and quick.
Because of the poetic format, it was hard to follow Kimmy internally because the emotional depth was very thin. Probably not the best format for this story.
The background regarding the risks of Kimmy’s condition felt very underdeveloped, so when Kimmy’s mom suddenly apologized and allowed her to try ‘dangerous’ activities like skateboarding, it was confusing and there was little to no buildup leading up to it.
I really enjoyed the portrayal of Kimmy's friends. They were so caring and supportive, going out of their way to help her experience things she might not usually get to do due to her heart condition.
This book is a perfect choice for elementary to lower middle school students.
Triggers: Thoughts about death (not suicide, but eventual death), accidental injury, family conflict, hospitalization
Content warnings:
Sexual-none
Substance abuse-none
Magic-none
LGBTQ+-none
Language-none
Violence-Kimmy collides with another skateboarder and wakes up in the hospital. Details are very minimal though.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book
I can feel it.
I’m so attuned to the pulsing.
I so rarely let it race.”
Summary:
Kimmy, who has a fragile heart condition, has been told her whole life that she can't be scared, because fright could potentially cause her heart to stop. She limits her activities (much to her dislike, pressured by her mom) to low-risk things like chess and online role-playing games.
But Kimmy's greatest desire is to go to her school’s Halloween horror maze with her friends. Knowing her mother will consider it too risky, the plot revolves around Kimmy's attempt to prove to herself and her parents that her heart is strong enough to overcome her fear.
My thoughts:
This book is written in a beautiful poetic format, though the verses are a bit awkward and clunky at times. Despite this, the overall read is smooth and quick.
Because of the poetic format, it was hard to follow Kimmy internally because the emotional depth was very thin. Probably not the best format for this story.
The background regarding the risks of Kimmy’s condition felt very underdeveloped, so when Kimmy’s mom suddenly apologized and allowed her to try ‘dangerous’ activities like skateboarding, it was confusing and there was little to no buildup leading up to it.
I really enjoyed the portrayal of Kimmy's friends. They were so caring and supportive, going out of their way to help her experience things she might not usually get to do due to her heart condition.
This book is a perfect choice for elementary to lower middle school students.
Triggers: Thoughts about death (not suicide, but eventual death), accidental injury, family conflict, hospitalization
Content warnings:
Sexual-none
Substance abuse-none
Magic-none
LGBTQ+-none
Language-none
Violence-Kimmy collides with another skateboarder and wakes up in the hospital. Details are very minimal though.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book
October 14, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, Rosen Publishing Group, West 44 Books, and C.H. Williams for the opportunity to read Kimmy Carson is Not Scared in exchange for an honest review.
This novel is a HiLo poetic verse style that makes it easy and fun to read, even though the content deals with a more serious issue. The story follows title character Kimmy Carson in a first-person perspective. Kimmy is in middle school and she has a "cutie" heart, a heart that works just a bit slower than others. This means she needs to be careful not to get too excited or frightened. She even has a special medical bracelet she wears so that people don't play pranks unknowingly to spook her.
This year, her class gets to host the Halloween event, which she is very excited for. Unfortunately, it is a haunted maze, which means she cannot participate because of her heart. She finds some solace in helping paint the props, but she wants more from life. She soon finds herself ditching ballet classes to learn to skateboard, and it's fun! Kimmy finds that sometimes taking risks makes life much more fun.
This novel offers a unique perspective by exploring what life might be like for someone with a heart condition. Being born with it, her parents use the internet to find guidelines, but doctors may have other strategies or advice to offer. The story explores how people sometimes limit themselves (or parents limit their children) due to fear of something bad happening, but Kimmy learns that fear is a part of life, and being afraid of trying something is natural, but trying new things is also how people find out more about themselves and who they are.
This is a great novel for middle grade readers offering a perspective they likely have not thought about before. They may relate or know someone in a similar situation, and this novel offers a bridge of understanding and human experience to that.
This novel is a HiLo poetic verse style that makes it easy and fun to read, even though the content deals with a more serious issue. The story follows title character Kimmy Carson in a first-person perspective. Kimmy is in middle school and she has a "cutie" heart, a heart that works just a bit slower than others. This means she needs to be careful not to get too excited or frightened. She even has a special medical bracelet she wears so that people don't play pranks unknowingly to spook her.
This year, her class gets to host the Halloween event, which she is very excited for. Unfortunately, it is a haunted maze, which means she cannot participate because of her heart. She finds some solace in helping paint the props, but she wants more from life. She soon finds herself ditching ballet classes to learn to skateboard, and it's fun! Kimmy finds that sometimes taking risks makes life much more fun.
This novel offers a unique perspective by exploring what life might be like for someone with a heart condition. Being born with it, her parents use the internet to find guidelines, but doctors may have other strategies or advice to offer. The story explores how people sometimes limit themselves (or parents limit their children) due to fear of something bad happening, but Kimmy learns that fear is a part of life, and being afraid of trying something is natural, but trying new things is also how people find out more about themselves and who they are.
This is a great novel for middle grade readers offering a perspective they likely have not thought about before. They may relate or know someone in a similar situation, and this novel offers a bridge of understanding and human experience to that.
October 4, 2025
Kimmy was looking forward to her school's Halloween event, only, upon announcement of a horror maze, she's filled with the dread of being unable to partake due to her heart condition.
Used to a life of safety with her over protective mum using guidelines as hard set rules you have to comply by to stay feeling fine, instead, Kimmy starts feeling suffocated and explores painting and skating with friends over her mum's safety hobbies of ballet and chess.
This book was all about compromise at the heart of wanting to just explore your own passions fearlessly embracing the opportunities and learning to compromise in trusting each other having good intentions in your best interest.
Used to a life of safety with her over protective mum using guidelines as hard set rules you have to comply by to stay feeling fine, instead, Kimmy starts feeling suffocated and explores painting and skating with friends over her mum's safety hobbies of ballet and chess.
This book was all about compromise at the heart of wanting to just explore your own passions fearlessly embracing the opportunities and learning to compromise in trusting each other having good intentions in your best interest.
October 8, 2025
This book was an amazing, quick spooky season read! I'm so glad I got an early copy off Netgalley and was able to follow Kimmy's journey as she battled to figure out who she is and how to keep herself safe. Representation is so important in text! This was an excellent introduction into her health troubles without being preachy. This book was fun to read! I cant wait for more people to get their hands on it!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews