Things Too Huge to Fix by Saying Sorry

by Susan Vaught

“Sooner or later, we’re all gonna be okay.”

That’s what Dani’s Grandma Beans used to say. But that was before she got Alzheimer’s. Lately, Dani isn’t so sure Grandma Beans was right. In fact, she isn’t sure of a lot of things, like why Mac Richardson suddenly doesn’t want to be her friend, and why Grandma Beans and Avadelle Richardson haven’t spoken in decades. Lately, Grandma Beans doesn’t make a lot of sense. But when she tells Dani to find a secret key and envelope that she’s hidden, Dani can’t ignore her. So she investigates, with the help of her friend, Indri, and her not-friend, Mac. Their investigation takes them deep into the history of Oxford, Mississippi, and the riots surrounding the desegregation of Ole Miss. The deeper they dig, the more secrets they uncover. Were Grandma Beans and Avadelle at Ole Miss the night of the Meredith Riot? And why would they keep it a secret?

The more Dani learns about her grandma’s past, the more she learns about herself and her own friendships—and it’s not all good news.

Genres: Middle Grade, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Childrens

342 pages, Hardcover

First published September 6, 2016

About the author

Website: http://susanvaught.com


astrology sign: Libra

favorite book: Harry Potter (all of them) and His Dark Materials
(all of those, too)

favorite song:I Will Follow You Into The Dark by Death Cab for Cutie

current pet total:12 if you don't count the chickens, peafowl,
turkeys, ducks, geese, pigeons, or guineas.

names of my schools:
Vanderbilt University (MS, Ph.D.)
University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) (BA)
Germantown High School (Germantown, TN 9th-12th)
Germantown Middle School (Germantown, TN 8th)
Can't Remember, but the mascot was a purple dragon (Sandy Springs/Atlanta Georgia, 7th)
Green Street Elementary (Tupelo, MS 6th) Frances Patterson was a very cool teacher there. I write because of her.
Pierce Street Elementary (Tupelo, MS 3rd-5th)
Can't Remember, but it was big (Corinth, MS, 2nd)
Oxford Elementary (Oxford, MS, K-1st)
University of Mississippi (Day Care, Playschool)

Reviews

[Libriar · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was trying to do too much. The beginning was very confusing and hard to get into - and I'm an adult reading it who has background knowledge of the events and time period. I just can't see a middle school student (even a die-hard historical fiction fan) picking this book up on his/her own and actually getting past the first 50 pages. And just when I was finally liking it, the ending was completely unnecessary. I think somewhere in here is a book that adults would like - the author should have focused on an adult audience and written an adult book.

[Kara LeNoir · Rating 5 out of 5]

EVERYONE should read this book especially now. We need to remember our past so that we are not doomed to repeat it or even think of it as past. As a former teacher, I think this should be taught in all middle schools in order to facilitate discussions on what's going on in our country right now. I can't recommend this book more highly.

[Scott Fillner · Rating 5 out of 5]

If this book were a meal it would be 7 course, fine dining experience. It is a book that you pause to reflect and discuss. It's a book that you will savor and re-read. It is also a book that will lead you to discover other resources including books, artists, and music.
It's a book that will run you through all possible emotions, and then do it to you all over again throughout this amazing story.

If you enjoy mystery, realistic and historical fiction, than this will be a must read for you!

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes that one book comes around that inadvertently hits upon a bunch of things you like reading about or can relate to. History, family secrets, the whole package. To distill Things Too Huge to Fix by Saying Sorry to only its base components, however, does it a disservice, as this book is really one of the best books for this age group I've read in some time and is a book with weight and importance for all readers.

Dani's grandmother has Alzheimer's, and gives Dani a key to open... something. Dani isn't sure what, but she thinks it could be related to why her grandmother doesn't speak with her old friend anymore and a book on some race riots from the 1960s. The book explores Dani and her friends looking into the key, the riots, and the family mysteries surrounding them.

I'll generally always be on board with kids researching history way above their heads. What I found really interesting is how well the book balanced a very, very heavy topic with the sort of necessary storytelling and appropriateness that comes with navigating this space. Dani's devotion to her grandmother shines through, the racial politics are addressed without being preachy or heavy-handed, the race riots central to the story are described matter-of-factly, and there's a great celebration of research and the proper historical record that is put in play throughout. It's basically pitch-perfect, and I can't think of a negative about this book at all.

Grab a copy of this one. Put it on your shelf, in your library, in your classroom. It deserves a lot of attention for being so solid.

[Liz Rincon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Powerful book focusing on civil rights history. Are to follow at time with two story lines. However once you get used to the structure the two story lines are easier to keep straight.

[Emma Hu · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok... I felt like she kind of tried to include too much in it, and sometimes the logic didn't make any sense, like for example in 1967 interracial marriage in Mississippi was made legal, and Dani says that her parents were already married before that, and the book was published in 2016, and I don't exactly remember but Dani was around 12 right, so if the book was set in present tense (which I'm guessing it was since they had cell phones) then her parents would have to be like in their 70s so they had Dani when they were 60??? And according to the book that would make her grandma almost 100 years old(if they got marrried around the time you would assume right, like around 20, and then have Dani a few years later)!! So basically they got married before 1967, and they probably were around 20, so that means they were born in 1947??!! So if her Grandmother had Alzheimer's and she was nearly 100, then I doubt she would still be living. I was really confused by this, but overallthe storyline was pretty good, but there were other parts I didn't get. Sorry this is kinda messy. :B

[Sharlene Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a phenomenal book that ties in civil rights from the view point of a kid in today's world. Highly recommend!

[Melanie Cail · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good. ❤️

[Micah Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

goood!!!!

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I loved this book. So many themes: social, political, and personal. It was a complex and thought-provoking read even for my socially aware self, and I cannot wait to promote it to some of my more mature to 5th graders.

[Liz Friend · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story: Dani's Grandma Ruth has Alzheimer's, and it looks like the truth about her part in the history of the Civil Rights Movement may go to the grave with her, untold. But Dani's been given a rambling manuscript, a key with no lock, and a story written by Grandma's worst enemy--and she intends to use them to unlock the mystery...even when the worst thing that could possibly happen actually DOES.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence PG-13; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse PG; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (racial inequality and prejudice, mention of lynchings and other racially-motivated violence) PG-13; overall rating PG.

Liz's comments: Vaught mentions that, like her main character, she grew up in Oxford Mississippi--but during the time of segregation and the Civil Rights movement. So even though she's a white woman writing the story from the perspective of a child of color, there's a lot that rings true here, and Dani is a likeable but flawed heroine. Her feud with Mac gets a little tiresome before it ends (and especially the epithet of "Worm Dung") but it does relieve the tension a bit to know that, as bad as things were then, and as far as there still is to go, at least nowadays no one is going to kill a white boy if he likes a mixed-race girl.

[Carli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, another pleasant #mglit surprise. I'm not a crier, but this one got me.
.
Dani's grandmother has been feuding with her best friend and acclaimed novelist Avadelle for decades. Now bedridden with Alzheimer's, Ruth instructs Dani to find some of her old journals and a key, which Dani thinks will lead her to an answer about the feud. Instead, she learns more about the civil rights movement and her own identity and history than she ever knew existed. Oh, and there are ghosts. Literally and metaphorically.

[Sam Day · Rating 1 out of 5]

SPOILERS
Though this book was certainly an emotional investment for me once I got a little more than half way through and actually got into the plot I still think it just wasn't well written. It did at many times tug at my heart strings because of my empathy for those who have family members who suffer from Alzheimer's disease by the end of the book I was very dissatisfied. It was such a strong turn of events when we learned that Dani's father had a stroke and later passed away and it caused strong feelings of sympathy and grief from me, but after this emotional section of the book it really goes downhill and the writing gets messy. Dani's grandmother was the main focus of loss in this book because of her condition and the fact that the author had her die with barely a line of talking about her death and everyone moving on it was tragic to read. I found it upsetting that after reading this entire book about how much of a struggle the loss of her grandmother was going to be for Dani and her entire family and then when it happens barely getting a line about it. We also barely get any character insight besides that of Ruth (Dani's grandmother), Ava(Ruth's friend), and Dani. In the book, it mentions once or twice about Indri's (Dani's friend) father being in the military and hopefully coming home for the holidays. The author then never brings it up again and we never find out what happened with him. Furthermore, the beginning of this story is simply confusing. I had a very hard time reading this book because of how baffled I was by the "Night on Fire" chapters. I didn't believe that they served much of a purpose in the beginning besides leading us to when Dani finds the book and reads it. I thought that ti felt like an unnecessary filler and I found myself skimming those sections while reading many times. While I do believe they gave us insight on what Ava wrote about the night and what the characters experienced, we learn the same information from when Dani was reading the book.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dani’s grandmother suffers from Alzheimer’s and is slowly reaching the end of her life cared for by Dani and her parents. So when her grandmother sends Dani on a mission to find a letter and key, Dani isn’t sure that it’s real. She discovers both the letter and key, then has to follow the trail of clues her grandmother left in her writing to discover the truth of a feud that her grandmother had with Avadelle Richardson, a novelist who wrote about a riot that happened at Ole Miss. It’s a riot that both Dani’s grandmother and Avadelle actually were caught up in. As Dani gets closer to the end of the trail, she finds more and more secrets and history and modern life begin to collide.

Vaught has written a taut novel that takes readers on a journey through Civil Rights history in Mississippi. Told through the eyes of Dani, the book is accessible to modern children and shows that racism is far from over. With our recent election, it is also a timely book that speaks to the deep-seated racism still at work in our country today. Vaught uses excerpts from Avadelle’s fictitious novel to show the historical context that the riot took place in. It does show how far we have come, but also speaks to how far we have to go.

The complex friendships of middle grade children are captured here, with Dani and her best-friend Indri sharing the adventure while her “not-friend” Mac, grandson of Avadelle continues to also be a part of it though at times the two are not speaking, just like their grandmothers. This modern division is a clever way to show how friendships change, shift and fall apart, something that mirrors what is seen in the novel and in the grandparents’ relationship.

A rich look at Civil Rights, racism and the decisions too big to be unmade, this novel is a timely look at today and our shared past. Appropriate for ages 9-12.

[Christinetb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a huge topic to handle, and I confess I began to see where it was going. But I was cheering - mostly for the author's courage in tackling an issue about race. I will confess, I was concerned about the ending. I thought it was one accessory too many. The story was gripping, the pacing was well done, and I found myself having a hard time putting the book down.

What makes the book compelling is that the story is told in multiple points of view - the voice of the young girl through whose eyes we see the present story unfolding, and who is tasked with solving the mystery, but in a unique twist, we see the past told through excerpts of a published novel (which is at the center of a dispute) and through diary entries of the character's grandmother. In this way - we see how integration was unfolding at Ole Miss and the toll it took on the people of that era.

Where I had a concern, and the author was kind enough to hear my thoughts when I reached out, is that the ending was too clean. I won't spoil it here except to say that I was waiting for the person who was wronged to be made whole and it didn't unfold the way i expected. Maybe that's the point. That life isn't neat. I would have like the story to stop after the confrontation with the grandmother. I would have preferred ambiguity as to the resolution of the decades old feud.

But I guess life is like more like that than not.

Susan Vaught's story creates an accessible way to become immersed in little discussed historical event. It's a good example of how to write "other" through research and making connections with the culture of the people you're discussing.

I highly recommend it. It's one of the best things I've read from this author. Honestly, it begs for a movie adaptation.

[Kid Lit Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twelve-year-old Dani, who is biracial, suddenly loses her best friend, Mac, who is white, and the grandson of Avadelle Richardson. Richardson wrote a best-selling novel set during the 1961 race riots in Mississippi, which caused the “Magnolia Feud” between her and her best friend, historian Ruth Beans, who is Dani’s grandmother.

Ruth gives Dani a secret key and a letter explaining that Dani can do what she wants with the contents of the box. Dani will do most anything to relieve her grandmother’s stress so she may die peacefully. The idea of the facts surrounding the “Magnolia Feud” becoming public greatly upsets Avadelle. She tries to throw-off Dani at every turn. With the help of her friend Indri, Dani begins the long search for the mysterious box, learning more about her grandmother than she thought possible.

The story of three friends searching for missing history and possibly the cause of a well-known feud will keep readers glued to the pages. Filled with the actual history surrounding the 1961 race riots at the University of Mississippi, the fictional story and the real events often meld into one another, making for a compelling read, and one which will undoubtedly win many well-deserved awards . . .

Originally reviewed on Kid Lit Reviews. Read the full review here: http://bit.ly/ThingsTooHugeToFixBySay...

[Joy Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it and was thoroughly engaged. I wanted more history at the end...and then it had a very sad twist to close the story

[Naomi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had trouble getting into this book and then when I finally did I felt like it NEEEDED TO FINAAAALLLLY get to the point and solve the mystery. But then it did, and right before it did, it perked up and I got more into it and then I was satisfied with the ending. Then I was reading the back (I read like the WHOLE book, acknowledgements and everything, right, but I always pretty much go into a book blind. Dangerous, maybe) and disappointed in the lifestyle of the author and then just kind of disappointed, period. But you have to thank her for not throwing that into the story even though it would've had no relevance TO the story, like some authors, okay, MANY, it seems, are now doing. Maybe their publishers are forcing them to. Anyway, sad, but yes. This book had some great metaphors in it and some life lessons and some friendships, definitely some heartbreaks and injustices and sadness, and it wasn't bad, but it wasn't all that great to read. I'm glad I did, but yeah, not recommending it to any friends. Just read it for the reading challenge my daughter and I are completing.

[Hanna Fogel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Important and still relevant, however unfortunate that may be.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written with great characters. More intense than I'd anticipated and a good description of civil rights for older kids.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vaught, Susan Things Too Huge to Fix by Saying Sorry, 334 pages. Simon & Schuster, 2017. $17. Language: PG (9 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (reference to a disturbing song, race riot undescribed).

Just as school lets out for the summer, Mac tells Dani that he is no longer allowed to hagn out with her. Dani, 13, knows that their grandmothers used to be friends and that something happened that made them quite speaking to each other, but why does that mean that Mac can’t be her friend? Something has been hidden in their pasts for decades. Now that Dani’s grandmother (who is living with them because of her Alzheimer’s and very poor health) is dying, Grandma wants to tell Dani something about the feud, but Dani can’t understand. She finds some clues, though, and pursues the leads – but does she really want to know the information she might find at the end? Is it good for anyone for the truth to be exposed?

Dani is biracial and her grandmother is black. Mac is white and so is his grandmother. That is important to know, because the plot of this book and the grandmothers’ secret relate to an episode of major cultural appropriation. Interestingly, Susan Vaught, the author, is white and she is writing from the point of view of the biracial teenager. Hmmm – I thought it was a kind of odd occurrence, considering the crux of the book. However, I still recommend this as a read. Vaught does a good job of weaving the past and the present together. She does mention a song by Billie Holliday that is (and should be) deeply disturbing, if a student should happen to look up the lyrics as I did. I think this is a must read for many communities. And the topic of cultural appropriation could be fuel for a great classroom discussion.

MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017/...

[Tracee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Even though this was a quick read, it left me completely disappointed for several reasons.

The book tried to take on too many big topics: Alzheimer's, PTSD, racism, cultural appropriation, living with a parent who is fighting a war, teen crush, etc. There was a lot going on and the narrative didn't go deep enough to explore all the issues fully.

The major problem I have with this book is that the author, in her note at the end, explains that she is white. I cannot help but feel angered and so disappointed by this because one of the themes is the cultural appropriation of a book. Not only did the author write from a biracial character's viewpoint, but from a black woman's in the "Night on Fire" excerpts. She goes on to say that even though she, herself, is basically culturally appropriating this story, it's OK because she has a better chance of getting published than a POC. What a slap in the face to all writers of color.

There's absolutely no reason why she couldn't have flipped the roles and told the story from the white character's perspective. It would have been more authentic and believable. And (spoiler alert) maybe she could have included a negative consequence for the white character for doing what she did instead of turning into a happy-go-lucky person who is free of her guilt.

I just feel sick after reading it. I do not recommend this book at all.

[Jenny Preston · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much of the conversation about race gets boiled down to sound bites and yelling at each other. This novel steps beyond that, handling this complex situation with the layers of respect it requires.

Dani Beans' grandma is a famous writer. So is her friend Mac's. The grandmas used to be friends way back, until The Magnolia Feud got in the way. What is the root of the feud? That's the question that weighs on Dani as she races against the clock of her grandma's death. At the same time, her own friendship with Mac has imploded. She spends her summer seeking to solve some of life's biggest mysteries: What makes a friendship? And what things are too huge to fix by saying sorry?

This novel explores the history of the Meredith Riots from 1962 at Old Miss in the context of mixed racial marriages and friendships today. Some words are given to Dani's parents difficulties as a white woman/black man marriage in raising her - they wonder if they've sheltered her too much from the pressing race issues of our culture. And yet they wish they could shelter her all the more. Over all, the complexity of the whole racial tension situation, and the fact that the current is built upon the historical, is maintained. I greatly appreciate this.

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved this book --and I also felt the irony deeply the whole time, reading a book by a white author from the perspective of a biracial (Black/white) girl about a fictional white author appropriating her Black friend's life story to use in her hugely successful novel from a Black woman's perspective.

This was an opportunity for Vaught, who clearly had a great idea for an important story, to partner with a Black author and either give that person the idea and let them write it, or co-write it with them. In fact, the book's contents make it clear that Vaught KNOWS it's not really her story to tell, and she does acknowledge the irony in the Author's Note:

"I felt like I walked a difficult line, demonstrating how Avadelle appropriated Ruth's story even as I told my own through Dani's point of view. I'm very, very aware that as a white author in current times, my story _still_ has a better chance of being published than Dani's story would, or her father's story, or Ruth's many writings."

So... knowing this, why didn't she partner with a Black author, or give the idea to a Black author, or write this story from Mac's or Avadelle's perspective?

Sigh.

[Angie Fehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW, such an important read for kids and adults alike!

When Dani Bean's grandmother, Ruth (suffering from Alzheimer's), tells her to search for a hidden key & envelope, Dani's unsure if she should take Ruth seriously. Deciding to see where the adventure might lead, she recruits the help of friend Indri, and friend / secret crush Mac to uncover clues. Their findings take them through a history lesson on the desegregation era in Mississippi. What's Grandma Bean's tie to the Meredith Riots? What will her grandmother's story teach her about herself?

There's a longstanding feud between Ruth and Avadelle Richardson, Mac's grandmother. This feud is known around town as "The Magnolia Feud", even being mentioned in local news. The feud runs so deep it affects the friendship between Mac and Ruth.

Dani and Indri are both bi-racial children now learning about the history and impact of the Civil Rights Movement. Dani's black father worries for her, warning her that we're not so distanced from those times. Dani gets a crash course in "Black Codes" --- ie. possible heavy fines if a black person tried to leave a job, possible prison time for marrying outside your race, being forced into low-wage positions and only able to buy homes in certain areas within city limits, etc. This novel also touches upon topics such as lynching and the murder case of Emmett Till.

[Casey Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this woven tale of racism and its effects on friendships.

And this one line of dialogue sums up why we need to talk with kids about what's really happening, from p. 160:
"If I don't know about them, will they stop being true?" Ooof!

And yet, I can't help but wonder, especially given the author's note, why Vaught chose to make the Black kid her POV MC, rather than her white friend, especially given the way the book finished. Even though she mentions it in the author's note. And whether the Black kid is biracial (Black/White) for related reasons. Still, writing honestly about race is important, and waiting until it can be done "perfectly" is a privilege to be questioned.

This line from the author's note gives a bit of insight: "I consider the movement ongoing" she says, with respect to civil rights. As opposed to "the movement is ongoing", she (probably unconsciously) inserted her approval of the statement, as though her sharing it isn't enough for us to know that.

[Naomi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had such potential! Solidly clear writing, characters who felt real, a deep historical backdrop. BUT. There are too many stories going! There is the historical mystery. There is Alzheimer and its impact on families. There are racial tensions within children's friendships. There is the retired army dad with PTSD. There are excerpts from a novel written by a character. There is the sudden death of a parent. It's all just too much to fit into one mid-grade novel. Lengthen it a bit and make it an adult novel, sure. Or possibly YA. But the narrative is too full and the storytelling too choppy for a mid-grade novel. If I were the editor, I would have suggested the author take one or even three of these threads for the first novel and save the rest for a second and third book.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dani Beans has enough going with her favorite grandmother slipping away into Alzheimers. Through her love for her grandmother, she gets involved in a mystery that took place in her home town, the site of Old Miss, where James Meredith's integration into the all-white school, was not only a painful part of Mississippi (and USA) history, but somehow involved Dani's grandmother and her ex-best friend. Past and present interweave, as Dani is determined to discover what is still bothering her grandmother about a longtime feud from the Civil Rights era.

Young readers will learn a lot of history, and how that racism continues to affect the present, but Vaught is never heavy-handed, and includes enough mystery to keep readers' hearts pumping.

[Eme87 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dani lives in Mississippi with her mom, dad, and grandma who is suffering from Alzheimer's. Her grandma is a famous author with a famous feud with another author- Avadelle. All Dani wants to do is make sure her grandma is at peace and if that means finding out the truth about the feud, that is what Dani will do. With the help of her friends Indri and Mac, Dani looks everywhere for the answers to the clues her grandmother left her. When finally getting close, life takes an unexpected turn and changes everything.

This story is about family, friends, and civil rights history in the United States. A great read especially for those who like historical fiction and/or realistic fiction.
Grades: 4-6

[Linda Quarne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friendship, coming of age, Alzheimer’s, PTSD, dealing with a parent that is deployed, secrets, ghosts, relationships, and the civil rights movement seems like a lot to cram into one book but Susan Vaught navigated all that and more in this fantastic book. There are so many themes woven into the story that I couldn’t even mention them all without spoiling the book but after the first few pages I was entranced and stayed up past my bedtime to finish. This is the perfect book for a book club because there are so many subjects, both broad and nuanced, to dig into. One of the signs of a great book (in my opinion) is that it makes you want more...to know more, to talk about more, to read more...this is a GREAT book!