What do you think?
Rate this book
Falling Over Sideways
A new hilarious, honest, and hopeful novel from the author of Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie It's not easy being Claire. (Really.) Claire's life is a joke . . . but she's not laughing. While her friends seem to be leaping forward, she's dancing in the same place. The mean girls at school are living up to their mean name, and there's a boy, Ryder, who's just as bad, if not worse. And at home, nobody's really listening to her -- if anything, they seem to be more in on the joke than she is.Then into all of this (not-very-funny-to-Claire) comedy comes something intense and tragic -- while her dad is talking to her at the kitchen table, he falls over with a medical emergency. Suddenly the joke has become very serious -- and the only way Claire, her family, and her friends are going to get through it is if they can find a way to make it funny again.
272 pages, Paperback
First published September 27, 2016
148 people are currently reading
4047 people want to read
About the author
Jordan Sonnenblick
32 books931 followersI am the author of seven books for children and young adults, including Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie. So if youʼre looking for info about some other guy named Jordan Sonnenblick, youʼve got the wrong website.
Anyway, I know a lot of people are looking for stuff they can use in reports for school, so Iʼll just get this out of the way right up front:
My favorite color is blue.
I have a wife and two kids.
The best pet I ever had was a garter snake I caught when I was eight by a lake in Pennsylvania. I named the snake Hector. Then it gave birth to 20 baby snakes, so I changed its name to Hectoria.
My all-time favorite band is the Beatles, although I like a ton of different music.
My hobbies are playing the drums, guitar, and bass; riding my bicycle at least 50 miles a week; hanging out with my wife and kids; and reading.
Speaking of reading, I read a lot of different genres. As a kid, though, I mostly read fantasy, science fiction, and comic books. When I was in fourth grade, a fantasy novel called The Dark is Rising inspired me to become a novelist someday.
My favorite baseball team is the New York Yankees. When I was a kid, my best friend and I used to go to Yankees games and throw open ketchup packets off the upper deck. Donʼt try that at home, kids!
Anyway, I know a lot of people are looking for stuff they can use in reports for school, so Iʼll just get this out of the way right up front:
My favorite color is blue.
I have a wife and two kids.
The best pet I ever had was a garter snake I caught when I was eight by a lake in Pennsylvania. I named the snake Hector. Then it gave birth to 20 baby snakes, so I changed its name to Hectoria.
My all-time favorite band is the Beatles, although I like a ton of different music.
My hobbies are playing the drums, guitar, and bass; riding my bicycle at least 50 miles a week; hanging out with my wife and kids; and reading.
Speaking of reading, I read a lot of different genres. As a kid, though, I mostly read fantasy, science fiction, and comic books. When I was in fourth grade, a fantasy novel called The Dark is Rising inspired me to become a novelist someday.
My favorite baseball team is the New York Yankees. When I was a kid, my best friend and I used to go to Yankees games and throw open ketchup packets off the upper deck. Donʼt try that at home, kids!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 683 reviews
September 17, 2016
First off, full disclosure: I start each new Sonnenblick book with the predisposition toward liking it and usually end up loving it. We fans know that we can expect much laughter and many tears. Perhaps his years spent teaching middle school language arts honed his ear for authentic dialogue, but I also sense that he has great compassion - for teenage drama and about family dynamics. He manages to portray it all with affectionate honesty. I realized just this second, while thinking back on all his books, this is his first with a female main character.
Claire is a great narrator - smart, talented, goofy, sarcastic and occasionally clueless and selfish. Tween and teen readers will relate to her and root for her. I do hope Sonnenblick's male fans stick around for this one. I think they will. Last week, I did something I rarely do when I booktalk. I booktalked Falling Over Sideways having read only the first 100 pages. Yes, I was that confident. There are a handful of authors who are "easy" booktalks. As soon as my students hear there's a new book, they're all over it. My work is done. There's a waiting list as long as my arm and fully half the readers are guys.
Claire is a great narrator - smart, talented, goofy, sarcastic and occasionally clueless and selfish. Tween and teen readers will relate to her and root for her. I do hope Sonnenblick's male fans stick around for this one. I think they will. Last week, I did something I rarely do when I booktalk. I booktalked Falling Over Sideways having read only the first 100 pages. Yes, I was that confident. There are a handful of authors who are "easy" booktalks. As soon as my students hear there's a new book, they're all over it. My work is done. There's a waiting list as long as my arm and fully half the readers are guys.
April 14, 2017
I don't often read a book in one sitting, but this one had me hooked from page 1! Claire is a girl whose 8th grade issues magnify after her dad has a stroke. The way she was written was relatable to me as an adult and I laughed, cried, and just went WOW by the end of the story. Most definitely my favorite Sonnenblick book.
March 13, 2017
This book was a little relatable to me. We are about the same age and have a little personality similarities. Although our situations are way different, I still felt a connection with the character. What kept me reading the story is what happened to the dad and his struggle. Claire showed to be a very brace teen and I wanted to know how her bravery helped herself and her fathers life. Overall, the book was great and I think I might read another book by this author.
July 17, 2018
This book has all the elements of a YA hit... sad family event, sibling rivalry, mean girls, practice practice and more practice for music and dance, and life sort of ironing itself out by the end of 8th grade. Easy for many to relate to, funny, and impactful.
December 19, 2016
I ADORED this book; and while I'm being honest, I may as well admit that I have a reader's crush on author Jordan Sonnenblick. He GETS tweens and teens--the drama, the humor, the agony, the anguish, the exaggeration, the heart--all of it! How does this middle-aged male author write so perfectly about periods (the hormonal kind, not the punctuation kind)? I don't know how, but I'm so glad he does. Sonneblick makes me care, makes me read with my heart (not just my brain), and I SO LOVE him for that!
Claire is 13, in eighth grade, is being left behind in dance class, gets teased by the "bad girls," fights to stay second sax in band, always loses the perfection battle to her perfect older brother. All typical teen drama until the day her world flips over sideways when her dad literally falls over sideways while having a stroke. Claire is the only one home with him. His talk is gibberish, she can't reach her mom or her brother, she has to call an ambulance and rides in with him as the EMT's work on him. Claire is scared to death . . . Will her dad survive? Then when it seems he will survive, she wonders would he have been better off (would they all have been better off) if he had died? Cause she's not so sure her smart, humorous, author Dad is inside this "stroke stranger" they hide away at home. Claire's journey is raw and real, sad and funny, tragic and triumphant. FALLING OVER SIDEWAYS is a must-read and should be getting more notice from the "2016 best books, bling-flinger" aficionados out there.
FULL DISCLOSURE: Jordan Sonnenblick sent me a copy of this book to read as a "thank you" for answering his early-manuscript questions about a stroke patient's language recovery--I previously worked as a speech-language therapist. We talked for 5 minutes tops. Jordan did a bunch more research, and then he wrote brilliantly and believably about a character, about a family recovering from a stroke--being true to the facts of a stroke while never losing sight of the EMOTIONAL TRUTH of a stroke. Bravo for getting the science right, and a bigger bravo for getting the HEART of this book right!
Claire is 13, in eighth grade, is being left behind in dance class, gets teased by the "bad girls," fights to stay second sax in band, always loses the perfection battle to her perfect older brother. All typical teen drama until the day her world flips over sideways when her dad literally falls over sideways while having a stroke. Claire is the only one home with him. His talk is gibberish, she can't reach her mom or her brother, she has to call an ambulance and rides in with him as the EMT's work on him. Claire is scared to death . . . Will her dad survive? Then when it seems he will survive, she wonders would he have been better off (would they all have been better off) if he had died? Cause she's not so sure her smart, humorous, author Dad is inside this "stroke stranger" they hide away at home. Claire's journey is raw and real, sad and funny, tragic and triumphant. FALLING OVER SIDEWAYS is a must-read and should be getting more notice from the "2016 best books, bling-flinger" aficionados out there.
FULL DISCLOSURE: Jordan Sonnenblick sent me a copy of this book to read as a "thank you" for answering his early-manuscript questions about a stroke patient's language recovery--I previously worked as a speech-language therapist. We talked for 5 minutes tops. Jordan did a bunch more research, and then he wrote brilliantly and believably about a character, about a family recovering from a stroke--being true to the facts of a stroke while never losing sight of the EMOTIONAL TRUTH of a stroke. Bravo for getting the science right, and a bigger bravo for getting the HEART of this book right!
July 25, 2016
Classic Sonnenblick. I laughed through my tears. Highly recommended for his many fans or anyone who likes solid contemporary fiction that's both poignant and hilarious. Coming in September.
October 17, 2018
OMG...this book was so so so so so so so so so awesome!!!!!!!!!!!! I love the father- daughter relationship they have. The ending was amazing. You guys should totally read it.
January 5, 2024
همیشه به کتاب های شخص اول علاقه ی خاصی داشتم، خوندن عواطف و طرز دید و واکنش ها و احساسات آدما، برام جالبه، اگه کتاب های اول شخص نبودن، من شاید هرگز علاقه ای به حتی گشتن بین کتاب ها هم پیدا نمیکردم.
داستان این کتاب، عجیب نیست، یه نوجوون که مشکلات ریز و درشت داره و سعی میکنه باهاشون دست و پنجه نرم کنه، چیزی که منو تحت تاثیر قرار داد، این بود که این دختر سیزده چهارده ساله چطور تو اون شرایط نسبتا آرامشش رو حفظ میکرد. احترام بر انگیز بود. سیر داستان نسبتا منطقی و قانع کننده بود، حداقل به نسبت زندگی یه نوجوون تو شرایط نه چندان خوب. نه امید بیش از حد نه ناامیدی بیش از حد،
داستان این کتاب، عجیب نیست، یه نوجوون که مشکلات ریز و درشت داره و سعی میکنه باهاشون دست و پنجه نرم کنه، چیزی که منو تحت تاثیر قرار داد، این بود که این دختر سیزده چهارده ساله چطور تو اون شرایط نسبتا آرامشش رو حفظ میکرد. احترام بر انگیز بود. سیر داستان نسبتا منطقی و قانع کننده بود، حداقل به نسبت زندگی یه نوجوون تو شرایط نه چندان خوب. نه امید بیش از حد نه ناامیدی بیش از حد،
March 15, 2018
I think this book may be my current 2019 Caudill, at least out of the ones that I have read. It was such a heartbreaking, inspiring story, and I absolutely loved it. It's a perfect book for anyone and everyone. Read it now!
September 26, 2016
This review is also available on my blog, Read Till Dawn.
I read Sonnenblick's Zen and the Art of Faking It several years ago, and really loved it. I never remembered to look him up and see if there were any other books he'd written, though. Imagine my surprise and delight when this little gem showed up in a package on my doorstep! It was exactly what I was in the mood for, too. My mother has been going through her own (much less overwhelming, but still frightening) heart problems lately, and reading about Claire's struggle to cope with her father's condition really helps put my emotions about my mom's into perspective.
Part of me, actually, wishes that Sonnenblick had put more of a focus on the rest of Claire's family, because the few glimpses we do get are very interesting as I try to decide which of them I would be. Realistically, I would likely fall into the role of Claire's brother Matthew - sacrificing my schoolwork and my time, losing out on things I loved in order to take care of my ailing parent. At least, I like to think that I would. Maybe I really would be like Claire, though, unable to look past the stroke symptoms and see my loving parent trapped inside a malfunctioning body. Whether I'd be Claire or Matthew, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be their mother - always faking a smile and trying to put a positive spin on things. There are days I barely remember to smile now, when everything is going relatively smoothly; no way would my reaction to catastrophe be to look on the bright side of everything.
I don't want to talk too much about what happens, because it will spoil the book for you, but I'll just say that this provides a very real and heart-wrenching portrait of what it's like to live with the aftermath of a medical tragedy. We see how the stroke itself is emotionally devastating for Claire, of course, but much more than that it's the day-to-day struggle of life after the stroke that takes it's toll over the long haul. Claire struggles with this, and with juggling her father's condition along with the regular dramas and worries of middle school. These are all, incidentally, very well done as well; her friends and classmates are realistic (if a tad difficult to tell apart at times), her struggles to succeed in dance and band are familiar to anyone who's ever been involved in extracurriculars, and her teachers are complex and nuanced.
If you think Falling Over Sideways looks good, then by all means pick up a copy and give it a go. I'm not going to say that everyone needs to read it, or that it's the most perfect book in the entire world, but I will say that it definitely hit all the right chords for me. If you decide to read Falling Over Sideways, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Disclaimer: I received an unsolicited ARC of this novel from Scholastic.
I read Sonnenblick's Zen and the Art of Faking It several years ago, and really loved it. I never remembered to look him up and see if there were any other books he'd written, though. Imagine my surprise and delight when this little gem showed up in a package on my doorstep! It was exactly what I was in the mood for, too. My mother has been going through her own (much less overwhelming, but still frightening) heart problems lately, and reading about Claire's struggle to cope with her father's condition really helps put my emotions about my mom's into perspective.
Part of me, actually, wishes that Sonnenblick had put more of a focus on the rest of Claire's family, because the few glimpses we do get are very interesting as I try to decide which of them I would be. Realistically, I would likely fall into the role of Claire's brother Matthew - sacrificing my schoolwork and my time, losing out on things I loved in order to take care of my ailing parent. At least, I like to think that I would. Maybe I really would be like Claire, though, unable to look past the stroke symptoms and see my loving parent trapped inside a malfunctioning body. Whether I'd be Claire or Matthew, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be their mother - always faking a smile and trying to put a positive spin on things. There are days I barely remember to smile now, when everything is going relatively smoothly; no way would my reaction to catastrophe be to look on the bright side of everything.
I don't want to talk too much about what happens, because it will spoil the book for you, but I'll just say that this provides a very real and heart-wrenching portrait of what it's like to live with the aftermath of a medical tragedy. We see how the stroke itself is emotionally devastating for Claire, of course, but much more than that it's the day-to-day struggle of life after the stroke that takes it's toll over the long haul. Claire struggles with this, and with juggling her father's condition along with the regular dramas and worries of middle school. These are all, incidentally, very well done as well; her friends and classmates are realistic (if a tad difficult to tell apart at times), her struggles to succeed in dance and band are familiar to anyone who's ever been involved in extracurriculars, and her teachers are complex and nuanced.
If you think Falling Over Sideways looks good, then by all means pick up a copy and give it a go. I'm not going to say that everyone needs to read it, or that it's the most perfect book in the entire world, but I will say that it definitely hit all the right chords for me. If you decide to read Falling Over Sideways, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Disclaimer: I received an unsolicited ARC of this novel from Scholastic.
October 4, 2018
This book surprised me. I wasn't expecting such an heartwarming book. It was funny, sad and beautiful! I absolutely loved it!
October 18, 2018
New record of 90 minutes!
Also saxophones are genetically superior to trumpets.
Also saxophones are genetically superior to trumpets.
March 11, 2023
4.5 stars
i read this book in middle school and i loved it then and it still made me really emotional.
i read this book in middle school and i loved it then and it still made me really emotional.
July 14, 2017
I really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't. The characters were immature and mostly stereotypes, the dialogue felt stilted, the teachers were the villains, and many jokes felt like they were trying too hard to be funny. Mostly, it felt like Sonnenblick doesn't know how to write a female narrator.
Two saving graces: 1) It is heartbreaking to see Claire's father struggle to eat, walk, and speak. 2) Claire is a snarky narrator and when she isn't being annoying, she gets in some laugh-out-loud funny commentary.
Two saving graces: 1) It is heartbreaking to see Claire's father struggle to eat, walk, and speak. 2) Claire is a snarky narrator and when she isn't being annoying, she gets in some laugh-out-loud funny commentary.
February 23, 2018
I loved the protagonist in this story. Her relationships with her family and friends felt honest and genuine. I also liked how she was willing to make sacrifices to obtain her goals and better her relationships. The only gripe I had with this novel was the image of many adults, whether it be a teacher or dance instructor, being seen as heartless and cruel. Overall the plot was moving, and the resolution even had me tearing up.
October 11, 2016
Love his books! This has it all. Competition, illness, friendships, relationships, and most of all figuring out life! Really enjoyable read!
November 7, 2016
Funny, emotional, heart-warming. A great book for middle schoolers. One of my favorites I've read this year.
August 11, 2017
Claire loves dancing and playing the saxophone. Her life is just one big joke. Until something tragic happens that makes her life.. well, fall over sideways.
February 23, 2020
Oh boy. I'm not quite sure what to think. On one hand, the humor was great but there was more than one downside.
I almost DNF'ed at chapter two. This is so awkward to even type but by the end of the second chapter, the (male) author had already spent six pages on periods. It was way too much. I kinda feel bad for whatever female he questioned to be able to write it.
Secondly, this is a middle-grade book and it was trash-talking people with different political opinions than the main character's family. This isn't about me taking one side or the other but rather, the fact that it got into politics from such a biased standpoint. Quote the book, "The political talk was the worst, because normally my father would have been the firry liberal in the mix, but this year, my most right-wing uncle was all, 'More guns! Less government! Yay, white people." Yeah. In a middle-grade book.
Third was the language used. This had stronger language than any other middle-grade that I've seen and many times even referenced stronger language.
I almost DNF'ed at chapter two. This is so awkward to even type but by the end of the second chapter, the (male) author had already spent six pages on periods. It was way too much. I kinda feel bad for whatever female he questioned to be able to write it.
Secondly, this is a middle-grade book and it was trash-talking people with different political opinions than the main character's family. This isn't about me taking one side or the other but rather, the fact that it got into politics from such a biased standpoint. Quote the book, "The political talk was the worst, because normally my father would have been the firry liberal in the mix, but this year, my most right-wing uncle was all, 'More guns! Less government! Yay, white people." Yeah. In a middle-grade book.
Third was the language used. This had stronger language than any other middle-grade that I've seen and many times even referenced stronger language.
February 10, 2017
This was my first book by Sonnenblick and I really enjoyed it.
The protagonist, Claire, is dealing with some difficult circumstances, specifically her father's stroke and his on-going need for care and rehabilitation. And yet, Sonnenblick doesn't dwell. Instead, this problem is one of a number of problems Claire is facing: her friends have been moved up a level in their dance school, leaving her behind; she's constantly irritated by several classmates who feel the need to insult her; and her Biology teacher may be crazy and loved her straight-A-student older brother.
While it seems like this is a lot -- and it is -- Claire's responses are darkly humorous, self-deprecating, and endearing. While her initial instinct is to feel sorry for herself, she eventually realizes that there are things she can do to help herself, her dad, and even the kids at school who (as it turns out) have her back.
A fast, worthwhile read.
The protagonist, Claire, is dealing with some difficult circumstances, specifically her father's stroke and his on-going need for care and rehabilitation. And yet, Sonnenblick doesn't dwell. Instead, this problem is one of a number of problems Claire is facing: her friends have been moved up a level in their dance school, leaving her behind; she's constantly irritated by several classmates who feel the need to insult her; and her Biology teacher may be crazy and loved her straight-A-student older brother.
While it seems like this is a lot -- and it is -- Claire's responses are darkly humorous, self-deprecating, and endearing. While her initial instinct is to feel sorry for herself, she eventually realizes that there are things she can do to help herself, her dad, and even the kids at school who (as it turns out) have her back.
A fast, worthwhile read.
March 15, 2019
At first I thought, “this is a great book for a 7th or 8th grader with a parent who has had an injury or recent diagnosis.” I was thankful such a book existed for a tween / young teen, but felt I was “too old for this”. Yet there was something so sweet about Claire, and her troubles at school felt a bit too familiar so I kept reading. By the end I was part of this family, a laughing and sobbing mess. I catch myself repeating jokes from the book (piggy) and wondering why no one else finds them comical. I loved it.
I adored the author’s previous book too, and will keep reading these stories when I want something emotionally and sweet.
It’s verrry YA but not fluffy. There are serious issues and unlike a lot of YA, these characters act their age and respond as expected. Everyone and the entire story is realistic. IMHO this is a perfect book for a family to read together and discuss at the dinner table.
I adored the author’s previous book too, and will keep reading these stories when I want something emotionally and sweet.
It’s verrry YA but not fluffy. There are serious issues and unlike a lot of YA, these characters act their age and respond as expected. Everyone and the entire story is realistic. IMHO this is a perfect book for a family to read together and discuss at the dinner table.
October 21, 2017
Another excellent Jordan Sonnenblick book, in which the main character is having breakfast with her dad when he experiences a sudden medical emergency and she has to help him. The remainder of the book explores what it's like to be a kid in the aftermath of a life-changing event in which the family is thrown into chaos. How much do you tell your teachers? How much do you tell your friends? How can things ever be the same again and how can you be ok with that? As with most Jordan Sonnenblick stories, he takes a pretty heavy and potentially sad topic and brings some humor and poingiancy to the story, making it more accessible and less scary. It made me think carefully about how many of my students experience life-changing events and how hard it must be to focus on school when that happens. Highly recommended.
June 25, 2017
Sonnenblick's stories are poignant, tender, funny, and emotional, and this one is no exception. When Claire has to deal with a sudden and unexpected illness in her family, she struggles. She is, after all, a young teenager, so she has the typical problems and angst that many teens face at school. When you add a father who's had a stroke, her life becomes overwhelming at times. I loved how her older brother, Matthew, played an integral part in showing some tough love and making her realize how she needed to become less self-absorbed and to step up to the plate in caring for her father. Matthew also shows a tender side toward Claire toward the end. Beautiful finale. A wonderful study on family dynamics, how to handle illness and crises, and growing up.
January 21, 2019
I always love Sonnenblick. I picked this one up because my son was on a Sonnenblick kick this past fall. This one was different than his other books because the main character was an 8th grade girl. He does such a good job of writing about difficult issues for middle & YA readers, and always had relatable characters & plot.
July 6, 2017
At times the plot was a bit predictable, but the ending did touch my heart.
July 13, 2017
I love this author's ability to blend serious issues with everyday humor.
May 6, 2017
This may be my favorite Jordan Sonnenblick book and that is significant. The characters were mostly believable and when over the top it was a guilty pleasure. The stroke story line mimics that of a student in my class this year. She verified the reality of the text. I love how JS balances real life struggles and tragedy with humor ala Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie.
September 23, 2018
Loved this story!
July 21, 2025
حس خاصی ندارم حقیقت، از جمله کتابهایی که منو تحت تاثیر قرار نداد خیلی و نقطه اوجی نداشت.
پ.ن: نشر پرتقال
پ.ن: نشر پرتقال
September 19, 2018
This book is very emotional and makes you open your mind and think in a more open way. It also has multiple things going on and is pretty relatable to me since I’m in middle school and play band.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 683 reviews