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The Girl with More Than One Heart
There are times we all feel we need more than one heart to get through. When Briana’s father dies, she imagines she has a new heart growing inside her. It speaks to her in her Dad’s voice. Some of its commands are mysterious.
Find Her! it says. Be Your Own!
How can Briana “be her own” when her grieving mother needs her to take care of her demanding little brother all the time? When all her grandpa can do is tell stories instead of being the “rock" she needs? When her not-so-normal home life leaves no time to pursue her dream of writing for the school literary magazine? When the first blush of a new romance threatens to be nipped in the bud? Forced by the loss of her favorite parent to see all that was once familiar with new eyes, Briana draws on her own imagination, originality, and tender loving heart to discover a surprising path through the storm.
Find Her! it says. Be Your Own!
How can Briana “be her own” when her grieving mother needs her to take care of her demanding little brother all the time? When all her grandpa can do is tell stories instead of being the “rock" she needs? When her not-so-normal home life leaves no time to pursue her dream of writing for the school literary magazine? When the first blush of a new romance threatens to be nipped in the bud? Forced by the loss of her favorite parent to see all that was once familiar with new eyes, Briana draws on her own imagination, originality, and tender loving heart to discover a surprising path through the storm.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published April 17, 2018
11 people are currently reading
378 people want to read
About the author
Laura Geringer Bass
17 books24 followersLaura Geringer Bass is the author of over 20 highly acclaimed books for children, tweens, and teens.
Her new novel for middle graders about friendship, love, and loss -- The Girl With More Than One Heart -- is the lyrical story of a courageous girl who imagines she needs an extra heart to navigate her grief after the death of her dad. It will be published by Abrams this Spring.
Laura serves on the National Advisory Board of First Book, a non-profit organization that has delivered over 170 million books to children in need
and as a mentor for Girls Write Now and Prison Writes, teaching teens at risk.
Her new novel for middle graders about friendship, love, and loss -- The Girl With More Than One Heart -- is the lyrical story of a courageous girl who imagines she needs an extra heart to navigate her grief after the death of her dad. It will be published by Abrams this Spring.
Laura serves on the National Advisory Board of First Book, a non-profit organization that has delivered over 170 million books to children in need
and as a mentor for Girls Write Now and Prison Writes, teaching teens at risk.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
August 17, 2018
Once I read the premise for The Girl with More Than One Heart I had a feeling it would be emotionally difficult, but I knew I want to read it.
My feeling was right. There was so many things that our main character Brianna had to go through: losing her beloved father, having a mom that suffers from depression, taking care of her brother who has autism and also losing her best friends in the process. My heart was wrenching for her because no 13 year old should go through what she went trough, but that was the reality of the story: life is sometimes unfair.
After Brianna’s father died, she felt another heart growing in her belly. It whispered her with her dad’s voice and sang to her songs her dad used to sing.
I love how the reader can experience that aspect of the story in two different ways: One, like magical realism, and other, like a metaphor Brianna created in her head to help her dealing with everything she went through.
This book made me sad most of the time, but it also made me angry at Brianna’s mom, because I couldn’t help, I was blaming her for Brianna’s misfortune.
If only she made more effort and thought about her children more, Brianna’s life would be so much easier.
As I understood, this book came to existence after the writer wrote her memoir after her own’s father death, who helped her a lot with her own son who is on the spectrum.
So in a way, writing this book was also some sort of therapy for Laura Geringer Bass.
The Girl with More then One Heart is a middle grade novel, but I think it could be read and loved by older readers too.
In all honesty, I even thought it was a bit too hard for younger readers, but I guess it was just my unintentional ignorance. It sometimes happens to me, I think something would be too much for children, when in reality, they are much stronger and can understand so many things so well.
The book is written in first person with simple writing style that reads pretty fast.
Even though I enjoyed reading this novel very much, I have to admit that I wasn’t invested the whole time and some parts I found a bit boring. That’s why I couldn’t give it higher rating.
But still, I would recommend this book to all generations, because it is a wonderful story that is hard to forget.
Read this and more reviews on my blog: https://bookdustmagic.wordpress.com
My feeling was right. There was so many things that our main character Brianna had to go through: losing her beloved father, having a mom that suffers from depression, taking care of her brother who has autism and also losing her best friends in the process. My heart was wrenching for her because no 13 year old should go through what she went trough, but that was the reality of the story: life is sometimes unfair.
After Brianna’s father died, she felt another heart growing in her belly. It whispered her with her dad’s voice and sang to her songs her dad used to sing.
I love how the reader can experience that aspect of the story in two different ways: One, like magical realism, and other, like a metaphor Brianna created in her head to help her dealing with everything she went through.
This book made me sad most of the time, but it also made me angry at Brianna’s mom, because I couldn’t help, I was blaming her for Brianna’s misfortune.
If only she made more effort and thought about her children more, Brianna’s life would be so much easier.
As I understood, this book came to existence after the writer wrote her memoir after her own’s father death, who helped her a lot with her own son who is on the spectrum.
So in a way, writing this book was also some sort of therapy for Laura Geringer Bass.
The Girl with More then One Heart is a middle grade novel, but I think it could be read and loved by older readers too.
In all honesty, I even thought it was a bit too hard for younger readers, but I guess it was just my unintentional ignorance. It sometimes happens to me, I think something would be too much for children, when in reality, they are much stronger and can understand so many things so well.
The book is written in first person with simple writing style that reads pretty fast.
Even though I enjoyed reading this novel very much, I have to admit that I wasn’t invested the whole time and some parts I found a bit boring. That’s why I couldn’t give it higher rating.
But still, I would recommend this book to all generations, because it is a wonderful story that is hard to forget.
Read this and more reviews on my blog: https://bookdustmagic.wordpress.com
Read
August 24, 2018This book is very sweet. It would probably be best geared toward younger middle grade readers (as long as they can handle the content, since it does involve the death of a parent). This is because the voice feels a bit young for thirteen and the writing is relatively simplistic. It would also be PERFECT for older MG readers who are at a little lower reading level than their peers but still want books that deal with topics they can relate to. This book tackles Briana's feelings about her father's death beautifully and it also features a first romance and evolving friendships.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via Media Masters Publicity in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via Media Masters Publicity in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
February 16, 2018
A very unique contemporary ya novel that will stay with the reader long after you finish.
The story takes an everyday, although tragic, occurrence - the death of a parent - and puts a fresh spin on how it gets handled. Dealing with issues of grief, depression, romance, family and friendship, this book has it all!
The characterisation is strong, and this drives the plot along. Each person adds to the story and it feels like anyone reading it could relate to some aspect or other from it.
A great read and I’d definitely read more by this author!
Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
The story takes an everyday, although tragic, occurrence - the death of a parent - and puts a fresh spin on how it gets handled. Dealing with issues of grief, depression, romance, family and friendship, this book has it all!
The characterisation is strong, and this drives the plot along. Each person adds to the story and it feels like anyone reading it could relate to some aspect or other from it.
A great read and I’d definitely read more by this author!
Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
October 2, 2018
AMAZING☺
January 11, 2019
The emotions Bass evoked from the reader were agonizing at times. I've read a lot of books about teenage angst and awkwardness lately. Not that those stories don't have merit or are even really good, but they don't match the realness and raw emotion in this book. Part of it is the seamless writing and story telling of Bass. The main character, Briana, is not only dealing with the typical teenage issues, she is dealing with the unexpected death of her dad. The person who was her anchor. Now she is floating in life with her clinically depressed mother and autistic brother, Aaron. At first she seems to resent Aaron because of the amount of time that is required for him but as the story progresses she begins to understand him more and realizes she does care for him a great deal. After her father's death, almost as a coping mechanism, Briana imagines a second heart growing in her. She can feel the heart and it speaks to her in her Dad's voice. I had to read this in one siting as I needed to know there is hope for kids in this situation. Bass gives us a heart warming ending that is very satisfying. What is amazing is that Bass crafted this emotion packed story that deals with some very heavy topics into a book that is very appropriate for middle grade readers. Young adults and adults will appreciate the skillful writing and a wonderfully woven story. *Note I received a free review copy of this book
March 10, 2018
I found this book to be a stunner! In this compelling, layered novel, Laura Geringer Bass takes us along with Briana, age 13, after losing her father suddenly. In the author's skillful hands, the read does not reduce simply to a struggle with sadness, since moments of abject aloneness are woven with threads of ironic humor, determination, anger, and soft persuasions of memory. There's an overflow of exasperation one minute, an unexpected refuge the next. I feel it’s clearly a valuable read for adults as well as adults in the making. Nothing gets to be simple, including the relationship with the Dad Heart that shows up right after Briana's father passes.
A second heart speaks to her in a mix of physical sensations and actual statements and directives. All of the father’s comments came to me as invitations, orienting Briana to the mysteries of her own struggles - even, or perhaps especially - the way the reader comes to feel the influence of the voice. The Dad Heart is directing her to pay attention to the most difficult things at the most difficult times. The voice of the heart is either supporting, pushing, or informing. In these ways, the relationship with the father continues on the road of securing his place within her. It’s an honest, fearless expression of the most private and sensitive needs one faces in loss, especially at an age where developmental pressures are intense and the adult world is on the horizon.
Descriptions of objects and surroundings are sweetly detailed, bold and authentic, which drew me forward and sometimes functioned as bridges, allowing access to the parallel worlds of inner and outer experience. I quite enjoyed the conversations with peers, each of whom has family dramas of their own. There’s a wonderful grandfather as an anchor, along with Briana having to navigate a dawning understanding of her traumatized mother and a brother with unique, unsettled ways of being in the world. Midway through, events in the story came pouncing, like a cat you thought was asleep in another room. Highly recommended!
J.L. Cooper
A second heart speaks to her in a mix of physical sensations and actual statements and directives. All of the father’s comments came to me as invitations, orienting Briana to the mysteries of her own struggles - even, or perhaps especially - the way the reader comes to feel the influence of the voice. The Dad Heart is directing her to pay attention to the most difficult things at the most difficult times. The voice of the heart is either supporting, pushing, or informing. In these ways, the relationship with the father continues on the road of securing his place within her. It’s an honest, fearless expression of the most private and sensitive needs one faces in loss, especially at an age where developmental pressures are intense and the adult world is on the horizon.
Descriptions of objects and surroundings are sweetly detailed, bold and authentic, which drew me forward and sometimes functioned as bridges, allowing access to the parallel worlds of inner and outer experience. I quite enjoyed the conversations with peers, each of whom has family dramas of their own. There’s a wonderful grandfather as an anchor, along with Briana having to navigate a dawning understanding of her traumatized mother and a brother with unique, unsettled ways of being in the world. Midway through, events in the story came pouncing, like a cat you thought was asleep in another room. Highly recommended!
J.L. Cooper
February 20, 2019
I really enjoyed reading this book. This one was another one of my favorite ones that I have read recently. In the story, there is a girl named Brianna, and she has a little brother. One day when Brianna´s dad was exercising, and she found out later, that he had died. He had died from a cardiovascular problem while he was exercising. Brianna was so miserable after her dad had died because he was the one who was always there for her and gave her courage. Later, Brianna finds out that she is not the only one who is sad, Brianna´s mom has not been acting herself ever since their dad has died. Her mom has been acting differently. Later, their grandpa and grandma come to help them out. Also in the story, Brianna then discovers something. She has MORE THAN ONE HEART!!! Brianna thinks that it is her dad's heart that she now has and it even talks to her when she needs advice or encouragement. Brianna tries to tell her mom, but she doesn't believe her. Then, Brianna tells her most trusted friend Peter, and he actually believes her! I really enjoyed reading this book and I liked how there were some twists and turns in it, and I would definitely recommend it.
October 29, 2018
Beautifully written. My dad suddenly died when I was 12 years old, and the author did a wonderful job of capturing the feelings and emotions a family struggles with after such a devastating loss. I wish this book had existed for me back then - I would've appreciated it very much. Well done.
July 5, 2018
With unique storytelling, Laura Geringer Bass has made sure this book would stay with the readers for long.
"The Girl with more than one heart " revolves around Brianna, who is still dwelling in the grief of the sudden demise of her father and how she has too look after her autistic brother and mother who finds it difficult to move on.
"I picture grief as a dragon with a tail five times its length, swishing back and forth, back an forth. With every swish, a building topples until the whole town is crashed".
Brianna takes the driver's seat in this one, letting us a view of her everyday life and her thoughts accompanied by reminiscing moments and memories she spent with her father.
With realistic characterization(especially Brianna, the protagonist) and even more real storyline, this book is unputdownable.
The thing that stands out in this book is that it is written in first person and hence it forces us to think "What would I do if I it ever happens to me?", "Will I be able to overcome this?"
About all of Brianna's actions were justifiable and that was what made me fall in love with her even more.
I cried, I laughed, I loved with Brianna.
Being an 8th grader, losing her favorite parent and taking care of her almost absentee mother, Brianna is potrayed as a strong woman and I loved the author for that.
I don't really sway for Contemporary YA's but this book has my heart.
Definitely included in my top 5 reads of the year.
Thank you ABRAM CHRONICLES for the ARC.
"The Girl with more than one heart " revolves around Brianna, who is still dwelling in the grief of the sudden demise of her father and how she has too look after her autistic brother and mother who finds it difficult to move on.
"I picture grief as a dragon with a tail five times its length, swishing back and forth, back an forth. With every swish, a building topples until the whole town is crashed".
Brianna takes the driver's seat in this one, letting us a view of her everyday life and her thoughts accompanied by reminiscing moments and memories she spent with her father.
With realistic characterization(especially Brianna, the protagonist) and even more real storyline, this book is unputdownable.
The thing that stands out in this book is that it is written in first person and hence it forces us to think "What would I do if I it ever happens to me?", "Will I be able to overcome this?"
About all of Brianna's actions were justifiable and that was what made me fall in love with her even more.
I cried, I laughed, I loved with Brianna.
Being an 8th grader, losing her favorite parent and taking care of her almost absentee mother, Brianna is potrayed as a strong woman and I loved the author for that.
I don't really sway for Contemporary YA's but this book has my heart.
Definitely included in my top 5 reads of the year.
Thank you ABRAM CHRONICLES for the ARC.
February 4, 2018
Hmmmm. I am a little unsure as to how to rate this book. Although it is a worthwhile story, and certainly might be a blessing for a child dealing with the loss of a parent, it didn't knock my socks off. However, I'm not sure how much of that has to do with timing. Having just finished several books in a row of the "cannot put this down" variety, it probably isn't fair of me to compare a children's novel with a gripping adult thriller in terms of engagement. That being said, I don't believe this would have won my heart had I read it at another time or even in my youth.
The story here is recognizable and heartfelt. The protagonist, Brianna, is both likable and relatable. I appreciated certain aspects of her life, details that heightened the interest and intensity of the plot; the setting's location (New York City) her younger autistic brother, her beloved grandfather, and the family's Judaism. But, I don't know if the target audience will find her story to their liking. The suggested age range is 8-12, which seems appropriate given the reading level (probably on the lower end of that range realistically.) However, though Brianna is thirteen and there certainly are some situations and feelings that correspond to her age, she seems much younger. Her thoughts and feelings speak of someone still in elementary school yet I don't know that children of that age will be engaged with her middle school relationships and the responsibilities placed upon her.
Read this yourself though, because I may well be off base and perhaps others will be drawn into a tale about a girl coping with the loss of her father and testing the waters of early adolescence.
The story here is recognizable and heartfelt. The protagonist, Brianna, is both likable and relatable. I appreciated certain aspects of her life, details that heightened the interest and intensity of the plot; the setting's location (New York City) her younger autistic brother, her beloved grandfather, and the family's Judaism. But, I don't know if the target audience will find her story to their liking. The suggested age range is 8-12, which seems appropriate given the reading level (probably on the lower end of that range realistically.) However, though Brianna is thirteen and there certainly are some situations and feelings that correspond to her age, she seems much younger. Her thoughts and feelings speak of someone still in elementary school yet I don't know that children of that age will be engaged with her middle school relationships and the responsibilities placed upon her.
Read this yourself though, because I may well be off base and perhaps others will be drawn into a tale about a girl coping with the loss of her father and testing the waters of early adolescence.
June 7, 2018
I need to get back to writing reviews immediately after I read a book. They are more detailed and (usually) more insightful when I do this.
This was a well done story about an eighth grade girl who is going through an emotionally difficult time in her life. The family dynamics are changed unexpectedly overnight and she has lost a family member. The main character's voice, Briana's, feels authentic. And, her concerns - taking care of a special needs sibling, dealing with gossipy friends, possible move, absentee parent, etc. are very well tuned to the anxieties that an eighth grader might have in these circumstances.
This story is especially heart-wrenching for any young girl who has strong relationships with the men in her life - father and grandfather.
I bought this book at the Gaithersburg Book Festival in my search for age appropriate material for this age group (10-13) for my daughter's classroom library. It would be a welcome addition to a junior high or middle grade library.
This was a well done story about an eighth grade girl who is going through an emotionally difficult time in her life. The family dynamics are changed unexpectedly overnight and she has lost a family member. The main character's voice, Briana's, feels authentic. And, her concerns - taking care of a special needs sibling, dealing with gossipy friends, possible move, absentee parent, etc. are very well tuned to the anxieties that an eighth grader might have in these circumstances.
This story is especially heart-wrenching for any young girl who has strong relationships with the men in her life - father and grandfather.
I bought this book at the Gaithersburg Book Festival in my search for age appropriate material for this age group (10-13) for my daughter's classroom library. It would be a welcome addition to a junior high or middle grade library.
April 3, 2019
3.5*
Extremely touching, heart warming yet heart breaking at the same time. Amazing message of the importance of friends, and I just adored the character of Daisy. I read this in one sitting and really liked it. It really is hard hitting, in a way which leaves your heart feeling a little heavy. I definitely think it would be a beneficial reading experience for younger readers — there’s a lot of empathy tucked into the pages of this book, waiting to be absorbed by the reader. There’s a lot of love, tenderness, and raw emotion. I definitely think the author captured the plethora of emotions that grief can throw at a young person and I really appreciated the portrayal of it.
Extremely touching, heart warming yet heart breaking at the same time. Amazing message of the importance of friends, and I just adored the character of Daisy. I read this in one sitting and really liked it. It really is hard hitting, in a way which leaves your heart feeling a little heavy. I definitely think it would be a beneficial reading experience for younger readers — there’s a lot of empathy tucked into the pages of this book, waiting to be absorbed by the reader. There’s a lot of love, tenderness, and raw emotion. I definitely think the author captured the plethora of emotions that grief can throw at a young person and I really appreciated the portrayal of it.
July 25, 2018
#FirstLine ~ The day my Father's heart stopped, I discovered an extra heart deep in my belly, below my right rib.
I cannot tell you how much I loved this book. My Dad died of a sudden heart attack so this book touched my soul in a way no other book has. I cannot say too much without getting emotional about it. You will adore it too, I know you will. Character and story driven with a rich setting and dialogue that will move and entertain. A perfect book from cover to cover!
I cannot tell you how much I loved this book. My Dad died of a sudden heart attack so this book touched my soul in a way no other book has. I cannot say too much without getting emotional about it. You will adore it too, I know you will. Character and story driven with a rich setting and dialogue that will move and entertain. A perfect book from cover to cover!
September 19, 2019
All the hearts for this sweet-tender novel!
February 22, 2019
The girl with more than one heart is a sad book but happy as well. And during the book her fathers heart suddenly fails one morning and when he dies life is never the same without him but when he dies she feels like she has another heart in her stomach and can never seen to let him go or forget.
April 13, 2018
Full review is LIVE! Find it at The Falling Shelf!!
March 5, 2019
it was actually really good. main character Briana, she lost her dad and after she lost her dad, she figures out she has more than one heart.that is when she tries to hear it and she began to listen. and there is so much heart brock. I love it!!!!
May 8, 2020
this is a book centred around grief and while it did deal with this topic appropriately, I believe this book just wasn't for me. If I was 13 years old like the protagonist I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more - this could help so many young teenagers.
Nothing really happened in quite a short book and Brianna as a narrative was quite inconsistent. Honestly I was just very bored and it wasn't an enjoyable reading experience. Some aspects played out too quickly while others we didn't even get to see.
However, if I had a younger sibling I would definitely give them this book to read.
Nothing really happened in quite a short book and Brianna as a narrative was quite inconsistent. Honestly I was just very bored and it wasn't an enjoyable reading experience. Some aspects played out too quickly while others we didn't even get to see.
However, if I had a younger sibling I would definitely give them this book to read.
January 8, 2018
At the beginning of eighth grade Briana finds her father dead and slumped over his stationary bike right before school. After she finds him she imagines she has grown another heart, her dad-heart, that lives in her stomach. It sings songs her dad used to sing, speaks in his voice, and she feels it's trying to send her a message. One she has to figure out and listen to.
After her father's funeral at the synagogue, lead by their rabbi, her mother immediately falls into a deep depression. Briana is abruptly the sole caretaker of her younger, 5-year-old brother, Aaron. That would be difficult enough if Aaron were "normal" but as a child who is on the autism spectrum things can get difficult quickly, and their mom, Lily, was really the only one who could get him to eat. Now their mom makes them breakfast every day, prepares lunch, and then goes shuffles back to bed. Briana is in charge of getting Aaron up and ready for school, drop-off and pick-up as well as taking him to therapy, and giving him his bath and putting him to bed at night on top of watching him after school. The real difficulty is that Briana has never really liked, or cared for Aaron. She only saw what he cost her, time with her parents, how much energy he sapped from them leaving little for her, getting praise for minimal things while she could accomplish something amazing and get little attention for it. In truth, typical feelings that occur when you are siblings with someone who has a disability/chronic illness/difference.
Briana learns who her real friends are after her father dies, and finds new ones, who are in truth overall just way better humans. There is certainly some bullying and unkindness that goes on both towards Briana as well as Aaron. Aaron's kindergarten teacher makes no effort to try to meet him half-way. To understand his point of view, why he does something the way he does it etc. and just notices that he's "not doing it like the others" and that she doesn't like that. She wants him kicked out and sent to a special school, needless to say I don't like her, and neither do the characters in the book.
Bass handles a lot of complex and heart-wrenching topics in this book. As Briana is forced to spend more and more time with Aaron, and get to know and understand him more she realizes that she does love him, no matter what. She figures out who she wants to be and works towards that, has her first almost-boyfriend, and struggles in trying to make her mom snap out of her depression so that she can get her mom back, and have at least one real parent.
Other than Aaron's neurodiversity, and their Jewish faith there aren't any other characters that would fit into a diverse cast, at least not obviously. Many of the characters have descriptions where you could imagine them in whatever way you wanted, and others are most certainly white.
This is a really amazing book on many counts. I would highly recommend it!
After her father's funeral at the synagogue, lead by their rabbi, her mother immediately falls into a deep depression. Briana is abruptly the sole caretaker of her younger, 5-year-old brother, Aaron. That would be difficult enough if Aaron were "normal" but as a child who is on the autism spectrum things can get difficult quickly, and their mom, Lily, was really the only one who could get him to eat. Now their mom makes them breakfast every day, prepares lunch, and then goes shuffles back to bed. Briana is in charge of getting Aaron up and ready for school, drop-off and pick-up as well as taking him to therapy, and giving him his bath and putting him to bed at night on top of watching him after school. The real difficulty is that Briana has never really liked, or cared for Aaron. She only saw what he cost her, time with her parents, how much energy he sapped from them leaving little for her, getting praise for minimal things while she could accomplish something amazing and get little attention for it. In truth, typical feelings that occur when you are siblings with someone who has a disability/chronic illness/difference.
Briana learns who her real friends are after her father dies, and finds new ones, who are in truth overall just way better humans. There is certainly some bullying and unkindness that goes on both towards Briana as well as Aaron. Aaron's kindergarten teacher makes no effort to try to meet him half-way. To understand his point of view, why he does something the way he does it etc. and just notices that he's "not doing it like the others" and that she doesn't like that. She wants him kicked out and sent to a special school, needless to say I don't like her, and neither do the characters in the book.
Bass handles a lot of complex and heart-wrenching topics in this book. As Briana is forced to spend more and more time with Aaron, and get to know and understand him more she realizes that she does love him, no matter what. She figures out who she wants to be and works towards that, has her first almost-boyfriend, and struggles in trying to make her mom snap out of her depression so that she can get her mom back, and have at least one real parent.
Other than Aaron's neurodiversity, and their Jewish faith there aren't any other characters that would fit into a diverse cast, at least not obviously. Many of the characters have descriptions where you could imagine them in whatever way you wanted, and others are most certainly white.
This is a really amazing book on many counts. I would highly recommend it!
July 24, 2022
Book Review
Title: The Girl with More Than One Heart by Laura Geringer Bass
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary, Mental Health
Rating: 4.75 Stars
The opening to The Girl With More Than One Heart was interesting as we are introduced to Brianna who father had an undisclosed heart condition and he had recently died from it. Brianna around this time believes she had a second heart that speaks to get in her father’s voice but it doesn’t make sense to her. This might just be a child’s way of dealing with the loss of a parent especially one she is close to. Brianna used to be close with her mother before the birth of her brother, Aaron but since then she had been a lot closer with her father which might explain her reaction to his death. She is not just dealing with grief and loss but the impending feelings of loneliness which isn’t something someone that she should have to go through.
As we approach the ¼ mark in the novel, Brianna is struggling to cope with her new reality only a month after the funeral. Brianna has taken on a more active role in caring for Aaron and his needs as her mother seems to be suffering from severe depression and because of this Brianna is isolated from her friends except Peter. When she returns to school she is slow to adjust to the fact that most of her former friends have moved on to new things and she turns to writing for an outlet. Along the way she seems to become friends with an artistic girl named Daisy who was present at the funeral and has done some really kind things for Brianna since the death of her father. During this month or so Brianna is relying on her Dad heart as she calls it give her guidance but she struggles to understand it most of the time as it seems to speak in riddles that she doesn’t really understand yet. I can sympathise with the fact that Brianna is hurting and frustrated at her situation but there isn’t really anything she can do about it until her mother pulls herself out of the depression she is in as she really should be focusing on her children first or bringing in outside support if she can’t but she isn’t willing to do that despite Brianna asking her to bring other people over during this time.
As we cross the ¼ mark in the novel, we learn Brianna is carrying around a lot of anger especially aimed at Aaron who we learn is autistic which explains his extra needs. Brianna seems resentful of Aaron and her grandfather’s devotion towards the boy and her mother’s refusal to do anything at the moment even though they are needed and there are certain things she can’t do by herself. Brianna’s friendship with Peter is also suffering because of this and it is hurting her but she seems to developing new connections with Daisy and Neill and she is also being pushed by them to write for the school paper that is coming. We can clearly see that Brianna bottled up a lot of her emotions when Aaron was born but she had her father to lean on who also felt the same way and it seems that Aaron’s social needs were causing issues in the family as her father said it was killing him and the stress might have added to his heart condition. They might have had more support in place for Aaron is their mother and grandfather hadn’t been so reluctant to get him tested in the first place and continue to try and appear “normal”.
As we approach the halfway mark in the novel, Brianna is desperately trying to cope with the situation the best she can which isn’t well at all and she really needs some support from a grown up right now but there is no one there. Brianna’s is listening to the dad heart and trying to figure out what it wants her to do and it seems like it is telling her to take care of her family and bring them back to themselves especially her mother but she isn’t sure how to do that. Brianna is also plagued by memories of her father especially in the time they had together before Aaron when in her mind everything was better. I am not sure where the story is going to go in the second half but this seems like a coming to terms with grief novel which is something I appreciate as long as its got either a happy ending or an understandable ending but it is trying out to be a quick read which is expected of middle grade.
As we cross into the second half of the novel, Brianna isn’t coming to terms with her dad’s death but she is starting to come to terms with what life is going to be like without him being around constantly and the new role she needs to take within the family. Her relationship with Aaron is getting better especially when he is held back a year at school and he is upset thinking there is something wrong with him and she swears that she loves him no matter what even after the way she felt about him before. She is also becoming more sympathetic towards her mother especially after her grandfather shares his experience with grief after the death of her grandmother. Brianna is also finding herself as her former friend and Peter become more distant from her but she finds people like Daisy and Neill who like her for who she is and encourages her to do things that are going to make her happy not the people around her which is a really important message to be sending to young people. That you don’t have to please everyone around you as long as you yourself are happy.
As we approach the ¾ mark in the novel, Brianna’s emotions are all over the place which is expecting of someone her age and what she has been through but she still isn’t getting the support she needs except from the dad heart which isn’t much at all. She is trying to be there for Aaron by going to his play with their grandfather and he does amazing but their mother spoils the entire night. She turns up late and looking as crazy as Brianna feels she is and leaves halfway through when Aaron pretends to faint and this causes a meltdown from the boy. Their grandfather rarely sees this side of Aaron and he is shocked but Brianna takes control of the situation and gets everything under control. Peter also feels guilty about ditching Brianna and comes back to her but when she attempts to hold his hand he pulls away which hurts Brianna. The only upside so far is her friendship with Daisy and Neill as they don’t expect anything from her other than what she is willing to give. Daisy also does the most amazing portrait of her father that moves Brianna to tears but everything Daisy has hidden inside the picture.
As we cross into the final section of the novel, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the ending but I was excited to get there. In the end we do get some resolution for the family, it isn’t a happy or perfect ending at all but it does bring the family closer together as Brianna finally confesses her feelings on the death of her father and how her mother’s reaction has affecting her and Aaron. This is a new beginning for them where they aren’t going to forget about the person they have lost but they need to look forward to the future so they don’t get stuck where they are now in a cycle of grief and despair. Overall, The Girl with more than One Heart was an interesting and realistic look into grief and the healing process that comes after for both adults and children. Despite being middle grade which isn’t something I normally read I did really enjoy the book and I hope to read more like this in the future.
Title: The Girl with More Than One Heart by Laura Geringer Bass
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary, Mental Health
Rating: 4.75 Stars
The opening to The Girl With More Than One Heart was interesting as we are introduced to Brianna who father had an undisclosed heart condition and he had recently died from it. Brianna around this time believes she had a second heart that speaks to get in her father’s voice but it doesn’t make sense to her. This might just be a child’s way of dealing with the loss of a parent especially one she is close to. Brianna used to be close with her mother before the birth of her brother, Aaron but since then she had been a lot closer with her father which might explain her reaction to his death. She is not just dealing with grief and loss but the impending feelings of loneliness which isn’t something someone that she should have to go through.
As we approach the ¼ mark in the novel, Brianna is struggling to cope with her new reality only a month after the funeral. Brianna has taken on a more active role in caring for Aaron and his needs as her mother seems to be suffering from severe depression and because of this Brianna is isolated from her friends except Peter. When she returns to school she is slow to adjust to the fact that most of her former friends have moved on to new things and she turns to writing for an outlet. Along the way she seems to become friends with an artistic girl named Daisy who was present at the funeral and has done some really kind things for Brianna since the death of her father. During this month or so Brianna is relying on her Dad heart as she calls it give her guidance but she struggles to understand it most of the time as it seems to speak in riddles that she doesn’t really understand yet. I can sympathise with the fact that Brianna is hurting and frustrated at her situation but there isn’t really anything she can do about it until her mother pulls herself out of the depression she is in as she really should be focusing on her children first or bringing in outside support if she can’t but she isn’t willing to do that despite Brianna asking her to bring other people over during this time.
As we cross the ¼ mark in the novel, we learn Brianna is carrying around a lot of anger especially aimed at Aaron who we learn is autistic which explains his extra needs. Brianna seems resentful of Aaron and her grandfather’s devotion towards the boy and her mother’s refusal to do anything at the moment even though they are needed and there are certain things she can’t do by herself. Brianna’s friendship with Peter is also suffering because of this and it is hurting her but she seems to developing new connections with Daisy and Neill and she is also being pushed by them to write for the school paper that is coming. We can clearly see that Brianna bottled up a lot of her emotions when Aaron was born but she had her father to lean on who also felt the same way and it seems that Aaron’s social needs were causing issues in the family as her father said it was killing him and the stress might have added to his heart condition. They might have had more support in place for Aaron is their mother and grandfather hadn’t been so reluctant to get him tested in the first place and continue to try and appear “normal”.
As we approach the halfway mark in the novel, Brianna is desperately trying to cope with the situation the best she can which isn’t well at all and she really needs some support from a grown up right now but there is no one there. Brianna’s is listening to the dad heart and trying to figure out what it wants her to do and it seems like it is telling her to take care of her family and bring them back to themselves especially her mother but she isn’t sure how to do that. Brianna is also plagued by memories of her father especially in the time they had together before Aaron when in her mind everything was better. I am not sure where the story is going to go in the second half but this seems like a coming to terms with grief novel which is something I appreciate as long as its got either a happy ending or an understandable ending but it is trying out to be a quick read which is expected of middle grade.
As we cross into the second half of the novel, Brianna isn’t coming to terms with her dad’s death but she is starting to come to terms with what life is going to be like without him being around constantly and the new role she needs to take within the family. Her relationship with Aaron is getting better especially when he is held back a year at school and he is upset thinking there is something wrong with him and she swears that she loves him no matter what even after the way she felt about him before. She is also becoming more sympathetic towards her mother especially after her grandfather shares his experience with grief after the death of her grandmother. Brianna is also finding herself as her former friend and Peter become more distant from her but she finds people like Daisy and Neill who like her for who she is and encourages her to do things that are going to make her happy not the people around her which is a really important message to be sending to young people. That you don’t have to please everyone around you as long as you yourself are happy.
As we approach the ¾ mark in the novel, Brianna’s emotions are all over the place which is expecting of someone her age and what she has been through but she still isn’t getting the support she needs except from the dad heart which isn’t much at all. She is trying to be there for Aaron by going to his play with their grandfather and he does amazing but their mother spoils the entire night. She turns up late and looking as crazy as Brianna feels she is and leaves halfway through when Aaron pretends to faint and this causes a meltdown from the boy. Their grandfather rarely sees this side of Aaron and he is shocked but Brianna takes control of the situation and gets everything under control. Peter also feels guilty about ditching Brianna and comes back to her but when she attempts to hold his hand he pulls away which hurts Brianna. The only upside so far is her friendship with Daisy and Neill as they don’t expect anything from her other than what she is willing to give. Daisy also does the most amazing portrait of her father that moves Brianna to tears but everything Daisy has hidden inside the picture.
As we cross into the final section of the novel, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the ending but I was excited to get there. In the end we do get some resolution for the family, it isn’t a happy or perfect ending at all but it does bring the family closer together as Brianna finally confesses her feelings on the death of her father and how her mother’s reaction has affecting her and Aaron. This is a new beginning for them where they aren’t going to forget about the person they have lost but they need to look forward to the future so they don’t get stuck where they are now in a cycle of grief and despair. Overall, The Girl with more than One Heart was an interesting and realistic look into grief and the healing process that comes after for both adults and children. Despite being middle grade which isn’t something I normally read I did really enjoy the book and I hope to read more like this in the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 23, 2018
Highly recommended for librarians looking to put a book in the hands of a student dealing with the loss of someone close to them, living with a special needs person, or who just love a book that pulls on the heartstrings in a true to life way. Briana is facing a tragic and abrupt death of the parent who always supported her, even when the rest of the family seemed to remain focused on her brother who is on the autism spectrum. Along with that devastating loss, her mother enters a depression that barely allows her to get out of bed, much less tend to the needs of her teenaged daughter and kindergarten son. This leaves the bulk of his care to Briana who sometimes isn’t even sure that she likes her little brother. And what about all the typical social angst of junior high? It hasn’t gone anywhere. Bass’s book provides reassurance to readers ages 11 and up that resentment of siblings, anger towards parents, and changes in friendships are a tough part of life but surviving them all is absolutely possible. My only reservation about this book is that, in the beginning, Briana spouts many ugly things directed towards her handicapped brother and it takes quite some time before she comes to grips with his place in her life. Readers who do not make it to the end may be left with only those negative feelings and should be strongly encouraged to follow her journey all the way to the last page. Parents, teacher, and librarians will be pleased with the absence of any profanity or sexual content of any kind. However, note that Briana and her friends are 13 and some light kissing does occur.
April 8, 2019
Plenty of young readers will love this for the sadness of the topic (sudden death of father, brother on the autism spectrum who seems to have stolen the main character’s mother away)- but I found it a little overwrought and too heavy with metaphor and flashbacks. Strong writing and the topic make it a good choice for 5th & up.
October 29, 2022
I’m not sure how to rate this one.
The three stars is kind of just … because I don’t know.
Years ago I had a class of 5th graders, 18 of them, I think. 5 or maybe 6 of the parents were either really sick and - we hoped - recovering, or terminally ill. Two parents died that year and we all went to the shivas and the funerals. Two families went through divorce. One student was experiencing suicidal ideation. One student was struggling with depression. One student was bullying another - and the bully in our class was being badly bullied in public school.
In this religious school class 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th grade were all really hard years. Later another joined the class. His dad had died when he was little.
I wish I’d had this book to read with my students.
Except for one thing.
Although I appreciate that the family’s culture is Jewish, and there is a rabbi at the funeral of Briana’s dad, there is nothing in the book to offer support in grief and loss and death.
I’m sure that’s realistic for many Jewish families.
There isn’t shiva. No one helps the family out of shiva and into shloshim. No one supports Briana in having 11 full months to grieve for her dad. No one supports her mom.
Their family system is very small.
Grandpa Ben, her mom’s dad, also has his own grief. His wife died just a few years ago.
Which, by the way, doesn’t seem to affect her mom and that seems odd to me. In her grief for her husband, it seems Briana’s mom isn’t also still grieving or even remembering her own mom. Briana and Aaron aren’t sad about their grandma’s death. And Grandpa Ben refers to her a couple of times, but never talks about her.
On the one hand, I so very much appreciate a book for middle grade kids (I don’t think this is a YA book) about death. (Note, there is kissing and the main character is 13) I think it does a lot of things really well. On the other hand, it feels like there is also a lot missing. Briana never asks or is curious about what happens when we die. Neither is Aaron. Her friends never weigh in on what they think happens after death, either. From my experience, that all seems unlikely.
Some reviewers have commented on ableist issues, and Briana’s conflicted feelings about her brother. I’m absolutely open to other perspectives. From mine, I think making honest space for older siblings who feel displaced by younger siblings, overshadowed by their needs, forced into big sibling roles of always being “good” and reliable because the younger one needs so much time and attention…I think this is all good. And kids do things like with their siblings had never been born and then also love them no matter what.
So. I don’t know.
Glad I read it.
The three stars is kind of just … because I don’t know.
Years ago I had a class of 5th graders, 18 of them, I think. 5 or maybe 6 of the parents were either really sick and - we hoped - recovering, or terminally ill. Two parents died that year and we all went to the shivas and the funerals. Two families went through divorce. One student was experiencing suicidal ideation. One student was struggling with depression. One student was bullying another - and the bully in our class was being badly bullied in public school.
In this religious school class 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th grade were all really hard years. Later another joined the class. His dad had died when he was little.
I wish I’d had this book to read with my students.
Except for one thing.
Although I appreciate that the family’s culture is Jewish, and there is a rabbi at the funeral of Briana’s dad, there is nothing in the book to offer support in grief and loss and death.
I’m sure that’s realistic for many Jewish families.
There isn’t shiva. No one helps the family out of shiva and into shloshim. No one supports Briana in having 11 full months to grieve for her dad. No one supports her mom.
Their family system is very small.
Grandpa Ben, her mom’s dad, also has his own grief. His wife died just a few years ago.
Which, by the way, doesn’t seem to affect her mom and that seems odd to me. In her grief for her husband, it seems Briana’s mom isn’t also still grieving or even remembering her own mom. Briana and Aaron aren’t sad about their grandma’s death. And Grandpa Ben refers to her a couple of times, but never talks about her.
On the one hand, I so very much appreciate a book for middle grade kids (I don’t think this is a YA book) about death. (Note, there is kissing and the main character is 13) I think it does a lot of things really well. On the other hand, it feels like there is also a lot missing. Briana never asks or is curious about what happens when we die. Neither is Aaron. Her friends never weigh in on what they think happens after death, either. From my experience, that all seems unlikely.
Some reviewers have commented on ableist issues, and Briana’s conflicted feelings about her brother. I’m absolutely open to other perspectives. From mine, I think making honest space for older siblings who feel displaced by younger siblings, overshadowed by their needs, forced into big sibling roles of always being “good” and reliable because the younger one needs so much time and attention…I think this is all good. And kids do things like with their siblings had never been born and then also love them no matter what.
So. I don’t know.
Glad I read it.
January 12, 2019
Could it really be that 12 year old Briana has a second heart? Ever since the day her beloved dad suddenly died while pedaling his exercise bike she feels that second heart, her dad’s heart, beating in her belly. And it not only beats, but it talks to her, too, in her dad’s voice. His voice helps her remember the good times before her brother, Aaron was born. That was when she and her mom and her dad were a happy family, instead of what they had become. The time before her mom totally dedicated herself to caring for her brother, who is, although no one wants to accept the fact, on the autistic spectrum. But her dad’s voice also gives her the courage to believe in herself and to deal with her situation.
Oh, my, I’m so glad I read this lovely book. As Brian Selznick tells us in his quote on the back of the book, “This book is beautiful. It show us how art, patience, and love help us learn to deal with even the most profound loss.” You will feel tugs at your heartstrings, as you admire Briana’s strength when faced with a life changing loss. You will feel anger toward Briana’s mom as she isolates herself from her children, but also understand her grief. You will marvel at Grandpa Ben’s magical storytelling, but be frustrated when he refuses to see Aaron’s needs. You will feel gratitude toward Peter and Daisy for the friendship, understanding and support they give to Briana. And finally, you will feel faith that maybe time does help, when you are faced with more grief than you can imagine.
I highly recommend this book be added to elementary, middle school and public libraries for grades 4 - 8, and I highly recommend you read it, too. But I must warn you - have some tissues nearby!
Oh, my, I’m so glad I read this lovely book. As Brian Selznick tells us in his quote on the back of the book, “This book is beautiful. It show us how art, patience, and love help us learn to deal with even the most profound loss.” You will feel tugs at your heartstrings, as you admire Briana’s strength when faced with a life changing loss. You will feel anger toward Briana’s mom as she isolates herself from her children, but also understand her grief. You will marvel at Grandpa Ben’s magical storytelling, but be frustrated when he refuses to see Aaron’s needs. You will feel gratitude toward Peter and Daisy for the friendship, understanding and support they give to Briana. And finally, you will feel faith that maybe time does help, when you are faced with more grief than you can imagine.
I highly recommend this book be added to elementary, middle school and public libraries for grades 4 - 8, and I highly recommend you read it, too. But I must warn you - have some tissues nearby!
May 26, 2018
So many YA books have been based on grief recently. There has been a trend of grief among peers; people who are sick losing friends who have helped them through their illness. Yet I haven’t come across one about the loss of a parent.
This is the subject of the The Girl with More than One Heart by Laura Geringer Bass. Bass uses her own real life experiences of losing her dad, albeit as an adult, as she transfers that grief into an intense feeling shared by a child.
The story focuses on Briana who is dealing with the death of her father. She is a burgeoning teenager with a brother who is on the autistic spectrum and who, rightfully so, is quite demanding of time due to his needs. When she loses her father she also loses her mother too. Her mother is awash with grief and cannot come to terms with her husband’s death making Briana grow up faster than she should have to.
Laura Geringer Bass deals with the subject of loss so well it made a painful topic easier to read about. This is definitely a book you want to use to show understanding and empathy towards others.
A great MG-YA read.
The Girl with More than One Heart by Laura Geringer Bass is available now.
For more information regarding Laura Geringer Bass (@LauraGeringer) please visit www.laurageringerbass.com.
For more information regarding Abrams Kids (@abramskids) please visit www.abramsbooks.com/abramskids/.
This is the subject of the The Girl with More than One Heart by Laura Geringer Bass. Bass uses her own real life experiences of losing her dad, albeit as an adult, as she transfers that grief into an intense feeling shared by a child.
The story focuses on Briana who is dealing with the death of her father. She is a burgeoning teenager with a brother who is on the autistic spectrum and who, rightfully so, is quite demanding of time due to his needs. When she loses her father she also loses her mother too. Her mother is awash with grief and cannot come to terms with her husband’s death making Briana grow up faster than she should have to.
Laura Geringer Bass deals with the subject of loss so well it made a painful topic easier to read about. This is definitely a book you want to use to show understanding and empathy towards others.
A great MG-YA read.
The Girl with More than One Heart by Laura Geringer Bass is available now.
For more information regarding Laura Geringer Bass (@LauraGeringer) please visit www.laurageringerbass.com.
For more information regarding Abrams Kids (@abramskids) please visit www.abramsbooks.com/abramskids/.
August 7, 2018
Noteworthy experiences while reading this book:
This middle grade story is one. Of heartbreak. It does a lot of telling but not a lot of showing and the narrative was a little off for me.
Do I Recommend this book? Not really this one had a lot of issues.
Notes and Opinions:
I don’t think that the main characters voice really sounded like an 8th grader. At least not any 8th grader I’ve met. This sounded more like someone who was still in elementary school but in a situation that was for middle graders. Which made the story feel a little off. I did like the aspects of her autistic brother and the feelings she had for her mom and her brother. It really got to the heart of the matter about how she felt she was being left out. Which in my experience happens a lot. When my oldest was diagnosed with type one diabetes earlier this year. Everything for our youngest was put on hold because of doctor appointments and hospital visits while we got her sugar under control. And we know from chatting with her that she felt left out during that time.
In the end I think this one would have been better if it would have been a high young adult title. As I do not think most middle graders will be interested in the situations that are presented in this story.
Go Into This One Knowing: Showing Without Telling, More Elementary vs. Middle Grade
This middle grade story is one. Of heartbreak. It does a lot of telling but not a lot of showing and the narrative was a little off for me.
Do I Recommend this book? Not really this one had a lot of issues.
Notes and Opinions:
I don’t think that the main characters voice really sounded like an 8th grader. At least not any 8th grader I’ve met. This sounded more like someone who was still in elementary school but in a situation that was for middle graders. Which made the story feel a little off. I did like the aspects of her autistic brother and the feelings she had for her mom and her brother. It really got to the heart of the matter about how she felt she was being left out. Which in my experience happens a lot. When my oldest was diagnosed with type one diabetes earlier this year. Everything for our youngest was put on hold because of doctor appointments and hospital visits while we got her sugar under control. And we know from chatting with her that she felt left out during that time.
In the end I think this one would have been better if it would have been a high young adult title. As I do not think most middle graders will be interested in the situations that are presented in this story.
Go Into This One Knowing: Showing Without Telling, More Elementary vs. Middle Grade
May 28, 2018
The Girl With More Than One Heart is a gorgeously written, deeply moving story about death, grief, family, and growing up. It should be on every librarian’s list as a go to book to recommend to any young person who has experienced a death in the family. Set in the diverse and fascinating Inwood neighborhood of Manhattan, thirteen year old Briana’s world is thrown into unrecognizable chaos after her father dies suddenly. To contend with the loss, she imagines she has grown a second heart, which talks to her, sending her mysterious messages about actions she should take, and ways she should move herself forward. While this heart is most likely a metaphor for the stages of mourning which Briana must go through, the way Bass has written about it, I almost believed this second heart existed.
I adored all the secondary characters; Wise, funny Grandpa Ben, difficult but prescient younger brother Aaron, and withdrawn, unhinged Mom. All of Briana’s classmates are written with realistic teenile flaws and strengths. I particularly loved Daisy the artist.
TGWMTOH is a complex narrative crafted with deceptively simple, yet poetic language. Each sentence is a gem. This is a book juicy enough to appeal to older YA readers as well as sophisticated MG readers. I can’t recommend it enough.
I adored all the secondary characters; Wise, funny Grandpa Ben, difficult but prescient younger brother Aaron, and withdrawn, unhinged Mom. All of Briana’s classmates are written with realistic teenile flaws and strengths. I particularly loved Daisy the artist.
TGWMTOH is a complex narrative crafted with deceptively simple, yet poetic language. Each sentence is a gem. This is a book juicy enough to appeal to older YA readers as well as sophisticated MG readers. I can’t recommend it enough.
January 17, 2018
This is a wonderful book. The eighth-grade narrator, Briana, has just lost her adored father, and that leaves her a kind of orphan—because as far as she’s concerned, she lost her mother years earlier, when her brother, Aaron, arrived. Now she must take care of not only difficult Aaron, who’s on the autism spectrum, but also her mother, unmoored and depressed. Briana’s new heart—her “dad heart,” beating “deep in [her] belly, below [her] right rib”—speaks to her and provides flashbacks to happier times, many of them “before Aaron,” when she could still be a little girl, that provide a counterpoint to her current struggles and responsibilities. In one vivid scene after another, we see Briana explore her creativity, her compassion, and her ultimate realization that as much as she has lost, there is a way forward. The book is a moving journey of discovery for Briana—discovery of herself, in so many ways, but also of the meaning of friends, family, and a widening world and her resolute place in it.
March 26, 2018
The Girl with More Than One Heart
by Laura Geringer Bass
ABRAMS Kids
Amulet Books
Children's Fiction
Pub Date 17 Apr 2018
I am reviewing a copy of The Girl with More Than One Heart through Amulet Books and Netgalley:
After Brianna looses her Father to her heart attack it's as if she feels a new heart growing inside of her.
After her Father dies Brianna finds herself having to care for her Autistic younger brother because her Mother is nearly overpowered with grief. She finds herself using most of her time and energy caring for Aaron. Did Aaron's special needs hurt her Fathers already fragile heart? The feelings of her new "Dads heart" help her to deal with uncertainties as well as the friendships and even romances she starts feeling inside her heart.
As Brianna slowly begins to come to terms with what is happening she is slowly able to let go of her "Dad heart" and learns to rely only on her own heart.
I give The Girl With More Than One Heart five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
After Brianna looses her Father to her heart attack it's as if she feels a new heart growing inside of her.
After her Father dies Brianna finds herself having to care for her Autistic younger brother because her Mother is nearly overpowered with grief. She finds herself using most of her time and energy caring for Aaron. Did Aaron's special needs hurt her Fathers already fragile heart? The feelings of her new "Dads heart" help her to deal with uncertainties as well as the friendships and even romances she starts feeling inside her heart.
As Brianna slowly begins to come to terms with what is happening she is slowly able to let go of her "Dad heart" and learns to rely only on her own heart.
I give The Girl With More Than One Heart five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
September 25, 2018
The Girl With More Than One Heart by Laura Geringer Bass, 228 pages. Amulet, 2018. $17.
Language: PG (5 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: G
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Briana’s life is already difficult – she has perfected being the trouble-free sister to her (undiagnosed) autistic brother who devours all of her parents’ time and attention. Then her father suddenly dies, her mother goes into a funk, and Brianna is the only left to pick up all of the pieces. How can a family go on when the glue that holds them together is gone?
Ok, I’ll say it – Briana is a little neurotic. She has a right to be, her dad did just die. But think that her Dad’s heart is beating in her stomach? A little far fetched. Besides that, however, Bass has written a solid, heartfelt book. The interplay between family members is poignant and gritty – just like life. Get over the title and enjoy this.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
Language: PG (5 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: G
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Briana’s life is already difficult – she has perfected being the trouble-free sister to her (undiagnosed) autistic brother who devours all of her parents’ time and attention. Then her father suddenly dies, her mother goes into a funk, and Brianna is the only left to pick up all of the pieces. How can a family go on when the glue that holds them together is gone?
Ok, I’ll say it – Briana is a little neurotic. She has a right to be, her dad did just die. But think that her Dad’s heart is beating in her stomach? A little far fetched. Besides that, however, Bass has written a solid, heartfelt book. The interplay between family members is poignant and gritty – just like life. Get over the title and enjoy this.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
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