What Happens Next

by Claire Swinarski, Lisa Cordileone (Narrator)

In this heartfelt and accessible middle-grade novel perfect for fans of The Thing About Jellyfish, a young girl throws herself into solving a local mystery to keep from missing her older sister, who has been sent to an eating-disorder treatment facility.

Astronomy-obsessed Abby McCourt should be thrilled about the solar eclipse her small town of Moose Junction is about to witness, but she’s not. After her older sister, Blair, was sent away for an eating disorder, Abby has been in a funk.

Desperate to dull the pain her sister’s absence has left, she teams up with a visiting astronomer to help track down his long-lost telescope. Though this is supposed to take Abby’s mind off the distance between her and Blair, what she finds may bring her closer to her sister than she ever thought possible.

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

6 pages, Audible Audio

First published May 19, 2020

About the author

Claire Swinarski is the author of multiple books for both kids and adults. Her writing has been featured in The Washington Post, Seventeen, Milwaukee Magazine, and many other publications. She lives in small town Wisconsin with her husband and three kids, where she writes books, wears babies, and wrangles bread dough. You can follow her on Instagram @claireswinarski.

Reviews

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 3 out of 5]

Abby’s on the outs with her friends, her oldest sister Blair is at a treatment center for anorexia and her middle sister Jade is mean. Then a famous astronomy professor asks for help only Abby can give and suddenly her summer starts getting exciting.

Little girl, can you help me find my lost puppy said the pedophile to the child which actually happened to a girl in my school. We teach kids not to fall for such a lure by saying grownups ask other grownups when they need help. The professor is just a sad, lonely old man, not a predator, but a chill went up my spine when he sought Abby’s help under the guise that only she can help him. If not for what I consider an irresponsible premise that only Abby could help a famous astronomer, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT would be a five star book.

Abby is a great narrator. Bright, inquisitive and genuine she’ll make readers laugh and break their hearts. The trauma of mental illness on siblings, their bonds, friendship drama, the excitement of a once in a lifetime eclipse, small town charm and a time capsule make for an exciting story. Though I wasn’t a fan of the alternating time line, telling the story of Blair’s anorexia backward, Claire Swinarski is a writer I’ll watch.

I’m hesitant to recommend WHAT HAPPENS NEXT because of the professor needing Abby and only Abby’s help. The incident in my school happened to a teenager and I can see how a person with nefarious intentions could use that to prey on vulnerable kids in a way they wouldn’t realize.

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the star-struck theme of this cover, the real meat of this book deals with anorexia. And in an effective way that I think will be helpful to middle grade readers. Abby's older sister Blair was a ballet superstar and destined to study with the Joffrey Company until "Anna Rexia" became a presence. In a non-linear narrative we see the progression of the disease in Blair in fits and starts through the eyes of our main character. Before AR, Abby and her sister Blair were writing a graphic novel together entitled "Planet Pirates." Before AR, there were three sisters (Blair, Jade, and Abby) goofing around together. Now Blair is in a hospital for treatment. Now there is a solar eclipse to prepare for. When an MIT professor, Dr. Leo Lacamoire, comes to Moose Junction as a guest in one of the family's rental cabins, he recruits Abby for a stargazing-related mission. Will they successfully execute their plan? Can there be a better after for Blair without ballet in it? I loved the importance the local library holds in Abby's life and in her community. Harriet sounds like a librarian I would like to work with. Unfortunately, the herky jerky time leaps made this book hard to follow. There was often a connection made with the present timeline to make to add cohesion, but the inclusion of Dr. Lamoire's history seemed a bit forced.

Thank you to HarperCollins and Edelweiss for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 5 out of 5]

God! I miss good books like this!
Amazing middle grade book. Says a lot about families and people around us.

This story tells that we can be actually right about how we feel, how we feel we are wronged, how we seem to be the ones who compromise all the time for our loved ones. I mean the way the story has been told I didn’t expect it to be this meaningful and outstanding.

Love it.

So underrated.

[Faith Elizabeth Hough · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really beautiful sister relationship. ❤

[Jaime K · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listen to one of Swinarski's podcasts at times, and was really looking forward to this book. Her writing is good, but the story fell a little flat for me.
And then there were some parts that were utterly creepy, though I'm sure Swinarski didn't intend that.

It takes place in Wisconsin, where Swinarski is from. I've never been there, but you can tell that the author has, based on the emotions the characters feel at given times to the scenes around them.

Abby is 12, her sister Jade is 16, and the eldest daughter, Blair, just graduated high school (homeschool) but is in a treatment facility for anorexia. Abby tells how Blair got there in a reverse chronological timeline, while the story continues forward. Abby's reactions and thoughts about anorexia (like it's an evil person named Anna Rexia) are real, legitimate, and the perfect youth mindset about how illness destroys a family. Abby is also a liar sometimes, and we really see how lies grow.
The split between present and past is always very clear. While the past chapters are much shorter than the present ones (and I do sometimes want more story), I really like the mixture of the two, and how they're presented.

But Abby keeps refusing to see Blair, even when there is a "family meeting" going on and even MEAN SISTER JADE is going. Her parents don't say Blair is likely coming home soon, nor do they require Abby join them. I get needing to respect a child's feelings, but you're also the parents and the kids are going to all be living together again, so bloody make her go. Grrr!
Again though, the desire to not talk about Blair's issues, whether she's there or not; avoiding the situation; not wanting to hear certain pieces of information--it's all realistically presented. As an adult, it frustrates me, but I also know adults do this, and Abby is 12. so I get it.

Abby sometimes steals Jade's clothes (okay), including a fleece that's part of her work uniform (o...kay...). And Jade works concessions at a movie theater. I've worked at a theater before and ain't no way in hell anybody would want to borrow anything I wore there. That butter and grease do NOT come out of clothes, no matter what. It's permanently stained and even when clean those clothes smell like stale popcorn and oil. Abby taking that shirt is absolutely bonkers to me.

Blair has been training to be a professional dancer, and Swinarski truly shows the devastating effects that coaches and trainers and just people within the field (or similar ones) have on the professionals. They feed an anorexic mindset; hell, they often put it there to begin with. So when Blair's dreams fall apart, Abby tries to force herself to not have passions other than astronomy (and sci-fi/fantasy), to not want for big dreams, to not hope. Again, it's very realistic.

Abby's parents own a section of cabins on a lake in their own "Camp." A solar eclipse is going to happen in 3 weeks, and the town hopes that all the tourists will save them financially. Not just the camp owners, but the library and such as well. Dr. Leo Lacamoire, a famed astronomer, rents out the best cabin. His assistant Simone is frazzled with reason--Lacamoire is as eccentric as any scientist and a bit scatter-brained. The two invite Abby's family for dinner one night and then wait for all but Abby to leave (she's looking at telescopes) to tell her Dr. Leo is on a "quest" and she needs to help them.
Creepy.
Oh, and that help involves digging something up on the library's property and why can't she just "buy" metal detectors after hours and leave the money there?
Are you kidding me? That is awful! These adults are like "well, Leo can't be caught with this, but a 12-year-old can be, even though all these things are crimes." It's awful. It made me want to put the book down. I like to pass YA books down to my niece after reading them but I don't think I will with this one, which makes me sad. I can't promote it.

Abby feels like she has to do this to save Blair though. She and Blair have been working on a comic (Blair's a better artist than dancer, Abby thinks). The two share the same interests in literary and film genres, so Blair's been drawing and Abby writing, and Abby feels that meeting Dr. Leo's book editor will be the path to happiness for Blair. Ah, a pre-teen mindset...

It's sad that Abby's friends don't reach out to her throughout the entire summer, even after she tries to spend time with them. The reason is explained towards the end, and it makes sense...but is again poorly "produced" by the others girls' parents.

It also bothers me that Abby and Jade say G** outside of prayer. It's personally jarring for me in any fiction that's even remotely Christian-based.

[Stephanie Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll be honest, I was a little nervous about reading this book. I was diagnosed with anorexia when I was 14 under circumstances very similar to Blair’s (almost eerily so--I did rhythmic gymnastics, though). Achieving even a semi-stable recovery took more than a decade and is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Full stop. I tend to avoid books that deal with anorexia because I usually find them mind-numbingly oversimplified or, worse, triggering. Nevertheless, I decided to give WHAT HAPPENS NEXT a shot and I am glad that I did.

I appreciated that Claire portrayed Blair’s anorexia from her sister’s perspective--and didn’t attempt a complete psychoanalysis of her behavior from that limited vantage point. Everything about Abby’s response to Blair’s struggles rang (often painfully) true to me. Anorexia is really, really hard on the family members of those that have it. The sneakiness and dishonesty and sullen self-obsession anorexia stirred in me caused deep mistrust between me and my sisters. Claire did an exquisite job of teasing out the often conflicting emotions that can result under the circumstances. I think that’s an aspect of eating disorders that often goes unnoticed. The story with Dr. Lacamoire and the telescope was of course thrilling, but for me, the pull of this story was its authentic portrayal of the way that anorexia can strain a sibling relationship.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this eclipse-centered novel! This is a sweet but honest story about a 12 year old girl trying to get her mind around her sister’s anorexia. Im so glad I discovered Claire Swinarski: she tells great, relatable stories about young girls handling the challenges of changing friend and family dynamics. Bonus: she’s a Wisconsin-based author who tells Midwestern stories and is also Catholic, so her stories include an element of faith as well. I’m a fan!!

[Gabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has helped me rekindle my love of reading due to reminding me of the time of my life where I discovered I really loved reading and learning. I’ve always loved to read, but it’s hard to remember when I was a kid and my parents read to me. I DO remember how much I loved reading in late elementary and middle school. I particularly remember my love of the library, just like Abby. Who says adults still can’t love YA and middle grade fiction?

[Dan Mullen-Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t cried at a book like this in a very long time. This book has the most genuine sibling relationships I have read in a very long time. I think Claire Swinarski perfectly tells a story that has every great element: thriller, heartbreak, heart warming moments, family, and true genuine love.

Likewise, Claire Swinarski does an amazing job at capturing middle grade voice as well as writing a really interesting story. She also masterfully has lines that will stick with you long after you’re done the book. I finished this book selfishly wanting more from Claire Swinarski.

If I could be so bold, I would suspect that this book wins awards in the upcoming year because it is truly fantastic.

[Afoma (Reading Middle Grade) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What Happens Next is a clever, moving debut about the impact of an eating disorder on a family. This book is well-researched and engaging. It’s one of those rare books with a hard-to-forget protagonist who will keep you turning the pages. Although the timelines jump about a bit, it’s not difficult to follow — I kept up even though I was listening on audio. Any kids who enjoy astronomy, struggle with mental illness or have siblings who do will enjoy this middle-grade release. I cannot wait to read Claire Swinarski’s next novel, The Kate In Between.

Read my full review on my blog.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought wrote this review already, so some detail will not be here now, but I did not like this. It had so many potentially great elements, but the way the adults, especially the astronomer, manipulated and emotionally abused her way totally out of line.

[Marcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this story of sisterhood, adventure, and strained relationships. And I’m glad my daughter made me read it. She loved it too. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but I will say that there was suspense, a bit of a mystery at the heart of it all, and laugh out loud moments.

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great debut from Claire Swinarski! This book tackles some of the real difficulties encountered by twelve year old girls - the feeling of being left out, struggles with siblings and family dynamics, and the devastation of the pain of people around you for starters.

I was able to hear Claire tell me this story as I read it. It felt a little jumpy - perhaps the combination of Claire’s style and a twelve year old narrator’s style. The ending seemed abrupt. I do love how Clare makes her novels mean something and teach something though. And how she threads her faith into her novels.

Thanks for writing Claire! I’ll be here when your third book comes out.

[Christine Indorf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abby summer isn't going as planned. Her older sister is in rehab for an eating disorder, her other sister wants nothing to do with her and her friends aren't including her in anything. So when she was ask to get a telescope from the town time capsule she is all for it, but how?? Abby has secrets, will her secrets come and haunt her??

A really fun read. You main focus is on Abby and she has a great story to tell, but I would have loved to get more of the story of her older sister who is struggling from a eating disorder. In the book Abby is suffering from her sister illness but you are left in the dark about it. I still really enjoyed the book. The sentence you must remember is Abby is a liar. So you will watch Abby and her results of her lies. I do highly recommend this book for the young and the young at heart!!

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful work of middle grade fiction. The story of the sisters' relationships was the best part and was the heart of the story. I was honestly far less interested in Leo Lacamoire and the mission to retrieve the stolen telescope. Overall, 4.5/5 - compelling writing, relatable characters, and an important and heartwarming story.

[Stephanie Marcinkowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book because I personally want to read the entire works of the author. Also, since I'm waiting on an email from my public library about the author's latest book, I thought I'd catch up with this one.

This is an enjoyable book about the summer between 7th and 8th grades that includes adventure, secrets, challenging family problems, sisterhood, facing failure, and questioning friendships. It was an enjoyable read and could encourage the young reader to feel better about their own circumstances. Problems can seem bigger than they are when you're young and other problems don't have to be carried alone.

[Donna Brown]

Not my cup of tea.

[Melanie]

I read this book so fast - and I loved it! Definitely going to recommend to my kids when they’re older.

[Caitlin Theroux · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC. The opinions expressed herein are mine alone and may not reflect the views of the author, publisher, or distributor.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT follows Abby, her older sisters Jade and Blair, as they struggle through a blazing summer in their hometown of Moose Junction, Wisconsin. Blair has been sent to a rehabilitation facility following a mental break due slightly in part to her development of anorexia. She loves ballet. Abby, our narrator, loves astronomy. However, she feels like Earth is another planet with everything going on: her friends staying clear without reason, Jade suddenly being nice, Blair away at her rehab center, a famous astronomer renting a cabin on the property, and the public library being threatened with permanent closure.

Now that I write all that out, there's a lot going on in this book. That's not always a bad thing, but maybe it would have benefited the plot more to only have a couple major plots, with maybe two minor ones thrown in. While the characters were fine and a bit unremarkable, the structure worked against the quality in two distinct ways.

There were too many "b" plots.
Abby is looking for something for the famous astronomer, and there's cabin work to be done on the cabin he and his assistant are staying in, and Abby's friends are avoiding her, and Blair is suffering an eating disorder, and she's in rehab that's almost draining the family's money, and the library is closing, AND we go back in time to see Blair's downward slope, AND...!

Too much. Yeah, I get that life throws a lot at people, and I've been there too. But the thing about fiction is that it needs to be believable, if not solely for the fact that life is too big to think about sometimes in the first place.

The timeline skips detracted from the present.
We didn't really need to see Blair's slide into darkness. We know that it happened when we come into the novel. A lot more tension could have been brought if Swinarski had kept us in the present and built from that. Flipping us into the past, into things we already got a feel for in the "now," made me less inclined to keep reading.

While I enjoyed the story for what it was, there were pretty obvious flaws that kept it from being a *fantastic* read for me.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Abby’s world is falling apart-her beloved and talented older sister Blair is in a treatment facility for anorexia, her slightly older sister Jade is too busy with her job, friends, and slightly wild leanings to even acknowledge her existence and now a renowned astrophysicist wants her to steal a telescope. “What Happens Next” is a relatively short novel and that, coupled with a 12 year old main character and a reading level appropriate for fourth and fifth graders, make it seem at first glance like that should be the target audience. However, the story is told with frequent back flashes and much introspection and reflection on the uncertainties of the future. Coupled with some serious consequences for Blair as her path from rising ballet star to underweight and troubled young adult is chronicled, this book may be of far more interest and importance to those ages 12-14. The pacing of “What Happens Next” is steady which may result in loss of interest for some, but could be a excellent choice for middle school/junior high libraries when eating disorders is a topic that needs to be addressed. There are no instances of profanity, violence or sexual contact in this book.

[Kate Quinn]

A few things I really enjoyed and one I had an issue with:

First, I heard about this book because I listen to the author's podcast and love it! I loved the sisterhood dynamic and found everything Abby struggles with, the way she talks, and her interests were totally believable for a middle school character. They were great themes for a middle schooler!

What I really didn't like was the dynamic between the main character and Dr. Leo Lacamoire. He and his assistant demonstrated classic grooming behaviors of pedophiles. Because of that, I wouldn't recommend it to a kid out of genuine concern it would teach them to be comfortable with grooming instead of seeing it as a giant red flag.

Knowing the author's other work and values, I fully believe she didn't intend that. But it's something to be aware of.

[Kasey Giard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book celebrates some amazing things: the bonds of sisterhood, small towns, and the study of astronomy. Abby has two sisters, and complex relationships with each of them. She feels like she’s losing them for different reasons.

As she tells her story in two different timelines, we learn what her relationships with her sisters looked like before, and how they’ve changed. One timeline follows the present, where Abby’s sister is at a rehab facility and Abby is working toward helping a famous astronomer find his telescope. We also get scenes moving further into the past that show Abby’s sister’s downward spiral and hint at what led the astronomer to her small town in the Northwoods.

I loved the story of Abby and her sisters and her plans to fix everything through finding the telescope. Abby is sweet and strong and quietly grieving for her relationships with her sisters. She drew me in right away and I couldn’t help rooting for her through every page of this story.

Readers who enjoyed THE SPACE BETWEEN LOST AND FOUND by Sandy Stark-McGinnis or THE QUEEN BEE AND ME by Gillian McDunn need to check this one out!

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[sabrina romano · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED THIS BOOK

I myself have two sisters and reading the struggle over being alone and not be able to hang out with either of them I relate to. I think the different characters and the character development was great, everyone learned a valuable lesson. I also loved the boo was based around astronomy, its important to read about things you aren't that interested in. I for one love astronomy.

I liked Abby, I think she was funny, curious and always interested to learn something new and she has a big heart. She was patient and waited for Blair to come home and when she did she was thrilled. I love the plot line between her and the professor, some people think its weird but I like the idea of being friends with adults, to an extent of course.

I loved Blair, she totally gave off older, responsible sister. I'm glad Claire Swinarski wrote a great representation of Anorexia and I loved the idea of her being a human Ana Rexia. Blair is determined and she tried her hardest to be "normal" but what even is normal?

This book was amazing and I loved reading it.

[Yasmina · Rating 4 out of 5]

"What Happen Next" is a pleasant surprise. Geared for upper elementary students the story tackles loneliness, anorexia, and astronomy. Abby McCourt is not your typically twelve year old. She loves astronomy, so when she learns that a solar eclipse will be occurring in Moose Junction, Wisconsin she is elated. Her parents run a hotel in Moose Junction and a world famous astronomer will be staying at their place. He enlists Abby's help in finding a special telescope hidden in Moose Junction. While that is an exciting development, Abby's biggest concern is her sister Blake, a promising ballerina. Unfortunately Blake is also fighting anorexia. Swinarski uses flashbacks to describe the relationship between the two sisters. Swinarski adeptly captures the heartache and uncertainty a twelve year old feels as she grapples with her worries about her sister. Although the subplot with the telescope is farfetched, the relationship between the sisters is worth the read.

[Kristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this as a 22 year old who enjoys Middle Grade fiction. My favorite part of this book is the family dynamics and the fact that they live at/own a campground in the Midwest. It definitely gave me Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass vibes with the campground-solar eclipse drama.

I think this book does a good job of exploring family/sibling trauma and how actions have consequences. Abby's older sister's eating disorder is slowly integrated into the book and it affects everyone in the family in a different way. Abby tries her best to deal with the situation and she grows by the end. She definitely makes some questionable choices, but she is twelve. I like how her older sister comes to help her and they bond.

Dr. Lacamoire is quite odd and that part of the storyline was a little confusing. The storyline does wrap up and the twists are interesting. But still there is something odd about it.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartfelt look at growing up in a hardworking loving family. But what do you do when things are happening with your sister? Life just isn’t the same and Abby doesn’t know what to do to help her sister who is going through issues with an eating disorder. Abby just wants to have a regular summer living in the north woods of Wisconsin hanging out with friends at the lake, going to the local library, and enjoying community festivals. She is really upset that her sister is in a treatment program and can’t even bring herself to visit her. That is heartbreaking in her tight family. She also meets a visitor to their resort who shares a love of astronomy. With him she goes on a quest to solve a mystery. This is a wonderful and real story that appeals to middle grade readers. Abby’s voice will help many with her story.

[Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abby and her family run a resort in northern Wisconsin and people from all over the country and the world are arriving at Moose Junction due to the solar eclipse. Abby loves astronomy and one of the cabin renters is Dr. Leo Lacamoire a renowned astronomer. Once he discovers Abby affinity for the stars he asks her to help him find his old telescope that is buried in a time capsule. A parallel storyline is with Abby's older sister Blaire, who is passionate about ballet, but has anorexia and is in treatment. Abby in alternating chapters flash backs over the past year to show the effects Blaire's condition on her and the family. There is a weird reveal toward the novel's end that doesn't quite make sense, but this is book is a satisfying mix of a caper story with a tough topic that impacts the Abby and her family.

[Candice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book captured my attention with an astronomy-obsessed main character. It captured my heart with the sisters. Swinarski wrangled all the awkward bits of growing up and away from friends and how family dynamics change. She used a backdrop of a small town on the precipice of a solar eclipse for the main character, twelve year-old Abby McCourt, to come to terms with her older sister's eating disorder who she visualizes as a monster named Anna Rexia.

The truth that was poured into this book makes the characters come alive. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

There's library love, a buried time capsule, a MCourt family-run camp, parents who are present, trying their best, and a broken ballerina.

[Rocio Spicer-Torres · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this light read. It’s not really my type of book but I decided to get a little out of my comfort zone with it since I found it in a little library and the cover was so cute.
The writing style is so easy to read and it’s one of those feel good books even though it’s talking about mental illness and its effect on family.
10/10 recommend. I’m actually gifting it to my cousin who works with adolescents with mental health issues.

“ you should trust people when they tell you what they are you should believe them when they are admitting their own smallness.”

“ we are huge we’re part of the sky, but the sky is also a part of us.”

“ I knew I had nothing to fear I knew that I was home whatever came next.”

[Katie G · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book touched on some really heavy topics in a compelling way, like dealing with a family member who had a mental illness - anorexia. The main characters might be young, but the themes had depth.

I did find some parts really odd, like the professor needing Abby's help at all costs, or just how odd it was for them to try to force this 12-year-old girl to break into a store to take some metal detectors (albeit leaving the money for them), or having her lie to her dad and missing the solar eclipse they'd planned for so long. Dr. Leo and Simone just came off as creepy and irresponsible adults. At least, at the end, Dr. Leo did follow through with his promises and even donated to the library.

Overall a good read/listen.