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The Science of Being Angry
From the acclaimed author of Hurricane Season, an unforgettable story about what makes a family, for fans of Hazel’s Theory of Evolution and Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World. Eleven-year-old Joey is angry. All the time. And she doesn’t understand why. She has two loving moms, a supportive older half brother, and, as a triplet, she’s never without company. Her life is good. But sometimes she loses her temper and lashes out, like the time she threw a soccer ball—hard—at a boy in gym class and bruised his collarbone. Or when jealousy made her push her (former) best friend (and crush), Layla, a little bit too roughly. After a meltdown at Joey’s apartment building leads to her family’s eviction, Joey is desperate to figure out why she’s so mad. A new unit in science class makes her wonder if the reason is genetics. Does she lose control because of something she inherited from the donor her mothers chose?The Science of Being Angry is a heartwarming story about what makes a family and what makes us who we are.
282 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 10, 2022
17 people are currently reading
6163 people want to read
About the author
Nicole Melleby
14 books273 followersNicole Melleby, a Jersey native, is the author of highly praised middle-grade books, including the Lambda Literary finalist Hurricane Season and ALA Notable Children's book How to Become a Planet. She lives with her wife and their cats, whose needs for attention oddly align with Nicole’s writing schedule.
Feel free to follow her on Twitter @LadyMelleby
Feel free to follow her on Twitter @LadyMelleby
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
December 13, 2021
Literal tears on my face. Not in my eyes. On my face.
SHE IS SO SMALL AND TRYING SO HARD. And her adults love her so much and are also trying their best but sometimes they make things worse by accident and howwww can you have the words to explain these really scary SUPER-BIG feelings when you're ELEVEN and teeny tiny and feel like everything is your fault and NO ONE understands you--?!
I need to lie down.
SHE IS SO SMALL AND TRYING SO HARD. And her adults love her so much and are also trying their best but sometimes they make things worse by accident and howwww can you have the words to explain these really scary SUPER-BIG feelings when you're ELEVEN and teeny tiny and feel like everything is your fault and NO ONE understands you--?!
I need to lie down.
September 20, 2022
I don't want to give this book three stars. I want to give it both one and five stars, simultaneously.
Look, I loved Joey. What a tender exploration of what it's like to be in middle school, wrestling with an anger that feels out of your control, wanting to protect your loved ones from it by making yourself tiny and convenient. Her relationships to all three of her brothers, and to her parents, are all moving and realistic. And I appreciated that the anger wasn't presented as either "actually she was provoked so it's fine" (it's not fine) OR "it's just totally random"--inside Joey's head, you can clearly see why the anger is building, and often she tries to convey her pain and distress in nonagressive ways and just gets ignored. Honestly, I wanted to scream at her science teacher for acting like there's any kind of "inclusive" way to do a whole unit study on genetics and heritability in middle school! What an incredibly loaded project for someone to go all *surprised Pikachu face* about when a student suddenly feels upset! The author did a great job making me root for Joey and her healing. And her self-advocacy, frankly!
So, uh, the one-star part. As I've spent the last few years trying to listen to adult adoptees and donor conceived children, parts of this book made me extremely uncomfortable. The tone is just so: Joey's moms love her very much, okay? And it's 100% fine to have questions about your donor father, and they won't take it personally, except if you make a 23andMe account everyone in the family will act like you're HuRtInG YoUr pArEnTs and your mom will secretly delete your email drafts to prevent you from contacting biological relatives "for your safety" to make sure all information on this subject passes through her instead, and sometimes your moms will get defensive or outright cry or make little snide remarks about your obsession with genetics, and also Joey, how could you do something like this without telling us??? Obviously we will only ever support you in your journey of discovery....someday.....later.....while insisting on every page that "biology doesn't make a family, love does," thus effectively gaslighting you into feeling like a bad daughter for knowing that you are literally programmed to be affected by your biology and you absolutely deserve that information for your own emotional health and physical safety. I don't know, I just hated how Joey kept being burdened by this responsibility not to "hurt" her poor fragile moms by in any way implying that they weren't a faaaaaaamily when every other person in her family is constantly criticizing her and acting like she's some kind of problem due to her explosive anger, which she very reasonably believes might have been inherited from her genetic donor. I understand that contemporary stories want to depict a wide variety of families and want to support LGBTQ+ parents, but I'm not a huge fan of the way some of them bend over backwards to make excuses for those parents because the kids' needs being legitimized would maybe imply that having two moms is bad or something.
I am not a donor conceived person, so that's as much as I feel I can weigh in without overstepping. But to write a book like this and end it with Joey's parents crying and promising to get through everything "as a family" and that we'll all help you heal "together" and hey, let's all just go to therapy, and surprise surprise at the end Joey still has the exact same amount of information about her donor that she had at the beginning . . . it felt pretty cheap to me. Oh yes, brave of her parents to come up with a solution that didn't require the story they told themselves, about how biology is 100% irrelevant and love will always be enough to address any problem, to be threatened in any way.
I'm glad they make progress. I like that Joey's mom has to acknowledge that punishment and scolding aren't addressing the issue and are driving Joey deeper into shame. Great! Those scenes were a gut punch. But this isn't JUST a story about how to help your child cope with anger. It's a story about a child who wants to know the truth about her own mind and body and never really gets the chance.
Look, I loved Joey. What a tender exploration of what it's like to be in middle school, wrestling with an anger that feels out of your control, wanting to protect your loved ones from it by making yourself tiny and convenient. Her relationships to all three of her brothers, and to her parents, are all moving and realistic. And I appreciated that the anger wasn't presented as either "actually she was provoked so it's fine" (it's not fine) OR "it's just totally random"--inside Joey's head, you can clearly see why the anger is building, and often she tries to convey her pain and distress in nonagressive ways and just gets ignored. Honestly, I wanted to scream at her science teacher for acting like there's any kind of "inclusive" way to do a whole unit study on genetics and heritability in middle school! What an incredibly loaded project for someone to go all *surprised Pikachu face* about when a student suddenly feels upset! The author did a great job making me root for Joey and her healing. And her self-advocacy, frankly!
So, uh, the one-star part. As I've spent the last few years trying to listen to adult adoptees and donor conceived children, parts of this book made me extremely uncomfortable. The tone is just so: Joey's moms love her very much, okay? And it's 100% fine to have questions about your donor father, and they won't take it personally, except if you make a 23andMe account everyone in the family will act like you're HuRtInG YoUr pArEnTs and your mom will secretly delete your email drafts to prevent you from contacting biological relatives "for your safety" to make sure all information on this subject passes through her instead, and sometimes your moms will get defensive or outright cry or make little snide remarks about your obsession with genetics, and also Joey, how could you do something like this without telling us??? Obviously we will only ever support you in your journey of discovery....someday.....later.....while insisting on every page that "biology doesn't make a family, love does," thus effectively gaslighting you into feeling like a bad daughter for knowing that you are literally programmed to be affected by your biology and you absolutely deserve that information for your own emotional health and physical safety. I don't know, I just hated how Joey kept being burdened by this responsibility not to "hurt" her poor fragile moms by in any way implying that they weren't a faaaaaaamily when every other person in her family is constantly criticizing her and acting like she's some kind of problem due to her explosive anger, which she very reasonably believes might have been inherited from her genetic donor. I understand that contemporary stories want to depict a wide variety of families and want to support LGBTQ+ parents, but I'm not a huge fan of the way some of them bend over backwards to make excuses for those parents because the kids' needs being legitimized would maybe imply that having two moms is bad or something.
I am not a donor conceived person, so that's as much as I feel I can weigh in without overstepping. But to write a book like this and end it with Joey's parents crying and promising to get through everything "as a family" and that we'll all help you heal "together" and hey, let's all just go to therapy, and surprise surprise at the end Joey still has the exact same amount of information about her donor that she had at the beginning . . . it felt pretty cheap to me. Oh yes, brave of her parents to come up with a solution that didn't require the story they told themselves, about how biology is 100% irrelevant and love will always be enough to address any problem, to be threatened in any way.
I'm glad they make progress. I like that Joey's mom has to acknowledge that punishment and scolding aren't addressing the issue and are driving Joey deeper into shame. Great! Those scenes were a gut punch. But this isn't JUST a story about how to help your child cope with anger. It's a story about a child who wants to know the truth about her own mind and body and never really gets the chance.
October 8, 2022
rep: sapphic mc with anger management issues, sapphic li, lesbian parents, side character with ADHD
tw: blood, bullying, panic attacks
Review also posted on Reads Rainbow. ARC provided by the publisher.
The Science of Being Angry could actually have a lot of different titles, the most prominent among them: The Power of Being Loved. Because while it is a book about being angry and no one could argue with that, just as much it’s a book about being loved. About how you can be loved despite and in spite of being angry all the time.
Joey is eleven, and a lot of the time her chest feels tight and she wants to just scream and scream, until it all comes down. She has so much anger in her little body, and doesn’t know how to deal with it. So like every child, she figures it’s her fault and it’s on her alone to fix it.
That’s the greatest strength of The Science of Being Angry (and Melleby’s writing in general, to be honest): giving a kid an amazing support system. Joey has two moms, two identical but totally different brothers (she’s a triplet), an older brother, and a best friend. Not all of them always understand her (even she doesn’t understand her own feelings sometimes!), but they do all try. They do things they didn’t maybe believe in at first, because it might help her; they give her a second chance after second chance; they show her she’s loved. Sometimes that’s all that matters.
There are no definitive answers in The Science of Being Angry, and the ending itself is more of a promise than anything else. But that hope is exactly what a troubled, a little bit lost kid might need. This novel tells you that no matter how much you think you messed up, there’s always a way out & people who will help you find it.
tw: blood, bullying, panic attacks
Review also posted on Reads Rainbow. ARC provided by the publisher.
The Science of Being Angry could actually have a lot of different titles, the most prominent among them: The Power of Being Loved. Because while it is a book about being angry and no one could argue with that, just as much it’s a book about being loved. About how you can be loved despite and in spite of being angry all the time.
Joey is eleven, and a lot of the time her chest feels tight and she wants to just scream and scream, until it all comes down. She has so much anger in her little body, and doesn’t know how to deal with it. So like every child, she figures it’s her fault and it’s on her alone to fix it.
That’s the greatest strength of The Science of Being Angry (and Melleby’s writing in general, to be honest): giving a kid an amazing support system. Joey has two moms, two identical but totally different brothers (she’s a triplet), an older brother, and a best friend. Not all of them always understand her (even she doesn’t understand her own feelings sometimes!), but they do all try. They do things they didn’t maybe believe in at first, because it might help her; they give her a second chance after second chance; they show her she’s loved. Sometimes that’s all that matters.
There are no definitive answers in The Science of Being Angry, and the ending itself is more of a promise than anything else. But that hope is exactly what a troubled, a little bit lost kid might need. This novel tells you that no matter how much you think you messed up, there’s always a way out & people who will help you find it.
June 6, 2022
This was phenomenal. Nicole Melleby really knows how to craft a queer Middle Grade story. I loved how complicated everything was in the book. The exploration of Joey’s anger management issues and how her moms don’t always have the right answers made for a very compelling read. There were so many moments in the story that pulled on my heartstrings. I can’t wait to read whatever Nicole Melleby writes next.
April 17, 2024
Today I was reading this at work and left several tissues actually soaked through and realized I was out of tissues. No worries, I thought. I work alone on Wednesdays! I was incorrect. Sorry to my coworker who I walked in on doing actual work while tears were actively streaming down my face. That moment will take a long time to recover from !
Anyway. Have you ever met a character who you adore so so so so so much and just want to wrap in a hug and never let go? That’s how I felt about Joey. She was feeling sooooo many big feelings and as an objective observer to the story… let me tell you… I just wanted people to start seeing her for who she is and understand the reality of the situation. I will be recommending this to all of my emotional friends !
Anyway. Have you ever met a character who you adore so so so so so much and just want to wrap in a hug and never let go? That’s how I felt about Joey. She was feeling sooooo many big feelings and as an objective observer to the story… let me tell you… I just wanted people to start seeing her for who she is and understand the reality of the situation. I will be recommending this to all of my emotional friends !
May 14, 2022
Nicole Melleby’s new book 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝘽𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘼𝙣𝙜𝙧𝙮 breaks through the emotional lives of tweens while acknowledging the struggle of how families deal with mental health, love, and biology. Eleven-year-old Joey is terribly angry but doesn’t know why she has a quick temper, lashes out at her brothers, or random people at school. She is reminded: “Mom says I have a good life. I have no right to be this angry.” Yet, that doesn’t stop the outbursts or problems she’s causing the family. Because Joey is a triplet and born by in-vitro fertilization, she is wondering if she genetically “inherited” this anger from her donor.
Last summer, I had the pleasure of reading my first Melleby book, 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙩, so I appreciate how she writes novels that represent diverse characters. For example, here, in this book, there is a sapphic main character with anger management issues, a sapphic love interest, lesbian parents, and her oldest brother has ADHD. Melleby’s work is great in that it touches on tough topics that books in my youth failed to even exist. Please keep making these novels.
There were only a few minor issues with the book. The entire family seemed to ignore Joey and her anger issues. They continued to dismiss her as just a bad sister or the mean girl. Her brothers failed to even protect her when she was bullied. It made me so sad for her. She was so alone. I became angry and wanted to scream for her. As the therapist explains: “Your parents have a responsibility to make sure that you don’t hurt yourself or others.” In addition, there is no clear resolution at the end. I like neat endings. I want Joey to be happy.
As a child/tween that suffered with anger issues, I didn’t fully get my diagnosis either. I could tell you now that it stemmed from my DV household. I controlled my anger in public places. As I grew older, it only worsened. I did hurt myself, but never others. My point is that once you see issues like these in your children—then please seek professional help. Therapy saves lives.
Overall, I enjoyed this one.
Last summer, I had the pleasure of reading my first Melleby book, 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙩, so I appreciate how she writes novels that represent diverse characters. For example, here, in this book, there is a sapphic main character with anger management issues, a sapphic love interest, lesbian parents, and her oldest brother has ADHD. Melleby’s work is great in that it touches on tough topics that books in my youth failed to even exist. Please keep making these novels.
There were only a few minor issues with the book. The entire family seemed to ignore Joey and her anger issues. They continued to dismiss her as just a bad sister or the mean girl. Her brothers failed to even protect her when she was bullied. It made me so sad for her. She was so alone. I became angry and wanted to scream for her. As the therapist explains: “Your parents have a responsibility to make sure that you don’t hurt yourself or others.” In addition, there is no clear resolution at the end. I like neat endings. I want Joey to be happy.
As a child/tween that suffered with anger issues, I didn’t fully get my diagnosis either. I could tell you now that it stemmed from my DV household. I controlled my anger in public places. As I grew older, it only worsened. I did hurt myself, but never others. My point is that once you see issues like these in your children—then please seek professional help. Therapy saves lives.
Overall, I enjoyed this one.
Want to read
September 30, 2021As someone who's always struggled with anger issues but never saw them reflected in books growing up...yes please!
March 7, 2023
This was beautiful. ❤️
May 7, 2022
I received an advance copy from Algonquin Young Readers via Netgalley for review purposes. This in no way influences my review; all words, thoughts, and opinions are my own
Content notes:
Once again Melleby has taken my heart, torn it to pieces, and mended it with such care. As a person who spent much of their childhood full of anger, this book spoke to me so much, and I cannot wait for others to read Joey’s story and fall in love.
Full review closer to release.
Full review:
I do not know how to put into words how much this book means, but it hits me so hard in the feelings.
I’ve been obsessed with Melleby’s books since I read In the Role of Brie Hutchens… and every time I fall more in love with her stories and characters. The Science of Being Angry is no different, and especially hits me as a child who struggled with anger and lashing out when the feelings got bigger than could be contained. Joey is such a relatable character on that front, even as her experiences as a triplet, as the daughter of two moms, as a product of in vitro fertilization don’t line up with my own experiences.
I love Joey’s journey of figuring herself out, or at least working towards new understanding of herself, the complexities of her interpersonal relationships, with her triplets, with her moms, with her best friend/crush Layla, with her brother Benny, and seeing her working on those relationships. Joey often feels wrong and knows she’s been mean, and often feels like she just gets angrier and angrier, but at the end of the day, hurting those she loves is the very last thing she wants to do. And seeing a preteen navigating those feelings, struggling with words and self-expression, hits me so hard. And I also love and appreciate that there isn’t an answer in the end for why Joey is so angry all the time, just the hope and promise of working on that anger and learning new coping strategies so she can handle the anger in a healthier way.
I adored this book, am so glad it exists, and cannot wait to see what Melleby will write next. I love how much this book made me cry, and also how much healing and hope it offers in putting in the work to change harmful behaviors and the reassurances of the love of Joey’s family. Learning that her mom will never leave her, even if they don’t share DNA, and navigating who she is without knowing where half her DNA comes from is such a powerful, emotional story. I hope it finds many readers who are also able to feel seen and loved and like being angry doesn’t make them a monster or needlessly cruel, even (or especially) when that anger so often feels out of control until the pressure is released.
Content notes:
Once again Melleby has taken my heart, torn it to pieces, and mended it with such care. As a person who spent much of their childhood full of anger, this book spoke to me so much, and I cannot wait for others to read Joey’s story and fall in love.
Full review closer to release.
Full review:
I do not know how to put into words how much this book means, but it hits me so hard in the feelings.
I’ve been obsessed with Melleby’s books since I read In the Role of Brie Hutchens… and every time I fall more in love with her stories and characters. The Science of Being Angry is no different, and especially hits me as a child who struggled with anger and lashing out when the feelings got bigger than could be contained. Joey is such a relatable character on that front, even as her experiences as a triplet, as the daughter of two moms, as a product of in vitro fertilization don’t line up with my own experiences.
I love Joey’s journey of figuring herself out, or at least working towards new understanding of herself, the complexities of her interpersonal relationships, with her triplets, with her moms, with her best friend/crush Layla, with her brother Benny, and seeing her working on those relationships. Joey often feels wrong and knows she’s been mean, and often feels like she just gets angrier and angrier, but at the end of the day, hurting those she loves is the very last thing she wants to do. And seeing a preteen navigating those feelings, struggling with words and self-expression, hits me so hard. And I also love and appreciate that there isn’t an answer in the end for why Joey is so angry all the time, just the hope and promise of working on that anger and learning new coping strategies so she can handle the anger in a healthier way.
I adored this book, am so glad it exists, and cannot wait to see what Melleby will write next. I love how much this book made me cry, and also how much healing and hope it offers in putting in the work to change harmful behaviors and the reassurances of the love of Joey’s family. Learning that her mom will never leave her, even if they don’t share DNA, and navigating who she is without knowing where half her DNA comes from is such a powerful, emotional story. I hope it finds many readers who are also able to feel seen and loved and like being angry doesn’t make them a monster or needlessly cruel, even (or especially) when that anger so often feels out of control until the pressure is released.
May 5, 2022
Eleven-year-old Joey tends to get angry a lot.
Joey is a triplet. It’s her and her two brothers, Colton and Thomas. They were born by in vitro fertilization to their mama. They have both their mama and their mom as their family, oh and their half-brother Benny too.
But Joey feels like something is off. She can’t understand why she’s so mean to Thomas, why she wants to hit and scream and why she’s pushing her best friend Layla away. She doesn’t feel like she’s the same as her brothers.
When her science class begins a project on DNA and genetics, Joey can’t help but wonder about the other half of her, of who the donor was, and maybe that’s why she is the way she is. But as she begins to dig into it, she discovers that the love surrounding her plays a much more significant part in who she is today.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐲 covers a lot of ground: family dynamics, a child’s blossoming identity, possible mental health issues, bullying, and the question of nature vs. nurture. But what I loved about this story is that as Joey tries to navigate her feelings of confusion and anger, she is loved. Her moms, brothers, and friends care for her and make sure she is heard. I think this book will be a conversation starter for many kids out there.
Thank you, @algonquinyr for a spot on tour and a gifted copy.
Joey is a triplet. It’s her and her two brothers, Colton and Thomas. They were born by in vitro fertilization to their mama. They have both their mama and their mom as their family, oh and their half-brother Benny too.
But Joey feels like something is off. She can’t understand why she’s so mean to Thomas, why she wants to hit and scream and why she’s pushing her best friend Layla away. She doesn’t feel like she’s the same as her brothers.
When her science class begins a project on DNA and genetics, Joey can’t help but wonder about the other half of her, of who the donor was, and maybe that’s why she is the way she is. But as she begins to dig into it, she discovers that the love surrounding her plays a much more significant part in who she is today.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐲 covers a lot of ground: family dynamics, a child’s blossoming identity, possible mental health issues, bullying, and the question of nature vs. nurture. But what I loved about this story is that as Joey tries to navigate her feelings of confusion and anger, she is loved. Her moms, brothers, and friends care for her and make sure she is heard. I think this book will be a conversation starter for many kids out there.
Thank you, @algonquinyr for a spot on tour and a gifted copy.
May 23, 2022
This YA packed a lot into. It’s focus is around a 12 year who is angry all the time. This 12 year old lives with 2 moms, is a triplet with identical brothers and is part of a blended family. She has a lot going on and this is an age when kids start wondering who they are. It was written extremely well and will touch a lot of the age range it is intended for.
Thanks to NetGalley for a digital copy fir an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley for a digital copy fir an honest review.
April 7, 2022
Joey is always angry, and her anger makes her act out in erratic ways, including yelling, hitting, and throwing things. Joey is only eleven, and her behavior is scaring her family, friends, and teachers. She doesn’t want to hurt anyone, but it’s like her body acts before she has a chance to stop it. Her siblings aren’t like this, and neither are her moms. Maybe, Joey thinks, she could figure out what makes her so angry if she could find out who her biological father is - someone chosen by her moms to be a donor but who she knows nothing about. If he’s angry all the time, maybe she can finally know what’s wrong with her.
This book was absolutely heartbreaking while also being hopeful. Joey desperately wants to stop being angry all the time, and she is aware that it is affecting the way the people around her view her. Her peers view her as a bully and don’t want to be friends with her. She’s heard her parents talk about being scared of her and she’s convinced it’s her fault that her older brother has decided to live with his dad. Ultimately, she’s sure, everyone will decide to leave her if she can’t fix what’s wrong with her. Joey clearly isn’t getting the support she needs; even though her moms love her and are trying to help the best they can, they just don’t know what to do.
I really appreciated how the author showed the difference between Joey and Eli, the boy who bullies her. Joey is seen as a bully because of the way she acts, but the reader knows that she isn’t intentionally cruel. When someone starts bullying her, Joey feels like she can’t say anything - after all, hasn’t she done the same thing? Eli’s actions feel different than Joey’s - he is shown to be planning ways to humiliate and hurt her and appears to take joy in it. Of course, we can’t get into Eli’s mind, and there may be something complex happening that the reader can’t see. But it’s a clear difference between Joey, who tries to remove herself from situations to avoid causing harm and who we see feel remorse after doing something “wrong,” and Eli, who laughs about it and continues to go after her. There are some blurry lines here - life isn’t clean, and some of Joey’s actions are wrong - but the differences are still evident. I also appreciated that the book and characters were clear in saying that what Eli is doing is bullying, and just because Joey has caused harm in the past doesn’t mean that she deserves what he’s doing or can’t speak out about it.
This book reminded me a lot of Fifty-Four Things Wrong with Gwendolyn Rogers, another book about a girl trying to figure out why she can’t stop herself from acting out and making “bad” choices, and which I also found really moving. Anyone who liked Fifty-Four Things would probably appreciate The Science of Being Angry as well, and vice versa; they were similar in a lot of ways but different enough to absolutely be unique stories which are both worth the time to read. I think kids would benefit a lot from reading this book whether they have experienced some of what Joey is going through or not; inevitably, they’ll at some point interact with a peer who acts in ways they don’t understand, and this may help. Parents, especially those with children who have difficulty managing their anger, may also find something helpful in this story.
[light spoilers] This might not be the book for someone who likes everything to wrap up nicely. A lot is left open or unanswered, and it can be a little messy at times. I personally thought that worked really well in this case and it felt intentional, but I could see why someone might dislike that or think it wasn’t cleanly written.
Overall, I think this book is excellent and will speak to a lot of readers. It was well written and I couldn’t put it down, and I think a lot of kids will feel the same way.
Thanks to NetGalley and Algonquin for the eARC.
This book was absolutely heartbreaking while also being hopeful. Joey desperately wants to stop being angry all the time, and she is aware that it is affecting the way the people around her view her. Her peers view her as a bully and don’t want to be friends with her. She’s heard her parents talk about being scared of her and she’s convinced it’s her fault that her older brother has decided to live with his dad. Ultimately, she’s sure, everyone will decide to leave her if she can’t fix what’s wrong with her. Joey clearly isn’t getting the support she needs; even though her moms love her and are trying to help the best they can, they just don’t know what to do.
I really appreciated how the author showed the difference between Joey and Eli, the boy who bullies her. Joey is seen as a bully because of the way she acts, but the reader knows that she isn’t intentionally cruel. When someone starts bullying her, Joey feels like she can’t say anything - after all, hasn’t she done the same thing? Eli’s actions feel different than Joey’s - he is shown to be planning ways to humiliate and hurt her and appears to take joy in it. Of course, we can’t get into Eli’s mind, and there may be something complex happening that the reader can’t see. But it’s a clear difference between Joey, who tries to remove herself from situations to avoid causing harm and who we see feel remorse after doing something “wrong,” and Eli, who laughs about it and continues to go after her. There are some blurry lines here - life isn’t clean, and some of Joey’s actions are wrong - but the differences are still evident. I also appreciated that the book and characters were clear in saying that what Eli is doing is bullying, and just because Joey has caused harm in the past doesn’t mean that she deserves what he’s doing or can’t speak out about it.
This book reminded me a lot of Fifty-Four Things Wrong with Gwendolyn Rogers, another book about a girl trying to figure out why she can’t stop herself from acting out and making “bad” choices, and which I also found really moving. Anyone who liked Fifty-Four Things would probably appreciate The Science of Being Angry as well, and vice versa; they were similar in a lot of ways but different enough to absolutely be unique stories which are both worth the time to read. I think kids would benefit a lot from reading this book whether they have experienced some of what Joey is going through or not; inevitably, they’ll at some point interact with a peer who acts in ways they don’t understand, and this may help. Parents, especially those with children who have difficulty managing their anger, may also find something helpful in this story.
[light spoilers] This might not be the book for someone who likes everything to wrap up nicely. A lot is left open or unanswered, and it can be a little messy at times. I personally thought that worked really well in this case and it felt intentional, but I could see why someone might dislike that or think it wasn’t cleanly written.
Overall, I think this book is excellent and will speak to a lot of readers. It was well written and I couldn’t put it down, and I think a lot of kids will feel the same way.
Thanks to NetGalley and Algonquin for the eARC.
August 9, 2023
I am a mess. And absolute wreck. Thank gods for sunglasses because I was a sniffling, hiccupping, teary freaking mess for the last 1/3 of this book that I listened to in my car. I'm really glad I had left work already because the red eyes and constant sniffling were not a good look 😂
I'll never quite be over just how masterful Nicole Melleby is at crafting emotional queer middle grade stories that rip your heart out then put it back together and give you a big hug. It's a serious skill and I've loved every one of her books.
This one had a lot of similarities to Marina in the Middle (which just came out this year 2023) and this one came out in 2022. Despite the similarities of having a MC with anxiety in a family with multiple siblings and two moms though, it's its own unique story.
Joey is so small and trying SO hard and just cannot figure out why she's so angry. Angry literally all the time. She wants to scream and hit and yell but no one understands why, least of all herself. Since she can't connect her anger issues to either of her triplet brothers or her mom, and she's not biologically related to her other mom, she sets out to find her donor and see if she can get answers from him.
This of course goes just as well as any eleven year old on a journey to find dna evidence without telling their parents and also navigating a crush on her best friend and severe anger issues. That's to say, it doesn't go as planned.
My heart absolutely ACHED throughout the entire book. Joey is doing her best and her moms are doing their best and sometimes that isn't enough. It takes a lot of talking and working through things to start to unravel how to help Joey.
So moral of this review, if you like queer middle grade and want to have a really good cry, this is the book for you!
I'll never quite be over just how masterful Nicole Melleby is at crafting emotional queer middle grade stories that rip your heart out then put it back together and give you a big hug. It's a serious skill and I've loved every one of her books.
This one had a lot of similarities to Marina in the Middle (which just came out this year 2023) and this one came out in 2022. Despite the similarities of having a MC with anxiety in a family with multiple siblings and two moms though, it's its own unique story.
Joey is so small and trying SO hard and just cannot figure out why she's so angry. Angry literally all the time. She wants to scream and hit and yell but no one understands why, least of all herself. Since she can't connect her anger issues to either of her triplet brothers or her mom, and she's not biologically related to her other mom, she sets out to find her donor and see if she can get answers from him.
This of course goes just as well as any eleven year old on a journey to find dna evidence without telling their parents and also navigating a crush on her best friend and severe anger issues. That's to say, it doesn't go as planned.
My heart absolutely ACHED throughout the entire book. Joey is doing her best and her moms are doing their best and sometimes that isn't enough. It takes a lot of talking and working through things to start to unravel how to help Joey.
So moral of this review, if you like queer middle grade and want to have a really good cry, this is the book for you!
May 16, 2022
CW: bullying, blood, injury, mention of pregnancy and childbirth, anxiety and anger, mention of hospital visit
Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers for sending me a copy of this book to review. All thoughts are my own!
This was a solid middle grade about mental health following an 11-year old girl, Joey as she tries to learn about the pent up anger she's releasing causing everyone in her life to view her differently. At least, that's what she thinks in her head. To Joey, she's not like her brothers or Mom's because they don't hurt people and lash out causing hurt toward them. Thus, Joey is going to make things right by finding the donor her mother's used to get pregnant. When a project arises in school on genetics, Joey takes this as the perfect opportunity to learn about her genetics.
What I loved most about The Science of Being Angry is how Joey reacts to her outbursts being viewed by her family and friends. This shows how there are consequences to your actions and you can learn how to control them which Joey starts to learn as she hurts the feelings of those around her. As someone who also deals with anger issues, I loved seeing Joey's character because I haven't read a book about mental health and/or neurodivergence where anger is at the forefront. It's such an important symptom to touch on especially with a child.
Toward the end of the book, therapy comes in and I really enjoyed how the story doesn't give Joey a definitive diagnosis as it shows how it takes time to find the answers. There is a side character, Joey's half-brother, Benny who has ADHD and plays hockey to help manage it. Benny encourages Joey to sign up for hockey to help get her aggression out and I loooved that so much. As a hockey fan, hockey is the best way for me to get my anger out.
Overall, I highly recommend this sapphic book about genetics and family dynamics.
Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers for sending me a copy of this book to review. All thoughts are my own!
This was a solid middle grade about mental health following an 11-year old girl, Joey as she tries to learn about the pent up anger she's releasing causing everyone in her life to view her differently. At least, that's what she thinks in her head. To Joey, she's not like her brothers or Mom's because they don't hurt people and lash out causing hurt toward them. Thus, Joey is going to make things right by finding the donor her mother's used to get pregnant. When a project arises in school on genetics, Joey takes this as the perfect opportunity to learn about her genetics.
What I loved most about The Science of Being Angry is how Joey reacts to her outbursts being viewed by her family and friends. This shows how there are consequences to your actions and you can learn how to control them which Joey starts to learn as she hurts the feelings of those around her. As someone who also deals with anger issues, I loved seeing Joey's character because I haven't read a book about mental health and/or neurodivergence where anger is at the forefront. It's such an important symptom to touch on especially with a child.
Toward the end of the book, therapy comes in and I really enjoyed how the story doesn't give Joey a definitive diagnosis as it shows how it takes time to find the answers. There is a side character, Joey's half-brother, Benny who has ADHD and plays hockey to help manage it. Benny encourages Joey to sign up for hockey to help get her aggression out and I loooved that so much. As a hockey fan, hockey is the best way for me to get my anger out.
Overall, I highly recommend this sapphic book about genetics and family dynamics.
May 10, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝙁𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙃𝙪𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙚 𝙎𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣, 𝙖𝙣 𝙪𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙖 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮, 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙃𝙖𝙯𝙚𝙡’𝙨 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙀𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄𝙫𝙮 𝘼𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙣’𝙨 𝙇𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙.
🎉 HAPPY PUB DAY + BOOK TOUR STOP🎉
This was a very fun and touching Middle-Grade contemporary read. I read How To Become A Planet last year and I loved it so as soon as I was asked to do a book tour for this one, I knew immediately I wanted to read this. I don’t tend to read a lot of middle grade, but I have really enjoyed what this author has been writing. These characters are so raw and authentic, you just want the absolute best for them.
In this one we follow Joey, who gets angry all the time, she feels something is off. She doesn’t understand why she’s so mean to her brother, pushes her best friend Layla away, nor why she always wants to scream and hit.
This book is very touching and emotional at times. No matter what Joey does, everyone seems to love her and that’s just so sweet and heartwarming. I love how wholesome these side characters were, these two moms were written so well and it just felt so real.
Mental Health is such a sensitive topic to talk about and even read about. In this story, our MC doesn’t know what’s wrong or how to get help. There are some very real discussions here.
I also loved the genetic aspect in this story and the nature vs nurture part.
Overall, this was a very emotional MG read. It was so touching and these characters were beautifully written. Incredible! Huge thank you to the publisher for asking me to be a part of this tour.
Moderate TWs: Bullying and Mental Illness
✨Thank you Algonquin Young Readets for sending me a copy of The Science of Being Angry along with How To Become A Planet for this tour✨
𝙁𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙃𝙪𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙚 𝙎𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣, 𝙖𝙣 𝙪𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙖 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮, 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙃𝙖𝙯𝙚𝙡’𝙨 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙀𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄𝙫𝙮 𝘼𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙣’𝙨 𝙇𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙.
🎉 HAPPY PUB DAY + BOOK TOUR STOP🎉
This was a very fun and touching Middle-Grade contemporary read. I read How To Become A Planet last year and I loved it so as soon as I was asked to do a book tour for this one, I knew immediately I wanted to read this. I don’t tend to read a lot of middle grade, but I have really enjoyed what this author has been writing. These characters are so raw and authentic, you just want the absolute best for them.
In this one we follow Joey, who gets angry all the time, she feels something is off. She doesn’t understand why she’s so mean to her brother, pushes her best friend Layla away, nor why she always wants to scream and hit.
This book is very touching and emotional at times. No matter what Joey does, everyone seems to love her and that’s just so sweet and heartwarming. I love how wholesome these side characters were, these two moms were written so well and it just felt so real.
Mental Health is such a sensitive topic to talk about and even read about. In this story, our MC doesn’t know what’s wrong or how to get help. There are some very real discussions here.
I also loved the genetic aspect in this story and the nature vs nurture part.
Overall, this was a very emotional MG read. It was so touching and these characters were beautifully written. Incredible! Huge thank you to the publisher for asking me to be a part of this tour.
Moderate TWs: Bullying and Mental Illness
✨Thank you Algonquin Young Readets for sending me a copy of The Science of Being Angry along with How To Become A Planet for this tour✨
May 17, 2022
I was told this book would make me ugly cry and boy oh boy, they were not lying.
The author walks us through the emotional life of Joey as well as her siblings and the struggle of her mothers and friends. Joey is angry all the time and she doesn't know why. She doesn't understand why her body grows tight and that she needs to scream and act out. When a school project introduces her to 23andMe, she thinks finding her donor will explain why she is the way she is. She wonders if her anger is inherited.
This book is great because it touches upon subjects that don't get enough attention. We have a sapphic twelve-year-old with anger issues who wants desperately to ease the struggles of those around her because of her actions. She's self-aware of her anger and may also like a girl in her grade. Her parents are a lesbian couple and her half-brother has ADHD. This book covers a lot of ground, but we need to keep making novels like this. They are so, so important.
I enjoyed both Joey's journey and her mother's journey in finally identifying and understanding their daughter's possible mental illness. As parents, sometimes we don't have the education or even the time and sense to really see what's going on behind the curtain. My son is only seven, but I've had to step back during some of his outbursts in the past or silences and try to identify hat the root cause. As someone with anxiety and introversion, I do have a slight understanding, but I am always learning.
Thank you to Algonquin for the review copy.
The author walks us through the emotional life of Joey as well as her siblings and the struggle of her mothers and friends. Joey is angry all the time and she doesn't know why. She doesn't understand why her body grows tight and that she needs to scream and act out. When a school project introduces her to 23andMe, she thinks finding her donor will explain why she is the way she is. She wonders if her anger is inherited.
This book is great because it touches upon subjects that don't get enough attention. We have a sapphic twelve-year-old with anger issues who wants desperately to ease the struggles of those around her because of her actions. She's self-aware of her anger and may also like a girl in her grade. Her parents are a lesbian couple and her half-brother has ADHD. This book covers a lot of ground, but we need to keep making novels like this. They are so, so important.
I enjoyed both Joey's journey and her mother's journey in finally identifying and understanding their daughter's possible mental illness. As parents, sometimes we don't have the education or even the time and sense to really see what's going on behind the curtain. My son is only seven, but I've had to step back during some of his outbursts in the past or silences and try to identify hat the root cause. As someone with anxiety and introversion, I do have a slight understanding, but I am always learning.
Thank you to Algonquin for the review copy.
December 25, 2024
hypothesis: this book will be good, but not as strong as nicole melleby's other novel, how to become a planet.
materials:
- this book
- hot chocolate
- my warm bed.
- spotify
procedure:
1. begin reading the book. get about 70 pages in. put it down because you have too many exams.
2. revisit on the second day of winter break. finish the rest of the book in one sitting.
observations:
- i once again enjoyed nicole melleby's writing style. it's accessible but still impactful.
- the triplet dynamic wasn't my favourite. right from the get go she has a least favourite brother, which she continues to feel throughout. it adds to the plot but i just don't get why she disliked thomas compared to colton. i thought they were both great brothers and thomas didn't deserve that (which is kind of part of the book, but why wasn't it colton?).
- i didn't think joey needed to be gay. her moms already are so there was already representation in the book. it kinda added to the story with the whole nature vs nurture thing but it would have still been good without.
conclusion:
i proved my hypothesis. i think maybe if i read this one before how to become a planet i would've enjoyed it more. it was definitely a good book, especially one its own, but it just didnt live up to the other one. maybe my opinion also has to do with the level of relatability--the author did a great job making both characters relatable, but i just had a personal connection to pluto's struggles vs joey's. overall, another great book from nicole melleby. 4 stars.
p.s. please appreciate my scientific method style review. i think i'm a genius for that.
materials:
- this book
- hot chocolate
- my warm bed.
- spotify
procedure:
1. begin reading the book. get about 70 pages in. put it down because you have too many exams.
2. revisit on the second day of winter break. finish the rest of the book in one sitting.
observations:
- i once again enjoyed nicole melleby's writing style. it's accessible but still impactful.
- the triplet dynamic wasn't my favourite. right from the get go she has a least favourite brother, which she continues to feel throughout. it adds to the plot but i just don't get why she disliked thomas compared to colton. i thought they were both great brothers and thomas didn't deserve that (which is kind of part of the book, but why wasn't it colton?).
- i didn't think joey needed to be gay. her moms already are so there was already representation in the book. it kinda added to the story with the whole nature vs nurture thing but it would have still been good without.
conclusion:
i proved my hypothesis. i think maybe if i read this one before how to become a planet i would've enjoyed it more. it was definitely a good book, especially one its own, but it just didnt live up to the other one. maybe my opinion also has to do with the level of relatability--the author did a great job making both characters relatable, but i just had a personal connection to pluto's struggles vs joey's. overall, another great book from nicole melleby. 4 stars.
p.s. please appreciate my scientific method style review. i think i'm a genius for that.
May 17, 2022
Joey is always angry. It isn’t until she’s presented with a school project about genetics that she starts to wonder if her anger comes from the person she got half her genes from. Joey isn’t just navigating her emotions related to her anger but also her identity and who she is.
I like how much this story addresses mental health. Joey has the biggest support group but it doesn’t mean she doesn’t still struggle. Struggling with mental health is difficult for an adult let alone a child and I felt like Melleby did a wonderful job of portraying Joey’s struggles. You could feel how much Joey just wants to understand why she’s different. She’s not only trying to understand that but also her feelings towards her best friend Layla who she’s realized she likes as more than friends.
I’ve read all of Melleby’s middle grade novels and she’s definitely become my favorite. This one did not disappoint. Melleby writes beautiful stories of young people who have real and valid struggles. I will continue to pick up her books as long as she keeps writing them!
P.S. I pre-ordered the audio and listened to it. It is fantastic and I highly recommend it!
I like how much this story addresses mental health. Joey has the biggest support group but it doesn’t mean she doesn’t still struggle. Struggling with mental health is difficult for an adult let alone a child and I felt like Melleby did a wonderful job of portraying Joey’s struggles. You could feel how much Joey just wants to understand why she’s different. She’s not only trying to understand that but also her feelings towards her best friend Layla who she’s realized she likes as more than friends.
I’ve read all of Melleby’s middle grade novels and she’s definitely become my favorite. This one did not disappoint. Melleby writes beautiful stories of young people who have real and valid struggles. I will continue to pick up her books as long as she keeps writing them!
P.S. I pre-ordered the audio and listened to it. It is fantastic and I highly recommend it!
May 23, 2022
I always say I don’t cry when I read books. I might tear up or shed 1-2 tears but that’s it. Well, that was most definitely NOT the case with this book. So many tears. Oh my heart filled with love for Joey. I wanted to pull her into a fierce hug and tell her it’s okay to let it all out and scream as loud as you want. Joey’s circumstances are very different from when I was her age but there were also a lot of similar emotions. Reading this book was honestly a raw experience for me but also cathartic and healing. I so wish I had this when I was young.
I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a middle grade book about mental health that’s not focused on depression. This is about about identity and family, and processing some big angry emotions. Joey is a character you’ll want to root for and fall in love with. I want a “2 years later” epilogue of her living her best life happy and health. I need to know that she’s thriving!
I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a middle grade book about mental health that’s not focused on depression. This is about about identity and family, and processing some big angry emotions. Joey is a character you’ll want to root for and fall in love with. I want a “2 years later” epilogue of her living her best life happy and health. I need to know that she’s thriving!
July 7, 2022
Eleven year old Joey is angry like all the time and she doesn't understand why. She has two moms who love each other (and her), an older brother and her two fellow triplet brothers so she's never without company. But lately all the feelings and questions- does she have a crush on her best friend Layla, why is her oldest brother staying with his dad, and the stress of a genealogy project- are making her lash out and hurt people. Joey doesn't want to hurt anyone least of all her friends and family if only she could figure out where all her anger is coming from.
This book hurt my heart because Joey is trying so hard not to be angry and she's only 11 so it doesn't work like that. This book does such a good job of showing off a blended family, family dynamics and just general feelings as an eleven year old. A good recommendation for someone who likes coming of age stories, the "main character has this problem/issue/disability/thing they have to accept/overcome"
This book hurt my heart because Joey is trying so hard not to be angry and she's only 11 so it doesn't work like that. This book does such a good job of showing off a blended family, family dynamics and just general feelings as an eleven year old. A good recommendation for someone who likes coming of age stories, the "main character has this problem/issue/disability/thing they have to accept/overcome"
April 30, 2022
3.5 stars
I know I don't frequently read middle grade (and that alone is probably a very good reason to check out other reader reviews in addition to mine) but How to Become a Planet was one of my favorite books last year, so I was absolutely hype for The Science of Being Angry.
Let's talk about the good things first. I love the "unconventional" family: Mama and Mom, the triplets (Mama's IVF), and Benny (child from Mom's first marriage) +/- Benny's dad who they have a good relationship with. Melleby has a brilliant way of writing these authentic young characters who make stupid/immature decisions without discounting their agency and intelligence. The moms and how they talk to their kids and support them, even though they're not perfect and don't see everything that's going on... It just felt so real and wholesome.
But it also felt... Unresolved. And a little repetitive as Joey goes through several iterations of almost the exact same issue. I think Benny and Thomas could have played a larger role as well. It just felt a little busy having so many characters who aren't directly involved.
{Thank you Algonquin for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}
I know I don't frequently read middle grade (and that alone is probably a very good reason to check out other reader reviews in addition to mine) but How to Become a Planet was one of my favorite books last year, so I was absolutely hype for The Science of Being Angry.
Let's talk about the good things first. I love the "unconventional" family: Mama and Mom, the triplets (Mama's IVF), and Benny (child from Mom's first marriage) +/- Benny's dad who they have a good relationship with. Melleby has a brilliant way of writing these authentic young characters who make stupid/immature decisions without discounting their agency and intelligence. The moms and how they talk to their kids and support them, even though they're not perfect and don't see everything that's going on... It just felt so real and wholesome.
But it also felt... Unresolved. And a little repetitive as Joey goes through several iterations of almost the exact same issue. I think Benny and Thomas could have played a larger role as well. It just felt a little busy having so many characters who aren't directly involved.
{Thank you Algonquin for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}
December 26, 2022
I think the author's greatest strength is her ability to create an authentic middle grade characters. Joey is like so many kids I've known over the years, and the author really captured her thoughts and feelings and actions. I was a little dismayed at the nonresponsiveness of the parents and even the school to Joey's outbursts--it's clear her anger was a pattern that was getting worse. Somebody step in already!
April 18, 2022
This is a lovely little book that made me weep by the end. I really appreciated the tension here--it feels true to Joey's experience and her moms' characters, as well.
June 21, 2022
ahhh as somebody who has to deal with my intense anger my whole life, i'm so grateful this book was written! i could relate to it so much!
July 2, 2022
Love all her books!!! I have one student in particular who is also a big fan so I shared my ARC with him. He loved it, too!
February 22, 2023
I don't think it's physically possible for me to read a Nicole Melleby book without bawling my eyes out and having a million feelings about it. I don't think I'll ever want to.
5 stars.
5 stars.
April 3, 2022
Muy bello.
RTC.
RTC.
May 28, 2025
Another fantastic middle grade jaunt from Melleby. I wanted to squish Joey, an angry little nugget, so many times. I also love how full and lived in the family felt. And as always it’s great to see all different kinds of families and experienced in kids books! I’d have loved to have this book on my shelf growing up.
June 20, 2022
Tearing up and crying and sobbing and screaming.
This one's for the kids who had horrible anger issues and no support system! In all seriousness, this book made me feel so seen and understood. And I cried! Like a Lot! My heart shattered into pieces for Joey, she's just so young and confused and she doesn't know what's going on but she wants to try and I'm just so 333 Highly, highly, highly recommend.
This one's for the kids who had horrible anger issues and no support system! In all seriousness, this book made me feel so seen and understood. And I cried! Like a Lot! My heart shattered into pieces for Joey, she's just so young and confused and she doesn't know what's going on but she wants to try and I'm just so 333 Highly, highly, highly recommend.
October 29, 2022
ARC provided by Young Adult Books Central
Joey is a triplet who lives with her brothers Colton and Thomas, two moms, and older half brother Benny in an apartment. When she and her two brothers go out at night to swim in the complex pool when they are not supposed to, Joey punches the security guard who tries to talk to them. Since this isn't the first issue, the family is evicted and end up in a hotel. Benny goes to stay with his father, who is the gym teacher at the children's charter school. Joey has long had anger issues, and the breathing exercises her moms recommend don't really work. She is alienated from her friends, especially Layla, so is glad when she is asked to join a hockey team. When her class starts on a DNA and genetics unit in science, this is an additional source of tension for Layla, since her father was a sperm donor, and she has only basic information about him. Wondering if her anger issues might be genetic, she wants to try to find out more, and enlists Layla to help, since her former friend is very interested in genealogy. The two manage to submit DNA to 23 and Me, and are anxiously awaiting results. Joey starts to have trouble on the hockey team with Eli, who calls her "Bruiser" and aggressively "fools around", shoving her all in the name of "fun". Joey's instances of aggression start to escalate, and her moms talk about putting her into therapy. She also struggles with her relationship with Layla as the two reconnect, and she doesn't want to tell her friend what is really bothering her. Will Joey be able to find out more about the causes of her anger, her family genetics, and the real nature of her feelings for Layla?
Like Gerber's Focused, Pages' Button Pusher, or Carter's Fifty-Four Things Wrong with Gwendolyn Rogers this is an interesting look at a tween who is struggling with understanding and dealing with her neurological differences. This is something we are seeing more and more with young people, as mental health issues have been exacerbated during the pandemic. Joey's moms are very supportive, and don't make Joey feel bad about her actions, but do try to help her deal with situations, and dole out reasonable punishments when needed. They are a bit slow to get her help, but do think about it and eventually take her to family and individual therapy.
I was more interested in the dive into genetics, and the debate over nature versus nuture introduced in Joey's science class. It was also good to see that the school mentions that the genetics project is meant to be inclusive of a variety of families; assigning family trees is rarely a good idea in middle school anymore, since familes are much more richly textured than they have been in the past. Joey takes a look at how her Mom, to whom she is genetically related, looks and acts, but also tries to understand how Mama, who is not genetically related, has informed her personality as well.
There are not too many books that include information on children who were born through in vitro fertilization, other than Robert's Nikki on the Line, so it is good to see this kind of representation in middle grade literature. This also felt reminscent of Smith's Code Name Serendipity, but with a more middle school feel, thanks to the inclusion of hockey and a budding romance.
My readers will be interested in the friend drama between Joey and Layla, as well as the fact that there is more to Joey's feelings than friendship. I don't want to describe too much of this and ruin some nice twists and turns in the plot, but fans of this author's Hurricane Season, Ashley Herring Blake, and Barbara Dee will enjoy the inclusion of the LGBTQIA+ themes.
Joey is a triplet who lives with her brothers Colton and Thomas, two moms, and older half brother Benny in an apartment. When she and her two brothers go out at night to swim in the complex pool when they are not supposed to, Joey punches the security guard who tries to talk to them. Since this isn't the first issue, the family is evicted and end up in a hotel. Benny goes to stay with his father, who is the gym teacher at the children's charter school. Joey has long had anger issues, and the breathing exercises her moms recommend don't really work. She is alienated from her friends, especially Layla, so is glad when she is asked to join a hockey team. When her class starts on a DNA and genetics unit in science, this is an additional source of tension for Layla, since her father was a sperm donor, and she has only basic information about him. Wondering if her anger issues might be genetic, she wants to try to find out more, and enlists Layla to help, since her former friend is very interested in genealogy. The two manage to submit DNA to 23 and Me, and are anxiously awaiting results. Joey starts to have trouble on the hockey team with Eli, who calls her "Bruiser" and aggressively "fools around", shoving her all in the name of "fun". Joey's instances of aggression start to escalate, and her moms talk about putting her into therapy. She also struggles with her relationship with Layla as the two reconnect, and she doesn't want to tell her friend what is really bothering her. Will Joey be able to find out more about the causes of her anger, her family genetics, and the real nature of her feelings for Layla?
Like Gerber's Focused, Pages' Button Pusher, or Carter's Fifty-Four Things Wrong with Gwendolyn Rogers this is an interesting look at a tween who is struggling with understanding and dealing with her neurological differences. This is something we are seeing more and more with young people, as mental health issues have been exacerbated during the pandemic. Joey's moms are very supportive, and don't make Joey feel bad about her actions, but do try to help her deal with situations, and dole out reasonable punishments when needed. They are a bit slow to get her help, but do think about it and eventually take her to family and individual therapy.
I was more interested in the dive into genetics, and the debate over nature versus nuture introduced in Joey's science class. It was also good to see that the school mentions that the genetics project is meant to be inclusive of a variety of families; assigning family trees is rarely a good idea in middle school anymore, since familes are much more richly textured than they have been in the past. Joey takes a look at how her Mom, to whom she is genetically related, looks and acts, but also tries to understand how Mama, who is not genetically related, has informed her personality as well.
There are not too many books that include information on children who were born through in vitro fertilization, other than Robert's Nikki on the Line, so it is good to see this kind of representation in middle grade literature. This also felt reminscent of Smith's Code Name Serendipity, but with a more middle school feel, thanks to the inclusion of hockey and a budding romance.
My readers will be interested in the friend drama between Joey and Layla, as well as the fact that there is more to Joey's feelings than friendship. I don't want to describe too much of this and ruin some nice twists and turns in the plot, but fans of this author's Hurricane Season, Ashley Herring Blake, and Barbara Dee will enjoy the inclusion of the LGBTQIA+ themes.
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