Book review - The Thing About Jellyfish

Title: The Thing About Jellyfish
Author: Ali Benjamin
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Circa Now by Amber McRee Turner
                     The Question of Miracles by Elana Arnold
Rating:

very nice

Summary: After her best friend drowns, Suzy finds herself alone at school and trying to understand things. Her friend was a very good swimmer. Drowning just doesn't make sense to her. A trip to the aquarium introduces Suzy to a deadly species of jellyfish. Now she's on a mission: to learn all she can about jellyfish and prove that her friend's death wasn't a simple drowning.

My opinion: This book has all kinds of great science facts that might just inspire kids to do some research of their own. And apart from science, it's addressing a number of important topics. Yes, it's a story about grief but it's also about friendships changing in the middle school years as kids develop at different rates. Plus, there's this exploration of different forms of communication and how when we stop filling silence with chatter, we truly notice what is going on around us. It's not a fun read but thoughtful and well-researched.

More information: The Thing About Jellyfish releases September 22.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.