
Reach for this book when your child feels overlooked by a busy household or is beginning to ask private, quiet questions about their own identity and first crushes. After a tornado destroys Ivy Aberdeen's home, her world is literally and figuratively turned upside down. While her parents are distracted by the chaos of displacement and a new baby, twelve-year-old Ivy is left to navigate the loss of her home and the discovery of her secret sketchbook, which contains drawings that reveal her attraction to other girls. This is a gentle, affirming story about the intersection of external trauma and internal discovery. It is perfectly pitched for middle schoolers, handling the themes of 'coming out' and self-acceptance with grace and sensitivity. It serves as a beautiful mirror for LGBTQ+ youth and a powerful window for peers, emphasizing that everyone deserves to be seen for who they truly are, especially when life feels most uncertain.
Themes of displacement, loss of belongings, and feeling invisible to parents.
A frightening opening sequence depicts a tornado destroying a home.
Natural disaster (tornado) and the resulting loss of a home and personal belongings. Family displacement and financial/emotional stress following a crisis.
A middle-schooler who feels like the "quiet one" in a loud or busy family. It is perfect for a child experiencing their first crush who might be looking for the words to describe their feelings, or a child who has recently experienced a significant life upheaval or loss.
This book can be read cold. The depiction of the tornado and the immediate aftermath is vivid and may be intense for children with weather-related anxieties, so parents might want to discuss those early chapters together. A child might come to a parent saying, "I feel like you're too busy for me," or expressing anxiety about what would happen if they lost their home. They may also be showing signs of having a "secret" they aren't yet ready to name.
Younger readers (ages 8 to 9) will likely focus on the mystery of the missing notebook and the physical adventure of the storm. Older readers (11 to 12) will resonate more deeply with the nuance of Ivy's internal identity struggle and the complexity of her shifting friendship dynamics.
This book is unique because it bridges the gap between a high-stakes survival story and a quiet, internal coming-of-age narrative. It treats the protagonist's realization that she likes girls with the same gentleness and normalcy as any other middle-grade crush, while acknowledging the specific vulnerability of coming out during a family crisis.
After a tornado destroys her family home and displaces them into a crowded hotel, twelve-year-old Ivy feels invisible. Amidst the chaos of her parents caring for her older sister and newborn brothers, Ivy realizes her secret sketchbook, which contains drawings of girls holding hands, has gone missing. As she navigates the trauma of the natural disaster, an anonymous person begins returning her drawings with encouraging notes. This mystery unfolds alongside Ivy's growing crush on a classmate named June, leading to a journey of self-discovery and the courage to be seen by her family.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
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