The List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead - Book Tour & Review + Giveaway
I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the THE LIST OF THINGS THAT WILL NOT CHANGE by Rebecca Stead Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
About The Book:
Title: THE LIST OF THINGS THAT WILL NOT CHANGE
Author: Rebecca Stead
Pub. Date: April 7, 2020
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook
Pages: 224
After her parents' divorce, Bea's life became
different in many ways. But she can always look back at the list she keeps in
her green notebook to remember the things that will stay the same. The first
and most important: Mom and Dad will always love Bea, and each other.
When Dad tells Bea that he and his boyfriend,
Jesse, are getting married, Bea is thrilled. Bea loves Jesse, and when he and
Dad get married, she'll finally (finally!) have what she's always wanted--a
sister. Even though she's never met Jesse's daughter, Sonia, Bea is sure that
they'll be "just like sisters anywhere."
As the wedding day approaches, Bea will learn
that making a new family brings questions, surprises, and joy.
Praise for The List of Things That Will Not Change
“An absolute original . . . a story that kids will love.” —R. J. Palacio, bestselling author of Wonder
“No author writing today observes young lives with more clarity, tenderness, and grace than the one and only Rebecca Stead.” —Newbery Medalist Katherine Applegate, author of The One and Only Ivan
“Stead truly understands the inner life of kids.” —Newbery Medalist Erin Entrada Kelly, author of Hello, Universe and You Go First
“From the moon, the wedding, and the cake, to Bea’s mind, Rebecca has captured everything so completely, so beautifully. Truly a wonderful work.” —Patricia Reilly Giff, author of the Newbery Honor winners Lily’s Crossing and Pictures of Hollis Woods
“This is a story of love that enlarges, even though it is not always easy. We cheer
for and are cheered by Bea’s quiet triumphs because they are triumphs of the
heart.” —Gary D. Schmidt, author of The Wednesday Wars and Pay Attention, Carter Jones
“Rebecca Stead’s writing is always infused with the tender minutiae of being alive, with the price we have to pay to be human. This book, along with its perfect title, is ‘Typical Rebecca Stead.’ And that’s a heartfelt compliment.” —Newbery Medalist Christopher Paul Curtis, author of
The Watsons Go To Birmingham—1963 and Bud, Not Buddy
★ “Uplifting without sentimentality, timely not trendy, and utterly engaging.” —Kirkus, starred review
★ “An emotional character journey from a middle-grade master.” —Booklist, starred review
★ “An affecting story of significant middle grade change.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
★ “The angst and worries that middle grade readers experience are brought to life through Bea’s authentic voice in this must-read title.” —School Library Journal, starred review
★ “The strength of this novel lies in Stead’s authentic, respectful, low-key approach to the
emotional life of a ten-year-old as recalled from the perspective of her
slightly older self.” —The Horn Book, starred review
★ “Ultimately, Bea survives, thrives, and grows as
love remains constant but her world gets bigger, and readers negotiating their
own changing lives will relate to her challenge and applaud her triumph.” — The
Bulletin, starred review
Listen to an audio clip of the book!
Excerpt:
My Review
The List of Things That Will Not Change is a story about a girl who really comes into her own and learns who she is while telling us, the readers, her story.
Bea is the young girl, and her story is told a little bit out of order, but it makes sense because she's the narrator, and she's telling us about her life. She begins by explaining about the sound of corn and what that has to do with her dad getting married to his boyfriend. Bea then talks about her parents getting divorced, her dad planning his wedding to Jesse (the boyfriend), and how her life won't actually change too much. In fact, she keeps a list of things that will not change, even with the divorce and wedding.
Bea also talks about her extended family (aunt, uncle, cousins), and her soon-to-be new sister, and her therapist Miriam, and that gives us, the readers, more insight into Bea. She's dealing with guilt, anxiety, excitement, jealousy, rejection, and many other emotions. They're all tangled up together, and Bea has to learn how to handle each and every one of them, both on her own and with the help of Miriam.
I found Bea to be very real. She's a character younger readers can relate to. She's likable.
I actually found most of the characters to be very well-written and realistic. Bea and her family and friends feel like people you may know or have met before. They could be your neighbors, family friends, or even your own family. Even Jesse's brother, who has a really awful moment near the end of the book (he's homophobic), is someone readers will recognize as authentic. And his scene is a good teaching moment for parents of younger readers to explain why he reacts the way he does, why there are people like him in the world today, and how to perhaps talk to or deal with someone like that should they come into contact with said person.
Overall, this book is one that will resonate with kids (and even parents/adult readers), and I know they'll enjoy Bea's telling of her "life" story within the pages.
4.5 stars from me!
Bea is the young girl, and her story is told a little bit out of order, but it makes sense because she's the narrator, and she's telling us about her life. She begins by explaining about the sound of corn and what that has to do with her dad getting married to his boyfriend. Bea then talks about her parents getting divorced, her dad planning his wedding to Jesse (the boyfriend), and how her life won't actually change too much. In fact, she keeps a list of things that will not change, even with the divorce and wedding.
Bea also talks about her extended family (aunt, uncle, cousins), and her soon-to-be new sister, and her therapist Miriam, and that gives us, the readers, more insight into Bea. She's dealing with guilt, anxiety, excitement, jealousy, rejection, and many other emotions. They're all tangled up together, and Bea has to learn how to handle each and every one of them, both on her own and with the help of Miriam.
I found Bea to be very real. She's a character younger readers can relate to. She's likable.
I actually found most of the characters to be very well-written and realistic. Bea and her family and friends feel like people you may know or have met before. They could be your neighbors, family friends, or even your own family. Even Jesse's brother, who has a really awful moment near the end of the book (he's homophobic), is someone readers will recognize as authentic. And his scene is a good teaching moment for parents of younger readers to explain why he reacts the way he does, why there are people like him in the world today, and how to perhaps talk to or deal with someone like that should they come into contact with said person.
Overall, this book is one that will resonate with kids (and even parents/adult readers), and I know they'll enjoy Bea's telling of her "life" story within the pages.
4.5 stars from me!
About Rebecca:
Rebecca Stead has written five novels for young people: WHEN YOU REACH ME (A New York Times bestseller and winner of the Newbery Medal and the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award
for Fiction); LIAR & SPY (Winner of the Guardian Prize for Children's
Fiction and a New York Times Book Review Notable Book for Children); FIRST
LIGHT (a Junior Library Guild Selection and a New York Public Library Best Book
for Teens); GOODBYE STRANGER (A New York Times Bestseller and New York Times
Book Review Notable Book for Children); and, most recently, BOB (co-written by
Wendy Mass). Rebecca lives in New York City with her family.
Giveaway Details:
Three lucky winners will receive a finished
copy of the THE LIST OF THINGS THAT WILL NOT CHANGE, US Only.
Tour Schedule:
Week One:
3/30/2020
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Excerpt
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3/31/2020
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Excerpt
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4/1/2020
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Excerpt
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4/2/2020
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Review
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4/3/2020
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Review
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Week Two:
4/6/2020
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Excerpt
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4/7/2020
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Review
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4/8/2020
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Spotlight
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4/9/2020
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Excerpt
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4/10/2020
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Review
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Week Three:
4/13/2020
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Review
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4/14/2020
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Review
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4/15/2020
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Review
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4/16/2020
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Review
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4/17/2020
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Review
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Week Four:
4/20/2020
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Review
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4/21/2020
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Review
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4/22/2020
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Review
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4/23/2020
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Review
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4/24/2020
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Review
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0 Comments
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