Thanks a Lot, Universe

Starred review from July 1, 2021

Gr 5-8-Author Lucas scores big with this debut. Readers follow Brian, who is white, and Ezra, who is Trinidadian and Polish, during the last weeks of seventh grade. Brian's family fractures when his father leaves in an attempt to avoid legal repercussions at his job and his mother attempts suicide. As Brian and his little brother find themselves in foster care, Brian's existing anxiety becomes overwhelming. Meanwhile, Ezra navigates rapidly changing friendships and struggles to share his sexuality with folks important to him. As the boys' bond grows, they truly see and uplift each other, illustrating the importance of honest friendships. Lucas's prose is funny and deeply empathetic, respecting readers' ability to handle heavy topics but lightened with frequent laugh-out-loud moments. The diverse cast of characters demonstrates the complexity of friendship and navigating difficult conversations. While similar real-world experiences are likely to be bumpier than portrayed here, the book's hope and positivity are infectious. Readers can learn a great deal from these characters. VERDICT Painfully real and radiantly hopeful, this is a recommended first purchase. Perfect for the transition from middle grade to young adult literature, this title would be at home in both collections, and certainly on middle school shelves.-Taylor Worley, Springfield P.L., OR

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from April 15, 2021
Two boys in Halifax, Nova Scotia, grow close as they encounter adolescent struggles and life changes. Chronic overthinker Brian already faces severe social anxiety and isolation from his peers when his 13th birthday starts off about as badly as a birthday can go: His father leaves home, possibly on the run from the police, and his mother attempts suicide in response. Now, left with the responsibility of caring for his younger brother, Richie, and juggling the massive life changes that come in the aftermath, Brian can't quite keep it all together. Thankfully, he isn't completely alone: Ezra, an open-hearted fellow member of their school's basketball team, feels a kinship (and possibly more) with quiet and elusive Brian. Together, the two boys offer support for one another as they come of age and try to find their best selves amid the turbulent times of seventh grade. Featuring snappy dialogue from earnest tween voices, skillful prose guides this engrossing story from start to finish. The themes and social commentary found here are gentle and organic--never heavy-handed--and the plot's antagonists are far from two-dimensional, expertly reflecting real-life human complexity for a middle-grade audience. Ezra is of Trinidadian and Polish descent, Brian is implied White, and the supporting characters have a broad range of racial backgrounds. Tenderhearted and bold. (Fiction. 10-13)

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