The Theory of Everything

Description

Just because everyone else thinks you should be over your trauma and grief, doesn't mean you are. Last year, Sarah's best friend Jamie died in a freak accident. Back then, everyone was sad; now they're ready for Sarah to get over it and move on. But Sarah's not ready to move on. She can't stop reliving what happened, struggling with guilt, questioning the meaning of life, and missing her best friend. Life just seems random- no pattern, no meaning, no rules-and no reason to bother. In a last-ditch effort to pull it together, Sarah befriends Jamie's twin brother Emmett, who may be the only other person who understands what she's lost. And when she gets a job working for the local eccentric who owns a Christmas tree farm, she finally begins to understand the threads that connect us all, the benefit of giving people a chance, and the power of love. Critically-acclaimed author J. J. Johnson offers a powerful look at the later stages of grief when the rest of the world has seemingly moved on.

J. J. Johnson graduated from Binghamton University and worked an internship coordinator for programs such as The Learning Web and Youth Advocacy. She earned a Master of Education from Harvard University, with a concentration in Adolescent Risk and Prevention. Johnson lives in North Carolina.

"Readers will easily relate to Sarah's use of cynicism as a defense mechanism- her sharp-witted voice sets the tone for a story that's truly tragicomic."-Publishers Weekly, Starred Review "The doodle-illustrated pages with Sarah's theories about everything. . . along with Sarah's nearly constant snarkiness, make this a story with which most teens can identify, even if they have not lost a close friend."-School Library Journal "Sarah's snappy yet pithy observations will appeal to teens working on their own theories about life."-Kirkus Reviews