This stunning debut novel about grief and wonder was an instant New York Times bestseller and captured widespread critical acclaim, including selection as a 2015 National Book Award finalist After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy is convinced that the true cause of the tragedy must have been a rare jellyfish sting–things don’t just happen for no reason. Retreating into a … Retreating into a silent world of imagination, she crafts a plan to prove her theory–even if it means traveling the globe, alone. Suzy’s achingly heartfelt journey explores life, death, the astonishing wonder of the universe…and the potential for love and hope right next door.
Oddlot Entertainment has acquired the screen rights to The Thing About Jellyfish, with Gigi Pritzker set to produce with Bruna Papandrea and Reese Witherspoon.
more
Jellyfish are fascinating and mysterious creatures. Whenever I see them washed up on the beach or encounter them in the ocean or gawk at them through glass at the aquarium, I am intrigued, but mostly afraid. The idea that something so delicate can be so dangerous is one of the perplexities of nature. I loved this book. I loved twelve-year old Suzy. I loved her innocence and her flaws. I loved how the author came to write this book–from a failure. Sometimes the best things come from adversity and disappointment, and this heartfelt book illustrates that beautifully.
It was a wonderful book. It is sad but has a nice ending. I love it!!!
I absolutely love this book. It’s about a girl called Suzanne and her best friend dies from drowning. Suzanne starts getting memories about them. How they started best friends, and soon Franny (the friend) gets more popular and ditches Suzanne. Suzanne starts to think that Franny got by a Irukandji jelly. She’s get’s depressed and stops talking to anyone. Even her family. Suzy wants to see an expert on the Irukandji jelly to know what really happened, and tries to catch a flight to Australia. All the way around the world…
It was a good book to read on a lazy Saturday.
This is a great book please read it!
I don’t read a lot of Middle Grade, but this book may be my favorite book of the year regardless of age range. The prose is lyrical and engaging. The characters feel complex, even those with minor roles. And the plot is surprising and unexpected.
When Suzy’s best friend dies from drowning, she embarks on a quest to discover a better reason than “sometimes things just happen.”
Retreating into her silent world (she chooses not to speak), Suzy tries to apply scientific methodology to understanding one of the biggest questions of human existence, why do we die.
Thoughtful, charming, funny, poignant, all these words and more can be used to describe this heartfelt tale of adolescence.
I read this a few years back when I was younger and truly loved how the book was so emotional. You could relate and see yourself in the main character in many ways. I loved that. It was such a good book, I love many quotes in it, and there are just so many good things I can say about it, I definitely recommend.
Middle school. That time when you seem to be the only one that doesn’t have it all together; when in reality, neither does anyone else.
I liked the role that Mrs. Thurton, the science teacher, played in the story. She represents the fact that a teacher can play such an important role in a student’s life, teaching them about things inside and outside the classroom.
I loved this book so much
I adore this novel, so much so that when I finished it, I immediately began reading it again. It’s smart, funny, and original. I learned a great deal about jellyfish–not a subject I’d thought much about, but absolutely fascinating. I adore the author’s ability to blend humor, pathos, and science in this contemporary story of loss and middle-grade girl politics.
As a parent, I look forward to reading this novel to my 11-year old, especially as she moves into sixth grade and the age of the protagonist. I think we’ll find many, many talking points within this story.
What an incredibly emotional read! I think this should be encouraged reading in Middle School, there’s so much that can be taken away from it.
This book, told from the POV of a 12 year old 7th grader, sheds light on many of the issues that I remember from my own 7th grade experience and that I know from my own kids’ stories, still goes on today. The story explores bullying, the drifting apart of friends after leaving elementary school, opening one’s self up to making new friends, and death…which I hope that most middle school kids don’t have to deal with, but two of my three children unfortunately have. It’s poignant and touching and scary and emotional and I found myself crying off and on throughout the whole book. It also touched an adult feeling I think we have all had at one point or another…the longing to go back to a time when things were more simple, when people took care of us instead of the other way around, when we could be carefree. I can’t say much more without ruining the story for others, so I’ll just say if you are a fan of realistic fiction, of works exploring difficult subjects, or of emotional reading, this is the book for you…no matter your age.