September 16, 2025 by Orca Book Publishers
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
**Spoilers**
Ruth loves hanging out with her best friend, Jenna, and her golden retriever, Izzy, playing a game based on their favorite book series, The Unicorns of Faravelle Forest. It's a welcome break from the stress of being at home with her new stepfather (StepBrad) and his teenage sons Christopher and Matthew. Her mother, who is a public health nurse, has been ill, and Ruth fears that she might have cancer. It's even worse when her mother informs her that she is going to have a baby. Three years previously, her mother lost a baby, and Ruth thinks that led to her parents divorce. She visits her brother's grave, and runs into an older woman she and Jenna refer to as Gertabeth, after one of the characters in their novels. Ruth is worried about her mother's health, and is afraid that her family will forget about her brother, especially since they are talking about renovations to the house that might remove the one scrap of rainbow wallpaper from his nursery, which is now Ruth's room. When in the park, Ruth finds a notebook that belongs to Gertabeth, takes it home, and reads it. It's notes on a murder, so she and Jenna take it to the police. It turns out to be notes for a book, and "Gertabeth" turns out to be Ally, the author of Ruth's favorite series. Not only that, but Ally is one of her grandmother's best friends. Ally is a sympathetic ear for Ruth's concerns about her mother's pregnancy, and Ruth finds out that the reason that an eighth book in the series has been delayed is that Ally's husband and coauthor has died and Ally is struggling with his loss. Ruth is seeing a therapist, Dr. Singh, and has a journal where she writes down her feelings, but still often feels like she is wearing a "sadness hoodie" that she can't take off. Things only get worse when (highlight for spoiler) Izzy has a seizure and dies. Ruth finally talks to her mother about all of her concerns with the pregnancy, and Ally starts writing and tells Ruth that the new book will be called The Broken Rainbow. We do see an epilogue with a happy ending, where Ruth and her new sister Iris are at the book launch for Ally's new title.
Ruth loves hanging out with her best friend, Jenna, and her golden retriever, Izzy, playing a game based on their favorite book series, The Unicorns of Faravelle Forest. It's a welcome break from the stress of being at home with her new stepfather (StepBrad) and his teenage sons Christopher and Matthew. Her mother, who is a public health nurse, has been ill, and Ruth fears that she might have cancer. It's even worse when her mother informs her that she is going to have a baby. Three years previously, her mother lost a baby, and Ruth thinks that led to her parents divorce. She visits her brother's grave, and runs into an older woman she and Jenna refer to as Gertabeth, after one of the characters in their novels. Ruth is worried about her mother's health, and is afraid that her family will forget about her brother, especially since they are talking about renovations to the house that might remove the one scrap of rainbow wallpaper from his nursery, which is now Ruth's room. When in the park, Ruth finds a notebook that belongs to Gertabeth, takes it home, and reads it. It's notes on a murder, so she and Jenna take it to the police. It turns out to be notes for a book, and "Gertabeth" turns out to be Ally, the author of Ruth's favorite series. Not only that, but Ally is one of her grandmother's best friends. Ally is a sympathetic ear for Ruth's concerns about her mother's pregnancy, and Ruth finds out that the reason that an eighth book in the series has been delayed is that Ally's husband and coauthor has died and Ally is struggling with his loss. Ruth is seeing a therapist, Dr. Singh, and has a journal where she writes down her feelings, but still often feels like she is wearing a "sadness hoodie" that she can't take off. Things only get worse when (highlight for spoiler) Izzy has a seizure and dies. Ruth finally talks to her mother about all of her concerns with the pregnancy, and Ally starts writing and tells Ruth that the new book will be called The Broken Rainbow. We do see an epilogue with a happy ending, where Ruth and her new sister Iris are at the book launch for Ally's new title.
Strengths: It's always fun to see fictional book series play a large role in children's lives, and how cool is it that Ruth's favorite author is one of her grandmother's best friends? I love that Ruth didn't believe that the autographed copy her grandmother gave her was really signed by the author. The depiction of a blended family is good to see; there are a lot of my students who are working through issues with new family dynamics, and it's not portrayed as widely as one would think. Everyone gets along, but there are some issues to work through. It was also a positive inclusion to have Ruth in therapy for her loss of a sibling, and since her parents divorced. Ruth has supportive people in her life, and just needs to remember to let them know when she needs help.
Weaknesses: I loved Levy's more upbeat Let It Glow (written with Marissa Meyer), with its positive portrayal of senior citizens, but this is rather a "sadness hoodie" of a book. It is also a bit young for middle school; fourth grade is about the end of the age range for playing imaginative games, sadly.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like to read about family drama in books like Faruqi's Unsettled and Hitchcock's Flying Over Water.
Weaknesses: I loved Levy's more upbeat Let It Glow (written with Marissa Meyer), with its positive portrayal of senior citizens, but this is rather a "sadness hoodie" of a book. It is also a bit young for middle school; fourth grade is about the end of the age range for playing imaginative games, sadly.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like to read about family drama in books like Faruqi's Unsettled and Hitchcock's Flying Over Water.
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