What Happens Next

In
this heartfelt and accessible middle grade novel perfect for fans of The Thing About Jellyfish, a young girl
throws herself into solving a local mystery to keep from missing her older
sister, who has been sent to an eating disorder treatment facility.

Astronomy-obsessed Abby McCourt should be thrilled about the
solar eclipse her small town of Moose Junction is about to witness, but she’s
not. After her older sister Blair was sent away for an eating disorder, Abby
has been in a funk.

Desperate to dull the pain her sister’s absence has left,
she teams up with a visiting astronomer to help track down
his long-lost telescope. Though this is supposed to take Abby’s mind off the distance
between her and Blair, what she finds may bring her closer to her sister than
she ever thought possible.

Fun and Entertaining Summer Listen

I loved the actress who performed this book- she really brought the characters to life and made listening a really fun experience. I also loved the story. I’m 28 but it was still fun to listen to this middle grade novel. I’m moving currently and listened to this while driving back and forth. It was especially fun for long drives in the car!

Potentially bad message

Abby’s on the outs with her friends, her oldest sister Blair is at a treatment center for anorexia and her middle sister Jade is mean. Then a famous astronomy professor asks for help only Abby can give and suddenly her summer starts getting exciting.

Little girl, can you help me find my lost puppy said the pedophile to the child which actually happened to a girl in my school. We teach kids not to fall for such a lure by saying grownups ask other grownups when they need help. The professor is just a sad, lonely old man, not a predator, but a chill went up my spine when he sought Abby’s help under the guise that only she can help him. If not for what I consider an irresponsible premise that only Abby could help a famous astronomer, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT would be a five star book.

Abby is a great narrator. Bright, inquisitive and genuine she’ll make readers laugh and break their hearts. The trauma of mental illness on siblings, their bonds, friendship drama, the excitement of a once in a lifetime eclipse, small town charm and a time capsule make for an exciting story. Though I wasn’t a fan of the alternating time line, telling the story of Blair’s anorexia backward, Claire Swinarski is a writer I’ll watch.

I’m hesitant to recommend WHAT HAPPENS NEXT because of the professor needing Abby and only Abby’s help. The incident in my school happened to a teenager and I can see how a person with nefarious intentions could use that to prey on vulnerable kids in a way they wouldn’t realize.