Words We Don't Say

Joel Higgins has 901 unsent text messages saved on his phone.Ever since the thing that happened, there are certain people he hasn't been able to talk to in person. Sure, he shows up at school, does his mandatory volunteer hours at the soup kitchen, and spends pretty much every moment thinking about Eli, the most amazing girl in the world. But that doesn't mean he's keeping it together, or even that he has any friends.So instead of hanging out with people in real life, he drafts text messages. But he never presses send.As dismal as sophomore year was for Joel, he doesn't see how junior year will be any better. For starters, Eli doesn't know how he feels about her, his best friend Andy's gone, and he basically bombed the SATs. But as Joel spends more time at the soup kitchen with Eli and Benj, the new kid whose mouth seems to be unconnected to his brain, he forms bonds with the people they serve there--including a veteran they call Rooster--and begins to understand that the world is bigger than his own pain.In this dazzling, hilarious, and heartbreaking debut, Joel grapples with the aftermath of a tragic loss as he tries to make sense of the problems he's sees all around him with the help of banned books, Winnie-the-Pooh, a field of asparagus, and many pairs of socks.

Author: K. J. Reilly
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: 10/02/2018
Pages: 288
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.00lbs
Size: 8.30h x 5.60w x 1.00d
ISBN: 9781368016339
Audience: Young Adult

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 6.1
Point Value: 10
Interest Level: Upper Grade
Quiz #/Name: 510625 / Words We Don't Say


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 07/15/2018
Publishers Weekly 09/17/2018
School Library Journal 10/01/2018 pg. 78
Voice of Youth Advocates 10/01/2018 - Recommended - Hard To Beat
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 11/01/2018

About the Author
K. J. Reilly graduated from Boston University with a B.A. in psychology, then headed to New York City to work in the marketing research departments of several of the largest advertising agencies in the world. She loves reading, writing, dogs, sailboats, children of all shapes and sizes, and growing her own food. Words We Don't Say is her debut young adult novel. Learn more at kjreillyauthor.com.