There Is No Map for This

Gr 9 Up–In a great example of teen fiction written to help deal with loss and finding oneself in the aftermath, Birdseye weaves a painfully accurate depiction of this experience. Ren Adams is undergoing a series of challenges designed by his brother Levi and his brother’s girlfriend Ellie to help him “man up.” These physical adventures are meant to push them all but especially Ren, so he can see what he is capable of. When one such adventure ends with the loss of Levi, both Ren and Ellie must find a way to deal with the grief and grapple with what they could have done differently to change the outcome. Readers see that this tragedy brings Ren and Ellie together as they navigate this grief, and while initially it’s comforting to both, it becomes clear they each need to find their own way. While Birdseye might lean into some common tropes, such as tragedy binding two people together, he puts a fresh spin on it that leaves readers more satisfied than the traditional ending one might expect.