Very in Pieces

Gr 9 Up—Very Sales-Woodruff is the versatile, down-to-earth good girl. Being clever, in control, and predictable allows her to be the glue that holds everything and everyone together—including her artistic family. However, Very is preoccupied with her grandmother's dying, her mother's alcoholism, and her sister's precarious behavior. After she learns that her grandmother was a famous local poet, Very starts to reconsider her last year of high school. Should she stay on the "right" path or stray and find her heart's true desires? The novel begins slowly, with an even pace throughout and a strong ending. Frazer guides readers through the complexities of family life and roles, choosing between individual needs and selflessness. Readers who admire poetry will enjoy how some passages refer to poetry. Fans of Jandy Nelson's I'll Give You the Sun (2010) and The Sky Is Everywhere (2014, both Dial) will appreciate the realistic, authentic, and lyrical teen voice that this novel has to offer.