The List of Things That Will Not Change
by Rebecca Stead
Juvenile Fiction
Realistic Fiction
* * * * Stars (Great!)
Bea’s biological parents are divorced, but she’s accustomed to going between their two households and following a schedule that allows her to spend time with both of them. She keeps a list in her notebook of the “Things That Will Not Change,” and one of them is that her parents still love her and still love each other (but in a different way). Bea’s dad is gay, which isn’t a problem for Bea and her mom, but is for a lot of other people. Their reactions vary from just not understanding to outright repudiation. Bea has to endure a lot of teasing and bullying from friends and family who don’t get it. She’s super excited, though, when her dad announces that he and his partner, Jesse, are going to get married. Not only are two people she loves getting hitched, but she’s also getting a sister (Jesse’s biological daughter!) her own age (that’s something she never thought she would have). Both girls are dealing with feelings about their dads and families, and Bea shares a lot of her own worries and fears as narrator. Excellent. Readers will be able to relate to Bea’s concerns and feelings.
Reviewed by YA Librarian
