Description
Ruthie is finally getting used to the new normal: her parents' divorce, having a stepdad and (annoying) stepbrothers and trying not to think too much about before.
When her mom starts feeling sick, Ruthie’s relieved it’s nothing serious…until her mom tells her she’s pregnant again. Their family suffered a loss three years ago and it was devastating. How could her mom risk that again?
At least Ruthie has her best friend and her dog to help comfort her, as well as her favorite book series that always cheers her up: The Unicorns of Faravelle Forest. When Ruthie unexpectedly meets Ally, an older woman in the park where she takes her dog to play, she learns Ally is grieving a loss too, and the two develop an unlikely friendship. Though the journey is never smooth, Ruthie eventually realizes there’s comfort to be found in expressing your feelings and cherishing the memory of those you've loved.
The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.
Praise for Joanne Levy:
★ "A heartfelt and expertly written tale of loss, family, and friendship that will have readers blinking back their tears...Beautiful and sincere."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review for Sorry for Your Loss
Author Bio
Joanne Levy is the award-winning author of a number of books for young people, including Double Trouble, Fish Out of Water and The Book of Elsie in the Orca Currents line and the middle-grade novels The Sun Will Come Out, Small Medium At Large and Sorry For Your Loss, which was nominated for the Governor General’s Literary Award and won the Canadian Jewish Literature Award. She lives in Clinton, Ontario.
Prizes
- Junior Library Guild (JLG) Gold Standard SelectionCommended 2025
Review Quotes
“Emotionally raw and well worth reading.”
— Kirkus Reviews“Levy deftly tackles topic surrounding grief, mental health, and pregnancy via Ruthie’s comforting, emotionally vulnerable first-person narration, resulting in an encouraging exploration of loss and healing.”
— Publishers Weekly“As a novel about living with grief, this is a how-to study that even adult carers should read attentively. Levy’s book transcends the run-of-the-mill issues-based story because of its commitment to dog-lovers, unicorn-lovers, and the joys of intergenerational friendship.”
— School Library Journal (SLJ)“Levy does not shy away from difficult topics like grief and stillbirth but approaches them with age-appropriate honesty and a strong sense of hope. Ruthie’s journey highlights the importance of allowing children to explore grief, fear, and uncertainty through literature. Highly recommended for public libraries as well as school and Jewish community libraries.”
— Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL)Biographical note
Joanne Levy is the author of a number of books for young people, including The Sun Will Come Out, Bird Brain, Let It Glow (co-written with Marissa Meyer) and the award-winning Sorry For Your Loss, which was nominated for the Governor General’s Literary Award and won the Canadian Jewish Literature Award. She lives in Clinton, Ontario, with her husband and a small menagerie of furred and feathered freeloaders.
