The Key to Every Thing by Pat Schmatz
Published by Candlewick Press on May 8th 2018
ISBN: 0763695661
Pages: 208
Goodreads

Eleven-year-old Tash lives with her Uncle Kevin and struggles to manage her anxiety and emotions after experiencing neglect while she lived with her dad, who had an alcohol use disorder. Angry with Kevin for sending her to summer camp while he is away on a trip, Tash lashes out at him and at her beloved elderly neighbor and friend, Cap’n Jackie, who has also had a hand in raising her. The first section of this heart-rending middle grade realistic fiction novel is told in letters to and from Tash, Kevin and Cap’n Jackie and the second half begins when she returns home and finds that the Cap’n, who has agoraphobia, is missing. What unfolds is a poignant portrayal of change and grief, made real by the details of these imperfect but carefully realized characters’ lives, which have often strained at the cultural boundaries imposed on them in terms of gender expression and sexuality. Firmly rooted in Tash’s experience of her relationships, this is a powerful and bittersweet tale of loss, growth and the power of choosing one’s own family, which will appeal to 4th through 6th graders who like contemporary fiction.

Reviewed by Brooke Faulkner, McArthur Public Library, Biddeford