My Box-Shaped Heart by Rachael Lucas
Published by Feiwel & Friends on August 20th 2019
ISBN: 125013000X
Pages: 224
Goodreads

Holly and Ed have a chance meeting at the pool and are instantly drawn together.  What they don’t know is that they are both struggling with trauma in their lives.  Holly’s mom is a hoarder and recently injured herself, so Holly is playing the parent role while taking care of her.  Ed’s secretive about his past, but he and his mom are in hiding from his abusive father. They both go to the pool to escape, and in the end, find each other.  This story is just okay. It doesn’t showcase the reality of the hoarding issue at all. In the end, someone comes to clean up the house and her mother just miraculously allows it and is okay.  Teens wanting to read stories that feature trauma and recovery from trauma would be better served reading one of Laurie Halse Anderson’s books. For ages 13 and up.

Reviewed by Kara Reiman, Maine State Library