The Girl with More Than One Heart by Laura Geringer Bass
Published by Harry N. Abrams on April 17th 2018
ISBN: 1419728822
Pages: 288
Goodreads

This is a beautiful homage to grief. Briana always had a special bond with her father because her younger autistic brother Aaron required extra attention from their mother. When her father dies suddenly from a cardiac event, Briana must take up her father’s role to care for the family because (as Briana’s friends describe it) her mother goes a little crazy. Their mother is unable to do much but sleep and occasionally bake cookies. When she ventures out, she often wears her slippers and appears unkempt. With the help of Grandpa Ben, Briana takes Aaron to school and picks him up in the afternoon. Just after her father’s funeral, Briana discovers she has a second heart — her father’s heart — in her belly. This second heart talks to her, reminisces with her, and even sings to her with her father’s voice. With the help of her second heart, she learns to live with her grief while navigating middle school, changing friendships, and first love. This is a beautiful and touching book that will stay with the reader long after they finish it.

Recommended for Cream of the Crop

Reviewed by Karen Sandlin Silverman, Mt. Ararat Middle School, Topsham