  | Gut reaction Author: Larson, Kirby | |
| Price: $23.28 | ||
Summary:
Tess Medina is dealing with the loss of her beloved father, a new school, and the troubling fact that the thing she enjoys most in life, baking, seems to be making her increasingly ill--something she is trying to hide from everybody.
| Added Entry - Personal Name: | Wyatt, Quinn |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (02/01/24)
School Library Journal (+) (06/28/24)
Booklist (03/01/24)
The Hornbook (00/05/24)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 06/28/2024 Gr 3–7—Debut author Wyatt joins her mom, award-winning author Kirby Lawson, to present the story of Tess Medina as she navigates life with a chronic illness. Tess, who has recently started eighth grade at a new school, is still grieving the death of her father, who owned a bakery. A talented and committed baker herself, Tess wants to follow in father's footsteps. After initially struggling, Tess makes new friends, who are a tad quirky, as she is. When she starts having extreme gastrointestinal issues (she describes it as a woodpecker pecking at her gut, or 'The Knife'), she hides what is happening from her friends and her mom. After all, explosive diarrhea is nothing teenagers feel like sharing. Tess wants desperately to compete in a national bakeoff, but she lacks funds, and worries about her stomach issues getting in the way. After she passes out at school, Tess is diagnosed with Crohn's Disease, which makes her feel like a freak. She continues trying to push people away until her secrets become too big to hide, but she finds community and support in the process. Fast-paced and adept at finding humor in decidedly unfunny situations, this novel will pull readers into Tess's journey and emotions. Wyatt herself is a Crohn's sufferer and wrote this book with her mom to bring awareness to the disease. In their author's note they describe their memories of Wyatt's teenage years trying to get diagnosed, and her how her life was affected. VERDICT A moving and important tale of friendship, family, and learning to accept living with a chronic disease. Highly recommended for young fiction collections.—Michele Shaw - Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
School Library Journal - 06/28/2024 Gr 3–7—Debut author Wyatt joins her mom, award-winning author Kirby Lawson, to present the story of Tess Medina as she navigates life with a chronic illness. Tess, who has recently started eighth grade at a new school, is still grieving the death of her father, who owned a bakery. A talented and committed baker herself, Tess wants to follow in father's footsteps. After initially struggling, Tess makes new friends, who are a tad quirky, as she is. When she starts having extreme gastrointestinal issues (she describes it as a woodpecker pecking at her gut, or 'The Knife'), she hides what is happening from her friends and her mom. After all, explosive diarrhea is nothing teenagers feel like sharing. Tess wants desperately to compete in a national bakeoff, but she lacks funds, and worries about her stomach issues getting in the way. After she passes out at school, Tess is diagnosed with Crohn's Disease, which makes her feel like a freak. She continues trying to push people away until her secrets become too big to hide, but she finds community and support in the process. Fast-paced and adept at finding humor in decidedly unfunny situations, this novel will pull readers into Tess's journey and emotions. Wyatt herself is a Crohn's sufferer and wrote this book with her mom to bring awareness to the disease. In their author's note they describe their memories of Wyatt's teenage years trying to get diagnosed, and her how her life was affected. VERDICT A moving and important tale of friendship, family, and learning to accept living with a chronic disease. Highly recommended for young fiction collections.—Michele Shaw - Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
