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Reading age
14-18
Genre
Realistic fiction
Publisher
Feiwel & Friends
Publication date
March 18, 2025
Penelope must confront the ghosts of her past to address her mother’s opioid addiction.
Penelope Ross, now 16, was celebrating her birthday at an amusement park with her friends when she received a text from her mother asking for help. This unexpected message compelled her to confront a troubling situation. In that moment, Penelope must face her past to discover the strength within herself and attempt to rescue her mother from her opioid addiction. How will this unfold?
This book presents a beautifully intricate tapestry that masterfully blurs the boundaries between past and present. It navigates seamlessly between prose and verse, creating a rhythm that captures the reader’s attention. Some passages are steeped in raw emotion, evoking deep sadness that renders the narrative utterly unputdownable.
Penelope emerges as a profoundly layered character, and my heart ached for the burdens she bore—especially in the shadow of her mother’s addiction and how her mother was neglecting her. Her mother, a figure swirling in complexity, oscillates between moments of tender affection and disorienting detachment, revealing the struggle between love and alienation.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who needs a reminder that they can shine as a beacon of hope for those who are lost and in need.
My rating
About the Author
Adina King is veteran English teacher from Maine. Aside from teaching high school and middle school, she has worked in book stores, played roller derby, and dabbled in dogsledding. She received her MFA in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, where she studied with A.M. Jenkins, A.S. King, Shelley Tanaka, and Martha Brockenbrough. When she isn’t writing or covered in dirt from Olympic yard work, her natural habitat includes one or more of the following: roller skates, dogs, mountains, chickadees, music, and really excellent food.
