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WORK TITLE: The Science of Breakable Things
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.taekeller.com/
CITY: New York
STATE: NY
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
LC control no.: n 2017033652
Descriptive conventions:
rda
Personal name heading:
Keller, Tae
Found in: The science of breakable things, 2018: ECIP title page (Tae
Keller)
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Library of Congress
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Questions? Contact: ils@loc.gov
PERSONAL
Female.
EDUCATION:Bryn Mawr College, B.A.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Worked in publishing at Writers House and Penguin; Jabberwocky Literary Agency.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Growing up in Honolulu, Hawaii, Tae Keller has always loved writing. She earned a degree in English and creative writing at Bryn Mawr College and has worked in publishing at Writers House, Penguin, and Jabberwocky Literary Agency. She writes fiction about biracial girls for a young adult audience.
In 2018 Keller published her debut novel, The Science of Breakable Things. Seventh grader Natalie Napoli loves science and is eager to enter her school’s egg drop competition. If she wins, she wants to use the prize money to help her mother, who is suffering from depression and stays in her bedroom for days at a time. Natalie will use the money to take her mother, a botanist, to New Mexico to see the Cobalt Blue Orchids that survive in a toxic chemical spill. Her mother has been studying the orchids, and the trip may help her open up and talk about her depression. In the egg drop competition, Natalie, who believes that the scientific method can be used to solve problems, is helped by friends Twig and Dari.
Keller thoughtfully draws attention to Natalie’s Korean heritage and the impact of depression, according to a Publishers Weekly reviewer, who added that Natalie’s relationship with her mother and her “friendships with Twig and Dari are the heart of the book, but science is its soul.” In an interview with Jennifer Barnes in Booklist, Keller described her use of science in the book: “I’ve always loved science, and I was excited to write a book about it. … I studied a few seventh-grade science textbooks and talked to teachers to make sure I was getting the classroom science right!” Keller also discussed with Barnes why she wrote the book in the form of Natalie’s science experiment journal: “Part of the reason I structured the novel as a middle-school science notebook is because homework is such an essential part of kids’ lives. … I want readers to know that they can use their schoolwork as a space to learn and grow.”
“Keller’s layered, accessible story offers beautifully crafted metaphors, a theme of mending old friendships … and an empowering teacher,” noted Jennifer Barnes in Booklist, who said the book would appeal to fans of The Thing about Jellyfish. A Kirkus Reviews writer commented: “A compassionate glimpse of mental illness accessible to a broad audience.” In School Library Journal, Patricia Periano called the book “An emotional story that explores parental depression with realism and empathy.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, December 15, 2017, Jennifer Barnes, review of The Science of Breakable Things, p. 98; April 1, 2018, Jennifer Barns, “Talking with Tae Keller,” author interview, p. S38.
Kirkus Reviews, December 15, 2017, review of The Science of Breakable Things.
Publishers Weekly, January 8, 2018, review of The Science of Breakable Things, p. 65.
School Library Journal, January 2018, Patricia Periano, review of The Science of Breakable Things, p, 74.
ONLINE
BookPage Online, https://bookpage.com/ (March 13, 2018), Deborah Hopkinson, review of The Science of Breakable Things.
Tae Keller Website, http://www.taekeller.com (July 8, 2018).
Get to Know Natalie from Tae Keller’s ‘The Science of Breakable Things’
The Children’s Book Review | March 22, 2018
A heart-to-heart with Natalie from Tae Keller’s The Science of Breakable Things—an emotionally-charged new classic about the science of hope, love, and miracles!
The Children’s Book Review: What gets you out of bed in the morning?
Natalie: I wish you hadn’t asked that. I mean, no offense. I know it’s not your fault. It’s just…well, that’s kind of a touchy question in my family right now. My mom’s been having a hard time getting out of bed some days. She’s sick, or something, but it’s been hard. I’m trying to be understanding but I also don’t get it and I just want to drag her out of bed and…sorry, I got sidetracked.
That’s ok. I’m sorry your mom is having a hard time. I see you have a bag with you. Will you tell us what you keep inside of it?
Ugh, mostly homework. Pretty boring stuff. And my science notebook that Mr. Neely’s making us write in every day. I’m pretty sure I’m doing the assignments wrong, but don’t tell anyone.
Are you hungry right now? Can we fix you anything to eat? Maybe we could make you your favorite dish?
Let’s make dukk. It’s a chewy Korean treat. I can teach you how to make it.
I’d love that! Let’s make it when we’re done chatting.
Do you like to read?
Yeah, of course. Did you know my mom wrote a book? It’s a science book, about this really cool flower that’s kinda magical. She’s a botanist. Well, she was, at least. Before she got sick.
I did’t know that. It’s sounds lovely.
Do you have a favorite song?
Really anything Bon Jovi. Which I know is weird because he’s, like, super old. But my parents love him, and anytime they play his songs we all start dancing. It’s embarrassing, but fun, too.
Bon Jovi’s great! Dancing is great, too.
Are you a rule follower or rule breaker?
I’m a rule follower. Well, except that some rules need breaking.
When was the last time you felt embarrassed?
I feel embarrassed all the time. I hate that. I wish I could be more like my best friend Twig. She does embarrassing stuff all the time, but is never embarrassed.
If you weren’t answering the questions in this interview right now, what would you be doing?
I’m going over to Twig’s house after this. She just got this brand new board game about space koalas, and she’s dying to play it.
Do you have any secrets you would like to share with us before you go?
All I can say is that I’m really hoping for something. And hoping is kinda scary.
—
The SCience of Breakable ThingsThe Science of Breakable Things
Written by Tae Keller
Publisher’s Synopsis: An emotionally-charged new classic about the science of hope, love, and miracles! Natalie’s uplifting story of using the scientific process to “save” her mother from depression is sure to take root in readers’ hearts!
How do you grow a miracle?
For the record, this is not the question Mr. Neely is looking for when he says everyone in class must answer an important question using the scientific process. But Natalie’s botanist mother is suffering from depression, so this is The Question that’s important to Natalie. When Mr. Neely suggests that she enter an egg drop competition, Natalie has hope.
Eggs are breakable. Hope is not.
Natalie has a secret plan for the prize money. She’s going to fly her mother to see the Cobalt Blue Orchids–flowers that survive against impossible odds. The magical flowers are sure to inspire her mother to love life again. As Natalie prepares for the competition, she will discover that talking about problems is like taking a plant out of a dark cupboard and giving it light.
An extraordinary debut about the coming-of-age moment when kids realize that parents are people, too. Think THE FOURTEENTH GOLDFISH meets THE THING ABOUT JELLYFISH.
Ages 8-12 | Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers | 2018 | ISBN-13: 978-1524715663
Available Here:
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About the Author
Tae Keller
TAE KELLER grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii, where she wrote stories, ate spam musubis, and participated in her school’s egg drop competition. (She did not win.) After graduating from Bryn Mawr College, she moved to New York City to work in publishing, and now has a very stubborn Yorkie and a multitude of books as roommates. Visit her at TaeKeller.com, follow her on Twitter at @TaeKeller, and be sure to join her newsletter bit.ly/taekellernews.
This interview with Natalie, a character in Tae Keller’s The Science of Breakable Things, was conducted between Tae Keller and Bianca Schulze. For similar books and articles, follow along with our content tagged with Coming Of Age, Depression, Hope, Love, and Middle Grade Books.
BIO
Tae Keller grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii, where she danced hula and subsisted on kimchi and spam musubis. After graduating from Bryn Mawr College, she moved to New York city, where she writes about biracial girls trying to find their voices, and lives with a stubborn Yorkie and a multitude of books.
PUBLISHING BACKGROUND
I grew up watching my mom write books, and I’ve loved writing since I was three. When I was in high school, I started writing novels (they were very thinly-veiled rip-offs of The Hunger Games, but I didn’t realize it at the time). I wrote 3.5 novels before The Science of Breakable Things, but I knew they weren’t very good, and I sentenced them to the Hard Drive Abyss without showing anybody. When I wrote The Science of Breakable Things, though, I knew that story was different. I got that feeling. That feeling that, as writers, we wait for and hope for, that magic kind of this-could-be-it feeling. I revised it a couple times before querying, then landed with Sarah a few weeks after sending it out. We revised it together, and I got a book deal with Random House six weeks after going on submission.
EXPERIENCE
I majored in English and Creative Writing in college, and graduated intent on working in publishing. I worked in the industry for two years before writing full-time, with internships at Writers House and Penguin, and a full-time position at Jabberwocky Literary Agency. Because of this, I have industry experience working with agents and editors, giving editorial feedback, and pitching.
Now that I write full-time (hurray! huzzah!) I spend a lot of time CP-ing manuscripts, because I miss digging into stories with other writers and giving editorial advice.
The Science of Breakable Things – An Author Interview with Tae Keller
After discovering The Science of Breakable Things on the Electric Eighteens website, I couldn’t wait to read it. I love books that have a story; one about life, or family, or hope, or friendship. Or in this case, all of the above.
Written as a science lab notebook, with different sections following the different parts of a scientific method, The Science of Breakable Things tells the story of Natalie, a young girl whose mother is suffering from depression. She’s convinced that she can bring her mother back from the dark depths of her bedroom to the mother that she knows and loves, and also misses. When her science teacher introduces her to the idea of an egg drop competition, Natalie enters with a team of her best friend and an unlikely partner. Her plan is to use the prize money to get her hands on a rare flower that has special meaning to her and her mother, and thus showing her mother that her life is worth living.
Tae Keller has an amazing way with words and Natalie’s story is filled with emotion, sadness, and triumph. Tae was kind enough to send us an ARC, and answer some questions about The Science of Breakable Things and herself below.
Three Questions About The Science of Breakable Things
What are three words you would use to describe your book?
Hopeful, honest, and…egg-cellent (…sorry, I can’t resist a bad pun).
You’re characters were so complex and well-developed. Which did you have the idea for first? The characters and their personalities, or the plot of the story?
Thank you! I knew I wanted to format the book as a middle school lab notebook, so I knew the story would revolve around science in some way, but besides that, the characters came first. I always prefer to start with characters because their motivations, fears, and desires determine the plot.
What was the inspiration for your story? Was Natalie’s story based off of your own experiences in life?
When I started writing the story, I had just found out that someone very close to me was suffering from depression. It was such a scary time; I didn’t know how to help or what to do and I wrote the story as a way to process my own fear. Natalie’s situation with her mom was different enough from my own that I could still keep some distance, but close enough that I could work through what I was feeling at the time. I actually wrote more about that process here.
Three Questions About Tae Keller
If you weren’t a writer, what would you be and why?
Even if I weren’t a writer I’d do something with books. I love them and I can’t escape them. I’d like to work in publishing again, or be an English teacher, or a bookseller. A life full of stories is a happy life.
What is one book that you have read that has stuck with you?
HOLES by Louis Sachar! It’s one of my favorite books ever, and it’s brilliantly crafted. I loved it as a child reader, and I love it even more as an adult writer. I still reread it, and every time I do I learn something new about writing.
What is one thing in your refrigerator that tells us about you?
Not so much in my refrigerator as on it, but I love my word magnets. I was in a creative rut a few months ago, feeling completely uninspired, and on a whim, I pulled the magnets off my refrigerator and made a poem out of them. It was such a jolt to my creative system, and it was pure fun. I do this often now and post the little poems on Instagram when I need a break from writing books.
Tae Keller grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii, where she danced hula and subsisted on kimchi and spam musubis. Now, she writes about biracial girls trying to find their voices, and lives in New York City with a stubborn Yorkie and a multitude of books.
Literary Agents
Success Story Interview
An Interview with Tae Keller upon receiving an offer of representation.
09/26/2015
Tae Keller (75_ballet_shoes on QT) has signed with agent Sarah Davies of Greenhouse Literary Agency.
Can you tell us a little bit about the book for which you’ve found representation? What inspired you to write it?
NATALIE NAPOLI’S SCIENTIFIC OBSERVATIONS is a middle grade contemporary about a girl named Natalie, whose mother is suffering from depression. The story is formatted as her science lab book, and she uses her science experiments to cope and understand the world around her.
I’ve known a lot of people who have suffered from depression, and I wanted to write a story that was real and honest, without being overwhelming in its sadness.
How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing since I was three and started a mystery series about my favorite stuffed animal--but I started writing seriously in high school.
How long have you been working on this book?
Two years ago, I wrote a scene about a classroom frog dissection (this ended up being the third chapter). I liked it, but wasn’t quite sure what to do with it, so I set it aside and forgot about it. A few months ago, I found that scene again, and suddenly knew how to use it. From there, the writing and revisions went crazy fast, probably 3 months or so.
Was there ever a time you felt like giving up, and what helped you to stay on course?
With this story, no. But in my writing life, YES. Writing is hard, and can be really lonely. At times it can feel like you’re writing in a vacuum, and you have no idea if what you’re doing is actually any good or not. Whenever I’ve felt like this, the best possible thing for me is to read a great book. This reminds me that, no, I’m not alone in this—there are great writers out there, and I want to learn from them and be part of the conversation. I love stories and storytelling.
Is this your first book?
This is the first book I’ve queried, but it’s not the first book I’ve attempted to write. In high school, I wrote a dystopian novel that was an unsalvageable disaster. Looking back, I had clearly just read The Hunger Games and had written a terrible knock-off. After that, I wrote three more manuscripts. Each one got steadily better, until I finally felt like I was ready.
Do you have any formal writing training?
I’ve had a few excellent writing teachers in high school and college. My mom has also written a couple books, and is now a high school English teacher, so she’s been enormously helpful. I’m very lucky.
Do you follow a writing "routine" or schedule?
Not so much. I try to write everyday, and I try to write in the mornings, but it’s not so strict that I beat myself up if I miss a day.
How many times did you re-write/edit your book?
After the first draft, I did two major revisions on my own. Then I showed it to my partner and my mom (I know, I know! Pretty much every writer will tell you NOT to do this, but they’re great readers), and they both gave excellent feedback, which helped me through another revision. I also have a writer friend who is great with the details. She usually helps me with the sentence level stuff, so I showed it to her last, and did one final revision.
Did you outline your book, or do you write from the hip?
I’ve tried it both ways, with various manuscripts. For this one, I outlined the next few chapters in advance. Once I got to the end of my outline, I’d plot out the next three chapters, and so on. This seemed to work for NATALIE, but I’m not sure if it’ll work for the next book. Every story seems to call for something different.
How long have you been querying for this book? Other books?
This book went FAST. I got my first offer about two weeks after I started querying, which is pure insanity.
About how many query letters did you send out for this book?
Too many. I didn’t do enough research before I started querying, so I didn’t have any strategy. I sent out 50 queries at once, received 20 requests, and 6 offers. I had a great response rate, but it was so overwhelming. I'd recommend starting out with ten agents or so. It’ll be slower, but also much more manageable.
Did you tailor each query to the specific agent, and if so, how?
Not really. If a connection really stood out (I went to the same college as one agent, for example), I added that. But for the most part, no.
What advice would you give other writers seeking agents?
There is some great advice on QueryTracker, as well as on other websites, for how to query, and I HIGHLY suggest reading up before you start. Also, if your budget allows for it, subscriptions to QT and PublishersMarketplace are totally worth it.
Would you be willing to share your query with us?
Sure! I took out the author bio paragraph, but here's the rest:
When Natalie Napoli's hashtag-abusing, Einstein-haired teacher insists science is the key to life, she deems him crazy. After all, how much can magnets and pendulums teach her about the world? But when her mother suddenly stops getting out of bed in the morning and not even Natalie's therapist father can help, Natalie finds herself face to face with the most important science experiment of her life. After hearing about a city-wide egg drop competition with a three hundred dollar prize, Natalie, her best friend, and a few unlikely allies embark on a quest to understand the scientific method, create the perfect egg armor, and win the money that might just save her mother.
Complete at 34,000 words, Natalie Napoli's Scientific Observations is a middle grade contemporary novel, formatted as a middle school lab notebook. The narrative combines diary, diagrams, experiments, and footnotes(1)--and as the story progresses, Natalie uses the scientific method not only to prepare for the egg drop, but also to understand her biracial identity, her evolving friendships, and the mother she no longer seems to know.
(1) In the style of E. Lockhart's Ruby Oliver series
Thank you for your consideration.
Talking with Tae Keller: The debut author discusses STEM, mental health, and representation in middle-grade fiction, while making some truly terrific puns
Jennifer Barnes
Booklist. 114.15 (Apr. 1, 2018): pS38+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Tae Keller is a New Yorker by way of Honolulu and the proud mom of a stubborn Yorkie. Her debut, middle-grade novel, The Science of Breakable Things (2018), garnered a starred review from Booklist. The moving novel chronicles seventh-grader Natalie's attempts to use the scientific method both to win the local egg-drop contest and bring her botanist mother out of depression. Peopled with well-rounded characters young and old, it's a story with appeal for a wide range of readers. It was a pleasure to catch up with this bright new voice in middle-grade and talk STEM, mental health, and the importance for everyone to see themselves in books.
BARNES: The classic egg-drop experiment is a formative memory for so many of us. (Perhaps I had a somewhat twisted sixth-grade teacher, though, because, as I recall, we first had to keep an egg "alive" for a week as part of a parenting unit, followed by the egg drop!) Did you mine your own middle-school memories or was it something you had to experiment on all over again?
KELLER: Oh, that is twisted! We did an egg drop when I was in middle school, but tragically, my egg broke in the first round. Coming up for designs for this book was so fun because not only did I get to play around and experiment again but I also got to explore every wild, impossible idea I had as a kid. Basketballs, balloons, marshmallows--nothing was off-limits.
BARNES: Over the past few years, we've been seeing more middle-grade books exploring mental-health issues. Your depiction of Natalie's mother's struggle with depression felt especially true to life, and yet it never swallows the story. Was it challenging to strike the right balance?
KELLER: A lot of times, when you love somebody who is struggling, it can feel selfish to think about anything else. But of course, life keeps happening. I was really aware of letting Natalie go to school, hang out with her friends, and just be a kid. I wanted to show that it's OK to continue on, to experience life beyond the pain. It's necessary. And that doesn't mean you love the person any less.
BARNES: STEM plays a large role in The Science of Breakable Things, from the structural use of scientific methods to Natalie's mother's work as a botanist to Operation Egg Drop. How much of this comes from your own experience and how much stemmed from research (pun-intended)?
KELLER: That is an egg-cellent pun. I've always loved science, and I was excited to write a book about it, but my background is far more creative than STEM based. This book was a learning experience for both Natalie and me; I studied a few seventh-grade science textbooks and talked to teachers to make sure I was getting the classroom science right!
As for Natalie's mother's work--that was more of a challenge, because most of that science is invented, but I wanted it to feel rooted in reality (the pun game is strong). I did a lot of botany research so I could come up with a somewhat feasible scenario, but ultimately got creative with bright blue miracle orchids.
BARNES: Your debut has so many hooks for young readers, making it a great fit for many classrooms. Do you have any suggested tie-in activities? What do you hope kids will take away from this story?
KELLER: Beyond the egg drop, Natalie and her friends do a frog dissection, build compasses, and study pendulums--so hopefully there's tie-in potential there!
Part of the reason I structured the novel as a middle-school science notebook is because homework is such an essential part of kids' lives. And I had such complicated feelings about homework when I was a kid--it was a burden, occasionally, but it was also something I felt complete ownership over. Often, homework was a safe space. I want readers to know that they can use their schoolwork as a space to learn and grow--not just in specific subject areas, but as a person, too.
BARNES: Natalie is one-quarter Korean on her father's side, and while she's trying to forge a stronger connection to her Korean heritage, it's only a small part of the story. How important is it for you to tell stories about nonwhite characters that capture their complexity and truths? As a young reader, did you struggle to find stories that mirrored your life and experiences?
KELLER: I've written plenty of practice novels and stories before The Science of Breakable Things, but they never featured a main character with my identity. Growing up, I'd mostly seen stories about white girls, and occasionally Asian girls, but I never read about biracial girls. For a long time, it didn't even occur to me to write that identity.
And because of that, I think it's so important to feature those characters. Growing up--and sometimes even now--I felt this pressure to "pick a side": to be Asian or white. And I think it's important to show readers that it's OK to be both, that being mixed race is a valid identity.
BARNES: Middle-schoolers are perennially interested in friendship stories, though at the same time so many friendship stories have already been written. Natalie's friendships felt fresh and current. Was it hard to find a new angle?
KELLER: So much of middle school is about change. Every individual grows so much, and because of that, friendships form and transform and fall apart rapidly. In Natalie's friendships, I wanted to do justice to the nature of growing up, while also showing that change doesn't always mean the end of a friendship. No character stays the same, and their relationships evolve with them.
BARNES: What are you working on next?
KELLER: I can't say too much, but I'm writing another middle grade, this one based on the Korean folktales my grandmother used to tell me. It's been such a joy to connect to my heritage in a new way, and I can't wait to share this story.
Sampling Keller
The Science of Breakable Things. 2018. Random, $16.99 (9781524715663). Gr. 4-7.
Further Reading
STEM-Oriented Fiction
* The Care and Feeding of a Pet Black Hole. By Michelle Cuevas. 2017. Dial, $16.99 (9780399539138). Gr. 3-5.
* The Fourteenth Goldfish. By Jennifer L. Holm. 2014. Random, $16.99 (9780375870644). Gr. 4-6.
* The Friendship Experiment. By Erin Teagan. 2016. HMH, $16.99 (9780544636224). Gr. 4-7.
* The Someday Suitcase. By Corey Ann Haydu. 2017. HarperCollins/ Katherine Tegen, $16.99 (9780062352750). Gr. 3-6.
* The Thing about Jellyfish. By Ali Benjamin. 2015. Little, Brown, $17 (9780316380867). Gr. 5-8.
Fiction Dealing with Mental Illness
* Chasing the Milky Way. By Erin E. Moulton. 2014. Philomel, $16.99 (9780399164491). Gr. 5-8.
* Finding Perfect. By Elly Swartz. 2016. Farrar, $16.99 (9780374303129). Gr. 4-7.
* Footer Davis Probably Is Crazy. By Susan Vaught. 2015. Simon & Schuster, $16.99 (9781481422765). Gr. 4-8.
* Sure Signs of Crazy. By Karen Harrington. 2013. Little, Brown, $16.99 (9780316210584). Gr. 5-8.
Jennifer Barnes reviews for Booklist and is a former teen and youth services librarian.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Barnes, Jennifer. "Talking with Tae Keller: The debut author discusses STEM, mental health, and representation in middle-grade fiction, while making some truly terrific puns." Booklist, 1 Apr. 2018, p. S38+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A534957015/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=d579f507. Accessed 4 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A534957015
Keller, Tae. The Science of Breakable Things
Charla Hollingsworth
Voice of Youth Advocates. 40.6 (Feb. 2018): p57.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC
http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
Keller, Tae. The Science of Breakable Things. Penguin Random House, March 2018. 304p. $16.99. 978-1-524-71566-3.
3Q * 3P * M * J
Natalie has always enjoyed helping and working with her mom. They have worked on plant experiments, Halloween costumes, and various school projects. Natalie is confused when her mother retreats to her bedroom and does not speak for days at a time. Natalie wonders what might be wrong with her mother and why no one is talking about it. In her science class, their teacher encourages the students to use the scientific method to solve complicated problems, so Natalie decides to solve her mom. She observes and makes hypotheses but finds that she is unable to run any tests. While waiting for a test opportunity, Natalie decides to participate in an egg drop competition at her school. If she wins the competition, she will have the money she needs to test a hypothesis about her mom. Planning for the competition takes up much of her time and gives Natalie an avenue to connect with two of her classmates, Twig and Dari.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Hollingsworth, Charla. "Keller, Tae. The Science of Breakable Things." Voice of Youth Advocates, Feb. 2018, p. 57. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A529357123/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=f8ff3e9e. Accessed 4 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A529357123
The Science of Breakable Things
Publishers Weekly. 265.2 (Jan. 8, 2018): p65.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
The Science of Breakable Things
Tae Keller. Random House, $16.99 (304p) ISBN 978-1-5247-1566-3
Natalie Napoli's seventh-grade science class is working on a yearlong experiment, recording their findings in "Wonderings journals." The text of Natalie's journal comprises Keller's moving debut novel. Natalie used to like science and spent much of her childhood in her botanist mother's laboratory. But her mother, suffering from severe depression, has barely left her bedroom in months. Natalie and her best friend Twig collaborate with new student Dari to win an egg drop contest for their experiment, and Natalie imagines using the prize money to fly with her mother to New Mexico, home to a striking cobalt blue orchid, born out of a toxic chemical spill, that her mother had been studying. Natalie's Korean heritage is sensitively explored, as is the central issue of depression and its impact; Keller draws thoughtful parallels between Natalie's mother's struggles and the fragility of orchids and eggs. Natalie's fraught relationship with her mother, and her friendships with Twig and Dari, are the heart of the book, but science is its soul. Ages 8-12. Agent-. Sarah Davies, Greenhouse Literary. (Mar.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"The Science of Breakable Things." Publishers Weekly, 8 Jan. 2018, p. 65. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A524503055/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=792c03a4. Accessed 4 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A524503055
The Science of Breakable Things
Jennifer Barnes
Booklist. 114.8 (Dec. 15, 2017): p98.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
The Science of Breakable Things.
By Tae Keller.
Mar. 2018. 304p. Random, $16.99 (9781524715663); lib. ed., $19.99 (9781524715670); e book, $16.99 (9781524715687). Gr. 4-7.
For fans of The Thing about Jellyfish (2015) comes a clever debut combining science with a tough topic. Natalie's hashtag-loving seventh-grade science teacher, Mr. Neely, encourages his students to tackle long-term projects using the scientific method, which is how Natalie and her BFF Twig enter the contest. But Natalie is also undertaking a more personal science experiment, trying to bring her botanist mother out of depression. She's convinced the $500 prize for Operation Egg will provide the funds to fly Mom to New Mexico to see the Cobalt Blue Orchid, rives in the harshest conditions, and everything will go back to normal again. Along with a plot that includes several experiments and diagrams, Keller crafts a winning story full of heart and action that balances the weighty subject of a child dealing with a parent's depression. Natalie is a well-rounded, complex character whose two parents, in a rarity for middle-grade fiction, have story arcs all their own. Part Korean on her father's side, Natalie yearns for a deeper connection to her Korean heritage. Aside from the obvious connection to STEM, Keller's layered, accessible story offers beautifully crafted metaphors, a theme of mending old friendships and creating new ones, and an empowering teacher to a variety of readers. A moving story about fragility and rebirth.--Jennifer Barnes
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Barnes, Jennifer. "The Science of Breakable Things." Booklist, 15 Dec. 2017, p. 98. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A521459640/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=8f9c9434. Accessed 4 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A521459640
Keller, Tae: THE SCIENCE OF BREAKABLE THINGS
Kirkus Reviews. (Dec. 15, 2017):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Keller, Tae THE SCIENCE OF BREAKABLE THINGS Random House (Children's Fiction) $16.99 3, 6 ISBN: 978-1-5247-1566-3
A middle school story in which parental depression manifests itself in absence.
Natalie's vivacious botanist mother (who's white) has retreated from life, leaving her therapist husband (who's biracial) and daughter to fill the gaping hole she has left. With the help of an egg-drop contest and a scientific-method project, Natalie explores breakable things and the nurturing of hope. Narrating in first-person, the mixed-race seventh-grader (1/4 Korean and 3/4 white) is drawn to her mother's book, titled How to Grow A Miracle. It reminds her of when her mother was excited by science and questions and life. With a STEM-inspired chapter framework and illustrated with Neonakis' scientific drawings, Keller's debut novel uses the scientific method to unpack the complex emotions depression can cause. Momentum builds over nine months as Natalie observes, questions, researches, experiments, and analyzes clues to her mother's state of mind. Providing support and some comic relief are her two sidekicks, Dari (a smart Indian immigrant boy) and Twig (Natalie's wealthy, white best friend). The diversity of the characters provides identity and interest, not issue or plotline. Tension peaks at the egg-drop contest, as the three friends plan to use the prize winnings to bring Natalie's mother back to life with a gift of a rare cobalt blue orchid. Paralleling their scientific progress, Natalie reluctantly experiences her first visits to talk therapy, slowly opening like a tight bloom.
A compassionate glimpse of mental illness accessible to a broad audience. (Fiction. 10-14)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Keller, Tae: THE SCIENCE OF BREAKABLE THINGS." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Dec. 2017. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A518491375/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=49657400. Accessed 4 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A518491375
KELLER, Tae. The Science of Breakable Things
Patricia Feriano
School Library Journal. 64.1 (Jan. 2018): p74.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
KELLER, Tae. The Science of Breakable Things. 304p. Random. Mar. 2018. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9781524715663.
Gr 4-6--Seventh-grader Natalie is sometimes annoyed, but oftentimes amused by her enthusiastic science teacher, Mr. Neely, who encourages his students to ask questions and use the scientific method to solve problems. This is all well and good for Natalie, but the only question the tween is interested in lately is why has her mother has stopped caring about her and why she cannot seem to get out of bed. Her mother is a botanist who discovered a rare cobalt blue orchid, a miracle of a flower that survives in a toxic environment in New Mexico. So Natalie is somewhat ambivalent when Mr. Neely encourages her to enter an "egg drop contest"--not exactly her top priority--until she hears about the substantial prize money. Natalie is determined to win so that she can replace the now-dead orchid and give her mother the joy she needs. As she tries to navigate the problem of keeping the fragile egg safe during a fall, she begins to feel the cracks in her own life as her mother's depression affects her more deeply. Natalie's reluctance to acknowledge her own feelings and ask painful questions keeps her from really engaging with her friends and fellow "egg drop" teammates. Natalie learns that, as with the egg, people, too, are fragile and need support and padding to break their falls. VERDICT An emotional story that explores parental depression with realism and empathy.--Patricia Feriano, Montgomery County Public Schools, MD
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Feriano, Patricia. "KELLER, Tae. The Science of Breakable Things." School Library Journal, Jan. 2018, p. 74. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A521876188/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=c609cc98. Accessed 4 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A521876188
Web Exclusive – March 13, 2018
The Science of Breakable Things
Finding solace in the scientific method
BookPage review by Deborah Hopkinson
On the first day of seventh-grade science class, Natalie Napoli, the narrator of Tae Keller’s debut novel, learns that the scientific method begins with observation. And while Mr. Neely is a new teacher, and therefore “all optimistic and stuff,” Natalie finds herself drawn to his lesson on the scientific method. After all, she’s the daughter of a botanist who even wrote a book about miracle plants.
When Mr. Neely encourages Natalie to enter a city-wide egg drop contest, it makes her realize how much has changed since her botanist mother became depressed. “The old Mom would have loved this project. She would have sat with me for days, brainstorming different questions and experiments,” Natalie says. These days Natalie’s mother has all but disappeared into her room.
In attempting to apply the scientific method to her family’s situation, Natalie decides on a hypothesis and action plan. If her mom can once again connect with the miraculous Cobalt Blue Orchid she once studied, maybe she would be “excited by science and life and questions” once again. Natalie’s experiments lead to a daring break-in at a botany lab, and, in the end, the hope of an emotional breakthrough of another sort.
Natalie is an engaging narrator whose struggles at home and with her peers ring true. Educators will be especially pleased by the STEM connections in The Science of Breakable Things, as well as illustrations of experiments related to the egg drop contest. And as for a conclusion, it’s irrefutable: Readers will be eager to see what Natalie chooses to investigate next.