The List of Things that Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead

How I Heard About It:   While in New York, at the headquarters of Penguin Random House, I was lucky to leave our meeting with several ARC's in hand. The one I was most excited about was this title.  As one of the reps of PRH said, this story was perfection.  After finishing, I completely agree.  


What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:  
1.  *When Bea's parents announce they will be divorcing, they give her a notebook to keep a list of "things that will not change".  At the top of that list is the love they each have for their daughter.  



2.  *Bea is lucky because she has two loving parents, two homes near each other with regular/solid schedules, and two best friends.  

3.  *Her world begins to change when her father begins dating another man.  They announce they are going to get married and Jesse's daughter is going to come visit them in New York City.

4.  *Bea can't wait for Sonia to travel from California to New York and spend time with the three of them.  She is surprised by some of Sonia's reactions while in New York.  

5.  *Bea is not only dealing with the present and future, but holding on to past incidents that she can't quite let go of.  Through therapy with Miriam, she learns on to let go of the past, accept her present, and look forward to a new and unknown future.  


What I Thought Of It - Five Observations/Reflections:
1.  *There are some stories I go into excited about the reading.  At other times, I go into it with extreme anticipation and complete joy.  That is how I felt when starting this upcoming novel.  

2.  *Rebecca Stead created a character that was complex, multi-dimensional, and full of life.  I so enjoyed reading about her.

3.  *I loved how Bea's parents put her needs in front of their own, worked as a team 100% of the time, and showed her how much they loved her.  

4.  *The introduction of Jesse and his sister added greatly to the story and brought so much emotion.  To be honest, I had tears in my eyes on more than one occasion.

5.  *The writing was spot on.  The characters were top-notch.  The emotion was over flowing.  This 216 page novel was a pure delight to read.  


Who Should Read It:    Absolutely everyone.  I actually think that the young-adult and adult reader would gain more from the story, than the middle-grade reader.  The words flowed like a peaceful and beautiful river.  I would recommend readers in elementary school to be in grades five and/or six.  Being that Bea's dad is gay and getting married may be a concern to some parents with young children.  That would be a personal call on their part.  Happy Reading!  


Rating:   5+ STARS out of 5 Stars!