The Children’s Book Review | December 12, 2015
Everything, Everything
Written by Nicola Yoon
Age Range: 12+
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (Sept. 1, 2015)
ISBN-13: 9780553496642
What to expect: Allergies, Health
Nicola Yoon’s debut novel, Everything, Everything, is a must-read, inviting a broad spectrum of audiences, from preteens to the older generations. This trendy-styled book illustrates the life of eighteen year-old Madeline Whittier through plain text as well as with pictures, instant messages, journal entries, and emails. Through Madeline’s innovative narrative, the reader is immersed into her life of an “allergic to everything” teenage girl.
Starring Madeline Whittier (Maddy), a young adult with Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID), is content in her air-filtered house with her mother and nurse, Carla. Although Maddy’s allergy to the outside world has confined her to her house, she compensates by living vicariously through her books. It was not until her new neighbor, Oliver (Olly), forced her to realize that the life she had been living was not really “worth” living.
Maddy and Oliver first communicate through emails, forming a harmless friendship that turns quickly into young love, secretly meeting behind her paranoid mother’s back. She fails miserably to not let her feelings for Olly grow because deep down she knows she will never have a normal relationship. Throughout the novel, Maddy shows emotions that many teenagers experience, making this novel appealing to read.
Nicola Yoon will have you hooked from the begging to end, taking you on a journey through the life of a SCID patient dealing with normal teenage problems in a not so normal life. Will Maddy risk her life for love? Find out by reading Everything, Everything.
Add this book to your collection: Everything, Everything
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About the Author
NICOLA YOON grew up in Jamaica and Brooklyn. She currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband, who created the artwork in these pages, and daughter, both of whom she loves beyond all reason. Everything, Everything is her first novel.
Everything Everything, by Nicola Yoon, was reviewed by Jaclyn West. Follow along with our articles tagged with Mental Health and Young Adult Fiction to discover more great books for teens.
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1 Comment
I agree wholeheartedly with Ms. Schulze’s review. This is an extremely well written book, with a lot of heart wrenching dilemmas to pull the reader along. Not only does Maddy have problems, but her friend, Olly, has bad things happening in his life and Maddy helps him overcome them. This is definitely a good read. Sarah Maury Swan, author of “Terror’s Identity” available through http://www.sablebooks.org