The Space Between Before and After
The Space Between Before and After
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Penguin
Annotation: When 10-year-old Thomas's mother, who suffers from depression, disappears, he creates a fantasy narrative in which his mother is safe and sets in motion a path of healing, not just for himself, but for his father and aunt as well.
 
Reviews: 4
Catalog Number: #181223
Format: Publisher's Hardcover
Publisher: Penguin
Copyright Date: 2019
Edition Date: 2019 Release Date: 03/19/19
Pages: 276 pages
ISBN: 0-8234-4148-2
ISBN 13: 978-0-8234-4148-8
Dewey: Fic
LCCN: 2018005863
Dimensions: 22 cm.
Language: English
Reviews:
ALA Booklist (Fri Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2019)

Thomas' mom hasn't been acting like her usual lively self for awhile, so Thomas is surprised when, one morning, she animatedly describes a vivid dream in which she was traveling alone. Thomas is even more shocked to discover her missing when he arrives home from school. When the police find her car abandoned by a small airport, they assume the worst, since the airport is near a bridge many people use to commit suicide. In order to allay Thomas' growing anxiety about his depressed mother's disappearance (readers learn early on that, two years prior, his baby sister, Sadie Rose, died from a heart defect), Thomas' quirky friend, Giselle, and his elderly neighbor, Mrs. Sharp, encourage him to dream up fantastical stories about the adventures his mother is off enjoying. Unfortunately, Thomas' father believes his reliance on his fantasy storytelling is more harmful than helpful, which should spark conversations about emotional intelligence and stereotypes of masculinity. Stauffacher has written an interesting take on how to handle grief from a young boy's perspective.

Kirkus Reviews

A boy struggles to make sense of his mother's disappearance in this meditative middle-grade novel.Ten-year-old Thomas' mother has for years experienced what his family refers to as her feeling "sad, tired, low…blue"—but never naming her disorder as depression— before she surprises him one morning with a vivid description of a dream she's had of being at the airport, preparing to board a plane. When Thomas returns from school that afternoon, she has vanished, and Thomas and his father and aunt spin into a realistically all-consuming confusion. Short, slowly paced chapters from Thomas' first-person point of view form the main narrative, interspersed with an invented fairy tale he imagines with his kind, elderly Hungarian neighbor, Mrs. Sharp, who as a girl was separated from her father during World War II. Though in anguish, Thomas is supported by many, including his (at times overly) exuberant friend Giselle and Aunt Sadie, who along with Mrs. Sharp help his father understand that his disapproval of anything fanciful is harming his son's ability to contend with the darkness in his world. All of the characters seem to be white by default, and though the story is set in the present, its quiet tone has the feel of the historical at times.A poignant, earnest story of grief and hope for fans of realistic fiction. (Fiction. 9-12)

School Library Journal (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)

Gr 3 Up-Thomas Moran's mother has had the strangest dream, at least in Thomas's opinion. She tells him over breakfast that she dreamt she was going on a trip by herself. Thomas sees this as odd because his mother's depression has been so severe that she won't even leave their home. Thomas loses himself in thought and heads off to school. When he returns, however, his mother is gone. After a thorough police search where his mother's car is located, there is little more the police can do. At a neighbor's suggestion, Thomas begins to construct a fantasy story to help cope with his mother's disappearance and his own anxieties. As the mystery of his mother's disappearance deepens, Thomas and his family find great comfort in the tale that Thomas has concocted with his neighbor's assistance. This novel is incredibly heartwarming and the characters feel very real, especially the neighbor Giselle, whose vibrant personality lightens an otherwise sorrowful tone. VERDICT A great addition to any collection and one that may certainly help children dealing with their own personal losses. Wayne R. Cherry Jr., St. Pius X High School, Houston

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ALA Booklist (Fri Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2019)
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Kirkus Reviews
School Library Journal (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)
Word Count: 57,794
Reading Level: 4.9
Interest Level: 4-7
Accelerated Reader: reading level: 4.9 / points: 9.0 / quiz: 502905 / grade: Middle Grades
Guided Reading Level: X

When Thomas' mother disappears, he tells himself she must be safe. Somewhere. And sometimes, the stories we tell take on a life of their own . . .

One morning, ten-year-old Thomas's mother tells him about a dream she had about taking a trip by herself. That seems strange, because lately, his mother has been too depressed to even leave the house. Maybe it's a good sign.

But when Thomas gets home from school, she's gone. The police search everywhere, and although they find her car, they can't find her. Without any clear answers, Thomas will have to find his own.

With the help of his friends-- and a shared story they create to explain what has happened, a fantasy involving a perilous quest only his mother can complete-- Thomas finds a way to work through his anxiety and grief, reach out to his father, and recognize that even if his mother never comes back, he can still hold a place for her in his heart and mind.

This heartbreaking, beautiful novel about loss and grief explores the ways in which young people must face unimaginable tragedies-- and how imagination and compassion can bring some light to the days after.


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