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| Publisher's Hardcover ©2024 | -- |
Crohn's disease. Juvenile fiction.
Children with disabilities. Juvenile fiction.
Bereavement. Juvenile fiction.
Baking. Juvenile fiction.
Fathers and daughters. Juvenile fiction.
Crohn's disease. Fiction.
Disabilities. Fiction.
Grief. Fiction.
Baking. Fiction.
Fathers and daughters. Fiction.
Gr 3–7 —Debut author Wyatt joins her mom, award-winning author Kirby Lawson, to present the story of Tess Medina as she navigates life with a chronic illness. Tess, who has recently started eighth grade at a new school, is still grieving the death of her father, who owned a bakery. A talented and committed baker herself, Tess wants to follow in father's footsteps. After initially struggling, Tess makes new friends, who are a tad quirky, as she is. When she starts having extreme gastrointestinal issues (she describes it as a woodpecker pecking at her gut, or 'The Knife'), she hides what is happening from her friends and her mom. After all, explosive diarrhea is nothing teenagers feel like sharing. Tess wants desperately to compete in a national bakeoff, but she lacks funds, and worries about her stomach issues getting in the way. After she passes out at school, Tess is diagnosed with Crohn's Disease, which makes her feel like a freak. She continues trying to push people away until her secrets become too big to hide, but she finds community and support in the process. Fast-paced and adept at finding humor in decidedly unfunny situations, this novel will pull readers into Tess's journey and emotions. Wyatt herself is a Crohn's sufferer and wrote this book with her mom to bring awareness to the disease. In their author's note they describe their memories of Wyatt's teenage years trying to get diagnosed, and her how her life was affected. VERDICT A moving and important tale of friendship, family, and learning to accept living with a chronic disease. Highly recommended for young fiction collections.—Michele Shaw
School Library Journal Starred Review (Sat Jun 01 00:00:00 CDT 2024)
Critically acclaimed, bestselling author and Newbery Honor-winner, Kirby Larson, and her daughter, debut author, Quinn Wyatt, pen this gorgeously moving and often funny story that explores what living with a chronic illness is like. Inspired by Quinn's own personal journey, Gut Reaction is full of heart and humor and highlights the importance of asking for help when it comes to mental and physical health alike.
Tess Medina is still dealing with the loss of her father when she starts at a new school. One way she is still able to feel close to him is by doing what she does best: baking. He taught her everything she knows. But when tasting her creations causes a deep stabbing pain in her abdomen, she tries to power through and be strong in the same way she powers through her emotional pain. She doesnt mind too much--shes okay with sharing her baked goods at school in the hopes of making new friends.
Lucky for Tess, her baking skills attract the right kind of attention, and she assembles a ragtag team to help her taste her new and classic creations in preparation for the Jubilee Flour Junior Baker West Coast competition. This is a chance to redeem herself and prove that she's a star baker. Above all, Tess is desperate to win first place and make her dad proud.
But leading up to the competition, Tess's pain gets worse and worse, and, soon, she finds that she's avoiding so many foods that she's barely eating. When the physical pain becomes too great, Tess will be forced to confront everything she has been trying so desperately to hide.
From Newbery Honor author Kirby Larson and her daughter, debut author Quinn Wyatt, comes a poignant, sometimes silly, and always moving story of coming to grips with grief and finding the sweet filling inside every treat.
Praise for Gut Reaction by Kirby Larson and Quinn Wyatt:
"Gut Reaction is a poignant, triumphant tale about living with chronic illness, overcoming loss, and reaffirming joy and self-love. Tess is funny, relatable, brave, and an awesome baker!" --Jewell Parker Rhodes, New York Times bestselling author of Ghost Boys.
"A powerful story about living with a disease and not letting it define who you are."--Alan Gratz, New York Times bestselling author of Refugee and Two Degrees.
"Kirby Larson and Quinn Wyatt have cooked up a rich, warm story about Crohn's Disease, courage, and cookies. The voice is heartfelt and authentic, leavened with humor and, oh my frog, delicious desserts. Gut Reaction is a wonderful book about important things, and I recommend it highly."--Karen Cushman, author of the Newbery Award-winning The Midwife's Apprentice.
"A multi-layered, straight-from-the-heart story written with a light, deft touch,Gut Reaction will inspire readers to pursue their creative passions. I loved this touching, sweet, and engaging book!"--Barbara Dee, award-winning author of Unstuck.
"Sweet and delicious! You will gobble up this book in one bite!"--Jennifer L. Holm, New York Times bestselling author of The Fourteenth Goldfish.
"Gut Reaction is a much-needed and important book for everyone: those suffering with Crohn's disease, their family and friends who want to help them, and for all the rest who need to understand. Written with the voice of authenticity by a mother/daughter team who know firsthand the effects of this painful and often embarrassing disease. Toss in a handful of lovable and diverse characters and an edge-of-your-seat cooking competition and Gut Reaction is a recipe for success."--Barbara O'Connor, author of How To Steal A Dog and WISH.
"I would have finished Gut Reaction in one swoop--but I didn't want it to end. I especially loved the baking connection, but the story's honesty, the humor and the friendships added so many layers. If the topic seems serious--and it is, the way Tess struggles to accept her illness will resonate with readers. Tess Medina is an inspiration. Her story will be one you'll remember long after that last page is turned."--Augusta Scattergood, author of Glory Be and The Way To Stay In Destiny.
"Great British Baking Show meets Guts by Raina Telgemeier. Entertaining and informative. Really put me inside the mind of a level-headed fourteen-year-old forced to deal with one awkward and humiliating situation after another."--Gennifer Choldenko, Newbery Honor author of Al Capone Does My Shirts, and coauthor of Dogtown with Katherine Applegate.