Fifteen-year-old Eleanor Fromme just chopped off all of her hair. How else should she cope after hearing that her bully, James, just took his own life? When Eleanor's English teacher suggests students write a letter to a person who would never receive it to get their feelings out, Eleanor chooses James.
With each letter she writes, Eleanor discovers more about herself, even while trying to make sense of his death. And, with the help of a unique cast of characters, Eleanor not only learns what it means to be inside a body that does not quite match what she feels on the inside, but also comes to terms with her own mother's mental illness.
Set against a 1993-era backdrop of grunge rock and riot girl bands, EVERYTHING GROWS depicts Eleanor's extraordinary journey to solve the mystery within her and feel complete. Along the way, she loses and gains friends, rebuilds relationships with her family, and develops a system of support to help figure out the language of her queer identity.
Through author Aimee Herman's exceptional storytelling, EVERYTHING GROWS reveals the value of finding community or creating it when it falls apart, while exploring the importance of forgiveness, acceptance, and learning how to live on your own terms.
"Awkward, affirming, and compassionate, this story about coming into one's identity will win over the hearts of its young adult audiences."
Foreword Reviews
"Yes, yes, the '90s counts as historical fiction now, so get that grumbling out of your system and fire up some Nirvana and Bikini Kill! Check out this one set in 1993 and starring fifteen-year-old Eleanor. … [Her bully's] death and her feelings about it aren't all that are on her mind; she's dealing with her mother's mental illness and questions about her gender and sexuality, and it'll take maki
BN Teen Blog
"Candid descriptions of explorations and feelings about identity, body, and a mother's mental illness ring true, and involve the amount of processing, obsessing, and missteps expected from a teenager trying to figure things out. . . Sensitive and informative."
