The Epic Story of Every Living Thing

Starred review from July 11, 2022
Seventeen-year-old Harper Proulx is practiced at internet sleuthing, taking Instagram selfies that make her look adventurous and approachable, and interacting with her steadily growing social media following. She’s not so good at being present in the world without her phone, which she uses to help allay her fears surrounding Covid, distract herself from her mother’s perfectionism, and idly search for her sperm donor father. When someone who inexplicably looks just like Harper contacts her via Instagram, she learns that she has three half siblings: Dario, Simone, and Wyatt, all conceived from the same sperm donor as Harper. Together, the teens become embroiled in an epic pursuit for their biological father that leads them to Hawaii. Excerpts from 19th-century letters, journals, and newspapers included at the beginning of each present-day chapter detail a seafaring expedition whose inclusion—and subsequent narrative convergence—is both mysterious and enthralling. It’s impossible not to cheer for Harper’s sincere voice as she comes into her own, working to overcome her fears, manage her anxieties, and stop hiding in plain sight. Caletti’s (One Great Lie) bighearted novel, which endorses the wonders of being present in the world rather than existing exclusively online, uses two seemingly perpendicular voyages to expertly navigate themes of belonging, connection, family, and identity. Most characters cue as white; Simone’s Israeli and French mother has dark skin. Ages 14–up. Agent: Michael Bourret, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret.

Starred review from August 1, 2022

Gr 8 Up-In the midst of the pandemic, Harper Proulx's life revolves around her boyfriend Ezra, what ifs, photo filters, and the calm reassurance she receives from likes and comments on Instagram. One day she gets a comment: "you look just like my friend, Dario." This isn't the first time it's happened. She keeps a journal filled with notes on these people and what she knows about MF-her Maybe Father. She reaches out to Dario, who, like her has auburn hair and blue eyes, and the two meet up. They exchange notes and he tells her about the others. Up until this point she's only used social media to appear as though she's taking risks, but an unexpected break up with Ezra leads her to start taking real ones. Stepping outside of her comfort zone and into a world of unanswered questions, Harper goes on a trip with Dario and some of her half-siblings to Maui where her biological, sperm-donor father is apparently living. Through this novel about overcoming fear and expectations, Caletti examines what makes a person-is it their DNA, their lived experiences, or the family who raised them? She takes a critical look at the role and impact of technology and social media on the mental health of teens and shows what can be gained by stepping away and being present. Harper's relatable thoughts and anxieties mirror that of many teens before and during the pandemic, with and without similar family structures. VERDICT Reminiscent of Natasha Friend's The Other F-Word and Robin Benway's Far From the Tree. Highly recommended.-Alicia Kalan

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2022
Without knowing the identity of the man who was her sperm donor, seventeen-year-old Harper feels that "half of her is a blank." Then she meets Dario, her half-brother, and learns that there are forty-two half-siblings...and that they've located the man himself. So Harper, Dario, and two other half-siblings travel to Hawaii to meet Beau Zane, where, to Harper's relief, Beau and his mother welcome them. Beau teaches them how to dive, his passion, which quickly becomes Harper's passion, too, and when their beloved diving spot is threatened, Harper and her new family feel compelled to try to preserve it. Caletti (One Great Lie, rev. 9/21) captures our collective anxieties (the story is set in the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic) as well as the constant intrusion of electronic devices, especially the numbing, manufactured perfection of social-media "squares." The natural world is offered as the antidote: when Harper sees a jellyfish on her first dive, she is "so there, so present in this profound moment, that if you reminded her again that she once felt empty, she'd hardly believe it." The summer is full of similar moments of wonder, in which Harper feels connected to Beau, her newfound siblings, history, and "every living thing" -- including herself. A rich, contemplative story about looking beneath the (literal and figurative) surface to find love, purpose, and joy. Rachel L. Kerns

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from September 1, 2022
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* Printz Honor Book winner Caletti (A Heart in a Body in the World, 2018) introduces readers to only-child Harper, the product of a sperm donation. Riddled with anxiety that's grown worse since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Harper finds a sense of control as a social media influencer. But her life is thrown into chaos when, through a boy named Dario, she discovers a link to the man who made her mother's pregnancy possible. As she comes to discover that she has dozens of siblings, Harper and some of her newfound family embark on a journey to Hawai'i to meet the man who helped create them. Each chapter, introduced by a journal entry or letter by real-life nineteenth-century ship commander Mary Ann Brown Patten, brings Harper closer to finding her courage in this heartwarming and authentic story that's packed with a collage of well-researched detail, people, and themes that heighten the book's realism. Alongside Harper's coming-of-age story, the book offers a refreshing turn on the romantic subplot and a complex mother-daughter relationship. The only thing notably missing is acknowledgment of the real-world impacts caused by tourism, colonialism, and other forces that the Indigenous people of Hawai'i have brought to light (often through social media). Otherwise, this will find itself right at home in collections with strong contemporary YA alongside serious but uplifting realistic novels in the vein of those by Maureen Johnson and Katie Cotugno.

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Starred review from July 1, 2022
A girl and her newly found half siblings embark on a journey to find their sperm donor. Seventeen-year-old Harper lives under pressure to academically achieve, continuously engage her Instagram followers, and think about her future, all of which worsens her anxiety--which is already at an all-time high because of the pandemic. She has always wondered about her anonymous sperm donor father and how his DNA may influence her. A chance online comment leads her to half sibling Dario, and, as they become closer, they connect with two others who share half their DNA: Simone and Wyatt. The four eventually find their biological father, and they embark on a summer trip of self-discovery. Harper, who is nursing a broken heart after a breakup, is both excited and terrified about what will become of her after this experience. This gorgeous coming-of-age novel thoughtfully examines questions of identity, family, kindness, and a longing for connection. Framed by Harper's narrative voice, presented in what is often a whirlwind of nonstop thoughts, the story also deftly and empathetically engages head-on with anxiety. Each chapter begins with excerpts from 19th-century letters and journal entries whose relevance becomes clear as the novel progresses, adding an extra, significant layer to an already rich narrative. Most characters are White; Simone has a dark-skinned Israeli and French mother, and the cast is diverse in sexual orientation. An epic tale of life, love, and identity. (Fiction. 14-18)

COPYRIGHT(2022) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2022
Without knowing the identity of the man who was her sperm donor, seventeen-year-old Harper feels that "half of her is a blank." Then she meets Dario, her half-brother, and learns that there are forty-two half-siblings...and that they've located the man himself. So Harper, Dario, and two other half-siblings travel to Hawaii to meet Beau Zane, where, to Harper's relief, Beau and his mother welcome them. Beau teaches them how to dive, his passion, which quickly becomes Harper's passion, too, and when their beloved diving spot is threatened, Harper and her new family feel compelled to try to preserve it. Caletti (One Great Lie, rev. 9/21) captures our collective anxieties (the story is set in the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic) as well as the constant intrusion of electronic devices, especially the numbing, manufactured perfection of social-media "squares." The natural world is offered as the antidote: when Harper sees a jellyfish on her first dive, she is "so there, so present in this profound moment, that if you reminded her again that she once felt empty, she'd hardly believe it." The summer is full of similar moments of wonder, in which Harper feels connected to Beau, her newfound siblings, history, and "every living thing" -- including herself. A rich, contemplative story about looking beneath the (literal and figurative) surface to find love, purpose, and joy.

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)