The Year My Life Went Down the Toilet
$34.75
- Hardcover
288 pages
- Release Date
29 August 2023
Summary
A hilariously honest book about surviving middle school while navigating a chronic illness from the Stonewall Honor-winning author of Almost Flying.
Twelve-year-old Al Schneider is too scared to talk about the two biggest things in her life:
- Her stomach hurts all the time and she has no idea why.
- She’s almost definitely 100% sure she likes girls.
So she holds it in…until she can’t. After nearly having an accident of the lavatorial variety in gym c…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780593112960 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 0593112962 |
| Author: | Jake Maia Arlow |
| Publisher: | Penguin Putnam Inc |
| Imprint: | Dial Books for Young Readers,US |
| Format: | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages: | 288 |
| Release Date: | 29 August 2023 |
| Weight: | 391g |
| Dimensions: | 217mm x 146mm x 24mm |
| Audience Age: | 10-14 |
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What They're Saying
Critics Review
Praise for The Year My Life Went Down the Toilet
ALA 2024 Rainbow Book
NYPL 2023 Best Book for Kids
A NPR Best Book of the Year
A NYT Kids 2024 Year of Books selection
★ “Via Al’s plucky, plain-spoken first-person narration, Arlow presents an honest and exceptional story of a tween’s experience dealing with rapid and abundant change, while tenderly reflecting upon themes of chronic illness, found family, interdependence, and queerness.” –PW, starred review
“Al feels all things deeply…traversing the highest highs and lowest lows on her journey to developing pride in all that she is. Her sweet romance with…Mina and deep friendship with Leo are strengths, and the highlight of Al’s story is the camaraderie among a group of chronically ill queer kids providing each other with dignity and nonjudgmental support…Offers humorous honesty and heartfelt relationships.” –Kirkus
“[The] first-person narration is frank and doesn’t lean on euphemisms. Humor is plentiful but not zany; the emphasis on Al’s emotions makes it easy to empathize with her…The casual, varied Jewish representation is another plus.” – The Horn Book
“Arlow’s heartfelt and humorous latest offers readers a story of friendship, self-discovery, gender, sexuality, complicated family dynamics, and, you guessed it, poop.” –Booklist
“Hilarious and touching.” –The Dallas Voice
About The Author
Jake Maia Arlow
Jake Maia Arlow is a podcast producer, writer, and bagel connoisseur. They studied evolutionary biology and creative writing (not as different as you might think) at Barnard College. They live with their girlfriend and their loud cat in the Pacific Northwest.
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