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Mar 22, 2018susanchyn rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
I discovered this surprisingly insightful book through an 8th grade girl, who chose The Thing About Jellyfish as her independent reading selection. This book is on the surface a story about a nerdy kid (7th grader) grieving over a (relatively "cool") classmate's death, but Jellyfish contains a rich and nicely crafted exploration of many topics: Do things “just happen” (randomly) or are there (scientific) causes? How does science, and the scientific method, help us discover, not just the world around us, but our inner selves? Why are friendships in middle school and high school so painful and downright messy? And finally, how can teens deal with death and guilt issues related to death? The chapters are little diary-vignettes and so this "chapter book" does not seem intimidating to kids who are reluctant to choose "long" books. :) Given the themes, I would recommend this book be read under the watchful eye of a sympathetic teacher or parent, just to make sure the reader will have a structured opportunity to talk out any fears...