The Thing about Jellyfish

Some hearts beat only about 412 million times. Which might sound like a lot. But the truth is, it barely even gets you twelve years. Suzy Swanson has always known things that others don't. She can explain the sleep patterns of ants. She knows there are 150 million jellyfish stings on the planet every year. She knows that the average middle school kid contains about 20 billion of Shakespeare"s atoms. But she can't understand how Franny Jackson's lifetime could be cut so short...before Suzy could make up for the worst thing she='d ever done to her friend. As Suzy retreats into a silent world of her imagination, she finds that the universe won't allow her escape into her grief. Astonishing wonders are all around her...as are the love and hope she desperately needs to forgive herself. This achingly heartfelt debut explores the defining moment in each of our lives when we first realize that not all stories have happy endings...but that brand-new stories are waiting to bloom, sometimes right in our own backyards. --