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Dear Evan Hansen: The Novel
By Amanda Nojadera,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Powerful novel deals with suicide, anxiety, and loneliness.
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Based on 3 parent reviews
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Dear vean hansen
What's the Story?
In DEAR EVAN HANSEN: THE NOVEL, high school senior Evan Hansen suffers from anxiety and knows what it's like to feel invisible and alone. But when a letter he wrote for his therapy session unexpectedly pulls him into the Murphy family's grief over the death by suicide of their son, Connor, Evan finally gets the chance to know what it's like to belong. All he has to do is pretend that he and Connor were best friends. And while Evan knows that lying is wrong, he justifies his actions as helping people beyond his community find connections and cope. As Evan spends more time with the Murphy family, who desperately want to know more about Connor from his "best friend," he realizes how painful it will be once the truth is revealed.
Is It Any Good?
This poignant coming-of-age tale thoughtfully portrays heavy topics including suicide, grief, and mental health issues while powerfully reminding teens that they're never alone. Told mostly from Evan's point of view, with a few key passages taking Connor's perspective after his death, this heartbreaking and timely stage-to-page novelization shows how easily lies spiral out of control -- and how important authentic connections are.
Readers might find themselves frustrated by the lengths to which Evan will go to find acceptance and a sense of belonging: His growing lies end up really hurting some people. But Dear Evan Hansen: The Novel will ultimately help teens understand the importance of honest communication, empathy, kindness, and finding meaningful relationships.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the heavy themes of suicide, anxiety, depression, and loneliness in Dear Evan Hansen: The Novel. How do these issues affect the characters' mental health?
How do you cope with big issues? Who can you turn to? What help is out there?
Who do you consider a role model in the story? What character strengths do they display?
Book Details
- Authors: Val Emmich , Steven Levenson , Benj Pasek , Justin Paul
- Genre: Coming of Age
- Topics: Brothers and Sisters , Friendship , High School
- Character Strengths: Empathy
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Poppy
- Publication date: October 9, 2018
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 12 - 18
- Number of pages: 368
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: October 15, 2018
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Where to Read
Our Editors Recommend
Coming-of-Age Books
Books That Feature Characters Living with Mental Illness
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