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Hello, Goodbye, and Everything In Between
Common Sense says
- Jennifer E. Smith
- Romance
- 2015
Parents say
Kids say
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Hello, Goodbye, and Everything In Between is a smartly considered romance by Jennifer E. Smith (The Geography of You and Me). Her college-bound couple is loyal and affectionate, torn between their urge to test their wings -- solo -- and the comfort and support they find in each other. Smith's teen characters are bright and thoughtful, committed to their relationships, and willing to try to ride out the ups and downs. This realistic portrayal has them moving through teen-centric settings out of parents' sight: the neighborhood party house, the basement where they have sex, a quiet spot by the lake. There's underage drinking, a fight, some poor judgment, and a bit of petty theft. Expect occasional coarse language ("hell," "pissed," "prick," "bulls--t"). The book is marketed toward age 12 and up, but the portrayal of teen drinking as de rigueur in a story with such appealing characters might give parents of impressionable tweens pause.
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What's the story?
Clare and Aidan have only 12 hours before they leave their town, their families, and each other to begin college 3,000 miles apart. After two wonderful years together, they're down to their last night – and they still don't know whether they should break up or try to stay together despite the looming physical and emotional distance. Clare, the careful, organized planner, is prepared with an itinerary for the night and an argument for why they should split. Aidan would prefer to see where the night -- and their future -- leads them. As they revisit key moments of their past and contemplate what's in store, they grapple with complicated goodbyes to their friends, their families, and everything familiar.
Is it any good?
This engaging romance is Before Sunrise for teens, chronicling the final night at home for a likable couple trying to imagine their future -- together and apart. Deciding who you want to be isn't done in a vacuum: The people we take with us -- and those we leave behind -- help shape us. In HELLO, GOODBYE, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN, author Jennifer E. Smith eloquently captures the strange, bittersweet moment when it feels as if your whole life is ahead of you even as the world around you is crumbling.
There's lots of talking but also a fight, a nighttime swim, a candy-shopping spree, and lots of driving, giving the novel a restless energy. Smith gets teens with a genuine authenticity, and Clare and Aidan soon feel like familiar friends. Devoted romantics will swoon, and anxious kids preparing to leave home may find themselves with a playbook for the changes ahead.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about romances. Most romantic stories focus on the beginning of a relationship. How does this one compare?
Does the party, as it's depicted with teenage drinking, seem like the kind of place you want to be? Do Clare and Aidan seem particularly eager to be there? Parents might want to talk with kids about underage drinking in the media.
Do you like the resolution of the couple's dilemma, or would you have preferred it to be left open-ended?
Book details
- Author: Jennifer E. Smith
- Genre: Romance
- Topics: Friendship, Great Boy Role Models, Great Girl Role Models, High School
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Hachette Book Group Inc.
- Publication date: September 1, 2015
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 12 - 18
- Number of pages: 256
- Available on: Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.