Common Sense Media Review
By Rachel Sarah
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Gripping thriller about a girl disappearing without a trace.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 7 parent reviews
Based on 25 kid reviews
Kids say this book is a powerful yet disturbing read that tackles heavy themes like child abuse and trauma, making it not suitable for younger audiences. While many appreciate its emotional depth and realistic portrayal of tough realities, others find it too intense, leading to mixed feelings about the overall impact on young readers' sensibilities.
- intense themes
- not for kids
- emotional depth
- strong writing
- mixed reviews
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
"This is the story of how my best friend disappeared. How nobody noticed she was gone except me. And how nobody cared until they found her ... one year later." As MONDAY'S NOT COMING begins, it's the last year of middle school at Warren Kent in Washington, D.C., and Claudia's best friend is missing. When Monday doesn't show up for the first day of school, Claudia worries, and as the days pass, Claudia's sure something's wrong. She's desperate to find out what happened to her friend, even if no one else seems to care. The storyline jumps around in time as the tension builds and secrets are revealed. In the end, this is a story dedicated to the missing kids of color in this country. "We have not forgotten about you," Jackson says in her dedication. "We will continue to fight and give you a voice. You matter."
Is It Any Good?
This is a gripping page-turner about an eighth-grader who's gone missing. It's also the heartbreaking story of friendship. Monday's Not Coming illustrates with incredible depth how child protective services fails, how alcohol and drugs cause family dysfunction, and how poverty devastates a community. Readers will love the girls in this story who are so real and fully developed. Parents and teachers will appreciate this author's writing on many complex social issues.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about poverty in Monday's Not Coming. How do you talk about class and race issues with your friends and family?
Have you ever decided to help a friend who needed help? What steps did you take to make it happen?
What prejudices might you have against someone who's not like you? Do you know anyone who has a learning disability? Do you know anyone who lives in low-income housing? How can you learn more about people to avoid stereotypes?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Contemporary Fiction
- Topics : Friendship , School ( High School , Middle School )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Katherine Tegen Books
- Publication date : May 22, 2018
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 13 - 18
- Number of pages : 448
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : ALA Best and Notable Books
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
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.
See how we rate