Common Sense Media Review
By Andrea Beach
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sweet coming-of-ager explores family connections.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Emma Saylor learns THE REST OF THE STORY when she unexpectedly has to spend the summer in a small lake resort town with a side of the family she barely knew existed. Because her mother had painful memories growing up in that town, they never visited, and her mom only ever told her vague stories about the place until she died tragically when Emma was still a kid. Her newly remarried father has plenty of memories of the place where he met Emma's mom, too -- memories he'd like to protect Emma from. As Emma uncovers events from the past, she fills in a lot of the blanks in her own story. And she may just learn how to start filling in the rest of her story, too.
Is It Any Good?
Once again veteran author Sarah Dessen has created a character teens will relate to, colorful supporting characters, and a vivid sense of place. Teens will relate to Emma Saylor's longing to know more about her parents' past, especially since her mother died, and her struggles to reconcile how the two sides of her family have made her who she is. She's not even sure if she wants to be called Emma like her dad does, or Saylor like her mom did.
The story moves along at a good pace and in a straightforward manner. It's a little disorienting at first, but then Emma's pretty disoriented herself by the unexpected change in her summer plans. But strong family bonds and a place she feels she belongs see Emma through, and show her she's capable of more than she thought. Teen drinking, her mother's struggles with addiction, and some strong language make it best for teens and up.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how The Rest of the Story depicts teen alcohol use. Is it realistic? Is it glamorized? Is teen drinking a big deal? Why, or why not?
Have you read any of Sarah Dessen's other books? How does this one compare? Which is your favorite?
What are Emma Saylor's character strengths and weaknesses? What do you like about her, or what don't you like about her?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Coming of Age
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Balzer + Bray
- Publication date : June 4, 2019
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 13 - 17
- Number of pages : 448
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 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