Parents' Guide to

What Happened to Goodbye

By Darienne Stewart, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Thoughtful look at teen finding self after parents' divorce.

Book Sarah Dessen Coming of Age 2011
What Happened to Goodbye Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 1 parent review

victorianmermaid
victorianmermaid Adult
August 6, 2015
age 13+

It's a pretty good book

This novel is a good way to introduce your children into the real world. It has a good romance feel, but also deals with some real world issues like moving, finding ones identity, drinking, and divorce. But the drinking is done underage and is portrayed very casually. and the divorce involved a parent cheating on the other and getting pregnant from it. There is some mild curse words but nothing too bad. All in all, it is a good book for a mature child.

This title has:

Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Mclean and her dad set up house in a new town every few months, rootless and adrift in the wake of her mother’s affair with the coach of their favorite basketball team. While her mother starts a new life with a wealthy husband and two babies, Mclean struggles to find her own path. She feels protective of her father, pulled and pushed by her mother, and wary of feeling tied down by anyone as college gets closer and closer. With each move, she adopts a new persona: cheerleader, student organizer, drama kid -- until she arrives in Lakeview, where she finds herself making friends who really matter to her. As Mclean begins to lower her defenses, she starts to rediscover herself.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (13 ):

Older tween readers will appreciate the authentic voice and realistic characters in this rambling but touching story. There’s much for them to connect with, including out-of-touch parents distracted by their own drama who leave their daughter to stumble along more or less on her own. This is familiar territory for Sarah Dessen, who again skillfully taps into the emotional life of teens. The characters are both eccentric and familiar, defying easy stereotypes. The storytelling is sometimes convoluted -- Dessen often skips backward and forward in the narrative, drawing unnecessary circles -- but on the whole it’s a well-told character study with a strong supporting cast.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what drew them to this book. Have you read Sarah Dessen's other novels? If so, how does this one compare? Why do you think her work resonates so well with teen audiences?

  • Also, this book portrays alcohol use by teens as a minor, normal, no-big-deal issue. Do you think that's accurate, and a way of giving the story some authenticity? Is YA media at all responsible for shaping teen behavior?

Book Details

  • Author: Sarah Dessen
  • Genre: Coming of Age
  • Book type: Fiction
  • Publisher: Viking
  • Publication date: May 10, 2011
  • Publisher's recommended age(s): 12 - 17
  • Number of pages: 402
  • Last updated: July 12, 2017

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