Thing About Jellyfish (Benjamin)

Book Reviews
[H]eartfelt and fascinating…Benjamin explores the heartbreaking subject of grief in the young with dreamy, meditative and elegiac prose. She successfully captures the anxieties of middle school through Suzy's confusion and pain…The dedication of The Thing About Jellyfish reads, "For curious kids everywhere." It could also read, "For all those kids who need a gentle nudge to look closer at nature and science." Or perhaps, "For grieving kids who are struggling to come to terms with their losses, and seeking a path to peace and conciliation." There are, in other words, a lot of children who might not only benefit from this book but also find themselves deeply moved by it.
Jacqueline Kelly - New York Times Book Review


(Starred review.) [A] moving portrayal of loss and healing.... 12-year-old Suzy channels the conflicting emotions surrounding Franny’s drowning death into silence.... Benjamin’s novel is a shining example of the highs and lows of early adolescence, as well as a testament to the grandeur of the natural world (ages 8–12).
Publishers Weekly


(Starred review.) With elegant prose, the author captures the voice of a brilliant but lonely twelve-year-old girl struggling with loss.... This novel has it all: just-right pacing, authentic voices and characters, beautifully crafted plot, and superb writing (ages 11 to 18).
VOYA


Suzy's best friend, Franny Jackson, was a strong swimmer. There is no way she could have drowned, at least in Suzy's mind. Suzy's determined search for a different explanation for her friend's death leads her to believe that Franny was stung by an Irukandji jellyfish.... [A] superbly written, heartfelt novel (grades 4-7).  —Juliet Morefield, Multnomah County Library, OR
School Library Journal


(Starred review.) Benjamin's involving novel features clean, fluid writing that is highly accessible, yet rich with possibilities for discussion.... Her highly individual, first-person narrative makes compelling reading.... An uncommonly fine first novel.
Booklist


(Starred review.) Surrounded by the cruelty of adolescence, Zu is awkward, smart, methodical, and driven by sadness. She eventually follows her research far beyond the middle school norm, because "Sometimes things just happen" is not an explanation.... A painful story smartly told (ages 12 & up).
Kirkus Reviews