The Things We Miss

Starred review from February 19, 2024
Stecher’s speculative, heartrending debut eloquently portrays the joys and sorrows of being in seventh grade—and the importance of remaining present. Though Joan Phyllis “J.P.” Green’s first day of school is riddled with bullying based in anti-fat bias from classmates, the news that her favorite sci-fi show, Admiral K, is getting a movie brightens her dismal mood. Following a flippant wish to skip the awfulness of middle school, a new doorknob magically appears in her tree house. Passing through the door drops her consciousness into her own body, three days in the future—while she was physically present through the intervening time, she carries no memory of the events that occurred therein. With the help of her best friend Kevin Takagi, J.P. cautiously experiments with the door. But as the bullying escalates and her beloved Pop Pop begins chemotherapy treatments for cancer, her time-skips become an “escape hatch” from life’s unpleasantness—and all the good parts in between. Stecher doesn’t hold back, utilizing tear-jerking prose to portray devastating events throughout J.P.’s life, the harsh consequences that skipping them reaps, and the catharsis that facing her fears affords. J.P. and her family are Jewish and read as white; Kevin is Japanese American. Ages 9–12. Agent: Sam Farkas, Jill Grinberg Literary.

March 15, 2024
A Southern California tween finds a way to skip ahead in time, sparing herself discomfort but also costing her valuable moments. J.P. sometimes seeks solace in her neighbor's treehouse, and one day when she's there, she notices a gold doorknob in the wall where there wasn't one before. After she turns it, a door opens, and she passes through, finding herself instantly transported three days into the future. She has no memory of what happened during the time she missed. Seventh grade isn't easy: J.P. has run-ins with mean girl Miranda, who shames her for her body size. Her beloved Pop Pop's cancer has come back. It's tempting to use the treehouse door to escape, and she even gets Kevin involved in brainstorming variables to see if they can manipulate the time skips. Although Stecher never explains the magic involved, by walking through the door, J.P. can avoid memories of unpleasant experiences and feelings, but in the process, she also doesn't remember precious time spent with Pop Pop and Kevin. Debut author Stecher's characters feel natural, lovable, and whole; the tensions that arise between J.P. and her mom and J.P. and Kevin are believable and relatable. Readers will come away understanding the hard-won lesson that life is best experienced in its entirety. J.P. and her family are Jewish and cued white; Kevin is Japanese American and gay. A powerful story about the joy and pain of growing up. (Fiction. 9-12)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

May 1, 2024
Grades 4-7 When things start to get rough for J.P. at school and at home, she discovers an impossible magic in the tree house behind her home. A door makes itself available to her and lets her skip forward three days, during which some alternate version of herself takes over and she "returns" with no memories of the time that has elapsed. While she is busy skipping the hard parts of her life, things crumble around her, including her friendship with best friend Kevin, who is going through hardships of his own. J.P. is dealing with the illness of a beloved family member, grief, bullying, and insecurity, all while trying to navigate middle school and nerd out with her bestie. At once a bit Dumplin' and a bit Starfish, it also deals with the damaging effects of anti-fatness. Readers will likely notice who is in J.P.'s corner throughout the story, though she doesn't quite appreciate them until she has gone too far. Kids who appreciate stories of emotional growth with touches of light fantasy will like this heartfelt novel that cuts deeply.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from June 1, 2024

Gr 5 Up-Stecher's debut novel is about the joys and struggles of dealing with middle school and growing up. J.P. is not looking forward to the start of seventh grade, but gets news from her best friend, Kevin, that their favorite show Admiral K is getting a movie. After her first day, she goes to her neighbor's treehouse wishing to skip all of her middle school woes when suddenly a golden doorknob appears on the wall. Curious, she opens the newly formed door and steps through, finding herself three days in the future, remembering nothing that happened over those days. With this new magical way out, J.P. starts using the door as an escape more and more as the bullying increases and her grandfather's cancer returns, missing the bad parts of her life, but the good moments as well. Stecher's story is one of learning from mistakes and being present, with a twist of magic. The relationships between J.P. and Kevin, and between J.P. and her mom, are believable, and will resonate with young readers. Stecher doesn't shy away from tough conversations and deep topics in this imaginative debut. VERDICT A powerful story about self-acceptance and showing up for life that should be put in the hands of all middle school readers.-Kylie Woodmansee

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.