Lilac and the Switchback

Name: Lilac and the Switchback
Brand: Holiday House
SKU: 458325
Price: 12.51 USD
Availability: PreOrder
Author: Cordelia Jensen
ISBN: 9780823458325

By: Cordelia Jensen

Holiday House / 2025 / Hardcover

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Stock No: WW458325

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Holiday House / 2025 / Hardcover

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Product Description

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A riveting middle grade novel in verse for any kid who has ever felt unwanted, uncomfortable, or unsure of where they fit in.

Lilac has lived with her aunt, uncle, and cousin ever since her mom died. She already feels like an “extra” member of a family that doesn’t have enough money or space.

Then she finds out her aunt is pregnant with twins, due soon after Lilac turns thirteen. How could they possibly want her around when they’ll have two more kids in their crowded home? As she struggles to process her feelings about the pregnancy, Lilac drifts apart from her best friend Callie, leaving Lilac lonelier than ever.

In a timely twist of fate, Lilac discovers a check sent by her estranged father. Maybe he is the family she’s been looking for... and maybe it’s worth risking everything to find him. After all, how much does the “extra” kid really have to lose?

Poignant, and full of both growing pains and healing, this sensitive story told in lyrical verse is just right for fans of Jacqueline Woodson and Andrea Beatriz Arango.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Product Information

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Title: Lilac and the Switchback
By: Cordelia Jensen
Format: Hardcover
Number of Pages: 304
Vendor: Holiday House
Publication Date: 2025

Dimensions: 8.25 X 5.50 (inches)
Weight: 2 pounds
ISBN: 0823458326
ISBN-13: 9780823458325
Ages: 8-12
Stock No: WW458325

Author Bio

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Cordelia Jensen has an MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts and has published three verse novels: Skyscraping, The Way the Light Bends, and Every Shiny Thing, co-authored with Laurie Morrison. Her books have received starred reviews, state award list nominations, and NCTE Notable Verse Novel recognition. Cordelia has taught creative writing in a variety of settings, including Bryn Mawr College, Germantown Friends School, The Writing Barn and The Kelly Yang Project, and currently teaches verse novel classes for The Highlights Foundation.

Editorial Reviews

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Thoroughly developed characters and their complex relationships populate this world. . . . Told in verse, this tender story unpacks what it means to be a family while exploring the long-term effects of grief, ultimately offering the hope of healing.
—Booklist (starred review)

A thoughtful and vulnerable narrator in this verse novel, Lilac and her journey will resonate with anyone who has feared change and has been forced, whether they felt ready or not, to grapple with its (sometimes surprising) consequences. . . .Accessible verse and a relatable protagonist highlight a winning tale of family, friendship, and change.
—School Library Journal

This verse novel is neatly structured, with titled, sequential poems. . . . striking moments that use gaps of space between words to emphasize feelings. . . . its message that family is still family even if they aren’t perfect will appeal to readers who appreciate honest messiness over tidy endings.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Lilac is a sympathetic protagonist. . . .
—Kirkus Reviews

In this well-paced novel in verse, Jensen creates a sympathetically flawed and vulnerable protagonist. . . . a symbolic and rewarding conclusion.
—The Horn Book