Happy  Sad  Everything True, Alex Thayer
Happy  Sad  Everything True, Alex Thayer
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Happy & Sad & Everything True

Author: Alex Thayer

Narrator: Caitlin Kelly

Unabridged: 5 hr 30 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 11/12/2024


Synopsis

“A charming, entertaining, and true book…I would follow Dee’s advice any time.” —Gayle Forman, author of Frankie & Bug and Not Nothing

With charm and sincerity reminiscent of Judy Blume and Rebecca Stead, this debut middle grade novel is a “compassionate” (Kirkus Reviews), hopeful story about a girl finding herself through secretly giving out advice to classmates.

Back when Dee and Juniper were still friends, Dee never hid in the bathroom. Now, at the beginning of sixth grade, Dee finds herself there often. The dripping faucet is annoying, and there are other places she’d rather be—like at home and in her room with her cat, Norman. But at least Dee is safe from overenthusiastic teachers and having to see Juniper walking through the halls with her new friends. Dee would rather be alone than witness that.

But it turns out Dee isn’t the only one hiding from something. There are kids all over the school worrying in secret and needing someone to talk to. After Dee helps a second grader with spelling advice, more students begin coming to Dee with their problems. It turns out she’s a good listener, and she likes helping people. And when she starts receiving mysterious notes, it seems someone out there wants to be her friend—if only they would reveal themselves.

About Alex Thayer

Alex Thayer is a former film and television actress and elementary school teacher. She lives in New England with her two sons. She’s the author of Happy & Sad & Everything True and Bad Cheerleader.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Jennie on November 16, 2024

I enjoyed this middle school book about friendships and finding oneself. Dee’s parents are divorced and her mother is definitely not the typical mom, but she loves Dee and only wants the best for her. Harry was a good friend to Dee when others had abandoned her.......more

Goodreads review by Marnie on February 17, 2025

This was a sweet book. Dee is in 6th grade and dealing with the changes in friendships that often brings. Her best friend Juniper, is ignoring her, and she is struggling trying to find new friends, so she hides in the bathroom during her free times. She discovers that others also hide in the bathroo......more

Goodreads review by Mark on November 19, 2024

Thayer did all the right things in this contemporary realistic tale. Big feelings that override all. Friendship troubles. Misunderstandings that lead to bigger misunderstandings. Meddling adults. A juicer named Esther. And gobs and gobs of heart with a pitch perfect ending. So good.......more

Goodreads review by Kelly_Hunsaker_reads on December 06, 2024

Happy & Sad & Everything True is a wonderful debut middle grade novel by ALex Thayer -- rilled with realistic, age appropriate emotions and the struggle to deal with them. The main character is a sixth grade girl named Dee who feels like she doesn't fit in and is grieving the friend who has left her......more

Goodreads review by Darla on November 01, 2024

Dee has been talking to boys in the bathroom. Any adult staff member who hears this statement about a sixth grade girl will have concerns. We know Dee better than they do and realize that nothing inappropriate is going on. I enjoyed spending time with Dee. She struggles with making friends and after......more


Quotes

"Caitlin Kelly brings authenticity to her narration of this heartwarming debut middle-grade novel. Dee and Juniper were inseparable until sixth grade, but now they’re in different classes, and Juniper seems to have found a new group of friends. Feeling isolated, Dee often hides in the bathroom, especially after an embarrassing incident with her mother. It’s there she hears someone in the boys’ bathroom kicking a grate. Dee strikes up a conversation with Harry about their problems, and they agree to meet again. The next day another student arrives, seeking advice and sparking others to reach out for help. Kelly masterfully captures the triumphs and challenges of this awkward age with perfectly timed nuance. She transitions seamlessly between the children’s voices, making each distinct."