Everything I Know About You
Unconventional math nerd Tally and her best friends Sonnet and Spider are sure the seventh grade trip to Washington, DC will be a disaster. To foster class unity, the teachers have assigned the kids to share rooms with their enemies.
But the three-day trip is full of surprises. Alliances are made and broken, and Tally makes an uneasy peace with her roommate, head “clonegirl” Ava Seeley.
Soon Tally begins to suspect something is off with Ava, who keeps a weird notebook full of random numbers, disappears regularly, and doesn’t seem to be eating anything during meals. When Tally confronts Ava about it all, Ava threatens to share an embarrassing picture of Tally with the class if she tells anyone about her suspicions.
For the first time Tally doesn’t have an easy solution to an incredibly complex equation. This is a trip full of lessons Tally won’t forget, including how to love yourself and embrace your flaws, and how being a good friend can actually mean telling a secret you promised to keep….
See the cover reveal on the Nerdy Book Club blog.
Honors & Lists
- 2019 Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year
- CCBC Choices 2019 (Fiction)
- A Junior Library Guild selection
- Wisconsin State Reading Association’s Reading List
- A Mighty Girl’s Best Books of 2018
Aladdin/Simon & Schuster, Hardcover, 978-1534405073
Ages 9-13
“(Tally’s) passionate impulse to protect her friends is immediately sympathetic, as is her growing understanding of both herself and her classmates. A poignant and hilarious slice of middle grade life.”
Kirkus Reviews
“Tally’s transformations and insights in her first-person narrative ring true, as does the rest of the novel: she’s surrounded with complex, interesting characters in a realistic plot that nicely captures middle-school experiences and friendships.”
Booklist
“Dee (Star-Crossed) sensitively portrays Tally’s fears about being left behind as friends change, as well as the signs and impact of the anorexia Ava is hiding. Readers will root for big-hearted Tally, whose willingness to speak her truth makes for honest and engaging narration.”
Publishers Weekly
“Tally is a refreshing middle grade character who is never defined unilaterally. Her efforts to navigate the complexities of adolescent friendships and ever-evolving social circles will resonate with readers. Ava’s struggle with anorexia is portrayed with care and makes an important subject accessible for a younger audience… (The) author succeeds in weaving together threads of self-acceptance, individuality, what it means to be a friend, and even responsible Internet use. A strong addition to library collections.”
School Library Journal
“A beautiful and meaningful book that will no doubt be loved by many and needed in school libraries. Written with gentleness and strong command, EVERYTHING tells the story about friendship, kindness, and the inner strength and courage that allows you to find your voice and yourself. And love both.”
Elly Swartz, author of Finding Perfect and Smart Cookie
“With humor, grace and empathy, Barbara Dee captures a brave story about an unlikely friendship between two strong girls who just might need each other. Tally is one for the ages!”
Melissa Walker, author of Let’s Pretend We Never Met and Why Can’t I Be You