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    Nicole Melleby’s Science of Being Angry is intense MG read

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    By Jessica on May 9, 2022 ages 9 & up, Middle Grade, Pride Month
    Science of Being AngryTHE SCIENCE OF BEING ANGRY, by Nicole Melleby, Algonquin Young Readers, May 10, 2022, Hardcover, $16.95 (ages 9-12)

    A tween sets out to discover why she acts the way she does in Nicole Melleby’s The Science of Being Angry.

    Eleven-year-old Joey is angry. All the time. And she doesn’t understand why. She has two loving moms, a supportive older half brother, and, as a triplet, she’s never without company. Her life is good. But sometimes she loses her temper and lashes out, like the time she threw a soccer ball — hard — at a boy in gym class and bruised his collarbone. Or when jealousy made her push her (former) best friend (and crush), Layla, a little bit too roughly.

    After a meltdown at Joey’s apartment building leads to her family’s eviction, Joey is desperate to figure out why she’s so mad. A new unit in science class makes her wonder if the reason is genetics. Does she lose control because of something she inherited from the donor her mothers chose? —Synopsis provided by Algonquin Young Readers

    There’s a lot to unpack in The Science of Being Angry:

    • Joey is a triplet with identical twin brothers conceived by use of a sperm donor.
    • Joey has a half brother from Mom’s first marriage who would rather live with his dad.
    • Joey is always angry — all she wants to do is scream, and she can’t seem to help acting out.
    • Joey’s mothers are lesbian, and she thinks she might be, too.
    • Joey’s attracted to her best friend.
    • A science class genetics project has Joey wondering if she inherited her anger from her biological father.
    • None of her classmates want to be Joey’s friend, and some of them actively bully her.

    With so much going on, you’d think that you’d get lost, but somehow, everything works together to create a thoughtful novel that touches on the nuances of nature, nurture and how they shape us.

    Author Nicole Melleby asks some tough questions of both her characters and her readers, and if you’re willing to go along with it, the answers can be rewarding.

    That’s not to say that The Science of Being Angry is an easy read.

    It’s not.

    Joey makes for a fascinating character study. Joey’s feelings practically pour off the page, forcing you to take a step back every once in a while, and take a breath. Readers who have experienced strong feelings themselves will particularly be drawn to Joey, as will those who may have seen similar behavior from family members or friends.

    The Science of Being Angry is an intense and satisfying look at discovering where and how you want to fit into the surrounding world.

     

    Copyright © 2022 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.

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    Jessica
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    Jessica Harrison is the reviewer behind Cracking the Cover. She loves books and worked as the in-house book critic at a daily newspaper, writing reviews and interviewing authors for two years. When the company cut back, she lost her position covering books, but that doesn't mean she stopped reading. If anything, the whole experience made her more passionate about reading and giving people the tools to make informed decisions in their own book choices. She has been featured on NetGalley's Blogger Spotlight and is on Kindleprenuer's Ultimate List of the Best Book Review Blogs. Contact her at jessica(at)crackingthecover(dot)com and follow Cracking the Cover on Bluesky, Instagram,  Facebook and Twitter (X) @crackingthecovr. You can also read scaled down reviews on Jessica's Goodreads review page. Jessica is also a reviewer on Amazon.

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