THIS BOOK MIGHT BE ABOUT ZINNIA, by Brittney Morris, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, Hardcover, $19.99 (young adult)
A teen searches for her biological mother while another copes with giving up her baby in This Book Might Be About Zinnia, by Brittney Morris.
Two moments in time. Two very different girls. And one story that connects them both.
It’s the year 2024, and Zinnia Davis is on a mission to ace her personal essay. But when an admissions rep hints that her adoption story is “lacking heart,” she has to figure out a new spin. Frankly, Zinnia doesn’t know much about her birth parents; that is, until her favorite author releases a new novel—Little Heart—about a princess with a heart-shaped birthmark on her forehead and separated from her mother at birth…just like Zinnia. Could this be her birth mother?
Flashback to 2006, and teenager Tuesday Walker is barely making it through high school after experiencing a loss that had her on leave for months. To cope, Tuesday writes a series of entries in a journal, but when the journal is lost, it feels like reliving the trauma all over again. Tuesday’s search for the journal uncovers dangerous secrets about her past, her crush, and her own mother’s story.
If Tuesday isn’t careful in her search, Zinnia will have to reap the consequences in the present. —Synopsis provided by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
This Book Might Be About Zinnia is a novel told in two timelines — Zinnia in 2024 and Tuesday in 2006. Their first-person narratives explore identity, relationships and family.
Author Brittney Morris captures these two girls with unique and authentic voices that resonate across the board. Morris has a gentle and heartfelt touch, offering readers a story that touches on many elements concerning adoption, and how they affect all sides.
The mother-daughter dynamics across both timelines are thoughtful and explain a lot about the paths children choose.
This Book Might Be About Zinnia is good, but there are a few twists and turns that don’t quite match the tone that carries throughout the rest of the book. Despite this issue, it’s still a compelling read.
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