about the book
Trent Zimmerman has a lot of thoughts. That’s why Miss Eveline, his old school counselor, gave Trent the Book of Thoughts, so he could write them down instead of having them “poking around in [his] brain all the time and bothering [him].”
He’s filled up five Book of Thoughts now, but somewhere along the line he started drawing instead of writing.
All the drawings are about one thing: Jared, the boy Trent killed.
Technically, it’s not Trent’s fault—something about Jared having an unknown heart defect—but Trent still feels responsible. It was his hockey puck that hit Jared in the chest.
Trent just wants a fresh start in sixth grade, for a chance to prove that he’s not the screw-up everyone seems to think he is.
For some reason, Fallon Little, a girl in his grade with a mysterious scar across her face, likes spending time with him when no one else does. Will she ever leave him alone?
about the author
Eight years old and bored, Lisa Graff produced her first book in an hour—a five-page crayon-illustrated creation entitled The Strangest Flower. She continued to write stories and plays, often performing the melodramas. She always played the sinister mustached villain. Her brother was a genius and to compete, Lisa read everything—including Moby Dick in third grade.
Studying linguistics in Italy, she translated one of her children’s novels and discovered three things. She needed help with her Italian, she was a terrible writer, and she loved to write! In New York, Lisa earned a graduate degree in creative writing for children and met an agent who helped her get her first novel published.
Lisa still lives in New York where she is an editor at a publishing house. She lives with a slightly insane cat and plays bocce ball badly in her spare time. She enjoys blogging with readers, librarians, and other authors. She loves raspberries, snow globes and board games. Lisa has trouble telling her left hand from her right, reading maps, and doing crossword puzzles. She also uses too many exclamation points!!!!!!
Sources:
Author website
Author interview : School Library Journal
Book trailer: Lost in the Sun
Also by Lisa Graff:
A Clatter of Jars. Philomel. 2016.
/Absolutely, Almost. Philomel. 2014.
A Tangle of Knots. Philomel. 2013.
Sophie Simon Solves Them All. Farrar, Straus, & Giroux. 2010.
Umbrella Summer. Laura Geringer Books. 2009.
The Life and Crimes of Bernetta Wallflower. Laura Geringer Books. 2008.
The Thing about Georgie. Laura Geringer Books. 2007.
read more!
Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff
Albie has a long list of things he has never been the best at: being smartest, tallest, athletic, artistic, musical. In fact, he thinks he is good at almost nothing. Then a new babysitter named Calista comes along and helps him figure out the things he is good at. Albie learns to take pride in himself, and makes new friends along the way.
Blackwater by Eve Bunting
Brodie spots Pauline sitting on a rock mear the river’s edge with Otis. Jealous, Brodie sneaks up and grabs her ankle to pull her into the water, but both Pauline and Otis pitch backwards into the dangerous river, and drown. Because Brodie tried to save them both, he is hailed as a hero. But someone besides Alex saw what really happened. Should Brodie tell the truth or stay silent?
Heat by Mike Lupica
Michael has immigrated with his father and older brother to the South Bronx from Cuba. A terrific pitcher, he dreams of playing in the Little League World Series. But when his father dies of a heart attack, Michael and his brother try to keep it secret so they won’t be put in foster care.