Dear Isaac Newton, You're Ruining My Life

by Rachel Hruza

As if seventh grade isn't hard enough, Truth Trendon learns she has to wear a back brace to help her worsening scoliosis. She decides gravity is to blame for curving her spine and ruining her life. Thanks for nothing, Isaac Newton!
Truth's brace is hard plastic, tight, and uncomfortable. She has to wear a t-shirt under it and bulky clothes over it, making her feel both sweaty and unfashionable. She's terrified that her classmates are going to find out about it.
But it's hard keeping it a secret (especially when gym class is involved), and secrets quickly turn into lies. When Truth's crush entrusts her with a big secret of his own, it leads to even more lying. Add to that a fight with her best friend, a looming school-wide presentation, and mean rumors, and it's a recipe for disaster.
As Truth navigates the ups and downs of middle school, can she learn to accept her true self, curvy spine and all?

• ISBN10: 1510725261
• ISBN13: 9781510725263
• Publish Date: 22 February 2018
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
• Imprint: Sky Pony Press
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 356
• Language: English

Reviews

[Sam@WLABB]

Rating: 3.5 Stars

I used to be a teacher, and we always talked about how tough middle school is. It's such an in-between age, with the kids experiencing so many of those "growing up" changes. Truth had to not only deal with growing up, boys, and complicated friendships, but she had to deal with a physical deformity that was possibly irreparable.

•Pro: I found Truth to be very thoughtful, and I appreciated her inner struggles with who she thought she was and who she thought she was becoming. I think a lot of people would be able to related to her insecurities and her struggles.

•Pro: There were a lot of positive adults in this story. Truth's parent were quite wonderful, as were some of her teachers, and the doctor who made her brace.

•Pro: Oliver was fabulous. I liked that he was included, because it allowed Truth to have some perspective on her situation, and besides that, I absolutely loved him!

•Con: In fact, I loved Oliver so much, I wish he had been given more page time.

•Pro: Hruza did a good job incorporated many of the normal issues school aged children experience. These every day worries combined with Truth's health concerns painted a complete picture of Truth for us.

•Con: There was some friction between Truth and another girl that escalated a little bit.

•Pro: BUT, I did like the way Hruza resolved the situation.

•Pro: Truth grew quite a bit over the course of this story, and realized that the things she thought were important really weren't. She matured in her understanding of the world and herself.

Overall: A charming #OwnVoices tale of middle school woe, where a back brace leads to some self discovery.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

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