If you're cool with books that don't shy away from big topics, this one is worth a look. It's a slow, sometimes painful, exploration of grief and guilt in the aftermath of a school shooting. Ostensibly, it's about two girls trying to time travel, but on a deeper level it's how grief and circumstance change us and our memories, what we remember and what we ignore. Certainly it isn't a comfortable read. But it's compelling.

The writing was good, but I just couldn't get into it. Although the story has merit, I think this might skew too mature for my students.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

Absolutely great book by Jasmine Warga. I connected with all of the characters and you can really see how to actions of the brother affected everyone around him.

How do you deal with fear? The fear of the known, and the unknown. Gun violence is an issue I never thought would cross the education threshold, but here it is. Who are the victims, and what happens to those that remain?

The paradox of grief, moving on and letting go after tragedy. Cora and Quinn are best friends until the day a school tragedy changes both of their lives and friendship forever.

Cora is learning to navigate a world without her sister. Being an only child now and no longer having her best friend at her side. Quinn takes on the guilt reserved for her brother and she believes if she could only change the past then all will be forgiven in the future.

The two ex-best-friends work together to find a wormhole that will allow them to time travel and change the events that tore apart their friendship and families.

A well-developed story with a lot of hard truths that aren't tied up neatly at the end. The grief is written very real as is family guilt and how different families handle grief differently. Understanding who the deceased siblings were to the protagonists helps the reader understand the choices both make in the present. Side storylines explored are the immigrant experience of first-generation born Americans, family dynamics, complicated grief and feelings.

Well-written, poignant look at friendship, family and all the squishy places in between. A must have for any library collection.

This was one of those books I did not want to put down. Dealing with fraught friendships, gun violence, absent parents and more; this book was outstanding. Warga did an amazing job of handling delicate subjects in a way that worked for this age reader. The book almost forced conversation and was done incredibly well.

This book was perfectly done. What a difficult subject for kids, and for the world, and Warga handled it with such grace. The concept is electrifying—best friends estranged when one girl's brother kills the other's sister in a school shooting. The plot vehicle, where the girls attempt to travel back in time to fix what went wrong is heartbreaking and tender. The characters are well drawn, and the answers are not easy. Jasmine Warga is easily one of my favorite children's writers, and I was so grateful to be able to read and review this title!

A fantastic heartfelt read about a pertinent topic. How does one forgive the family of those responsible for the death of a loved one? The emphasis that one family and a teacher place on professional therapy was spot on. As was the alternate family who didn't believe in those things. The questions posed as to who is responsible were important. The idea that these two kids once up with to use science and magic to change the past was such an age appropriate response. Like what kid wouldn't think that they could change the past? I loved this book and am so happy it was written. We need more books like this aimed to our young kids who must unfortunately deal with a gun violence regularly.

The Shape of Thunder by Jasmine Warga is a beautifully written story that deals with grief. It was a story that was needed to help process my own grief. Being a fan of the author did help with the want of reading this story, but the story itself was absolutely stunning.

I believe that The Shape of Thunder is a much-needed book, especially for middle grade students. School shootings are , sadly, a reality, for many children of all ages. The way that Jasmine Warga deals with the aftermath of a school shooting for her two middle school protagonists is not only relevant, it's necessary.

I read this one quickly as I was very swept up in the story. As I read, I tried to imagine myself in the shoes of each character. This was the story of two best friends, Cora, who is of Lebanese descent, and Quinn, who is white. The setting takes place nearing the one year anniversary of the school shooting during which Quinn’s brother killed Cora’s older sister. It was told in alternating perspectives and the author masterfully captured the many emotions that each girl felt in this situation.
After a year of not speaking to each other, much pushing by Cora’s grandmother to forgive Quinn for her brother’s mistakes, and the need for both girls to time travel and change the past, Cora and Quinn unite for that purpose. They heal together and try to make amends as they seek to do the impossible

The Shape of Thunder is a miracle of a book. Middle-grade readers will love it as will their parents and teachers. For and Quinn were best friends , but they haven’t spoken in a year since the shooting death of Cora’s sister, When Quinn suggests a possible way of going back in time to stop Quinn’s brother and make things right, there’s hope.

If this book makes just one child feel that it’s okay to talk about problems, it will make a difference. This book is so much more than a book about a school shooting. It’s a wonder of a tale about the importance of connecting and of listening. I hope every middle-grade and middle school teacher reads it and pays attention to it. Thank you Jasmine Warga.

The Shape of Thunder is truly a book that speaks to issues we need to face today. Jasmine Warga has created two characters, Quinn and Cora, who reflect the type of young women that we see in middle schools in the 21st century. Quinn plays soccer, she is creative, and thoughtful. One of my favorite quotes in the book comes from Quinn. "Sometimes it's like I get in trouble in school because I'm always thinking when I'm supposed to be learning." Cora is on the Quiz Bowl team, is starting to have a crush on a teammate, and argues with her older sister. They have been best friends for a long time. Typical middle school girls, right? Absolutely.

It's just that something awful, and something that is becoming more common, just happened. Quinn's brother, Parker joined a white-supremacist group and chose to bring guns to school. Since Cora and her sister happen to be Muslim, Parker shot Cora's sister and she died. If Quinn ever wants Cora to forgive her, she will have to figure out a way to change the events of the past.

Warga's work with her characters and with the story is phenomenal. The narrative switches back and forth between Cora and Quinn's perspective and this works exceptionally well. Both characters have distinct voices. Warga does not spend time outlining Parker's decision to join a white-supremacist hate group, nor does she describe their views in any depth. This feels like the right decision for this book. The Shape of Thunder is not meant to center Parker's hateful viewpoints, it is meant to show the damage that they have done to everyone around him.

Warga gives young readers the words and permission to advocate for themselves, while also making very clear that the problems of gun violence, xenophobia, and white supremacy are not their problems to solve. The fact of the matter is, as Cora and Quinn both make clear in this book, our world does not feel safe right now and the silence of adults is contributing to that feeling.

I have long thought that stories about death, dying, and grief were of enormous importance for kids; it's vital that kids are given opportunities to deal with these enormous emotions before they have to deal with them in their own lives, and also because there are kids who have already had to deal with these huge feelings who feel less alone when they're able to read about others who are doing the same.

Jasmine Warga does a beautiful job showing how each of these girls manages her grief - and guilt, and anger - and finds ways to move beyond the depths of that grief. Quinn and Cora are each relatable in very different ways, offering broad appeal for those readers who like to see themselves in their reading while still giving exposure to something different.

This exceptional middle grade novel deserves a place in every library for upper elementary and middle grade readers, and I would recommend it for those who are interested in themes of death, dying, and grief; time travel; difficult friendships; and complicated sibling relationships. With this, Warga has joined the list of authors whose new titles I will purchase without question.

I have loved everything that I've read by Jasmine Warga and was excited to read this. This is a great story about the power of friendship, sprinkled with family, science, and healing.

I wish the book would've covered more of Quinn's journey in therapy but liked that she wrote the final letter to her brother and was able to release him. I wish the amount of science jargon was cut down a little but overall, I really enjoyed this book.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Sometimes adults can find it difficult to talk to children about tragedy, loss, and the healing powers of friendship. Warga is able to craft a beautifully written story that tackles those challenging topics.. She does it in a way that readers feel the sting of loss all while experiencing the hope in reclaimed friendship. Each chapter is alternatively written in the perspectives of the two main characters, which allows readers to understand both of their emotions and curiosities in a clearer way. THE SHAPE OF THUNDER is a great next read for middle school aged readers.

Told from two points of view in alternating chapters, The Shape of Thunder takes place one year after a tragic event changed the lives of the two story tellers. It packs a solid punch to the emotions, but is an incredible book.

I will definitely be recommending this book to my 5th grade and older students. Latching onto the idea of time travel to reverse a tragedy keeps the main character from being able to process her grief at losing her older sister to a school shooting. It is made more painful because her best friend's older brother was the shooter. Grief makes us behave in strange ways sometimes and the resulting anger can push away the very people we need most during those times. Such a great read about processing trauma as a young person.

In her new middle grade read, Jasmine Warga takes her readers beyond the headlines, beyond the carnage and chaos and into the home of individuals who have been affected by gun violence.
Homes where relationships that have been fractured by tragedy and drama.

Twelve-year-old Cora and Quinn were best friends until tragedy struck. Quinn’s older brother, Parker killed Mabel, Cora’s older sister in a school shooting.

This book is achingly beautiful!

Told in alternating perspectives it touches on themes of angst, friendship, parent child bond, guilt, grief, racism, parent abandoning a child.

The characters are so well developed, each one has so much depth, so many emotions going through them, all of which have been expressed eloquently by the author.

There are so many beautiful, quirky, and heartfelt moments.

However, for me, the beauty of this book lies in trying to fix something that is broken.
This innate need to go back in time and find a solution.

Were there any signs which were missed?
How did this happen?
Why did this happen.

Quinn’s desperation is so well emoted. Her need to want to fix her relationship with Cora.
Cora whose loss has shattered her.
Both Quinn and Cora’s lives are filled with ‘what if” moments.
Moments of regret. Moments which cannot be changed.

However, what if they can? What if they can go back in time and change the actions of others?
What if science does have the answer?

Jasmine Warga captivates you from the start, from her plot development to her character development she takes the readers on a heartfelt and emotional journey of guilt, remorse, regret and how desperation translates into hope and finally closure.

“The Shape of Thunder” a moving and beautiful middle grade novel.