I have been a long time reader of Ellen Hopkins. I am so excited that she wrote a novel in verse for middle grades! Drug addictions impact families no matter the age and this book helps readers see and feel the experiences of that.

What About Will is written in verse which makes for a quick read.

One of the things I enjoyed was how real the book felt. Anyone of us could be going through this exact same thing ourselves or with a loved one. I love how Ellen didn't shy away from writing about this.

This is about two brothers, Will and Trace. It's told from Trace's point of view and details his brother's Will downward spiral and how they cope with it. Trace is trying hard to not let it get to him because he knows that's not his brother that the anger is from the Injury he got from baseball. Trace misses the brother he has known up until this point.

When Trace begins to notice that his brother is sp[iralling more and more he brings it up to his parents but they aren't overly concerned and that he will get over it. But will Trace just let it go or will he fight for his brother?

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

I forgot that Ellen Hopkins writes in-verse, which made this story really hard for me to focus on. Then you add in all the sexist comments within the first 10% of the book… No thank you.

"Trace and his big brother, Will, are closer than close. They have to be - it seems like sometimes they're all each other has. Their Dad works full-time to support the boys and their mom has left the family to pursue a career in music. When Will has a horrific football accident, everything changes.

This book deals with several tough topics such as absentee parents, prison, addiction, rehab, etc. The thing I like most is that it tells this story from the point of view of a twelve-year-old, trying to walk the line between protecting his brother and pushing him away. Lately, I have read several addiction stories that tell the story from the point of view of the addict. It's rare that we get a story from the point of view of a younger sibling. My only complaint is that at times Trace feels very young and at others, he seems mature beyond his years. I would think that some of this can be explained by the fact that he has absent parents and a brother with some very serious issues.

Overall, an excellent read and one that I will be recommending to middle school readers. "

Ellen Hopkins writing middle grade novels makes my heart so happy.

Like most of her books, What About Will was written in verse. This writing style makes it so easy to fly through her books.

What About Will by Ellen Hopkins, 384 pages. Putnam’s (Penguin), 2021. $18

Content: G (undescribed drug overdose)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS – ADVISABLE; EL - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

12yo Trace and his 17yo brother Will have always been best friends – Will has never made Trace feel like a bothersome little brother. Bit 17 months ago Will was criticallly injured in a football game and has been dealing with the effects of severe brain damage. He broke up with his girlfriend and has isolated himself from all others who care for him. Plus. Trace discovers that Will has been self-medicating with drugs – consorting with a dangerous crowd to get the highs and lows he craves. What can a little brother do?

Hopkins uses her free verse (not to be mistaken for poetry) to illuminate Trace’s inner turmoil as he deals with Will’s descent into darkness. Everything is handled thoughtfully, in a way that even 5th and 6th graders can relate to, without being unnecessarily graphic or coarse.

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS

This was a very powerful read. I don’t always go for verse, but Hopkins is a pro and the emotion fully came through. Sports concussions are such a scary real issue and this was a fascinating look at how CTE effects a family and younger sibling.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an e-ARC of What About Will by Ellen Hopkins.
Hopkins takes on a serious subject and creates a book that is greatly needed. Written in prose, What About Will, takes a close look at substance abuse from a brother's perspective. Hopkins is able to create characters that are fully developed and three-dimensional. This book is written for tweens and teens and will be a book that is easy to recommend to readers.

Thank you to netgalley fro providing an e-galley for review. In "What About Will" Ellen Hopkins shows the ripple effect of opioid addiction on the family. In this case, a middle school brother of the high school football player. I love that the family is of means, white and still goes through addiction problems. Hopkins shows with all of her books that addiction has no race, education or wealth bias and she shows it again in this book. This is definitely lighter for the middle grade audience.

A great new verse novel for fans of Kate Messner's The Seventh Wish. The main character of this novel is a 12 year old, Trace, who seems to life going fairly well except for his parents being divorced and missing his mother (a lower level rock star). He has baseball, a great academic record and good friends. His big issue is that his older brother is growing more distant, and seems angry. No one seems to understand that older brother Will is not doing well. Trace tries to get his parents to help him with Will but they don't see what he sees. Eventually, we learn that Will has a substance abuse problem and he needs to bottom out before others start to help Trace with his brother's problems. It is great to see the support that eventually starts.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of What About Will!

This is an amazing book that deals with some tough topics. The protagonist is 12-year-old Trace, who is watching his older brother Will struggle with addiction after a traumatic injury. Trace wants to help Will and their whole family cope with the situation, but he doesn't know how to. The writing style is raw and filled with emotion, and I felt like I was right there with Trace throughout the story. I devoured this book in one sitting and spent most of it crying. The story feels true and real, and it doesn't shy away from the tough themes at its core. Definitely a worthwhile read for both its intended middle-grade audience and anyone older as well!

Middle grade novels destroy me in the best kind of way every single time, and this one is no different.

Told in verse format, What About Will follows twelve year old Trace as he navigates the changing relationships around him in the aftermath of his brother’s tragic accident. The book hits several heavy topics at one: traumatic brain injuries, depression, opioid addiction, divorced parents (and parents dating), and how to know when it’s time to tell someone you’re worried about a loved one.

If it were any other author I might be typing out how it was just too much in one book, but Ellen Hopkins writes on topics like these with such deftness, it never seems like one thing too many to tackle. If anything, her own experience dealing with the addiction of a loved one gives her a leg up in breaking down such a serious topic for any age group. And for me, that’s important to see in a novel for young readers. It’s why I love middle grade books so much — they strike at the heart in a way that kids can relate to without feeling like they’re being talked down to.

What About Will does such a wonderful job of putting the reader in Trace’s shoes, exploring his uncertainty, fear, and love for his brother. And for a novel in verse, this one still feels like it has a lot of meat to it; you get the whole story, and hints at what’s going on. For those that know someone suffering from addiction you see the red flags with Will, but also understand exactly why each member of Will’s family responds as they do.

It’s a subject that hits home for me as well, so I certainly appreciated that while there was a sense of optimism in the end, caution was threaded through as well. Addiction is a never-ending battle; how we respond to it, how we live with it in our lives, and how we fight against it will vary by person. But for young people seeing it in their loved ones, it helps to show that there is strength and bravery in speaking up when we’re afraid or worried. There’s nothing wrong with being concerned, and there’s nothing wrong in talking to someone about it. Sometimes the best thing we can do for someone we love is to speak up, even if we know it will make them upset. I hope that at the very least, kids will come away with that sense after reading this book, because they really do see and understand more of what’s happening around them than adults give them enough credit for.

So, yes, definitely a recommendation. It’s a quick read when you settle in for it — just have some tissue handy, because there were so many points where I couldn’t stop my eyes from leaking. And I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way.

I love middle grade narrative poetry novels. They're always able to soften the blow of serious topics by not having to dwell in the details. This is another great one, especially since it has a male protagonist. I could see this studied in classrooms. I think a lot of kids can relate to sacrifice and sibling relationships, especially the younger siblings.

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for the review copy of What About Will by Ellen Hopkins. I love novels in verse, and after reading Closer to Nowhere last year, I couldn’t wait to read more poetry from her!

What About Will is narrated by Trace, a Little leaguer and STEM enthusiast. Trace’s life was pretty simple, until his brother suffered a traumatic brain injury during a football game, ruining Will’s chances of playing sports. Trace spends his time worrying about the choices Will makes when Will’s life begins to spiral out of control.

The poetry was poignant and beautiful. The characters were developed and realistic. This is an absolutely beautiful book! This book is aimed at students grade 5 and older, and I definitely wouldn’t put it in the hands of someone younger than that. The main character is in sixth grade, but the brother is in high school. Trigger warnings for traumatic brain injury and prescription drug addiction.

Trace has always looked up to his big brother, Will. But things changed after a football accident left Will with a brain injury. At the start of the novel, Will is still dealing with the aftermath of his injury; he’s got a strange facial tic, he’s constantly in pain, and he just isn’t the same anymore. Trace starts noticing that Will is always late picking him up, rarely comes to his games anymore and is hanging out with a rough crowd. When valuables start disappearing, Trace gets worried and tries to figure out how to help his big brother. This is a fantastic novel and I can’t wait to add it to my middle school library collection.

I read What About Will and Fast Pitch back-to-back, and they actually make a nice pairing. Both are sports stories (baseball and softball) that tackle timely issues both within the sport and in the outside world. What About Will would also pair nicely with Barbara Dee’s newest, Violets Are Blue, and Life in the Balance, both of which deal with addiction.

I’ve loved Ellen Hopkins since Crank first came out over a decade ago. Her latest venture into middle grade does not disappoint. This verse novel is extremely accessible and poignant. Highly recommended for reluctant readers - just make sure to show them the sparse pages ahead of time so they aren’t scared off by the thick spine!

Having been a huge Ellen Hopkins fan in the past, I was really excited to read her new middle grade book. This book was about two brothers and their relationship through the good and the bad. It was sweet, tender, and poignant. I really related to Trace and his worries about his older brother having gone through the same thing with my older brother as a young child. It was touching and thoughtful.

I was fortunate to receive an electronic Advanced Readers Copy of this novel in verse. This is a quick read and a great book about opioid addiction that is very appropriate and accessible to middle grade readers. I’m grateful to see this addition to middle grade literature and hope it makes its way into classroom libraries.

Thank you PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for sharing this book with me in exchange for an honest review!
Oh. My. Goodness. I could not put down this book in verse. The emotions were so raw and powerful throughout this entire book, but it wasn’t draining. This is an important book to show what kids go through, when to ask for help, and to know that no matter what may be going on, you are never a long. It’s a must read.