This book wrecked me -- I sobbed from beginning to end as I read about Joe's experiences. Lisa Fipps has an incredible talent for creating fully-developed characters (which is tricky in any middle grade novel, but especially so when the book is written in verse). I immediately "got" Joe and his grandmother, but all of the other secondary characters -- friends and family -- also felt real immediately.

Even though And Then, Boom! deals with traumatic circumstances, Ms. Fipps manages to leave the reader feeling hopeful and inspired.

"It's amazing how long you can live without anyone realizing how you live."

You never know what someone's life looks like behind closed doors. Some kids are masters at hiding the world they live in. Lisa Fipps takes you behind the closed doors in And Then, Boom. This novel in verse walks you through Joe's life...the highs and the lows: good times with Grandmum, times when mom gets The Itch, true friends who see when you don't let anyone see, and even scary times when you take flight.

And Then, Boom is a 5 star must read!

This novel in verse packs a punch. Fipps follows up her award winning Starfish with another novel in verse that tackles tough subjects. Joe lives with his grandmum, as his delinquent mother can not be counted on. When his mom skips town before trial, he and his grandmum are forced to sell everything to cover the cost. This is the start of a downward spiral for them, but at least they have each other. Until they don't, and Joe is suddenly on his own, and forced to live without electricity and food and school is closed for the summer. With the help of friends and an adopted dog, Joe discovers that even when life throws "and then boom" moments at him there are people out there willing to help him find his way. Heartbreaking, yet hopeful and filled with the power of kindness, this is a must read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. Another great book by Lisa Fipps. Highly recommend. The book deals with tough stuff that some kids may find triggering especially if they are dealing with a similar situation; absent mom, loss of a loved one, abandonment, food insecurity, foster care, adoption. The book is also written in novel in verse which I find easier to read but I know that a lot of people are intimidated by the format.

Lisa Fipps writes middle grade like no one else! This is a short book that packs a big punch and tackles so many current issues (childhood trauma, child abandonment, homelessness, mental health, and so much more). I love how community becomes a theme that is threaded throughout the entire book, and I love how Fipps promotes helping others and doing what you can to make the world just a little bit better. I will definitely be using this book with students next year, and I think it is a book that will lead to some great discussions.

Calling all school librarians and fans of "Starfish"! Lisa Fipps is back with another gem, "And Then, Boom!"
This middle-grade verse novel tackles tough topics like poverty and abandonment, but it's also full of heart. Fipps'
accessible poems challenge
young readers while sneaking in poetry lessons.
The story unfolds like one long poem, rewarding readers with a sense of accomplishment. "And Then, Boom!" will make you laugh, cry, and go though all emotions! Fipps is a writer that is always a recommend authors to my students!
Don't miss this!!

Highly recommend this incredibly eye opening, thought-provoking read. You’ll want to give the main character a big hug.

If you give when you can, it's okay to take when you need to.

My heartstrings were pulled and twisted while reading Fipp's newest story about a middle school boy who suffers and has to grow up way too quickly in order to fend for himself and his pups. Joe goes through so much trauma in such a short amount of time between losing a loved one and being abandoned by another. He is such a strong character, blessed with the most amazing friends and adults, such as Uncle Frankie and Mrs. Swan.

I don't often read books in verse, but Fipps does it well, and I loved how quickly I was drawn into Joe's story and was unable to put it down because I needed to know that it ended happily (which it does). There are a few life lessons to be learned while reading Joe's story, and I honestly hope this story inspires others to be on the lookout and lend a helping hand when possible.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳, 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘦-𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺.

This book made me cry SEVERAL times on a plane in public, and I am not a crier… it is heartwrenching and inspirational.

Joe lives with his grandmum. Their house is full of love, but they don't have much else, and Joe doesn’t always know where his next meal will come from. He idolizes superheroes who face and conquer every “And then, BOOM” surprise situation. Imagine any and every thing that could go wrong, and Joe probably faces it throughout this book.

This novel in verse book will make you grateful for what you have and think harder about how you can help others who don’t have as much. It made me reflect on what I could do to give back to the community.

Fans of Starfish, A Work in Progress, and Louder than Hunger will love this! It's a novel in verse that packs a bunch and deals with heavy topics beautifully. It would be a great read aloud to spark discussions about community service and community programs.

This review is not a summary.

Get your tissues. This one will wreck you and give you insight into food and housing insecurity in a whole new level. Hopefully, it will inspire you to get involved and seek solutions in your local area because Joe Oak, the Amin character, is real. His experience of abandonment and food insecurity is all too common. The causes may be different, but the outcome is the same. Thank you Lisa Fipps for writing another book that deals with a serious issue (poverty) that affects a large part of our population. More than half the students in my middle school live in poverty. Some readers will feel seen in this book. Others will develop empathy. I nominate this book for all the awards. It left me changed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! This is a fantastic middle grade novel about a boy dealing with poverty, hunger and abandonment. It is heart-wrenching and tough to read at times, but it also offers a lot of hope. For fans of Free Lunch.

Fipps, Lisa . And Then, Boom. 2024, 978-0593406328. $17.99. 256p. Grades 5-9

Description: Joe is used to not having “enough”. He is used to his mom being unreliable and unpredictable as she is often gone with “the itch”. He relies on his grandmother for a sense of stability, but when they find themselves without a home, his friend Nick helps them find housing in a trailer park. “And then, BOOM” Joe one again finds himself on unstable ground, when his grandmother passes away, his mother up and leaves and he is left to fend for himself. Not wanting anyone to know that he is living on his own for fear that he will end up in foster care he does everything he can to stay alive and press on like everything is “normal”. But when he no longer is able to get free meals from school, food becomes even more scarce, and the bills pile up, his life takes an unpredictable turn.

Thoughts: Lisa Fipps does it again! I absolutely LOVED this book and CANNOT wait to get a few copies for my middle school library. If you liked novels such as Carry Me Home by Janet Fox and The Benefits of Being and Octopus by Ann Braden, then you will absolutely love this book. It is gut-wrenching, eye-opening, and beautifully written in verse. Highly, highly recommend this novel for middle level and up!
Realistic Fiction

Tags: Novel-In-Verse, Homelessness, Food Insecurity, Loss of a Loved One, Poverty, Low Socioeconomic Status, Friendship

Lisa Fipps has done it again. Tackled a horrible situation that many children face, with immense grace. Joe is a young man who has dealt with a lot in his young life - being unhoused, being abandoned by his mother, the death of his beloved grandmother and being hungry. This book shines a light on the problem of children who don't have enough eat. Heartbreaking and enlightening.

If I could give this book 10 stars, I would. Absolutely outstanding. Joe mostly lives with his grandmother, because his own mother is unreliable and takes off whenever she feels like it. Joe and his grandmother go through countless hard times and end up living in an old beat up mobile home. Unfortunately things get even worse for Joe, but he learns that he can always turn to those around him, especially his friends, for help. An incredible book for older MG readers and beyond. I highly recommend this book for 4th graders and up. An important read for all!

Wow! What an incredible story!! I’m still trying to get the tears to stop flowing. And Then Boom is a heartbreaking journey through mental illness, abandonment, poverty and hunger sprinkled in with seeds of hope through friendship and the kindness and awareness of others. This was one of those books that I didn’t want to put down but had to just to take a breath from the anguish that our superhero, Joe was going though. I love a novel-in-verse that makes you forget you are reading verse and just lets the story unfold in such a way that it fits the narrative so completely and Lisa Fipps delivered!!! Joe and his BOOMS are going to stick with me for a very long time!

I generally do not care for books in verse. However, I love Lisa Fipps.
This book made me tear up so often I had to walk away from it a few times. Lisa has such a knack for writing earnest, strong kids that learn to thrive despite having challenging (to say the least) families.
The parallel with superheroes was *chef's kiss* not overwrought but just enough for middle grade readers to grasp. It is so important to put todays readers in other peoples shoes. Everyone could use more empathy these days.

Lisa Fipps, I just need to know where you have been all my life! My most recommended Middle Grade book to both students and other adults has been Starfish, and her second title absolutely lives up to that incredibly high standard. This is a book I will be putting (forcing? shoving?) into the hands of so many of my students to either show them that they are not alone or to foster empathy for their classmates.

I’m just so thankful books like this exist in the world! The story focuses on Joe Oak, an 11-year old dealing with both family, housing, and food insecurity. Things go from bad to worse when his beloved and dedicated Grandmum gets sick and Joe finds himself having to really and truly fend for himself. He’s scared to share his truth with those around him which ultimately puts him in incredible danger, but he’s also surrounded by two incredible friends and some adults, namely a teacher and a trailer park owner, who truly care for his well-being.

The story in and of itself is incredible, but the writing is truly what makes this book soar. Fipps is a master of verse, and the rhythm and language within these pages truly takes the reader on an emotional journey. I’d put Fipps’ writing up with the best poetry I’ve ever read. Not only does it tug at the heartstrings, but it tells a powerful story with figurative and powerful language. I find it hard to put into words how much the writing means to me; it is just something that needs to be experienced to be appreciated.

Just a personal anecdote - don’t read this book and think that this childhood experience is an anomaly. As someone who gets to work in a Title 1 school with a very high transient population, I can promise you that it’s more common than most people think. If this book inspires you - and it will - I ask you to do something with this inspiration. Volunteer at your local food kitchen, get involved with organizations in your community, or reach out to low income schools in your area to see how you can help. Joe’s story is so important in part because it’s so relevant to our children.

A beautiful and thoughtful book written in prose. Tough topics discussed (hunger, neglect, abandonment, poverty) however the take away is the importance of helping others and asking for help. Fipps creates emotions from readers with few words. ‘And then boom’ sprinkles some humour to keep readers engaged and not completely heart broken. ARC received from NetGalley.

11-year-old Joe Oak loves superheroes and sees his Grandmum as a type of superhero. When Joe Oak’s mother gets arrested, his grandmother took him in and put her house up as collateral. His mother, however, he sees as “a destroyer of worlds.” When his mother jumps bail and disappears, they lose their house. Things look up when they find an affordable mobile home, but then Grandmum gets sick. His mom comes back in the picture briefly but gets the “itch” and abandons Joe. Scared to go to CPS and foster care, Joe stays in the house, taking advantage of free lunch and a teacher’s free closet of clothes to help. He also relies on his two friends to help him survive. But it’s getting harder. Will Joe's superhero story find a happy ending? Will Joe find a new adult superhero to help him? Will his mom come through?

Heartbreaking and touching, the plot will pull at readers’ heartstrings and pull them into Joe’s world. The characters are likable, authentic, and sweet. Fans of realistic fiction, survival stories, and emotionally driven novels will want to pick this one up. Recommended for most library collection. Gr 4 to 7. 5 stars

Please note: This was a review copy given to us by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No financial compensation was received.

Wow, another amazing book from Lisa Fipps! What Starfish did for disordered eating and self-respect And Then, Boom! does for food insecurity and asking for help. An absolute must read.

This is Joe Oak's superhero origin story. Joe even warns us at the beginning that the story is going to get hard to read at times, but like a comic book, "even when horrible things happen, it can all work out." Joe lives with his grandmother and only knows a world of hunger and need. His mother gets "the itch" and gives up her responsibilities as a parent. But Joe also has an army of people who back him up. He has 2 amazing best friends, a special teacher, and the owner of the trailer park. They notice when things are not right and step in to help without being asked. However, there are times when you have to ask for help. Where hiding your situation can be dangerous. Through some incredibly difficult moments, Joe has to learn this as well. He has to learn that sometimes we choose our families and that asking for help can be the thing that saves your life. Life isn't easy, but no one should have to suffer the way Joe does in this story.

Bravo Lisa Fipps for another stunning novel.