Written and Illustrated by Emma Hunsinger
Thirteen-year-old Tara is supposed to be going into eighth grade when her school decides to bump her and a few other students up to ninth. Suddenly, with no time to process, and never mind that she still loves playing make-believe with her little brother, she’s riding the school bus with her older sister to their massive high school. Sure, she’ll be able to have pizza for lunch every day, but will she find her classes before the maze of hallways swallows her up? If she admits to liking a certain singer, will the cool kids think she’s a baby? Will she survive the terror of the boys in her English class?! Group projects, first crushes, peer pressure, self-discovery, and embracing who you are. It encompasses it all, and it is all so vulnerably and joyfully relatable.
This book caught me chuckling as it brought back memories of what it is like to be thirteen. The illustrations are a two-toned palette. One color for the events unfolding in real time and another for the fanciful flights or doomsday scenarios that Tara makes up in her own imagination. This is really a creative tale that I think many middle schoolers will enjoy.
Reviewed by Kristen Hunt, Librarian, Whittier Elementary School
Review shared in 03/05/2025
Rating: ★★★★½ (4.5 stars)
Interest Level: Grades 6-9
How It All Ends
Written and Illustrated by Emma Hunsinger
Greenwillow Books, Harper Alley, imprints of HarperCollins Publishers
295 pages
Release Date: August 6, 2024
ISBN: 9780063158153 (hardcover) / 9780063158146 (paperback)
A review copy was provided by the publisher.
