Written by Aimee Lucido, Illustrated by Phillippa & Rachael Corcutt
11-year-old smartie Olive loves words, like her dad. 13-year-old Maddie loves drawing, but struggles in school. Maddie repeated kindergarten, landing the sisters in the same grade. Maddie was bullied, making her distrustful, and she protectively discourages Olive from making friends. Their dad has a new job in another city, and when he returns on weekends, Maddie begins to suspect he’s hiding a secret. This book took a serious turn when it is revealed their dad is having an affair in his new town.
Told in alternating voices, Olive’s sections open with dictionary definitions and are written in verse, while Mattie’s are simple black and white comics. I really enjoyed this unique format, and think upper elementary readers will as well. There are even a few crossword puzzles included. (We recently discovered not many of the students know how to solve crossword puzzles when we printed out a Halloween crossword!) Olive’s advanced vocabulary and wordplay were delightful. Crushes, sibling conflict, divorce, and school struggles make this relatable. A child uncovering her parent’s infidelity is perhaps less relatable.
Reviewed by Kim Winterton, Librarian, Upland Terrace Elementary School
Review shared in November 2025
Rating: ★★★½✩ (3.5 stars)
Interest Level: Grades 4-7
Words Apart
Written by Aimee Lucido, Illustrated by Phillippa & Rachael Corcutt
Versify, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
394 pages
Release Date: October 7, 2025
ISBN: 9780358659587
A review copy was provided by the publisher.
