After reading this brilliant novel, my prediction is that many kids will carry this book around in their backpacks, unable to let it go, long after they finish reading Alone Together, by Sarah J. Donovan . If they don’t see themselves, they’ll see someone they know in the pages of this all at once both heartbreaking and hopeful novel. I devoured my ARC this morning in one sitting, unable to put it down. Donovan has captured so many struggles our teens are facing, struggles that many of us adults fail to recognize beneath the surface of what they allow us to see.
The main character and narrator, Sadie, a sophomore in high school is one of so many siblings that at first they’re revealed only by number. #1 is marrying a Jehovah’s Witness abandoning the family’s Catholic faith, #8 works at the bakery, saving for her escape, #3 is gay and exiled from the family, and # 10 is…
Sadie’s family is far from perfect, in fact, far from even functional. The very real social issues are woven into the story with masterful authenticity, nothing about this book is forced or contrived. If you think all our teens are worried about is prom or how many likes they’re getting on Instagram, you’re sadly mistaken. Sadie struggles to fill an emptiness inside that only she knows exists. I predict Alone Together will be the new Elenor and Park of YAL. Written in verse, the language is so beautiful it reads like a piece of art. Congratulations Sarah, I cannot wait to hold my own copy and even more, I cannot wait to give copies away to schools I work with
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