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The Science of Breakable Things

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The Science of Breakable Things

By: Tae Keller
Narrated by: Jennifer Kim
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About this listen

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR • THE CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY • KIRKUS REVIEWS

The spectacular debut novel from the Newbery Award winning author of When You Trap a Tiger. This is an uplifting story about friendship, family, and the complicated science of the heart.

When Natalie’s science teacher suggests that she enter an egg drop competition, she thinks it could be the perfect solution to all of her problems. With the prize money, she can fly her botanist mother to see the miraculous Cobalt Blue Orchids—flowers with the resilience to survive against impossible odds. Her mother has been suffering from depression, and Natalie is positive that the flowers’ magic will inspire her mom to fall in love with life again.

But she can’t do it alone. Her friends step up to show her that talking about problems is like taking a plant out of a dark cupboard and exposing it to the sun. With their help, Natalie begins an unforgettable journey to discover the science of hope, love, and miracles.

©2018 Tae Keller (P)2018 Listening Library Growing Up Growing Up & Facts of Life Literature & Fiction Fiction Feel-Good Heartfelt Resilience Kids Science Fiction

Critic Reviews

"Aside from the obvious connection to STEM, Keller’s layered, accessible story has offers beautifully crafted metaphors, a theme of mending old friendships and creating new ones, and an empowering teacher to a variety of readers.... A winning story full of heart and action.” (Booklist, starred review)

“Natalie is an engaging narrator whose struggles at home and with her peers ring true.” (Deborah Hopkinson, award-winning author)

“Natalie learns that, as with the egg, people, too, are fragile and need support and padding to break their falls. An emotional story that explores parental depression with realism and empathy.” (School Library Journal)

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Profile Image for Tim P.

Smidge depressing

Whilst I know the point of the book was to enlighten depression in families. I found it to miss the mark. Relationships were shallow and the feelings of the main character needed to be more emotional in order to draw me into their world. Good first draught.

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