The List of Things That Will Not Change, Rebecca Stead
The book is designed for middle grade students. It introduces sexuality, divorce, same sex marriage, the meaning of love, anger management, and coming of age with all the problems and joys associated with it. Children deal with illness, bullying, unacceptable behavior, rejection, anger, joy, love and/or its lack, homophobia, friendship, life and death, all types of abuse and the confusion associated with all the issues kids face growing up, some caused by their own behavior and some caused by others. This book deals with it so appropriately, effectively using outside counseling to move the story along, that as an adult, I felt it was almost written as a manual for parents who need to understand the workings of a child’s mind and how to deal with it.
I am not sure how appropriate it is for children who have no interest in same sex issues or those with no connection to the issue of homosexuality, but it seems to me the book crosses sexual borders because of how it deals with the subject of all kinds of relationships and myriad issues adults and children face. While some children may be too young to understand the concepts, and it may confuse them about their own sexuality, with a parent’s input, they should all do fine.
The book is written very well, with tremendous insight into the mind of the middle grade 8-year old when she learns of her parent’s divorce. She is the main character in the book. To reassure her, her parents give her a list of things that will not change because of the divorce, and she adds to it as the book develops. One could substitute any divorcing couple or couple remarrying, and the book would have the same excellent value in helping children deal with the stresses of life caused by those they are involved with and love. The subject is handled authentically and compassionately by the author. Kudos to her.