Biology Lessons - by Melissa Kantor (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

Biology Lessons is a heartfelt and profound contemporary young adult novel about the strength and importance of female friendship in a time when bodily autonomy is outlawed, from acclaimed author Melissa Kantor.

"This is a book that Judy Blume would approve of." --BCCB

Grace Williams has her future all mapped out. A high school senior in her beloved state of Texas, Grace plans to move to New York City after graduation to study at Barnard College, and maybe, someday, win a Nobel Prize in biology. When she's asked to tutor Jack Nelson, the star baseball player who's flunking bio, she thinks it'll be just another activity to list on her college application. Studying turns to flirting, flirting becomes secret hookups, and despite her expertise in bio, Grace gets pregnant. In a state where abortion is illegal, with parents who would expect her to keep the baby, Grace's future is over before it's begun.

With no one else to turn to, Grace must rely on her best friends, Addie and Sebastian, but antiabortion laws put anyone who helps Grace in grave danger, and anyone they encounter might be an informant. When Grace finds a phone number and an offer of help scrawled in a bathroom stall, the three friends hatch a plan to sneak Grace across state lines. The risks to people she loves and those who have befriended her terrify Grace, but with Addie and Sebastian by her side, at least she isn't alone.

A love letter to hometowns, New York City, and infinite possibilities, Biology Lessons showcases the transformative power of friendship in a world where choice is something you have to fight for.

Review Quotes

Praise for Biology Lessons:

★"A moving story . . . a nuanced take on teen pregnancy, one that could be rightly read as an update to the familiar YA problem novel. The book manages to highlight the personal without excluding the political and favors truthful pain over tragic histrionics, ultimately allowing a big, bright, and complicated future for its main character. . . This is a book that Judy Blume would approve of, where a girl is allowed to imagine a future where her abortion isn't the most important moment of her life." --BCCB, starred review

★ "Through Grace's eyes, the reader is introduced to a Texas rarely seen in popular media: a diverse, beautiful tapestry of people, many of whom are capable of a tremendous amount of empathy . . . This unfiltered glance at the realities of a post-Roe era strikes the perfect balance between storytelling and sharing information, all without casting judgment." --Booklist, starred review

"Powerful and emotionally charged . . . Kantor's writing is heartfelt and compelling, capturing the emotional turmoil of Grace's predicament with sensitivity and depth. The relationships between the characters---especially the unbreakable bond of friendship among Grace, Addie, and -Sebastian--are beautifully portrayed . . . An essential and poignant novel that will resonate deeply with older teens navigating the complex world of -relationships, identity, and social justice." --School Library Journal

"Makes for a compelling read that frankly acknowledges how and why a person might choose abortion . . . A quick, readable, and relevant novel." --Kirkus

About the Author